How to Enroll in Classes

Enrollment in CalCentral

Social Welfare PhD students follow the standard process of enrollment in CalCentral. Enrollment takes place in two phases – “Phase 1” and “Phase 2” – followed by an adjustment period. Phase 1 and 2 appointment times are determined by the Office of the Registrar and are posted to your CalCentral profile under “My Academics.” Students may add their preferred classes to a “Shopping Cart” before their official Phase 1 or Phase 2 enrollment time.

Prior to the start of each CalCentral enrollment period (and in the summer, for incoming new students), the Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO) provides all students with information about and instructions for enrolling in classes for the next term.

Schedule of Classes

The schedule of classes is accessible from your CalCentral dashboard, as well as the Berkeley Academic Guide. The Berkeley Academic Guide also includes links to the Academic Calendar, and additional information on course descriptions, prerequisites, etc. for all courses.

Changing Class Schedules

Students may make changes to class schedules directly on CalCentral through Wednesday of the fourth week of instruction each semester. However, all Social Welfare courses, including SOC WEL 299-Independent Research units, must be added by no later than the Friday of the 3rd week of the semester.

After the 4th week deadline, students must submit a “Graduate Petition to Change Course Schedule” to the GSAO. Students can make changes to their schedule through the GSAO as late as the Friday before RRR Week of any given semester; however, the Registrar’s Office assesses a fee for making any class schedule changes past the 2nd week of classes.

Add/Drop Deadline Calendar

Friday of Second Week
(University Deadline)

Deadline for all students to drop classes without a fee.  $10 fee charged for each class dropped after this date.

Friday of Third Week
(University Deadlines)

Deadline for all students to add classes without a fee.  $5 fee charged for each class added after this date.
Deadline to become “officially registered” (enrolled, tuition & fees paid, no blocks). $150 Late Registration fee after this date.

Friday of Third Week
(Departmental Deadline)

Deadline to add Social Welfare courses.
Deadline to submit instructor-signed Independent Study (SOC WEL 296) and Independent Research (SOC WEL 299) Petitions.

Wednesday of Fourth Week
(University Deadlines)

Deadline to drop courses without petition.
Deadline to add non-social welfare courses without petition.
Deadline to change grading option without petition.

Friday before RRR Week
(University Deadline)

Deadline to petition to add non-social welfare courses.  (Requires instructor’s signature.)
Deadline to petition to drop courses.
Deadline to petition to change grading option or unit value.
Disclaimer: The School of Social Welfare reserves the right to (1) add or delete courses; (2) change instructor, time, day or location of courses; (3) cancel any course for insufficient registration or academic/administrative decision without notice; (4) unregister students from courses for which they have mis-enrolled or have not received permission to enroll; or (5) move students into a different section of a multi-section course. Students will be notified of any changes.