Petitions & Forms

With the exception of OSD requests and Completion Plans, all other petitions, forms, and documents needing the review and/or signature of a Physics instructor and/or the Physics Department Chair and/or the Physics Undergraduate Advising Team must be submitted through our Physics Department Document Submission Portal (appointments are not used for document processing and all signatures are now done electronically). Please note: Though the portal remains open during campus closures and school breaks, requests are not reviewed during this period (eg. no requests will be reviewed during winter break).

Document/request types: 

The portal will guide you in properly submitting your material. If you get stuck at any point in the submission process, contact Physics through the Virtual Advising Center (VAC) for assistance (non-UCSD students will email advising@physics.ucsd.edu) BEFORE submitting your request. 

Once your documents have been submitted, a confirmation page will pop up so that you know your material has been received by our department. Completed requests and documents will be routed to the required Physics reviewers/signers and you will be contacted through VAC once your documents have been processed (see Document Processing Timeline, below). Non-UCSD students will be contacted via email. Incomplete requests will not be processed. If your request is considered incomplete, we will contact you to let you know what changes need to be made to your submission. 

If you need to make a change to documents you've already submitted but have not yet been processed, please alert PHYSICS through the VAC so we can cancel your earlier submission and process the new one once you've submitted it (non-UCSD students will email advising@physics.ucsd.edu).

If you independently submit multiple requests or the same request multiple times, only your latest submission will be considered (all previous submissions will be canceled). 

If you resubmit a request after receiving a decision on the initial request, the new request will be reviewed to see if any relevant new information has been added.

Campus Policies Related to Submitted Documents

Any incidents relating to suspected potential violations of Student Conduct policies (e.g., fabricating documents, falsifying documents, furnishing false information, etc.) are reported to the Center for Student Accountability, Growth, and Education (SAGE) for their review. 

Submitted documents are not reviewed over the weekend, campus holidays, and/or during school closures.

 

Document Processing Timeline

Due to the Physics Department serving all STEM students across campus, we receive a high volume of requests of various types each term. Faculty/staff reviewers not only teach/advise students, but also have a wealth of other duties besides reviewing and processing submitted documents. Some documents require multiple reviewers/processors. For these reasons, document processing takes time. 

Documents/Requests are typically processed within 5-6 weeks.  Please plan to submit your documents/requests well in advance of when you need them processed.

Please also keep the following in mind:

  • Due to the high volume of documents and requests received, we are unable to offer rush processing of documents and requests at this time. 
  • UCSD students will be contacted through VAC.
  • Non-UCSD students will be contacted via email.
  • Document processing time excludes evenings, school breaks, school closures, and weekends.

Please be aware that altering any documents provided by any individual and/or fabricating any documents transmitted to the University is strictly prohibited and violates the university's policies on student conduct. Any suspected violations of student conduct policies must be reported to the campus for investigation. Sanctions can be extremely serious, including but not limited to suspension and/or dismissal from the University.

 

Petition Types and Guidance

Remember, all materials must be submitted through the Physics Document Submission Portal (see above).

Before working on a Physics Course Equivalency request, carefully review our Transfer Credits webpage to see if a request needs to be submitted. 

In Physics, course equivalency is determined by reviewing complete and official PHYS course syllabus information to see if there is a match in the breadth, depth, scope, format, aims, and length of time spent covering material at an equivalent level as one/more of our courses. In some cases, graded course materials (eg. exams, labs) may be reviewed, as well.

    Regulations:

    1. The campus considers it the student's responsibility to retain course materials from their prior institutions if they plan to seek equivalency at UCSD. Equivalencies cannot be determined without the required information. 

    2. High school courses alone or combined with other coursework are not eligible for equivalency at UCSD. Only AP, IB, and A-Level Physics qualify for university-level credit or equivalency.

    3. Lecture and/or lab equivalency for the Physics 1, 2, or 4 series will not be granted for non-calculus-based physics courses. Such courses, even if part of a year-long sequence and covering core physics topics, may only be considered for equivalency as PHYS 10 or 11. No exceptions will be made.

    4. In-person calculus-based physics covering topics from our 1 series or 2 series may be petitioned for equivalency. "Remote" lower and upper division physics lecture courses, as well as "remote" lower division physics lab courses (but not upper division lab courses), offered in real-time during COVID (2020-2021) may be considered for course equivalency at UCSD. However, "online" and "hybrid" courses (eg. courses that are conducted online, via independent study, with/without the exception of exams, and/or were self-paced) are ineligible for equivalency at UCSD unless the courses were taken within the UC-system (See UC Online). At this time, the exception is courses that are already articulated on ASSIST.

     

    Student Responsibilities and Resources:

    • Refer to the UCSD Physics Courses to determine which UCSD courses you want to request equivalency for. Note:

      • PHYS 1: Uses elementary calculus with applications corresponding to biology and other life sciences.

      • PHYS 2: Utilizes advanced calculus with applications for physical sciences and engineering.

      • PHYS 4: Requires all advanced calculus, with applications specifically corresponding to the core UD Physics program at UC San Diego. 

    • Petition well in advance of when you need equivalency and keep in mind that approval of your request is not guaranteed. If your coursework is not equivalent, you will be responsible for completing the coursework at UC San Diego or taking an approved equivalent outside of UCSD. See the Transfer Credits webpage to learn where you can see courses that are already approved for equivalency at UC San Diego. 

     

    Course Equivalency Request Submission Instructions and Requirements:

    • Using the link at the top of this webpage, submit ONE request including ALL the physics courses you want us to review (do not submit a separate request for each course). 
    • Include ALL requested materials in a single PDF:
      • COMPLETE syllabus for each physics course from your term(s) of enrollment (past, present, or future). Specifically, each syllabus must detail:
        • Instructor's name and contact information.
        • General course description.
        • Required textbooks.
        • Lecture schedule (including daily/weekly topics and textbook chapters).
        • Grading criteria (types of exams, breakdown of grades/points).
        • For lab courses, include schedule of lab topics (list of labs) and one fully graded lab report per course (exclude lab instructions/manuals).
    • Do not include any material/information not explicitly requested.
    • Do not request equivalencies you've already been awarded (eg. based on ASSIST) 
    • Do not request both PHYS 1 and 2 series equivalencies
    • DO NOT fabricate any documents and DO NOT alter any of the documents provided by your faculty. Please be aware that altering any documents provided by any individual and/or fabricating any documents transmitted to the University is strictly prohibited and violates the university's policies on student conduct. Any suspected violations of student conduct policies must be reported to the campus for investigation. Sanctions can be extremely serious, including but not limited to suspension and/or dismissal from the University.

     

    Additional Notes:

    • Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
    • If you submit a request and then submit another request before a decision is made on the original, the original request will be automatically canceled.
    • Do not include any material not explicitly requested.
    • Retain transfer course materials for future reference.
    • Appeals require the original packet and additional official course information. 

    Please click here to learn more about petitioning for A-Level exemptions. Keep in mind that your syllabus code must appear on the A-Level certificate you submit to our department (we do not have access to the materials sent to UCSD Admissions and can only verify the exemptions you are eligible for by receiving a copy of your A-Level certificate w/ syllabus code. 

    This request type is only for current Physics majors. You must provide the following information:

    • Your major code
    • The requirement your request relates to (eg. LD Core, LD Breadth, UD Core, etc.)
    • Your request
    • A justification for your request
    • A course syllabus

    This request type is only for current Physics minors. You must provide the following information:

    • Your request
    • A justification for your request
    • A course syllabus

    Please note: ASTR courses are not accepted toward the PHYS minor. No exceptions are granted.

    This type of petition is typically for retroactive withdrawals, extensions of incompletes, etc. All submissions must be made within one-quarter of when you took the course. Follow the steps below, and we will handle routing the request to all necessary parties on your behalf (you do not need to route it to instructors, department chairs, or colleges). You will be informed of the status of your request after each reviewer has made their decision, so be sure to keep an eye on your VAC. 

    • Be sure to read the campus procedures for these types of requests. Every reviewer is expected to apply the campus criteria for approval and to approve only those requests that meet these criteria.

    • Be sure to download and complete the required Undergraduate Student Petition for each physics class. Be sure to clearly indicate on each petition what you are requesting.

    • Be sure to draft a personal statement. Include a statement explaining your request and the reasons behind it. For retroactive adds/withdrawals, detail any circumstances beyond your control that prevented timely action in WebReg or at the Registrar's Office. Be sure to include a timeline of events.

    • Be sure to collect required Supporting Documentation:

      • Include third-party supporting documentation that lists the date(s) of extenuating circumstances. Ensure documentation is independent of the student (written statements by the student or family will not be accepted). Please note:

        Per the campus procedures, "For circumstances involving medical conditions, medical documentation will only be accepted from an authoritative source (e.g., the student’s attending physician) and must clearly show how the medical condition impacted the student’s capacity to follow campus procedures."
    • Be sure to combine all materials above into a single PDF packet. ​​​​​​

    ​​​​​Submit your packet at the link on the top of this webpage, then monitor your VAC for updates about your request, since we will route it to required reviewers on your behalf.

    Additional Notes:

    • Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
    • Appeals require new information and must be submitted within one quarter of the initial petition.
    • These requests take several weeks to be reviewed (do not expect an immediate update about a reviewer's decision on your request).

    Per campus policy on exceptions to academic regulations, you may request a retroactive withdrawal from a course only under specific, documented circumstances:

    • Circumstances beyond your control (e.g., hospitalization) or a verified WebReg glitch prevented you from dropping the course by the Friday of Week 6 deadline.
      OR

    • An emergency occurred after Week 6 but before Friday of Week 10, preventing you from completing the class.

    If your situation falls into one of these categories and you have documentation to support it, you may submit a request for retroactive withdrawal for campus review. These requests must be submitted within one quarter of when the course was taken, but should really be submitted as soon as possible.

    Your submission must include all of the following:

    1. PHYS Undergraduate Student Petition Form

      • Fully completed.

      • For the “reason for your request” section, do not include details. Instead, type one of the following:

        • "Circumstances beyond my control on/around the drop deadline"

        • "Glitch on Tritonlink on/around the drop deadline"

        • "Emergency between weeks 6–10"

    2. Typed Personal Statement

      • Explain what happened and why it prevented you from dropping the course or completing it.

      • Include a clear timeline of events.

      • If you're requesting withdrawal from some but not all courses, explain how the situation specifically impacted only those courses.

    3. Supporting Documentation

      • Must verify the circumstances that justify the request (e.g., medical records, technical error confirmations, etc.).

    Please carefully consider whether your situation meets these campus-defined criteria. Unfortunately, requests that do not meet this standard cannot be endorsed, regardless of other challenges you may have faced.

    If you believe your case qualifies, please follow the instructions to develop and submit your request through the Physics Document Submission Portal. 

    PLEASE NOTE: If you are requesting to retroactively withdraw from ALL courses for the term, you will submit your PDF packet with all petitions directly to your college (instructor or and department chair signatures are not required). 

     

    Please work with the Financial Aid Office to obtain required Financial Aid forms. Submit completed forms well in advance of when they are due back to Financial Aid.

    Please work with your college to learn about returning to UCSD and click here to obtain required forms. Submit completed forms well in advance of when they are due to your college.

    Please follow the Instructions for Filling Out & Submitting the Double Major Packet in the Physics Department Handbook.

    Physics majors must follow a plan posted/provided by the Physics Department. For more information, please see Having a Qtr-by-Qtr Plan Reviewed in the Physics Department Handbook.


    Frequently Asked Questions about Petitions and Forms

    Please contact us through VAC so we can assist you.

    To ensure the appropriate processing of your material, we do not review/sign/process documents on the spot. Please refer to our Document Processing Timeline information, above. 

    No, we do not use appointments for having documents signed/processed. Please follow the procedure outlined above to have your document processed.

    Contact the instructor and dept. at the school where you took the course to request this material (most schools save copies of syllabi because they know students who transfer will need this material). You may also find success by contacting students who took the courses with you. If you still are unable to retrieve this material, please contact us through VAC so we can provide next steps.

    Potentially! Please contact us through VAC so we can look into this.

    Contact us through VAC for advice on your specific case.

    No. Course clearance requests are processed through the university's Enrollment Authorization System (EASy). However, please note that we strictly enforce the listed prereqs for our courses. If you are missing one/more prereqs you will not be cleared to enroll. Instead, you must complete the listed prereq in advance of taking our course, as outlined in our prereq policy information.

    We do not accept petitions via email. You must submit your material through the Physics Department Document Submission Portal.

    As per the bounce notification you received when you sent your email, your message was not received. You must submit your material through the Physics Department Document Submission Portal.