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New Students

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Welcome Class of 2029!

Congratulations on your admission to the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) at UCR!  We are excited that you will joining us this fall term and look forward to meeting you and working with you over the next four years.

As you prepare for fall quarter, the following checklist/calendar will be helpful to keep you on track. You should also check your My.UCR.EDU portal often for personalized information, checklists, provisions of admission, deadlines, test scores, admissions status, and next step reminders.

  • Submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
    • SIR Deadline is May 2nd
       
    • Once you SIR, view all messages in your new R’Mail account.  All email correspondence will be sent to your R’Mail account instead of your personal email address.  Be sure to check your account regularly and use it for all university email communications.
  • Register for Highlander Orientation and Second-Phase Registration

    What to Expect at Highlander Orientation

    UC Riverside offers 11 in-person orientation sessions and 4 virtual sessions for incoming first-year students. These fun-filled, high impact sessions are offered twice a week in July and August.

    Course registration will be separate from your Orientation Session. Please make sure to sign up for Orientation AND register for advising when both links become available. 

    During the two-day mandatory program, you will learn about UCR’s campus and traditions, connect with other first-year students, discover ways to get involved, and learn about campus resources that will support you in your transition to the university. 

    You will also learn about how to navigate UCR's opportunities for student engagement, learn how to be a responsible member of the UCR community and connect with peer leaders that can support your transition to campus.

    What to Expect in Second Phase Registration 

    Second-Phase Registration is the second part of the orientation process and is hosted by your Academic Advisors. Second Phase Registration will occur from July 28th through August 8th, 2025 and will occur virtually. To complete the orientation process and to register for your classes, you must register for and attend both programs.

    During the Second Phase Registration session you register for in July or August, your Academic Advisors will meet with you via a group advising session. The Advising session will be hosted on Zoom. You will receive information about your major, your major requirements, and specific information about your Fall Quarter courses. During this time, you will also register for your Fall Quarter classes.  

    Orientation Registration will begin on May 9, 2025. Please see the schedule below and visit orientation.ucr.edu to sign up for Orientation and Second-Phase Registration.  

    CHASS Second-Phase Registration

    When you are signing up for Highlander Orientation, you will sign-up for the two -day program first. Below the Highlander Orientation sessions, you will sign up for the Second-Phase Registration online event. These events are offered based on majors. Please review the schedule below to determine when your majors will offer a Second-Phase Registration session and sign up accordingly at orientation.ucr.edu.

    Monday, July 28th ALL CHASS Majors: This session is ONLY available to the following Priority Registration Populations: Honors students who are registered with University Honors, Intercollegiate Athletes, Regents and Chancellors scholars who received the Regents or Chancellors Scholarships upon admission, Student Veterans, Students with disabilities who are registered with Student Disability Resource Center, Foster youth who are registered with the Guardian Scholars program and students with a dependent child(ren)
    Tuesday, July 29th All CHASS Majors: This session is ONLY available to the following Priority Registration Populations: Honors students who are registered with University Honors, Intercollegiate Athletes, Regents and Chancellors scholars who received the Regents or Chancellors Scholarships upon admission, Student Veterans, Students with disabilities who are registered with Student Disability Resource Center, Foster youth who are registered with the Guardian Scholars program and students with a dependent child(ren)
    Wednesday, July 30th MAJORS OFFERED: Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Political Science; Political Science Administrative Studies; Political Science International Affairs; Political Science Public Service; Undeclared; and Pre-Business Majors
    Thursday, July 31st MAJORS OFFERED: English; Art; History; History Administrative Studies; Art History; Art History Religious Studies; Art History Administrative Studies; Anthropology; Sociology; Sociology Administrative Studies; Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Economics; Economics Administrative Studies; Business Economics; Undeclared; and Pre-business Majors
    Friday, August 1st MAJORS OFFERED: Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; Anthropology; Sociology; Sociology Administrative Studies; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Political Science; Political Science Administrative Studies; Political Science International Affairs; Political Science Public Service; and Pre-business Majors
    Monday, August 4th MAJORS OFFERED: Chinese; Comparative Ancient Civilizations; Comparative Literature; French; Germanic Studies; Language; Linguistics; Spanish; Classical Studies; Russian Studies; Philosophy; Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; History; History Administrative Studies; Art History; Art History Religious Studies; Art History Administrative Studies; Anthropology; Sociology; Sociology Administrative Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Economics; Economics Administrative Studies; Business Economics; Undeclared; and Pre-business Majors
    Tuesday, August 5th MAJORS OFFERED: Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; Anthropology; Sociology; Sociology Administrative Studies; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Political Science; Political Science Administrative Studies; Political Science International Affairs; Political Science Public Service; and Pre-Business Majors
    Wednesday, August 6th MAJORS OFFERED: Chinese; Comparative Ancient Civilizations; Comparative Literature; French; Germanic Studies; Language; Linguistics; Spanish; Classical Studies; Russian Studies; Philosophy; Art; Anthropology; Sociology; Sociology Administrative Studies; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Political Science; Political Science Administrative Studies; Political Science International Affairs; Political Science Public Service; and Pre-Business Majors
    Thursday, August 7th ALL CHASS majors except for: Art; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; and Undeclared
    Friday, August 8th MAJORS OFFERED: Creative Writing; Dance; Music; Music & Culture; Theater, Film & Digital Production; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Chicano Studies; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Native American Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; Global and Community Health; Study of Religion; Asian Studies; Latin American Studies; Global Studies; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Media & Cultural Studies; Liberal Studies; Psychology; Neuroscience; Political Science; Political Science Administrative Studies; Political Science International Affairs; Political Science Public Service; Undeclared; and Pre-business Majors

     

  • Start Submitting Your Transcripts and Test Scores
    • Transcripts and Test scores are due July 1st
       
    • If you have AP/IB test scores or community college transcripts from freshman to junior years, you should submit them now.  This will make advising and registration at Orientation much easier.
       
    • How to submit
  • Complete the Highlander Foundations College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences online course

    Your Highlander Foundations course is designed to prepare you for your Highlander Orientation and Second-Phase Registration session as well as to communicate information about CHASS. This course also contains information about various resources available to you as a Highlander and important reminders about what you will be expected to complete prior to arriving at orientation.  Be sure to make use of the information provided throughout as you familiarize yourself with our Highlander Community!

    The Highlander Foundations course will be available beginning on May 19th. You will receive detailed information on how to access the course via your UCR email. Completion of the course will allow students to begin their Fall enrollment as early as June 23rd, 2025.

    If you have any questions, please contact our Peer Advisors at chasspeers@ucr.edu. Our team of Peer Advisors would be happy to answer any questions as you prepare for Highlander Orientation.

  • Take the Writing Placement Process (WPP)
    • The Entry-Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a University of California reading and writing proficiency requirement that all first-year students must satisfy. This requirement is not an admissions requirement. The ELWR must be satisfied either before beginning courses on a UC campus or during the first year of enrollment. For information about individual high schools’ success rates in preparing their students to satisfy the ELWR, please go to the UC Office of the President website

    • UCR's Writing Placement Process (WPP) determines if entering students can read and write at the level expected to satisfy the UC Entry-Level Writing Requirement (ELWR).  The WPP diagnostic essay exam will be administered to new incoming UCR freshmen who have not yet satisfied the ELWR.  The exam is only available to students who have completed their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

    • Students who have not officially satisfied the ELWR in one of the UC approved methods must complete the WPP diagnostic exam.  Completing the online WPP exam on one of the test dates in May or June will ensure that students have placement information before registering for fall quarter classes when attending their Advisor Support Session in July or August.  

    • The fee for this exam is $100 and will be automatically added to your student account after completing the essay exam.  Students who receive a fee waiver for the UC Application Fee will also receive a fee wavier for the WPP diagnostic essay exam.  

    • To register to take the Writing Placement Process (WPP) diagnostic essay exam, please go here.

    • For more information regarding the UC ELWR can be found here.

  • Take the Math Placement Assessment (MPA)
    • The MPA is used by UCR to assess student readiness in mathematics for University work and to determine the appropriate placement.
       
    • Not all CHASS students will be required to complete a math course to graduate.  Students admitted to the majors below, and undeclared students considering one of these majors (or a STEM major outside of CHASS) must have math placement.  Students must either complete the MPA or use transfer credit (qualifying AP/IB scores or college transfer credit).
       
    • Math-based majors in CHASS include:
      • Pre-Business
      • Economics
      • Business Economics
      • Economics/Administrative Studies
      • Economics/Law & Society
      • Psychology
      • Psychology/Law & Society
      • Neuroscience
      • Liberal Studies
      • Political Science/Administrative Studies
      • Art History/Administrative Studies
      • History/Administrative Studies
      • Sociology/Administrative Studies
         
    • To register for the MPA, please visit the ARC website
       
    • Make sure to take the exam no later than July 1!  The earlier you complete the exam, the more prepared you will be for advising and registration at Highlander Orientation.
       
    • If you are an Undeclared student and are considering any of the majors above and do not have transfer credit, then it is strongly recommended that you take the MPA.
  • Major Changes

    If you are seeking to change your major, you must do so no later than June 15, 2025. All major change requests must be submitted through your admissions portal at my.ucr.edu. After June 15th, major changes will not occur until after the fall quarter begins. If you are seeking a major change, please visit your My UCR portal to request a major change immediately.