The total number of course units needed for graduation varies between 32 and 36 depending on the number of course units required in the major. Each major specifies a certain number of course units that must be completed, but never less than 12. In addition to the major, students must normally complete 20 c.u. outside the major. No more than 36 c.u. will be required for graduation. Those whose majors require more than 16 c.u. may take correspondingly fewer than 20 outside the major. At least 16 of the 20 c.u. outside the major must be Arts and Sciences courses. See Policies Governing Non-College Courses. See Policies Governing Non-College Courses.
Students who are completing more than one major must use their largest major to calculate the number of course units required for graduation. For example, a student majoring in English (12 c.u.) and Fine Arts (16 c.u.) needs no more than 36 c.u. to graduate.
PLEASE NOTE: Some concentrations within a given major will require additional course units from what is listed below. See the Penn Catalog for details. The total number of course units needed for graduation with a single major will never exceed 36.
| MAJOR | C.U. FOR THE MAJOR |
C.U. OUTSIDE THE MAJOR |
TOTAL C.U. NEEDED FOR GRADUATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| African Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Africana Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Ancient History | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Anthropology | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Architecture | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Biochemistry | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| Biological Basis of Behavior | 18.5 | 17.5 | 36 |
| Biology | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Biophysics | 20 | 16 | 36 |
| Chemistry | 17 | 19 | 36 |
| Cinema & Media Studies | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Classical Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Cognitive Science | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Communication | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Comparative Literature | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Criminology | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Earth Science | 15 | 20 | 35 |
| Earth Science (Paleobiology) | 18.5 | 17.5 | 36 |
| East Asian Area Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| East Asian Languages & Civilizations | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Economics | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Engineering for College Students | |||
| English | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Environmental Studies | 15 | 20 | 35 |
| Fine Arts | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| French and Francophone Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| German | 12.5 | 20 | 32.5 |
| Health & Societies | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Hispanic Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| History | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| History of Art | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Individualized Major | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| International Relations | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Italian Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Jewish Studies | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Latin American & Latino Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Linguistics | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Logic, Information & Computation | 17 | 19 | 36 |
| Mathematical Economics | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Mathematics | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Modern Middle Eastern Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Music | 15.5 | 20 | 35.5 |
| Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Philosophy | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Philosophy (Humanistic Philosophy) | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Philosophy, Politics & Economics | 16 | 20 | 36 |
| Physics & Astronomy | 17.5 | 18.5 | 36 |
| Political Science | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Psychology | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Religious Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Romance Languages (2 Languages) | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| Russian & Eastern European Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Science, Technology & Society | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Sociology | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| South Asia Studies | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| Theatre Arts | 13 | 20 | 33 |
| Urban Studies | 14 | 20 | 34 |
| Visual Studies | 15 | 20 | 35 |