Academic Programs

The UPLB curricular programs are supported by the modern facilities and specialized equipment of UPLB. Laboratories, experimental fields and research, development and extension units cater to various meeds of students and researchers.

Likewise, herbariums and specimen collections are maintained for instructions and research purposes. The University Library has an extensive collection of 314,608 books, journals, periodicals and other titles, and this number is constantly increasing.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

CollegeDegree Program
College of AgricultureBS in Agriculture
 BS in Food Technology
College of Arts and SciencesBA in Communication Arts
 BA in Philosophy
 BA in Sociology
 BS in Applied Mathematics
 BS in Applied Physics
 BS in Biology
 BS in Chemistry
 BS in Computer Science
 BS in Mathematics
 BS in Mathematics and Science Teaching
 BS in Statistics
College of Development CommunicationBS in Development Communication
College of Economics and ManagementBS in Agribusiness Management
 BS in Agricultural Economics
 BS in Economics
College of Engineering and Agro-industrial TechnologyBS in Agricultural Engineering
 BS in Chemical Engineering
 BS in Civil Engineering
 BS in Electrical Engineering
 BS in Industrial Engineering
College of Forestry and Natural ResourcesBS in Forestry
College of Human EcologyBS in Human Ecology
 BS in Nutrition
College of Veterinary MedicineDoctor of Veterinary Medicine
CA-CAS Joint ProgramBS in Agricultural Chemistry

Diploma and Professional Programs

The diploma and professional certificate programs offered by UPLB are as follows:

Degree ProgramCollege
Diploma in Computer Science (distance and residential modes)CAS
Diploma in Physical EducationCAS
Diploma in StatisticsCAS
Diploma in Electrical EngineeringCEAT
Diploma in Power ElectronicsCEAT
Diploma in Environmental ScienceSESAM
Diploma in Home Technology and ManagementCHE
Certificate in ForestryCFNR
Diploma in AgroforestryCFNR

Graduate Degree Programs

The graduate degree programs offered by UPLB are as follows:

DegreeField/Specialization
MACommunication Arts
MALanguage and Literature (soon)
MASociology
MForestry
MCommunication Arts
MInformation Technology
MMAgribusiness Management
MMBusiness Management
MMCooperative Management
MMDevelopment Management
MMPublic Management (soon)
MPSDevelopment Communication (distance mode)
MPSEducation Management
MPSFood and Nutrition Planning
MPSLand and Water Resources Engineering
MPAAgricultural and Rurban Development Studies
MPACooperative Management
MPAEducation Management
MPALocal Governance and Development Management
MPAStrategic Planning and Public Policy
MSAgricultural Chemistry
MSAgricultural Economics
MSAgricultural Education
MSAgricultural Engineering
MSAgriculture
MSAgroforestry (soon)
MSAgrometeorology
MSAgronomy
MSAnimal Science
MSApplied Nutrition
MSBiochemistry
MSBotany
MSChemical Engineering
MSChemistry
MSComputer Science
MSCommunity Development
MSDevelopment Communication
MSEconomics
MSEntomology
MSEnvironmental Science
MSExtension Education
MSFamily Resource Management
MSFood Science
MSForestry
MSGenetics
MSHorticulture
MSMathematics
MSMicrobiology
MSMolecular Biology
MSPlant Breeding
MSPlant Genetic Resources
MSPlant Pathology
MSRural Sociology
MSSoil Science
MSStatistics
MSVeterinary Medicine
MSWildlife Studies
MSZoology
PhDAgricultural Chemistry
PhDAgricultural Economics
PhDAgricultural Education
PhDAgricultural Engineering
PhDAgriculture
PhDAgronomy
PhDAnimal Science
PhDApplied Nutrition
PhDBiochemistry
PhDBotany
PhDChemistry
PhDCommunity Development
PhDComputer Science
PhDDevelopment Communication
PhDEntomology
PhDEnvironmental Science
PhDExtension Education
PhDFood Science
PhDForestry
PhDGenetics
PhDHorticulture
PhDHuman Nutrition
PhDMicrobiology
PhDMolecular Biology and Biotechnology
PhDPlant Breeding
PhDPlant Pathology
PhDSociology
PhDSoil Science
PhDStatistics

Note: MA = Master of Arts; M = Master; MPS = Master in Professional Studies; MPA = Master in Public Affairs; MS = Master of Science; PhD = Doctor of Philisophy

Modes of Degree Program Offerings

In response to then UP President Emil Q. Javier's program to democratize access to UP education, UPLB offers its existing degree programs in ways that are modifications to the traditional classroom, on-campus type of instruction.

The other modes of degree program offerings at UPLB are characterized according to where it will be offered, how it will be offered and who will offer the program. These are as follows:

In-campus program

The program is instituted, administered and implemented at UPLB. The students are admitted by, register at, take academic residency in and receive their degrees from UPLB. Classes are held at UPLB.

Inter-campus program

The program is instituted and administered by UPLB but is implemented in another campus of the UP autonomous unit. The rules governing the implementation of the program are embodied in a memorandum of agreement signed between the UPLB Chancellor and the Chancellor of the other UP campus. The students are admitted by UPLB, register and take academic residency in the other campus, but receive their degrees from UPLB. Classes are held at the other campus.

Off-campus program

The program is instituted, administered and implemented at UPLB but classes are held outside of UPLB or any other UP autonomous unit. The students are admitted by, register at, take academic residency in and receive their degrees from UPLB. The rules governing the holding of classes outside UPLB or any other UP autonomous unit are embodied in a memorandum of agreement signed betweeb the UPLB CHancellor and the Head of the unit or agency where classes will be conducted.

Faculty members of the above programs are those who have been issued appointments by the UPLB Chancellor, upon recommendation of the department chair or institute director offering the program as endorsed by the UPLB Dean of the College where the department or institute belongs and the Dean of the UPLB Graduate School (in case the program offering is at the graduate level), to teach or to advise research (undergraduate thesis, master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation) students.

Distance Mode Program

The program is proposed, instituted and implemented by the faculty of UPLB but administered by the UP Open University.

Adopted Program

The program which is instituted, administered and implemented by another UP autonomous unit is adopted by UPLB for administration and implementation as an in-campus offering. The rules governing the adoption are embodied in a memorandum of agreement signed between the Chancellor of the unit lending the program to UPLB and the UPLB Chancellor. In like manner, UPLB has program offerings that are being requested for adoption by other UP autonomous unit. The rules governing such adoption shall likewise be embodied in a memorandum of agreement between the UPLB Chancellor as the lending unit and the Chancellor of the unit adopting the program.

General Education Program

In general, all undergraduate students enrolled in the bachelor's degree programs are required to take common general education (GE) courses. Specifically, the GE program consists of a minimum of 42 units of courses distributed as follows:

AreaCourseUnit
Natural Sciences and MathematicsNASC I, Foundations of Natural Science I3
 NASC II, Foundations of Natural Science II3
 MATH I, Mathematics for General Education3
 STS, Science, Technology and Society3
Social SciencesSOSC I, Foundations of Behavioral Sciences3
 SOSC II, Social, Economic, and Political Thought3
 HIST I, Philippine History3
 HIST II, Asia and the World3
 PHLO I, Philosophical Analysis3
Humanities and LanguagesCOMM I, Communication Skills I3
 COMM II, Communication Skills II3
 COMM III, Speech Communication3
 HUM I, Literature, Man, and Society3
 HUM II, Art, Man, and Society3

Physical Education Requirements

Basic Physical Education (PE) is a prerequisite for graduation. All students should comply with this requirement during their freshman and sophomore years.

Eight units of PE are required of all undergraduates except the following:

  1. students who hold the Associate in Arts title (or equivalent) or a bachelor's degree;
  2. those who are members of the ROTC Band;
  3. those who are 30 years old and above;
  4. veterans of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Navy (PN) or Philippine Air Force (PAF); and
  5. those who have served on a full time basis for at least two years in the AFP, PA, PN or PAF.

The 8-unit requirement, which is equivalent to four courses, are broken down as follows:

  1. PE 1. Foundations of Physical Fitness, required of all students.
  2. PE 2. Elective physical education activities for beginners.
  3. PE 3. Elective physical education activities for intermediate students who have taken PE 2 in the same activity.

Proficiency Examination in PE (PEPE)

Proficiency examination (or credit by examination) in PE courses are given to enable students who are already skillful in one or more sports to acquire advanced units in PE. Any students who passes the PEPE shall be given credit for one or more PE courses.

A student who is graduating at the end of a given semester, but who failed to enroll in a required PE course may take special proficiency examination upon presentation of a certificate of candidacy for graduation from his College Secretary.

Proficiency examination may be taken in the following areas: archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, bowling (duck pin), international folk dance, modern jazz, Philippine folk dance, soccer, social dance, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and weightlifting.

Military Science Courses

All physically fir Filipino male students, except those deferred, exempted or disqualified on valid grounds, are required to finish two years of the Basic Course under the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Students should comply with this requirement within their first years of residence in the University or immediately thereafter.

The successful completion of the Basic Course (MS=Military Science) is prerequisite for graduation.

Basic Course1st Sem2nd Sem
1st yearMS 11MS 12
2nd yearMS 21MS 22

A student will be allowed to select the branch of service (infantry or field artillery) under which he desires to train, subject to the approval of the Commandant.

Advanced Placement Program

Under the Advanced Placement Program, incoming freshmen may obtain credit by examination for subjects in the General Education Program. This scheme avoids repetition of subjects that have been adequately covered at the high school level, thus accelerating the student in finishing his curriculum.

The Advanced Placement Examinations (APE) are given before the start of new freshmen registration for the first semester. An entering freshman should have a mean score of 90 and above on the four subtests in the UPCAT to qualify to the the APE. Letters of Invitation from the Learning Resource Center (LRC) are sent to qualified new freshmen.

A new frehman who passes the prescribed examination in such freshman courses as Communication, Mathematics, Chemistry, etc., is given credit for these subjects in his academic program. However, the number of accredited units should not exceed six (6) units in any one discipline.

Application for the APE are processed at the LRC upon submission of the following requirements:

  1. invitation reply slip,
  2. original and photocopy of high school record (Form 137 or 138),
  3. original and photocopy of UPLB Admission Notice, and
  4. 2 copies of 1 x 1 ID picture.

An application fee of P200 is charged, plus an examination fee of P100 for each subject.