Best Colleges Princeton Review, 2024

Best Colleges Princeton Review, 2024

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

All below majors are available to first year students (freshmen) in Fall 2025. Check footnotes for transfer availability.

engineering.ucmerced.edu
  • (NEW) Aerospace Engineering, B.S.
  • (NEW) Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering, B.S. ‡
  • Bioengineering, B.S. - Biomedical Instrumentation Emphasis - Biotechnology Emphasis
  • Chemical Engineering, B.S.*◊ - (NEW) Computational Emphasis - Material Science and Engineering Emphasis - Nanotechnology Emphasis - (NEW) Semiconductor Emphasis
  • Civil Engineering, B.S.
  • Computer Science and Engineering, B.S.
  • Data Science and Analytics, B.A. ∆ - (NEW) Behavioral Modeling Analytics Emphasis - (NEW) Business Analytics Emphasis - (NEW) Environment and Sustainability Analytics Emphasis - (NEW) Policy Analytics Emphasis
  • Electrical Engineering, B.S. - (NEW) Electrical Vehicle Emphasis - (NEW) Ground and Aerial Robotics Emphasis - (NEW) Sustainable Energy Emphasis
  • Environmental Engineering, B.S.
  • (NEW) Management of Innovation, Sustainability and Technology, B.A. ‡ - Innovation Management Emphasis - Sustainability Management Emphasis - Technology Management Emphasis
  • Materials Science and Engineering, B.S. - (NEW) Computational Emphasis - Nanotechnology Emphasis - (NEW) Semiconductor Emphasis
  • Mechanical Engineering, B.S. - Aerospace Engineering Emphasis

* Junior-level transfer students must choose an emphasis when applying; first year students must select an emphasis to complete the degree/graduate.

◊ Open to transfer students in Fall 2026

‡ Open to transfer students in Fall 2027

∆ Open to junior-level transfer students in Fall 2026

NEW ENGINEERING MAJORS FOR FALL 2025

Aerospace Engineering, B.S.

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Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering, B.S.

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Management of Innovation, Sustainability and Technology (MIST), B.A.

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

All below majors are available to first year students (freshmen) in Fall 2025. Check footnotes for transfer availability.

naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu
  • Applied Mathetical Sciences, B.S.* - Computational and Data Sciences Emphasis - Computational Biology Emphasis - Computer Science Emphasis - Economics Emphasis - Engineering Emphasis - Environmental Emphasis - Physics Emphasis
  • (NEW) Biochemistry, B.S.
  • (NEW) Biological Sciences, B.A.
  • Biological Sciences, B.S.* - Developmental Biology Emphasis - Human Biology Emphasis - Microbiology and Immunology Emphasis - Molecular and Cell Biology Emphasis
  • Chemistry, B.S.* - Biological Chemistry Emphasis - Chemistry Emphasis - Materials Chemistry Emphasis
  • Data Science and Computing, B.S.*◊ - Applied Mathematics Emphasis - Biology Emphasis - Chemistry Emphasis - Environmental Systems Science Emphasis - Materials Science and Engineering Emphasis - Physics Emphasis
  • (NEW) Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, B.S. - Pre-Health Emphasis
  • Environmental Systems Science, B.S.* - Earth and Climate Science Emphasis - Ecosystem Science Emphasis
  • Physics, B.S.** - Astrophysics Emphasis - Biophysics and Soft Matter Emphasis - Computation and Data Science Emphasis - Engineering and Applied Physics Emphasis - Mathematical and Computational Physics Emphasis - Physics Emphasis - Quantum Science and Technology Emphasis

* Junior-level transfer students must choose an emphasis when applying; first year students must select an emphasis to complete the degree/graduate.

** All applicants must choose an emphasis.

◊ Open to transfer students in Fall 2026

NEW NATURAL SCIENCE MAJORS FOR FALL 2025

Biochemistry, B.S.

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Biological Sciences, B.A.

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Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, B.S.

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

All below majors are available to first year students (freshmen) in Fall 2025. Check footnotes for transfer availability.

ssha.ucmerced.edu
  • Anthropology, B.A.
  • Cognitive Science, B.A.
  • Cognitive Science, B.S.
  • (NEW) Communication and Media, B.A. ◊ - Linguistics Emphasis - Media Production Emphasis
  • Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, B.A.
  • Economics, B.A.
  • Economics, B.S.* - Economic Analysis and Policy Emphasis - Quantitative Economics Emphasis
  • Environmental Humanities, B.A. ◊
  • Global Arts Studies, B.A. - Performance Studies Emphasis - Visual Studies Emphasis
  • History, B.A.
  • Literatures in English, B.A. - Literature and Social Justice Emphasis - Literature and the Environment Emphasis
  • Management and Business Economics, B.S.
  • (NEW) Neuroscience, B.A. ‡
  • (NEW) Neuroscience, B.S. ‡ - Computational, Perceptual and Cognitive Emphasis - Molecular, Cellular and Systems Emphasis - Neuroscience of Human Health and Development Emphasis
  • Philosophy, B.A.
  • Political Science, B.A.* - American Politics Emphasis - Comparative Politics Emphasis - International Relations Emphasis - Law and Policy Emphasis
  • Psychology, B.A. - Health Psychology Emphasis - Social Psychology Emphasis
  • Public Health, B.A.
  • Public Health, B.S. ◊ - Pre-Med Emphasis
  • (NEW) Science, Technology and Ethics, B.S. ‡
  • Sociology, B.A. - Community Studies Emphasis - Health, Medicine, and Society Emphasis - Justice, Law, and Society Emphasis - Race and Racial Justice Emphasis
  • Spanish, B.A.
  • Writing Studies, B.A.

* All applicants must choose an emphasis.

◊ Open to transfer students in Fall 2026

‡ Open to transfer students in Fall 2027

NEW SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND ARTS MAJORS FOR FALL 2025

Communication and Media, B.A.

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Neuroscience, B.A. and B.S.

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Science, Technology and Ethics (STE), B.S.

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First year students (freshmen) and sophomore-level students can choose to apply as Undeclared/Undecided. First year students can also apply as Undeclared within any of the three academic schools: Engineering; Natural Sciences or Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.

UNDergraduate education

bobcat-advising-center.ucmerced.edu

• Undecided/Undeclared

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Interested in a career in health? UC Merced provides support through pre-health advising, internship opportunities, clubs and more. Explore potential career paths to see how your passion for biology, medicine and health sciences connects with your future.

ucm.edu/premed

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

TEACHER EDUCATION

Are future classrooms calling? You can earn your K12 teaching credential through UC Merced Extension in less than one year and save up to $5,400, regardless of your major, by completing the Cal Teach Natural Sciences Education Minor (NSED).

teacherprep.ucmerced.edu

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MAJORS AND MINORS AT

ucm.edu/majors

UC MERCED ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR THE FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS. CHECK ADMISSIONS.UCMERCED.EDU FOR OPEN MAJORS.

undergraduate education experience

ue.ucmerced.edu

Highlights of the UC Merced undergraduate education experience include:

Peer Learning Assistants Program with advanced students helping facilitate classroom discussions and problem solving in first-year courses


Technology Enabled Active Learning classrooms, that foster hands-on, collaborative learning experiences

it.ucmerced.edu/teal

General Education, which engages students with the values, practices and contributions of a research university through innovative course offerings, including the first year “Spark” seminar

ge.ucmerced.edu

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, designed to connect students to mentored research experiences, including numerous paid summer and academic-year opportunities

uroc.ucmerced.edu

Academic internship programs, such as UC Merced Washington DC, a special chance to get academic credit while gaining valuable work experience

ucdc.ucmerced.edu

Study Abroad, a program that offers the world as your classroom with opportunities to live and learn in another country

studyabroad.ucmerced.edu

undergraduate education experience

ue.ucmerced.edu

Highlights of the UC Merced undergraduate education experience include:

Peer Learning Assistants Program with advanced students helping facilitate classroom discussions and problem solving in first-year courses


Technology Enabled Active Learning classrooms, that foster hands-on, collaborative learning experiences

it.ucmerced.edu/teal

General Education, which engages students with the values, practices and contributions of a research university through innovative course offerings, including the first year “Spark” seminar

ge.ucmerced.edu

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, designed to connect students to mentored research experiences, including numerous paid summer and academic-year opportunities

uroc.ucmerced.edu

Academic internship programs, such as UC Merced Washington DC, a special chance to get academic credit while gaining valuable work experience

ucdc.ucmerced.edu

Study Abroad, a program that offers the world as your classroom with opportunities to live and learn in another country

studyabroad.ucmerced.edu

#1 in the Nation Among Young Universities

- Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2024

#1 in the Nation Among Young Universities

- Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2024

enjoy small classes


21:1

Student-Faculty Ratio

59%

of undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students

More Than 1 in 3

undergrads are paid to conduct research

Free Tutoring

offered for 50+ undergraduate courses

40+

countries around the world where students have studied abroad*

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Shakespeare in Yosemite

Faculty in UC Merced’s English department study at the intersection of theatre and environmental justice through the Shakespeare in Yosemite program.

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View the UC MERCED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT BODY PROFILE 2023
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