Best Colleges Princeton Review, 2024
Best Colleges Princeton Review, 2024
FALL 2026 APPLICANTS
All below majors are available for first year students (freshmen). Majors marked with an asterisk are not yet open to transfer applicants in Fall 2026 but will be available in a future term. For more information about major availability for transfer students, visit this page.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
FALL 2026 APPLICANTS
All below majors are available for first year students (freshmen). Majors and minors marked with an asterisk are not yet open to transfer applicants in Fall 2026 but will be available in a future term. For more information about major availability for transfer students, visit this page.
MAJORS
- Aerospace Engineering, B.S.
- Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering, B.S. *
- Bioengineering, B.S. - Biomedical Instrumentation Emphasis - Biotechnology Emphasis - Pre-Medical Emphasis
- Chemical Engineering, B.S. - Computational Emphasis - Material Science and Engineering Emphasis - Nanotechnology Emphasis - Semiconductor Emphasis
- Civil Engineering, B.S.
- Computer Science and Engineering, B.S.
- Data Science and Analytics, B.A. - Behavioral Modeling Analytics Emphasis - Business Analytics Emphasis - Environment and Sustainability Analytics Emphasis - Policy Analytics Emphasis
- Electrical Engineering, B.S. - Computer Engineering Emphasis - Electric Vehicle Emphasis - Ground and Aerial Robotics Emphasis - Machine Learning Emphasis - Sustainable Energy Emphasis
- Environmental Engineering, B.S.
- Management of Innovation, Sustainability and Technology, B.A. * - Innovation Management Emphasis - Sustainability Management Emphasis - Technology Management Emphasis
- Materials Science and Engineering, B.S. - Computational Emphasis - Nanotechnology Emphasis - Semiconductor Emphasis
- Mechanical Engineering, B.S. - Aerospace Engineering Emphasis - Agricultural Technology Emphasis
MINORS
- Electrical Engineering
- Management Analytics and Decision-Making
- Materials Science and Engineering
* 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
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
FALL 2026 APPLICANTS
All below majors are available for first year students (freshmen). Majors and minors marked with an asterisk are not yet open to transfer applicants in Fall 2026 but will be available in a future term. For more information about major availability for transfer students, visit this page. Some majors also offer custom emphases.
MAJORS
- Applied Mathetical Sciences, B.S. - Computational and Data Sciences Emphasis - Computational Biology Emphasis - Computer Science Emphasis - Economics Emphasis - Education Emphasis - Engineering Emphasis - Environmental Emphasis - Physics Emphasis
- Biochemistry, B.S.
- Biological Sciences, B.A.
- Biological Sciences, B.S. - Developmental Biology Emphasis - General 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
- 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
MINORS
- Applied Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Data Science and Computing
- Natural Sciences Education
- Natural Sciences Education with Teaching Credential
- Physics
* 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
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
FALL 2026 APPLICANTS
All below majors are available for first year students (freshmen). Majors and minors marked with an asterisk are not yet open to transfer applicants in Fall 2026 but will be available in a future term. For more information about major availability for transfer students, visit this page.
MAJORS
- Accounting, B.S.*
- Anthropology, B.A.
- Business Administration, B.A.* - Financial Economics Emphasis - Management Emphasis
- Cognitive Science, B.A. - Cognitive Neuroscience Emphasis* - Computation and Cognition Emphasis* - Language and Culture Emphasis*
- Cognitive Science, B.S. - Cognitive Neuroscience Emphasis* - Computation and Cognition Emphasis* - Language and Culture Emphasis*
- Communication and Media, B.A. - Linguistics Emphasis - Media Production Emphasis
- Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, B.A. - Teaching Social Sciences Emphasis
- 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. - Teaching Social Sciences Emphasis
- Liberal Studies, B.A. - Humanities and Arts Emphasis - Social Sciences Emphasis
- Literatures in English, B.A. - Literature and Social Justice Emphasis - Literature and the Environment Emphasis
- Management and Business Economics, B.S.
- Neuroscience, B.A.*
- Neuroscience, B.S.* - Computational, Perceptual and Cognitive Emphasis - Molecular, Cellular and System Neuroscience Emphasis - Neuroscience of Human Health and Development Emphasis - Pre-Med 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
- 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.
MINORS
- Accounting*
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Business Administration*
- Communication and Media
- Chicanx Studies
- Cognitive Science
- Community Research and Service
- Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
- Data Science and Policy Analysis
- Economics
- Environmental Humanities
- Geospatial Technology
- Global Arts Studies
- History
- Interdisciplinary Public Health
- Literatures in English
- Management and Business Economics
- Neuroscience*
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Science, Technology and Ethics
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Writing Studies
PROGRAMS
- Karen Merritt Writing Program
- World Languages
* All applicants must choose an emphasis.
◊ Open to transfer students in Fall 2026
‡ Open to transfer students in Fall 2027
Not Sure What You Want to Major in Yet?
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.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MAJORS AND MINORS AT
UC MERCED ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR THE FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS. CHECK ADMISSIONS.UCMERCED.EDU FOR OPEN MAJORS.
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
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
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, designed to connect students to mentored research experiences, including numerous paid summer and academic-year opportunities
Academic internship programs, such as UC Merced Washington DC, a special chance to get academic credit while gaining valuable work experience
Study Abroad, a program that offers the world as your classroom with opportunities to live and learn in another country
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
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
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, designed to connect students to mentored research experiences, including numerous paid summer and academic-year opportunities
Academic internship programs, such as UC Merced Washington DC, a special chance to get academic credit while gaining valuable work experience
Study Abroad, a program that offers the world as your classroom with opportunities to live and learn in another country
#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
