October 1, 2026

Choosing Your Major

Admissions, Majors & Courses

By Shae Cogswell
8 MINUTE READ
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How do you choose your major?

One of the most common questions that becomes part of your introduction as a college student is “What is your major?” In almost every new social environment, professional setting, or classroom space, you will face this seemingly simple question. But what does it take to choose your major and decide what path of study you will pursue at UC Berkeley?

Coming to Berkeley, I felt a push and pull when it came to selecting my major. I was uncertain about what I wanted to major in, but I also felt a rush to declare and make the most of my academic experience here. As a second-year student who has now declared my major, I can confidently say that the path to selecting and declaring your major is different for everybody. I asked my fellow Berkeley students about their experience with the process, and here are their insights.

It starts with a spark

Often, choosing your major begins with identifying a core passion of yours — something that relates to your dream career, a topic you could talk about for hours, or a subject that you’ve had a lifelong interest in. Maybe you’ve been obsessed with reading and writing from a young age and dream of becoming an author, or a volunteer experience inspired you to pursue a career in the healthcare field. The pathway of a long-held interest influencing your choice in major rings true for many students.

“Ever since 2020, philosophy has been my biggest interest — it’s what sparked my interest in writing, literature, and art. But when I first started planning for college — and particularly, for what I’d study — I wasn’t aware philosophy was something you could major in. So a large part of me choosing to major in philosophy started before I came to Cal. I scoured through the upcoming semester’s course catalog, scanned Berkeleytime for students’ rating of philosophy professors, and checked professors’ names to see how impactful the UC Berkeley Philosophy Department really is. What I found was that, as is the case with most majors, UC Berkeley offered a robust course of study for people with my interests that intersects with all kinds of topics, such as neuroscience, economics, film, or theater. With the confidence that studying philosophy here could offer me the chance to really diversify myself as a person and a student, I chose to major in it!” — Joseph Burney, Class of 2029, majoring in philosophy and minoring in journalism

For students who had two distinct interests in different fields or were looking to pursue two related subjects, double majoring was the ideal pathway for them, as it offers the best of both worlds. 

“I always knew that I wanted a balance of STEM and humanities courses in my schedule throughout university, which naturally translated to picking one humanities major and one STEM major. Then, it was simply a matter of finding two majors I was passionate about! I took Astron C10 in my first fall at Cal and fell in love with astronomy. I’ve also always been interested in international affairs and comparative politics, so political science felt like an obvious choice.” — Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing

A view from the inside of the Astronomy Department’s dome telescope. Photo courtesy of Milana Berhe.

Interests can grow, change, and evolve

While you might have come to Berkeley with a clear vision of what your major would be, you may find yourself drawn to a different pathway or field of interest — and that is completely natural and okay. In fact, one of the perks of being a Cal student is that you are encouraged to explore a broad range of coursework throughout your time here, through college requirements like breadth classes for L&S students. These classes may open the door to a new world of studies that you never considered before, and I encourage you to embrace these newfound interests as they come — whether that leads to a double major or a change of major!

“I chose the media studies major as it was the closest to public relations and marketing here at Cal. I’ve always loved the film industry, and my major will help me with marketing within the film industry. I decided on my major about a year before I applied to Cal. I am also thinking about double majoring in sociology. I think the study of people would really help me in my career and also applying it to my own life would be helpful. My interest in sociology came from browsing the majors catalog my freshman year.” — Karina C., Class of 2029, majoring in media studies and sociology

You may also discover that what you intended to major in when you arrived at Berkeley changes. This was the case for me — I thought that I was going to major in applied mathematics, and I am now a declared English major. Within my first semester at Cal, I grew to understand that my passion for literature and writing was what I truly wanted to pursue. I was especially encouraged by the wealth of knowledge and helpful resources within Berkeley’s English department, and my experience with my professors and peers. While a complete switch like this definitely felt daunting at first, I am now grateful for my decision to embrace a path of study that feels fulfilling and tied to my genuine interests.

The English department office in Wheeler Hall, which offers advising and office hours.

The road to declaring

As you are thinking about your potential major, it is a good idea to keep an eye on its prerequisite requirements, which can be found on the department’s website. Each major has a different set of classes that you need to take before you can declare, so it is important to plan ahead to complete them in time. 

As an English major, I utilized the English department’s “Declaring the Major” webpage, which laid out my eligibility requirements. By following these guidelines and applying them to my schedule planning, I was able to declare after my freshman year. 

However, while it is critical to stay on top of major requirements, I’ve found that it is just as important to take enough department courses to ensure that you want to commit to your major. This allows you to balance planning ahead with leaving room for exploration.

“I wasn’t in any rush to declare my major, mostly because I wanted to be able to explore a variety of department courses before I made a decision. I finished the three core English major classes before declaring, but I made sure to take electives that interested me at the same time. I think those main core classes can turn students away from the English major if the readings or topics don’t interest them, but by branching out to interesting electives I saw that the major still fit what I wanted out of my education.” — Ethan Teeguarden, Class of 2027, majoring in English and minoring in journalism

If you are declaring majors in multiple colleges, make sure you are aware of the separate requirements for each of your majors. Adding a major may also require an additional application process.

“I had to go through the comprehensive review process to add the data science major, which involved submitting a four-year graduation plan and writing four essays about my experience with the subject and goals for the future. The process was intensive but rewarding. I had taken a lot of data science classes out of interest, so when it came time to declare the major, I didn’t have to make a lot of adjustments. The data science major website had clear requirements for applying into the major, and the well-presented information made the process smooth as well.” — Reva Gokhale, Class of 2027, majoring in data science and environmental economics and policy 

Berkeley is here to help you

If you find that you need assistance in the process of choosing your major, Berkeley has no shortage of advising resources. Whether you are a student in the College of L&S, College of Engineering, College of Chemistry, College of Natural Resources, or you’re seeking guided career counseling, these resources can help you navigate major requirements, plan out your prerequisites, or explore potential majors.

Once you’re declared, it is recommended that you meet with your major advisors to ensure you are able to complete your requirements and to help your majoring process run smoothly. 

“I met with my major advisors frequently to plan ahead and make sure I could complete both of my majors on time. I also emailed a lot with the astrophysics advisor when I didn’t get courses I needed, and he advocated for more seats in those classes!” — Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing

Selecting a minor

If you have a passion that you want to explore in an academic setting but don’t necessarily want to commit to fully majoring in it, minoring might be the perfect opportunity for you. Berkeley offers over 120 minors, allowing you to add an interesting new lens to your major studies, prepare for a future career path, and explore other interests. Just like with your major, make sure you are familiar with the courses required for the minor you are interested in, so you can ensure you complete them on time!

“My journalism minor coincides with my work at The Daily Californian and my interest in pursuing journalism as a career. The professors for the journalism minor are also usually professionals in the field, and it has been great for building connections and learning from experienced professionals.” — Ethan Teeguarden, Class of 2027, majoring in English and minoring in journalism

“I have been acting since I was six years old, and I’ve always loved the process of becoming someone different. It has always been a dream and passion of mine, and to continue that here at Berkeley is awesome.” — Lauren Son, Class of 2028, majoring in economics and minoring in theater and performance studies

Lauren and her peers in Theater 10: Introduction to Acting in spring 2025. Photo courtesy of Lauren Son.

Making major memories

Whatever your choice of major ends up being, you will no doubt have incredible experiences along the way that remind you why you chose to pursue this path of study — whether that be a club related to your academics, meeting peers that help you navigate a class, or a connection to a future career path.

“When taking macroeconomics, I had a very helpful & kind Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), along with some great friends! We were in the difficulty of the class together, studying and learning, which helped me get a good grade in the end!” — Lauren Son, Class of 2028, majoring in economics and minoring in theater and performance studies

“The seminar classes — English 90, 100, and 190 — along with electives like English 174: Literature of War, have been my favorite experiences by far. The seminar courses have fewer students and really help students develop writing and critical thinking skills, and I got to focus on cool subtopics like science fiction. English 174: Literature of War was a class I took in my junior year that was a great crossover between literature, history, and global politics that combined a lot of my interests into one class.” — Ethan Teeguarden, Class of 2027, majoring in English and minoring in journalism

You will find your path!

Whether you have already declared your major, are considering adding another course of study, or are unsure where to begin altogether, these student experiences give you a glimpse behind the scenes of the major selection process. While the journey to decide and declare your major may seem daunting, remember to trust your passions — they will guide you to finding your path.

 

Shae Cogswell, Class of 2029, is majoring in English. Cover photo courtesy of UC Berkeley Gallery.

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