Academic Majors EXPLORING YOUR INTERESTS, SHAPING YOUR FUTURE - UCLA Undergraduate Admission
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Academic Majors EXPLORING YOUR INTERESTS, SHAPING YOUR FUTURE
Deciding Your Major COLLEGE IS A TIME OF DISCOVERY AND SELF-DISCOVERY — and deciding on your major involves both. Look inward to gauge your interests, academic strengths and personal goals. But don’t stop there. UCLA provides the rare opportunity to explore all the new subject areas and learning experiences only a research university in an innovative global city can ofer.
This booklet will introduce you to broad UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
subject areas at UCLA. You’ll see some familiar UCLA is a research powerhouse, averaging
felds of study — and some new ones. You $1 billion in research funding annually. So it’s no
can pursue more than one interest: Choose surprise that more than half of UCLA students
a double major or minor. For instance, one graduate with some kind of research experience.
recent graduate paired business economics And not all research happens in labs: Social science
with Chinese to prepare for global business. and humanities students do original research as
Another majored in African American studies well, from analyzing the costs and benefts of
and minored in accounting; he was hired as DNA databases to identifying the infuences of
a bank fnancial analyst before graduation. Victorian Gothic literature on online games.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
From Silicon Beach to Hollywood, Los Angeles
EXPLORING NEW FIELDS is a great place to get an internship and translate
As early as Orientation, your advisor or counselor your academic interests into career skills. Student
can help you choose Fiat Lux seminars, Clusters organizations ofer another important way to
and survey courses that will introduce you to new shape your UCLA experience. Volunteering for
academic felds. With 10-week fall, winter and groups like Mobile Clinic, L.A. Hacks or Bruin
spring quarters, you have a lot of fexibility to Consulting helps you explore your interests and
sample new subject areas. build a robust résumé. And for entrepreneurial
skills, there’s the Startup UCLA curriculum.
If you’re a transfer student, you must declare a
major when you apply, but you may be able to STUDY ABROAD
add a minor later. Be sure to consult our Transfer
Many UCLA students earn course credit outside
Admission Guide for detailed information.
the U.S. UCLA ofers 100+ programs in more than
40 countries. Financial aid can help make study
abroad afordable.
Hammer Museum Courtyard
Stunt Ranch Santa Monica
Mountains Reserve
Studying abroad in Rome
DECIDING YOUR MAJOR 3
Interested
in the
way things
work
If you have a talent for numbers or you
like to take things apart — with your hands
or in your imagination — you may fnd
your major in the PHYSICAL SCIENCES
or ENGINEERING.
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS VALUE ADDED
The physical sciences are known for rigorous DESALINATION. Engineers at UCLA invented the
measurement and testing of hypotheses and theories. frst practical way to convert saltwater to drinking
Students learn to handle big data as easily as lab water in 1959. Today, UCLA researchers are using
equipment. Engineering is even more hands on, with nanotechnology to improve the membranes that flter
an emphasis on practical problem-solving. the water. A cross-disciplinary team of all-star faculty
is committed to making Los Angeles 100 percent
SHAPE YOUR FUTURE sustainable by 2050.
Physical sciences and engineering graduates are in
demand. So many employers recruit our students that SUPER-SIZED TELESCOPES. UCLA faculty and
UCLA’s Engineering and Technical Fair, a two-day event, researchers use the Keck I and II telescopes on Mauna
is repeated twice a year. Some graduates end up in Kea, Hawaii; they are designing instruments for the
surprising places. The team that created the algorithm next-generation Thirty Meter Telescope.
for the snow in Disney’s Frozen and the water in Moana
included both an alumnus and a professor of applied INFINITY AND BEYOND. Faculty and alumni are
mathematics. involved with many NASA missions, from Dawn to Mars
2020 to Europa Clipper. Astronaut Megan McArthur
’93 was the robotics expert on the fnal space shuttle
mission to the Hubble Telescope; today, she is the pilot
of the NASA SpaceX Crew-2 mission to the ISS, launched
on April 23, 2021. Undergraduate students designed,
built and launched the ELFIN satellite to conduct
research into space weather.
Bioengineering Assoc. Prof. Andrea Kasko focuses
on the design of new materials for biomedical use.
4 PHYSICAL SCIENCES • ENGINEERING
A sampling of majors (see pages 14–15 for
a complete list):
Applied Mathematics
Biochemistry
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Majors of growing interest:
Climate Science
Engineering Geology
Mathematics/Economics
Physics
Statistics
The Student Creativity Center in Engineering
Some intriguing minors in this area
(see page 15 for a complete list):
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Biomedical Research
Earth and Environmental Science
Geochemistry
Astronomer, Nobel Prize winner
and TED star Prof. Andrea Ghez
Chemistry Prof. Neil Garg is
known for creative teaching.
The Concrete Lab is a research and instructional
space for Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Comet expert Prof. David Jewitt takes students
on a feld trip to Kitt Peak Observatory. PHYSICAL SCIENCES • ENGINEERING 5
Dean of Life Sciences and Prof. of Molecular, Cell and
Developmental Biology Tracy Johnson focuses on how
cells alter gene regulation.
Fascinated
by life, from
single cells
to the
human body
If you like to explore the secrets of living
organisms or you think you might have a
talent for healing, you may fnd your calling
in the LIFE SCIENCES or NURSING.
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS VALUE ADDED
All life sciences and nursing majors learn critical HOSPITAL. UCLA’s health science schools are on the
thinking, analytical skills, research strategies and main campus — and so is Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical
laboratory skills. Depending on your major and Center, ranked the No. 3 hospital in the U.S. That’s where
course choices, you may develop ease in data our nursing students do their clinical immersion. Even
mapping or acquire specifc clinical skills. more students are involved at the hospital as volunteers
and researchers, especially in the biomedical research
SHAPE YOUR FUTURE minor. And our medical school faculty teaches courses in
the undergraduate neuroscience program.
Life sciences majors fnd jobs in research labs,
biotechnology, pharmaceuticals or genetic
counseling. Many go on to graduate study in BRAIN RESEARCH. More than 50 years ago, UCLA
neuroscience, medicine, dentistry and other became a leader in the then-new feld of brain research.
health-related professions. That’s one reason we identify psychology as a life
science, not a social science: Our approach is grounded
in neurobiology. UCLA’s graduate program in clinical
psychology is ranked frst in the U.S.
ECOLOGY. There’s an extensive botanical garden right
on campus, an urban refuge for biodiversity. Further afeld
is the University of California’s Stunt Ranch Santa Monica
Mountains Reserve, used for research and internships.
Ongoing studies focus on how fora and fauna have
recovered from a 1993 fre.
Students gain medical experience
volunteering in Mexico.
6 LIFE SCIENCES • NURSING
Prof. Robert Goldberg, Molecular,
Cell and Developmental Biology,
focuses on plant genetics.
A sampling of majors (see pages 14–15
for a complete list):
Biology
Nursing
Ronald Reagan UCLA
Medical Center is Psychobiology
ranked No. 3
in the nation.
Psychology
Physiological Science
Majors of growing interest:
Cognitive Science
Human Biology and Society
Nursing students in the simulation lab
Molecular, Cell and
Developmental Biology
Neuroscience
Some intriguing minors in this area
(see page 15 for a complete list):
Applied Developmental Psychology
Biomedical Research
Conservation Biology
Evolutionary Medicine
Assoc. Prof. Amy Rowat, Integrative Biology
and Physiology, teaches a course called Science
and Food.
Student organic garden
LIFE SCIENCES • NURSING 7
Darnell Hunt, dean of
the Division of Social
Sciences in the UCLA
College, authors
Intrigued
a much-quoted
study on Hollywood
diversity.
by people
and the
institutions
they create
Perhaps you have a fair for business or
politics. Or maybe you like understanding
how institutions work — and why they
don’t. You may fnd your focus in the
SOCIAL SCIENCES OR PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS VALUE ADDED
Social science majors learn research and INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE. Founded in 1958, the
writing skills, creative thinking and problem- International Institute is the central hub for global and area
solving. Some areas — notably economics — studies at UCLA, with more than 25 centers and programs
stress quantitative skills as well. promoting multidisciplinary research. Both a major and minor
in global studies are ofered.
SHAPE YOUR FUTURE
Social science majors bring their skills to QUARTER IN WASHINGTON. The University of California
business, consulting and government. Some D.C. Center houses more than 270 students in a high-rise
students pursue professional degrees in law, a short walk from the White House. UCLA students can do the
public policy or management. Quarter in Washington program in fall, winter or spring —
completing an internship and an original research project.
FIELD STUDY. Los Angeles ofers many opportunities for
research. But our students pursue feld study all over the
world: geography students in Thailand, anthropology students
in Ghana and Bali, political science students in Sacramento.
The Lemelson Anthropological Honors Program is only one of
the feld study programs in Social Sciences.
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. The Luskin School offers a
public affairs major as well as a minor in urban and regional
Study pods in the Charles E. Young Research Library studies. The Law School welcomes undergraduate volunteers
to its moot court program. The Anderson School has a minor
in accounting and courses for the entrepreneurship minor.
8 SOCIAL SCIENCES • PUBLIC AFFAIRS • INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE
Prof. Lynn Vavreck, Political Science, studies presidential elections.
A sampling of majors (see pages 14–15 for
a complete list):
Business Economics
Education and Social
Transformation
History
Political Science
Public Afairs
Erica Henderson (International
Development) and Melanie
Sociology
Mah (Psychology) participate in
Quarter in Washington.
Majors of growing interest:
African American Studies
American Indian Studies
Chicana and Chicano Studies
Communication Studies
Gender Studies
Labor Studies
Some intriguing minors in this area
(see page 15 for a complete list):
Civic Engagement
Entrepreneurship
Logan Linnane (Geography and Political
Science) does feldwork in Thailand.
Prof. Tim Groeling, Communication Studies, focuses
on political communication and new media.
Prof. Ananya Roy, Urban Planning,
Social Welfare and Geography,
researches poverty and inequality. SOCIAL SCIENCES • PUBLIC AFFAIRS • INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTES 9
Lover of
the arts,
literature
and culture
Perhaps your passion is theater or
painting. Or maybe you are thrilled by
literature or language as a reader or a
writer. You may fnd your major in
MUSIC, the ARTS or the HUMANITIES.
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS VALUE ADDED
At UCLA, performing and visual arts majors get a HAMMER. With a focus on emerging artists and an
liberal arts background as well as specialized skills. extensive permanent collection of prints and drawings, the
Humanities majors hone their writing and research Hammer Museum is a rich resource for art and humanities
skills in English and in other languages. Digital students alike. The annual Poetry Series includes readings by
humanities adds new dimensions: for example, prize-winning UCLA student poets.
mapping the cultural, architectural and urban
history of a city space. FOWLER. This cultural history museum explores global
arts and cultures with an emphasis on works from Africa,
SHAPE YOUR FUTURE Asia, the Pacifc and the Americas — past and present.
Music major Sophia James wowed audiences on Here, world arts and cultures majors take courses in Textiles
American Idol's 18th season. She’ll soon be the of the World. Paid student interns help develop
latest in a long line of singers, actors and artists and implement school, family and public programs.
with degrees from UCLA. Humanities majors
embrace a wide range of careers, from business FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. In the U.S., UCLA’s
and academia to digital media content creation. archive is second in size only to the Library of Congress. But
it’s not just for flm bufs. It’s a rich cultural history resource
that includes the Hearst Metrotone News collection, with
Ostin Music Center 27 million feet of newsreel footage from 1914 through 1968.
Undergraduates can view holdings for research papers or
capstone projects.
10 HUMANITIES • MUSIC • ARTS • THEATER, FILM AND TELEVISIONDesign | Media Arts students
explore “form” in a studio class.
Prof. Rebeca Méndez teaches design.
Grammy Award winner Jesús Guzmán teaches
Music of Mexico (Ethnomusicology).
A sampling of majors (see pages 14–15 for
a complete list):
Art History
Design | Media Arts
English
Music
Philosophy
The design/production sequence in Theater
includes costume design.
Theater
Photo by: Anika Chakrabarti/Daily Bruin
Majors of growing interest:
Architectural Studies
Asian Humanities
Ethnomusicology
Professor and writer–director Dominic Taylor Some intriguing minors in this area
is a scholar of African American theater.
(see page 15 for a complete list):
Digital Humanities
Film, Television and Digital Media
Visual and Performing Arts Education
HUMANITIES • MUSIC • ARTS • THEATER, FILM AND TELEVISION 11Shaping your UCLA experience
These brief profles show the many paths alumni follow to successful careers. Choosing a
major is just one step. Explore your interests using all of the available resources at UCLA:
undergraduate research, internships, student groups, study abroad and student jobs.
ROSIE O’NEILL B.A. ’00, M.B.A. ’05
MAJORED in communication studies, UCLA College
NOW co-founder of luxury candy brand Sugarfna; co-founder and general partner
of Pure Imagination Brands, an investment fund supporting disruptive brands and
the entrepreneurs who power them
BEFORE UCLA, grew up in Costa Mesa, California, where she enjoyed drawing,
painting, crafts and sewing
AT UCLA, took communication classes that taught her what makes people tick and
how they think
AFTER GRADUATION, earned an M.B. A. from UCLA Anderson School of
Management and spent seven years as director of marketing for Barbie at Mattel,
where she led a global unit that sold more than 50 million Barbie dolls annually
DREW Z. GREENBERG B.A. ’93
MAJORED in political science, UCLA College
MICHAEL REYES NOW writer and co-executive producer of the ABC series
B.A. ’14
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
MAJORED in English,
BEFORE UCLA, read voraciously and wrote as a hobby;
minored in French and
interested in medicine
Francophone studies,
UCLA College AT UCLA, involved in peer counseling and as a Student Health
Advocate. Most important lesson: learned to appreciate
NOW holds a Ph.D. in
diversity while working on staf at the residence halls.
comparative literature
from the University of Texas, Austin, where he AFTER GRADUATION, took the MCAT but never went to
focused on Caribbean literature and African medical school. Instead, earned a law degree and switched
diaspora studies to the entertainment industry. Began to write for television:
Bufy the Vampire Slayer, The O.C., Dexter and Star Wars:
BEFORE UCLA, left a violent public high school for
The Clone Wars.
Mexico. Finished school there, improved Spanish
skills. Returned to the U.S. and obtained a G.E.D.
AT UCLA, entered as a transfer from Citrus College.
Through the Civic Engagement program, interned at
a literary agency. As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate
Fellow, wrote an honors thesis exploring the theme
of deserted islands as locations for producing social
critique in literatures of the 12th and 18th centuries.
12 ALUMNI CAREER PROFILESLISA D. CAGNOLATTI
B.S. ’83
MAJORED in chemical
engineering, UCLA
Samueli School of
Engineering ANDREW CAMPION B.A. ’93
NOW Executive in MAJORED in economics, UCLA College
Residence, ASU NOW Chief Operating Ofcer, Nike, Inc. He’s also on the
W.P. Carey School of board of directors for Starbucks and the LA 2028 Olympic
Business. Active in the community: board member, & Paralympic Games.
YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix, International Black BEFORE UCLA, grew up in Whittier, California, and
Women’s Public Policy Institute and National College graduated from Whittier Christian High School
Resources Foundation.
AT UCLA, became a member of Pi Kappa Alpha
BEFORE UCLA, a star student in math and chemistry fraternity, played intramural volleyball and basketball,
at Inglewood High School. Discovered engineering and went to nearly every football and basketball game
through a UCLA program.
AFTER GRADUATION, earned a law degree and LLM
AT UCLA, a member of the National Society of Blacks in taxation. Worked about 11 years at The Walt Disney
in Engineering and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority; lived Company, where he held leadership roles in strategic
and worked at Sproul Hall; interned with IBM and planning, mergers and acquisitions, fnancial and
Proctor and Gamble operational planning, investor relations and tax. Earned
AFTER GRADUATION, earned an MBA from Pepperdine his M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson in 2003, while at Disney.
University. Started as a team manager at Proctor and Joined Nike, Inc. in 2007.
Gamble, moved to Southern California Gas Company as
an energy sales engineer. Worked her way up the
corporate ladder.
NOLAN UNG B.S. ’13
MAJORED in biochemistry,
UCLA College
NOW a graduate of David
Gefen School of Medicine at CARMEN ARGOTE B.A. ’04
UCLA, currently in the
residency program in MAJORED in art, School of the Arts and Architecture
psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA NOW an artist exhibiting in group and solo shows
Medical Center including As Above, So Below at New York City’s New
BEFORE UCLA, public school Museum in 2019
student in the Inland Empire BEFORE UCLA, grew up in the Pico-Union
AT UCLA, his undergraduate experience included doing neighborhood of L.A. with her parents and sister
health education in Tibet, working on the brain atlas, AT UCLA, entered as a transfer from Santa Monica
being a research assistant in a lab investigating diabetes College. Undergraduate work chosen for an exhibition
and a research fellow in neurosurgery. in the Wight Gallery; also did a solo show.
AFTER GRADUATION, earned a full-tuition UCLA AFTER GRADUATION, earned her M.F.A. from UCLA
Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship to medical school in 2007
ALUMNI CAREER PROFILES 13Majors UNDECIDED? YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY. About 1,500 students
are “undeclared” at any given time, and many more change majors.
Undeclared freshman applicants are welcome in Engineering and all
and Minors divisions of the College of Letters and Science. The schools that do
not consider undeclared applicants are Arts and Architecture; Music;
Public Afairs; Theater, Film and Television; and Nursing.
Majors
College of Letters and Science European Languages and Transcultural Mathematics of Computation1
Studies with German Microbiology, Immunology and
African American Studies
European Languages and Transcultural Molecular Genetics1,2
African and Middle Eastern Studies1 Studies with Italian
American Indian Studies Middle Eastern Studies
European Languages and Transcultural Molecular, Cell and Developmental
American Literature and Culture Studies with Scandinavian Biology2
Ancient Near East and Egyptology European Studies1 Neuroscience2
Anthropology Geography Nordic Studies
Arabic Geography/Environmental Studies Philosophy
Art History Geology Physics
Asian American Studies Geophysics Physiological Science2
Asian Humanities Global Studies1,2 Political Science1,2
Asian Languages and Linguistics Greek Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
Asian Religions Greek and Latin Psychobiology1,2
Asian Studies1 History1 Psychology1,2
Astrophysics Human Biology and Society1,2 Religion, Study of
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences International Development Studies1,2 Russian Language and Literature
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences/ Iranian Studies
Mathematics Russian Studies
Japanese Sociology1,2
Biochemistry Jewish Studies
Biology2 Spanish
Korean Spanish and Community and Culture
Biophysics Labor Studies
Business Economics1,2,3 Spanish and Linguistics
Latin Spanish and Portuguese
Central and East European Languages Latin American Studies1
and Cultures Statistics¹
Linguistics Individual Field of Concentration4
Chemistry
Linguistics and Anthropology Undeclared Humanities6
Chemistry/Materials Science
Linguistics and Asian Languages Undeclared Life Sciences6
Chicana and Chicano Studies and Cultures
Chinese Undeclared Physical Sciences6
Linguistics and Computer Science
Classical Civilization Undeclared Social Sciences6
Linguistics and English
Climate Science Linguistics and French Herb Alpert School of Music
Cognitive Science1 Linguistics and Italian Ethnomusicology
Communication 2,5 Linguistics and Philosophy Global Jazz Studies
Comparative Literature Linguistics and Psychology Music (Composition, Education,
Computational and Systems Biology1 Linguistics and Scandinavian Languages Performance)
Earth and Environmental Science Linguistics and Spanish Music History and Industry
Ecology, Behavior and Evolution2 Linguistics, Applied Musicology
Economics1,2,3 Marine Biology2
Education and Social Transformation¹
Luskin School of Public Afairs
Mathematics1
Engineering Geology Public Afairs*
Mathematics, Applied1
English2 Mathematics/Applied Science1 Samueli School of Engineering
Environmental Science Mathematics, Data Theory1 Aerospace Engineering
European Languages and Mathematics/Economics2 Bioengineering
Transcultural Studies
Mathematics, Financial Actuarial2 Chemical Engineering
European Languages and Transcultural
Studies with French and Francophone Mathematics for Teaching1 Civil Engineering
14 MAJORS AND MINORSMinors
Computer Engineering Accounting Geospatial Information Systems
Computer Science African American Studies and Technologies
Computer Science and Engineering African and Middle Eastern Studies Gerontology
Electrical Engineering African Studies Global Health
Materials Engineering American Indian Studies Global Studies
Mechanical Engineering Ancient Near East and Egyptology Greek
Undeclared6 Anthropology Hebrew and Jewish Studies
Applied Developmental Psychology History
School of the Arts and History of Science, Technology
Architecture Arabic and Islamic Studies
and Medicine
Architectural Studies⁵ Armenian Studies
International Migration Studies
Art Art History
Iranian Studies
Dance Asian American Studies
Israel Studies
Design | Media Arts Asian Humanities
Labor Studies
World Arts and Cultures Asian Languages
Latin
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Individual Field of Concentration4 Latin American Studies
Bioinformatics
School of Nursing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Biomedical Research and Queer Studies
Nursing Prelicensure Brain and Behavioral Health Linguistics
School of Theater, Film and Central American Studies Literature and the Environment
Television Central and East European Studies Mathematical Biology
Film and Television Chicana and Chicano Studies Mathematics
Theater Classical Civilization Mathematics for Teaching
Individual Field of Concentration⁴ Cognitive Science Mexican Studies
Community Engagement and Middle Eastern Studies
Social Change
1 Applicants are admitted to pre-major Musicology
Comparative Literature
status until prerequisites are Music Industry
satisfactorily completed. Conservation Biology
Neuroscience
2 Transfer applicants should note that Digital Humanities
Philosophy
demand for this major signifcantly Disability Studies
exceeds space available at the Pilipino Studies
Earth and Environmental Science
transfer level. Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
East Asian Studies
3 Transfer students who are admitted Professional Writing
Education Studies
to a major outside the Department of Public Afairs
Economics are not permitted to English
Public Health
transfer into one of the economics Entrepreneurship
majors. Religion, Study of
Environmental Engineering
4 Not open to entering students Russian Language
Environmental Systems and Society
5 Open to junior-level applicants only Russian Literature
Ethnomusicology
(60 semester/90 quarter units Russian Studies
completed by transfer) European Languages and Transcultural
Studies Scandinavian
6 Only freshman-level applicants may Science Education
apply as undeclared. European Languages and Transcultural
Studies with French and Francophone Social Data Science
*Public Afairs is listed under the College of Letters European Languages and Transcultural Social Thought
and Science in the UC application. Applicants are Studies with German Society and Genetics
admitted to pre-major status in the College of European Languages and Transcultural
Letters and Science until prerequisites are South Asian Studies
completed.
Studies with Italian
Southeast Asian Studies
European Studies
Spanish
Evolutionary Medicine
Spanish Linguistics
Film, Television and Digital Media
Statistics
Food Studies
Structural Biology
Gender Studies
Systems Biology
Geochemistry
Theater
Geography
Urban and Regional Studies
Geography/Environmental Studies
Geology Visual and Performing Arts Education
Geophysics and Planetary Physics List of majors and minors accurate at time of
printing. Please visit admission.ucla.edu/majors
for the most up-to-date listings.
MAJORS AND MINORS 15Undergraduate Admission
1147 Murphy Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1436
Phone: (310) 825-3101
ADMISSION.UCLA.EDU
UCLA.EDU
INSTAGRAM.COM/UCLA
INSTAGRAM.COM/UCLAADMISSION
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