L&S First-Year Pathways
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCE
Instagram X-twitter Linkedin Search
L&S First-Year Pathways

Find Your People, Your Place & Your Passions

Navigating a large university can feel overwhelming, so L&S First-Year Pathways simplifies your start at UC Berkeley. Get connected to a small cohort, preselected courses that fit your goals, and guaranteed enrollment! From pre-med tracks to humanities and social sciences, Pathways clusters provide a roadmap and community for your academic journey.
Submit an Interest Form!

Early Class Enrollment

Pathways provides priority enrollment into 3-4 courses for incoming first-year students

New Friendships

Build lasting friendships with a dedicated cohort through shared interests and engaging extracurricular activities

Small Cohort Experience

Learn alongside a cohort of 20-25 students, forming relationships with peers and faculty

Degree Progress

Most clusters are aligned with specific majors, and each cluster satisfies major prerequisites and/or L&S breadth requirements

Clusters for Fall 2026

The Louvre with a beautiful sky above
11 Units

Modern Cultures

With courses in French and Theater, this cluster is ideal for intended majors in Arts & Humanities.

Model of a hand with palm facing up below a pink model of a brain floating above, against a blue grey background
10 Units

Body and Mind

With courses in Molecular & Cell Biology, Psychology, and Data Science, this cluster is ideal for intended majors in Psychology, with a biological sciences emphasis.

Vista overlooking a body of water with California Golden Poppies in the foreground
10 Units

California and Water

With courses in Geography, Art, and Integrative Biology, this cluster is ideal for intended majors in Geography.

No more posts to show
See All Course Clusters

We know that the campus can sometimes feel a little intimidating…so we’ve tried to design the Pathways program to give students a home, both socially and intellectually.

Shannon Steen

Associate Dean, Letters & Science