L&S First-Year Pathways
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCE
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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

Colorful graphic illustration featuring six women of different shades, hair colors and types
12 Units

Gender, Ethnicity, and Society

With courses in Ethnic Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies (GWS), and Sociology, this cluster is ideal for intended majors in Sociology and Gender & Women’s Studies.

Graphic illustration of the human skeleton with organs and major blood vessels
12 Units

Physiology and Chemistry

This cluster is ideal for pre-med and pre-health careers, and intended majors in Neuroscience, Molecular and Cell Biology, Integrative Biology, and Psychology.

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.

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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