Last updated: September 28, 2023
FAQs for High-Demand Majors are constantly being updated. For the latest information on HD Major policies and procedures, please refer back to this webpage regularly.
For First-Year Students Admitted in Fall 2023 & After
For first-year students applying to the College of Letters & Science (L&S) for fall 2023 and after, there are two pathways to declare a high-demand major. This policy does not impact or apply to current, continuing, or transfer students.
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Admission into L&S: Those who already know as high school students that they want a high-demand major should select that major on their UC Berkeley admissions application. If admitted to L&S, they will be guaranteed a spot in the major they selected, subject to completing the prerequisites, maintaining good academic standing in L&S, and filing a declaration form.
- Changing to a high-demand major after arriving at L&S*: For students who did not select a high-demand major on their UC Berkeley admissions application, the process for declaring a high-demand major will be through a comprehensive review, rather than a minimum GPA requirement only. Students will have one opportunity to apply for a high-demand major, and will be required to have an alternate plan to declare a non-high-demand major as a back-up.
*The opportunities for being admitted to a high-demand major after enrollment are extremely limited, and applying via comprehensive review does not guarantee a spot in a high-demand major. If you have an interest in a high-demand major in L&S, we strongly encourage you to select that high-demand major on your UC Berkeley application. If you opt to change to a high-demand major in the College of Letters & Science after being admitted to Berkeley, you will be required to have an alternate plan to declare a non-high-demand major as a back-up.
What are the L&S high-demand (HD) majors?
L&S has 11 high-demand (a.k.a. “capped” or “impacted”) majors, where student demand exceeds teaching or facilities capacity. Admission to the following high-demand majors is limited.
As of June 1, 2023 | ||
Art Practice | Global Studies | Psychology |
Computer Science | Media Studies | Public Health |
Data Science | Operations Research & Management Science |
Social Welfare |
Economics | Political Economy |
Note: Statistics was a high-demand major for Fall 2023 applicants only. As of Spring 2023, Statistics is no longer a high-demand major. Students declaring this major Summer 2023 and later will not be subject to high-demand policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Helpful Links
Admissions: L&S High Demand Majors
Academic Programs and Majors page
For Transfer Students: Direct Admission-to-Major Pilot for L&S
For more information, email LSHDMajors@berkeley.edu and please include your SID # in your email.