Degree Programs and Minors at the University of California

Choosing a major isn’t just a formality at UCLA—it’s the beginning of your academic identity. As one of the top-ranked public universities in the U.S., the University of California, Los Angeles offers an impressive range of options. Let’s break down your options and what makes UCLA’s academic structure unique.

What Undergraduate Majors Are Available at UCLA?

UCLA offers over 125 undergraduate majors across its academic divisions. Some of the most popular majors at UCLA include:

How to Choose the Right Major for You?

“Never declare until you’ve taken the Intro class. Hard stop… If you don’t enjoy it, it’s a bad choice of major”

– Reddit

Choosing a major at UCLA isn’t just about what sounds interesting—it’s about strategy. Here’s how students make their choice:

• Start with general education courses to explore your interests before declaring
• Use the MyUCLA Degree Audit Tool to track requirements
• Talk to academic advisors early (each department has its own)
• Consider your career goals: Want to go to med school? Look into Human Biology. Interested in law? Political Science or Philosophy might be better fits.

And remember—changing your major is possible. Many students at UCLA switch majors in their first or second year after discovering new passions.

Campus Life and Student Support at UCLA

Campus life at UCLA is vibrant, diverse, and packed with opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. With over 1,200 student organizations, students can dive into anything from pre-professional clubs and cultural groups to comedy troupes and social justice collectives. Whether you’re interested in D1 athletics, student government, a cappella, or gaming, there’s a space where you can find your people and grow your interests. The campus itself buzzes with activity—from Bruin Walk fundraisers and film screenings to Westwood late-night food runs and sunset hikes in the nearby hills.

Support systems at UCLA are designed to help students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. The university’s Academic Advancement Program (AAP) provides tutoring, peer mentoring, and advising for first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students. For broader academic needs, students can turn to the Undergraduate Writing Center, the Career Center, and department-specific support like office hours and review sessions. Residential communities also include Living Learning Communities (LLCs), where students live with peers who share interests in sustainability, public health, or the arts and receive tailored programming and mentorship.

Mental health and well-being are taken seriously. UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers therapy, workshops, and crisis care, while the UCLA Resilience Peer Network trains students to provide emotional support to one another. There are also wellness events, mindfulness programs, and even therapy dog visits during midterms and finals. For physical health, the Ashe Center provides comprehensive care, from immunizations to nutrition counseling.

Students often note that while UCLA is a large school, the network of advisors, mentors, and peer-led communities makes it feel more personal. One Reddit user shared that joining a transfer student LLC helped them find friends, professors who cared, and confidence to pursue research in their major—all within their first quarter on campus. Another highlighted the ease of walking into the Career Center and getting help preparing for a film industry internship, which later led to a full-time opportunity after graduation.

UCLA Minors

Minors at UCLA allow you to customize your academic experience. You can pursue a completely different subject from your major or go deeper into a related field. Here are just a few of the 90+ minors UCLA offers:

You don’t need to be in a related major to choose a minor—but be prepared to meet prerequisites.

How to Declare a Minor at UCLA?

Declaring a minor is a formal process. Here’s what it looks like:

1. Review the minor’s requirements and prerequisites.
2. Maintain a minimum GPA (often 2.0 or higher).
3. Get approval from your departmental counselor.
4. Submit a Minor Declaration Form via MyUCLA.

Minors typically require 20-30 additional units and must be completed before graduation.

Why Adding a Minor Can Boost Your Degree?

Students add minors at UCLA for all kinds of reasons:

• To showcase versatility on grad school applications
• To build cross-disciplinary expertise
• To signal niche skills to future employers (e.g., Data Science + Music = creative tech jobs)
• To explore personal passions without changing majors

For example, pairing Computer Science + Philosophy can position a student for AI ethics work. Or English + Film Minor opens doors in the entertainment industry.

UCLA’s Professional Schools and Career Preparation

Beyond majors and minors, UCLA also offers unique access to professional schools and early prep programs. Examples include:

• Law JumpStart and Med Mentor Programs
• Pathways to Public Health
• Access to clinical research, labs, and internships through partnerships like UCLA Health and Cedars-Sinai

UCLA’s location in Los Angeles also gives students hands-on access to media, tech, policy, and arts industries. Want to work in film? You’re already in the right city.

Arts, Music, and Theater at UCLA

“I have a keen interest in film, theater, music, and the arts… I’d love to find my fellow theater nerds, band geeks, and video editors, and I know… it’s easy to find groups both on and off‑campus devoted to doing those sorts of things for the fun of it and not necessarily for a future career”

– Reddit

UCLA’s arts, music, and theater scene is woven into the fabric of campus life, offering students both world-class training and endless opportunities to create, perform, and experience art in every form. Whether you’re a major in the School of the Arts and Architecture or just someone who wants to dance, direct, or design sets, UCLA makes it easy to get involved at any level.

The university is home to some of the country’s top programs in theater, film, and music. Students in the Department of Theater train in acting, musical theater, directing, design, and playwriting, often working alongside industry professionals. Performances take place year-round in venues like the Freud Playhouse and the Little Theater, with productions ranging from Shakespeare to student-written work. The Herb Alpert School of Music combines classical training with contemporary styles, offering majors in global jazz, music industry, and musicology—and its concerts are open to the public, giving students a real audience from day one.

Beyond the formal programs, UCLA’s extracurricular scene is just as alive. Dozens of student-led groups run dance showcases, a cappella competitions, improv nights, film festivals, and fashion shows. Spring Sing, a campus-wide music and comedy event that dates back to the 1940s, continues to be a highlight of the year, drawing sold-out crowds and celebrity alumni judges. The Cultural Affairs Commission, part of the student government, funds and promotes arts events across campus and in Los Angeles, making sure students have access to galleries, concerts, and performances off campus as well.

For those looking to explore behind the scenes, there are internships and research roles at UCLA’s Hammer Museum and the Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA), both of which bring internationally renowned artists and thinkers to campus. Students can also take advantage of partnerships with local institutions like the Getty Center, LACMA, and the LA Philharmonic, often with free or discounted admission through UCLA Arts.

Maya Robinson, AP Program Advisor at Legacy Online School

Sources: University of California, Reddit