Find Your People, Your Place & Your Passions
L&S First-Year Pathways is designed for first-year undergraduate students in the College of Letters & Science. Students get to choose a cluster of three courses and learn alongside the same small group of peers throughout the first semester. Dive into interesting topics, jumpstart your academic journey, and build meaningful connections with L&S First-Year Pathways!
Early Class Enrollment
Pathways provides priority enrollment into 3-4 courses for incoming first-year students
New Friendships
A chance to make friends with other new students through shared personal interests
Small Class Experience
Learn alongside a cohort of 20-25 students, forming relationships with peers and faculty
Degree Progress
Each cluster satisfies major prerequisites and/or L&S breadth requirements
Clusters for Fall 2025
Arts & Literature breadth
Elements of Water: Earth & Planetary Science, Art, and Writing (10 Units)
May satisfy breadth requirements for: Biological Science, Physical Science, and Arts & Literature; and fulfill second half of Reading & Composition.
Biological Science breadth
Nature of Mind: EA Lang & Cultures, Neuroscience & Writing (11 Units)
May satisfy: Biological Science, Philosophy & Values breadth requirements; second half of Reading & Composition.
Physical Sciences breadth
The Petri Dish, The Parabola and The Pen: Chemistry, Math & Writing (13 Units)
May fulfill the Physical Sciences breadth and the second half of the Reading & Composition requirement.