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.
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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

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.

A person wearing a red beanie and grey sweatshirt is writing formulas on a green chalkboard
15 Units

Formulas and Frequencies

With courses in Math, Chemistry, and Music, this cluster is ideal for pre-med and pre-health careers, and intended majors in Neuroscience, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Integrative Biology.

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The L&S Pathways program is designed to help first-year students transition into academic and social life here at Berkeley.

Shannon Steen

Associate Dean, Letters & Science