undeclared pages v4
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UNDECLARED
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EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONSIf you are one of about 700 students who enter UC Merced every year as a student who has not declared a major, fear not! Being undeclared is not a bad thing, and it is normal not to know what to dedicate your studies to. To this end, being an undeclared major provides a safe and open medium to explore your options and find which passion you wish to pursue. Many of the lower-division courses at UC Merced introduce new students to the wonders of the research or humanities world – courses like CORE, which offers students a taste of many different professions and study regions in one semester.
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UC MERCED ADMISSIONS | PAGE 3
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND ARTS
35.2%
SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES 31.8%
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
UNDECLARED
20.1%
12.9%
CURRENT ENROLLMENT BY MAJOR
CHICANO/LATINO 46%
ASIAN 25%
WHITE 14%
AFRICAN-AMERICAN 6%
TWO OR MORE RACES 4%
NONRESIDENT ALIEN 4%
PACIFIC ISLANDER 0.5%
UNKNOWN 0.5%
UC MERCED STUDENT DIVERSITYWOMEN 52.2%
MEN 46.6%
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Choosing a Major
It is a common pitfall to apply for a major that seems to lead you to a career with the highest earning potential, or the highest probability of
getting a job. However, the students who find the greatest success in school and in their lives after college, are those who chose majors based on subjects they are passionate about. Questions such as “What can this degree do for me?” should take a back seat to “What do I enjoy doing?” or “Which major interests me the most?” Often, interest in a particular field of study is motivation enough to achieve high academic standing within that major, which in turn leads to satisfying careers and overall happiness.
Majors and careers do not always have direct relationships, but it is not uncommon for people to pursue careers and lifestyles that align with
their majors. A major is just one facet of a person’s life an employer considers. Employers look for a combination of qualifications, evaluating job candidates on many factors, including attitude, related experience, achievements, extra-curricular involvement, leadership, communication abilities, and transferable and adaptive skills.
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ASK YOURSELF: WHO CAN I BECOME?
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FIND YOUR CALLINGMajorsAnthropology (B.A.)
Applied Mathematical Sciences (B.S.)
Bioengineering (B.S.)
Biological Sciences (B.S.)
Chemical Sciences (B.S.)
Cognitive Science (B.A., B.S.)
Computer Science and Engineering (B.S.)
Earth Systems Science (B.S.)
Economics (B.A.)
English (B.A.)
Environmental Engineering (B.S.)
History (B.A.)
Management and Business Economics (B.S.)
Materials Science and Engineering (B.S.)
Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)
Physics (B.S.)
Political Science (B.A.)
Psychology (B.A.)
Public Health (B.A.)*
Sociology (B.A.)
Spanish (B.A.)
* Not open to transfer students until fall 2016
MinorsAmerican Studies
Anthropology
Applied Mathematical Sciences
Arts
Chemical Sciences
Chicano/a Studies
Cognitive Science
Economics
English
Environmental Science and Sustainability
History
Management
Natural Sciences Education
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Public Health
Service Science
Sociology
Spanish
Writing
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Special programs and research opportunities while at UC Merced
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOOKS
SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
CalTeach/UC Science and Math InitiativeCenter for Computational BiologyCenter of Excellence for the Study of Health Disparities in Rural and Ethnic Underserved PopulationsGenome CenterHealth Sciences Research InstituteSierra Nevada Research InstituteLawrence Livermore National Laboratory collaboration
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERINGFoster Family Center for Engineering Service LearningInnovation and Design ClinicPathways to InnovationThe Stem Cell Instrumentation FoundryImaging and Microscopy Facility Sierra Nevada Research Institute Environmental Analytical LaboratoryLight Microscopy and Crystallography Modeling Center Mechanical Test Laboratory PG&E Service Learning Laboratory
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND ARTS
Foreign LanguagesGlobal Arts Studies ProgramMedia Arts Technique ProgramWorld Heritage
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Professor Jennifer Lu is one of the first three faculty
members to establish the Materials Science and
Engineering discipline at UC Merced. Her research is focused on molecular design, rational synthesis, and performance characterization of materials that enable energy conversion and storage. This area is key to a wide variety of
applications in life science, energy and machine intelligence.
Her research group has consistently published in high-
impact journals. Lu teaches popular undergraduate courses,
including Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechology
and Nanofabrication. She is a recipient of the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young
Investigator award. She was an invited participant in
the Frontiers of Science and Engineering workshop co-
sponsored by the National Academy of Engineering and the
National Academy of Science. Before joining UC Merced,
she acquired a decade of industry experience at IBM and
Agilent Technologies. She holds 18 patents related to semiconducting device fabrication and measurement-instrument design.
FACULTY PROFILE JENNIFER LUPROFESSOR SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Ph.D., University of Michigan
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Professor Spivey’s cognitive science lab studies how
people combine what they see with what they hear.
By continuously recording eye movements and computer-mouse movements, Spivey’s lab finds evidence supporting the claim that different brain systems (for language and for vision) interact with one another on a millisecond timescale. The work has resulted in
a dynamical-systems account of how the human mind
smoothly and gradually travels from one mental state
to the next mental state, recounted in Spivey’s 2007
book, “The Continuity of Mind.” Spivey is the recipient
of multiple teaching awards, UC Merced’s Distinction
in Research award and Sigma Xi’s William Procter Prize
for Scientific Achievement.
FACULTY PROFILE
MICHAEL J. SPIVEYPROFESSOR SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND ARTS
Ph.D., University of Rochester
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CAROLIN FRANKASSISTANT PROFESSOR SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Ph.D., Uppsala University, Sweden
Professor Frank and her students work on bacteria
called endophytes that live inside plants. Just like
humans and other animals, plants are colonized
by bacteria that are essential to plant health, but
almost nothing is known about endophytic bacteria
in natural ecosystems. Frank’s students use DNA
sequencing and genome analysis to study this
endophytic “dark matter” in plants — particularly
conifers — in the nearby Sierra Nevada and in other
high-elevation ecosystems across the Western
U.S. They have recently discovered what appears
to be a previously unknown kind of symbiosis
between pines and bacteria that fix atmospheric
nitrogen. The research has the potential to radically change our perspective on how some plants acquire nitrogen, and also our understanding of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle.
FACULTY PROFILE
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“The reason I love Merced correlates with a quote by Helen Keller: ‘Walking with a friend in
the dark is better than walking alone in the light.’ HERE AT UC MERCED, I AM NEVER ALONE – I always have friends and mentors to help me find my way. I really appreciate this
aspect of my school.”
STUDENT PROFILE
LIHAI LIN HOMETOWN: Manila, Philippines
YEAR: Freshman
MAJOR: Undeclared (pursuing Management and Business Economics, and Psychology)
WHY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THESE MAJORS: At a young age, I was exposed to business and finance. This is the reason I chose Management and Business Economics. I also have an interest in psychology, as I believe that it relates with my other major.
ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity, campus tour guide, UNICEF
PLANS FOR AFTER GRADUATION: Following graduation, I am looking to start up my own business.
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HOMETOWN:
Valencia, Calif.
YEAR:
Junior
MAJORS:
Economics and Public Health
MINOR:
Psychology
KENNETH PUNO
STUDENT PROFILE “I chose UC Merced
because it was the only
school where I felt I could
achieve greatness while
also staying true to myself.
OUR UNIVERSITY DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF HELPING YOU TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS, from
studying abroad or finding
a fantastic internship to
working on research with
well-respected professors.
UC Merced is there to
make sure you are given
the same opportunities as
any other UC student.”
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WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR MAJOR? I came to this school as undeclared, but after taking a couple of intro classes, I became really interested in many different fields. I am very glad I was able to major in subjects that spark my interest.
ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Recreation attendant at the Joseph Edward Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center; internship with the city of Merced Department of Planning; member of the Pilipino American Alliance; member of the Delta Sigma Pi fraternity; member of Colleges Against Cancer
PLANS FOR AFTER GRADUATION: I hope to attend a graduate school that allows me to receive concurrently a juris doctorate degree and a master’s degree in Public Health.
COME VISIT UC MERCED AND FIND OUT WHAT MAKES OUR CAMPUS SO SPECIAL. Schedule a tour online at admissions.ucmerced.edu/tours, or call us to arrange a guided tour of the campus any weekday and on
most Saturdays during the year. Visiting UC Merced will give you first-hand knowledge of our academics, housing and student life.
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Office of Admissions209-228-7178
admissions.ucmerced.edu
School of Engineering209-228-4411 engineering.ucmerced.edu
School of Natural Sciences209-228-4309 naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts209-228-7742 ssha.ucmerced.edu
Tours209-228-6316
Take a virtual tour at admissions.ucmerced.edu/virtualtour
UC Merced Office of Admissions5200 N. Lake Road | Merced, CA 95343