Note: This page is for students already in the Rausser College of Natural Resources who are currently Undeclared, who would like to change their major, or would like to add an additional major within the college. 

 

If you are NOT currently in Rausser College, but wish to Change Colleges + declare an RCNR Major - OR - you would like to pursue a Simultaneous Degree, please refer to our Change of College page.

 

Undeclared at Rausser College

Interested in biology, but uncertain of what field to focus on?  Interested in environmental justice and environmental economics, but unclear which pathway to pursue? Would you like to build an interdisciplinary major that focuses on global issues, but looks at local impacts? For students passionate about environmental issues but undecided on a major, the Rausser College of Natural Resources does allow incoming freshman to be admitted as undeclared to that they can explore major options in their first year. You can see an overview of all of our majors, sample plans, and major maps here!

Undeclared Student Advising:  

  • Students who are undeclared in Rausser College can connect with the RCNR Undeclared Advisor at undeclared.rcnr@berkeley.edu.
  • Any student who has a major in mind that they would like to pursue can also use the Advisor Availability Calendar to meet with that specific major advisor to discuss their planning and declaration timeline.
  • RCNR Undeclared students who intend to declare a major outside of RCNR should speak directly with the intended college and major advisors to determine the timeline and pathway to declaration in the new college.
  • L&S Undeclared students or students in other colleges who wish to pursue a major in RCNR should use the Advisor Availability Calendar to connect with their intended major advisor since students must be ready to declare their major when they change colleges (it is not possible to change into RCNR as an undeclared student). Students can also direct questions to undeclared.rcnr@berkeley.edu and our RCNR Undeclared Advisor will help advise.

Expected Timeline to Declare:

  • In general, we expect that students admitted as first year students will be ready to declare their major by the end of their fourth semester at UC Berkeley if they are not already declared by that point.
  • For students who are not yet declared in a major by their fifth semester in the college, we will result place a CalCentral hold that will block enrollment for the coming term. At this point, we encourage students to meet with their Undeclared or prospective major advisor to clarify the pathway to declaration, including providing at least two signed (by the major advisor) program plans for two different potential majors that are feasible to finish by the semester limit. We also know that many things can impact timeline to declaration, so just stay in touch with your advisors so that they can provide support as you go!
  • If if a student's primary prospective major is outside of Rausser College, the student must also be planning on a backup major within RCNR to ensure a pathway to degree completion. This will be required each semester thereafter until a major is declared.
  • Extra semesters will not be granted on the basis of a student being unable to finish a major due to late declaration.

Choosing Your Major

Explore our majors and minors to find out more about how you can be a part of our community. Wondering how your interests relate to the Rausser majors? Check out the Major Maps to see an overview of what students in each major study and what jobs/graduate programs they pursue after graduation! 

If you're still trying to find your passion, UC Berkeley offers many services to help guide you. You can make a Career Center Advising Appointment, or utilize the Career Counseling Assessment and Library offered through University Health Services. Work with your major advisor, join student organizations, take a DeCal, or sign up for the freshman seminar "How to be a Rausser CNR Scientist". 

Interested in a Pre-Med, Pre-Health, Pre-Dental, etc Career Pathway? Learn about which of the Rausser College majors can best fulfill those prerequisites with their major requirements using this helpful document! 

Your major should reflect your interests and your career goals. Both may change during your first years of college, and you need not feel locked into your initial choice of major. Many major programs have similar lower-division requirements, and changing majors within Rausser during the first two years generally creates no difficulties.
    
You can also make an appointment with any of our academic advisors to find out more about a particular major.

Declaring a Major for Rausser Students

Please study the minimum requirements needed to declare a major at Rausser. 

We've also developed a set of self-guided questions to help you navigate the Major Declaration process. Use your UC Berkeley Account to access the form. 

Students are also expected to follow these guidelines:

  • Undeclared students must declare a major by the end of their fourth semester. 
  • Current UC Berkeley students who entered as freshmen are expected to be able to graduate in a total of 8 semesters (summers excluded). Exceptions are rarely granted. Students should be progressing in major requirements each semester.
  • All major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
  • Both halves of the Reading and Composition requirement must be completed by the end of the fourth semester.
  • Transfer students are declared into a major upon admission. Students wishing to change majors and/or colleges must meet with the major advisor for specific guidelines. Students must meet all lower-division requirements and be on track to graduate in a total of four semesters at Berkeley. Transfer students may not apply to transfer colleges or change majors during their first semester, but are strongly encouraged to consult their intended major advisor while planning their schedule for the first semester. 

Once all requirements have been satisfied, you must complete the Change of College, Major, or Curriculum petition (since you are changing your major from Undeclared to a specific Rausser College Major). After you have done that, meet with your intended major advisor to discuss your major requirements/coursework planning.   

Minimum Requirements Needed for Rausser Students to Declare a Major, by Major

  • All courses required for the major must be taken for a letter grade.
  • Both halves of Reading and Composition (R1A & R1B) must be completed by the end of the fourth semester.
  • Transfer students are declared into a major upon admission. Students wishing to change majors and/or colleges must meet with the major advisor for specific guidelines. Such requests are rarely granted, as students must meet all lower-division requirements and be on track to graduate in a total of four semesters at UC Berkeley. Students cannot apply to transfer or change major during their first semester. 

Changing Majors

You can change majors by obtaining approval from your major advisor and from the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs. To change your major within Rausser CNR, follow the directions above for "Declaring a Major for Rausser Students".

Should you decide to declare a major in a college other than Rausser, visit the website for the other college or school to find out how to consult an advisor for that program. In all cases, it is important to maintain good academic standing, which means that your grade point average is 2.0 or higher and you are taking courses that will enable you to complete a major in the Rausser College of Natural Resources within the normal time frame.

Double Majoring

Double majoring is when you pursue two majors, both within the same college/school. To declare a double major within the Rausser College of Natural Resources, please complete and submit this form.

If you no longer wish to complete your one of your Rausser College majors, you must meet with the advisor of the major that you wish to retain to initiate the dropping of the other major. They will submit the request to cancel your undesired Rausser major. 

RCNR Students Seeking Simultaneous Degrees

If you are already in Rausser College and wish to pursue simultaneous degrees and add a second (or more) major outside of RCNR, please work with the advisor & college of the new major.