Undergraduate Majors

When you apply to UC Berkeley you will be required to select a college in which to enroll, and you may also indicate a major. (Junior transfer students are required to select a major at the time of application.)

You are encouraged to apply directly to a major, but if you need time to decide which of our majors is best for you, you may also select the College of Natural Resources' undeclared option.

The benefit of applying directly to one of our majors is that if you are admitted and accept the offer of admission, you will start your first semester under the department you wish to graduate in. Declaring your major will not, however, give you any special advantage. All students who apply will be evaluated based on their application and not the particular major selected.

If desired, you may be able to change to a different major within the College of Natural Resources. Changing to a different major outside of the College takes a bit more work as each of the colleges and majors have different requirements that you need to fulfill. Thus, it is important that you apply to the college in which you believe you will eventually declare a major.

Q: How do I apply to PMB?

A: Consult the UC Berkeley Undergraduate Admissions site, which handles undergraduate admissions for the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. Potential students should apply to the College of Natural Resources and list either Plant Biology or Microbial Biology as their intended major.

Q: Who can I talk to about the undergraduate program?

A: Contact our undergraduate advisors:

• Genetics and Plant Biology major and Undeclared Students: Jennifer Halpert, (510) 642-4249, jhalpert@berkeley.edu
• Microbial Biology major: Ricky Vides, Rickyv72@Berkeley.edu, (510) 642-6730. Some majors have a formal application process, so it’s a good idea to meet with an advisor from your desired major. It is important to meet with an undergraduate advisor early and regularly. 

Q: Do I have to decide on a major before applying?

A: Not necessarily – freshmen in their first year are not required to declare a major, although they must select one by the end of the fourth semester. Junior transfers select their majors when they apply for admission to the university, and are reviewed based on their preparation for that specific major. Forms for declaring a major are available in the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs, 260 Mulford Hall, and must be signed by the advisor for the major in question.

Q: How do I decide my major?

A: To declare or switch majors, you must meet with the major advisor whose major you wish to declare. Bring the change of college or major form to the meeting so that the advisor can help you plan your schedule. Once you have obtained their signature and completed the form, you may submit it to the student affairs office in 260 Mulford.

Q: How do I switch into PMB from another college on the Berkeley campus?

A: Students wishing to declare Plant Biology or Microbial Biology from another UC Berkeley college should contact our undergraduate advisors:

• Jennifer Halpert, (Genetics and Plant Biology major and Undeclared Student), jhalpert@berkeley.edu, (510) 642-4249. 
• or Ricky Vides (Microbial Biology), Rickyv72@Berkeley.edu, (510) 642-6730. 

Bring a copy of your unofficial transcript, so that the undergraduate advisor will be able to plan out a program of study. Change of College, Major, or Curriculum Petitions are available at the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs, 260 Mulford Hall. Some majors have a formal application process, so it’s a good idea to meet with an advisor from your desired major.

Q: Once I've declared a major, may I change it, or am I locked in?

A: Students are not locked into their initial choice. Many of the major programs have similar lower division requirements, and changing majors during the first two years generally creates no difficulties.

Q: If I am enrolled in PMB, will I be able to take courses from other colleges or departments?

A: Yes – all students at UC Berkeley take an assortment of courses provided by many departments on campus.

Q: Can I have both a College of Natural Resources and an Letters & Science major?

A: Yes. To add another major from one of Berkeley’s other colleges, use the simultaneous degree petition. Meet with your current major advisor and the advisor whose major you wish to add. After obtaining their signatures, submit the form to 260 Mulford. After CNR reviews the petition, it will be forwarded to your new college for final approval. It is important to remember that adding a simultaneous degree will make you subject to the rules for both of your colleges. Please see Declaring a Major - Simultaneous Degrees for more information.

Q: Is it possible to double major and/or minor and still finish in four years? What about studying abroad?

A: The key is meeting with your major advisor early to work out a plan that fits your goals. Many students pursue double majors, minors, or study abroad, but it is crucial to begin planning as early as possible.

Q: How can I declare a minor?

A: Begin by visiting the department offering the minor. Minor requirements differ by department, so make sure you are informed about the course requirements for the program that interests you. Students majoring in PMB can pursue any minor on campus; you are not restricted to just the minors in this college.

Q: How many classes should I take during my first semester?

A: 13 to 15 units during your first semester is a good amount.

Q: What are the deadlines to add courses, drop courses, and change grading options?

A: Some classes have an Early Drop Deadline (EDD) of the end of the second week -- these are listed on the Registrar's website. You may add and drop all other classes until the end of the 5th week of instruction. You may change your grading options to either pass/no pass or to letter grade until the end of the 10th week of classes. For a more comprehensive description of the deadlines and fees associated with them, visit the Registrar’s website.

Q: Can I use one class to fulfill multiple requirements?

A: Certain classes may be used to simultaneously fulfill multiple requirements. For example, if a required course also happens to be an American Cultures course, you may fulfill both a major requirement and your AC requirement with that course. Major requirements must each be taken separately. If you are double majoring or pursuing a simultaneous degree, you may count no more than two upper-division courses towards both majors.

Q: How do P/NP classes affect my GPA?

A: Courses taken on a Pass/No pass basis are not factored in when calculating your GPA. A passing grade will give you course credit, while a no pass will give you none. All major requirements must be taken for a letter grade. Additionally, the number of P/NP units must be no more than one-third (33%) of your total units taken at UC Berkeley.

Q: What do AP, IB, and Community College classes count for?

A: AP and IB scores can count towards Berkeley units, and can also be used to fulfill certain requirements. The most common requirements students fulfill with AP and IB scores is the Reading and Composition requirement. For most other classes, it is best to talk with our advisor, Eva Wong-Moy, before electing to test out via test scores. If you have taken community college courses, you can check to see if they fulfill a Berkeley class by visiting Assist.

Q: Which classes do I take for pre-med?

A: Many of the lower-division requirements for Microbial Biology and Plant Biology fulfill medical school requirements. Berkeley's Career Center has a comprehensive guide to medical school that helps answer many questions pertaining to the pre-med track.

Q: What is the College of Natural Resources?

A: Plant & Microbial Biology is one of four academic departments within the College of Natural Resources. The College of Natural Resources (CNR) is one of 14 schools or colleges at UC Berkeley.For detailed answers to a variety of questions about applying to the College of Natural Resources, please visit the CNR FAQs.

To learn more about the majors, please refer to the Plant Biology Undergraduate Student Learning Initiative or the Microbial Biology Undergraduate Student Learning Initiative.