University of California, Merced

UC Merced Academics

University of California, Merced requires at least 120 units to complete a bachelor's degree.

There is no accelarated degree program at UC Merced, but students who wish to save money or graduate early can look into transferring in credits. UC Merced accepts transfer credits. The school accepts AP credit and IB credits. Additionally, UC Merced has a summer session, so students can earn credits during the summer.

UC Merced offers an orientation program before the start of fall classes to prepare new students for college life.

Academic Options	Yes	No
Accelerated Degree Program		X
Transfer Credits Accepted	√
AP Credit Accepted	√
IB Credits Accepted	√
Summer Classes Available	√
New Student Orientation	√

Reminder: UC Merced may have additional academic options available for new and transfering students. Make sure to check with the universty directly for any additional information.

Which Courses Will I Take At UC Merced?

UC Merced has a core curriculum, which means there are certain classes or types of classes all students must take to graduate.

Students are not required to fulfill a language requirement

Students do not have to take a computer class.

Course	Required?
2nd Language	No
Math	true
Science	true
Computer	No

Reminder: Check with UC Merced directly for more information on requirements. Individual departments or majors may have additional required courses.

Majors at UC Merced

When choosing a major, UC Merced students have several choices to make. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see a full list of majors offered at UC Merced.

Student Designed Majors

Students must choose one of the majors offered by the college. Self-designed majors are not allowed.

Senior Projects

UC Merced does not require a senior project for all students.

Double Majoring at UC Merced

UC Merced offers students the option to double major, if they would like. Student struggling to choose just one area of study may consider a double major.

NOTE: Declaring a double major may require more work but it can provide a unique combination of experience that helps students stand out when job searching or applying to a graduate program.

Frequently Asked Questions About University of California, Merced

Does UC Merced Offer Learning Disability Services?

✅ UC Merced does offer services for students with disabilities.

Prospective students can contact the college's Office of Accessibility Services to learn more about any support and accomodations offered. These conversations are usually kept confidential and will not be shared with the admissions office if you do not wish to share.

Does UC Merced Offer Online Classes?

❌ UC Merced does not have distance learning options or fully-online programs, so students must be able to attend classes on-campus.

Does UC Merced Give Credit for AP Classes?

✅ UC Merced offers some credit for Advanced Placement (AP) classes taken in high school. Schools have different requirements for what AP scores they accept, so some students may not receive AP credit.

Does UC Merced Have An Honors Program?

❌ UC Merced does not offer an honors program or a Freshman Honor College.

Does UC Merced Require Internships?

❌ UC Merced does not require an internship for any students.

Students can still look for internships during the summer, or gain work experience with a part-time job. While UC Merced does not require internships for students of any major, internships are a great way to get work experience, discover career paths that might fit you, or rule out ones that don't.

Additional Information About University of California, Merced