Majors & Degrees

At Michigan, you don’t apply to the university – you apply to one of our 14 undergraduate schools and colleges, depending on whether you are a first-year or transfer student: Architecture & Urban Planning; Art & Design; Business; Dental Hygiene; Education; Engineering; Information; Kinesiology; Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA); Music, Theatre & Dance; Nursing; Pharmacy; Public Health; and Public Policy.

Each school or college makes its admission decision based on their unique requirements, needs and priorities, and decisions are communicated by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The majority of Michigan first-years are admitted to our liberal arts college, LSA.

First-year Admitting Units

Ten academic units accept first-year applications: Art & Design; Architecture & Urban Planning; Business; Education*; Engineering; Kinesiology; LSA; Music, Theatre & Dance; Nursing; and Pharmacy.

*Students can apply directly to the Learning, Equity, and Problem Solving for the Public Good (LEAPS) first-year admitting major in Education. The LEAPS major is the only first-year admitting major within the school. Students interested in teacher certification programs would start in LSA and apply to transfer to Education at the end or their sophomore year.

Preferred Admission

For incoming students with demonstrated interest in an upper-level program.

In addition, Architecture & Urban Planning, Business, Education, Information, and Pharmacy offer Preferred Admission in which accepted students are guaranteed placement (via transfer to the upper-level program) in their sophomore or junior years after being admitted to a first-year-level school or college.**

**Students who are admitted to other U-M schools or colleges (such as the College of Engineering) and Ross will enroll in Ross in their sophomore year through Preferred Admission provided they meet admission requirements after their first year on campus. Pharmacy Preferred Admission is for the PharmD program only.

Upper-level Admitting Units

For incoming students who develop an interest in an upper-level program after enrolling in a first-year admitting unit at Michigan.

And finally, Dental Hygiene, Information, Public Health, and Public Policy are also upper-level admitting units, meaning they accept applications from students already enrolled at Michigan in their first year or sophomore year. If admitted, a student would then complete a cross-campus transfer to that upper-level program. This means that these upper-level programs remain options for students who develop an interest after enrolling at Michigan with a first-year admitting unit.

Dual-degree Applicants

First-year students can also apply to more than one U-M school or college at a time as dual-degree applicants, with certain limitations and guidelines. This allows students to choose paths and majors that reflect their interests and individuality.

The best approach is to think about your college aspirations and to explore the best fit for you. Your high school counselor, teachers, family, and others can help you reflect on your choices. You can also contact our admissions office or representatives in the schools or colleges for assistance.

It’s OK if you don’t yet know what your major will be. Many students don't, until they spend time at Michigan exploring the myriad options and resources available to them.

Once you are a Michigan student, you will find plentiful academic advising support to help you shape and focus your academic goals. Depending on the school or college to which you are admitted, you will have time to commit to a major and, if you choose, a minor course of study. Many students do not indicate their major until the end of their sophomore year; Art & Design students do not declare a major.