Careers

This field includes accounting, auditing, tax, financial planning, investment analysis, banking, and corporate finance.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Business Economics, Economics, Mathematics–Economics, Probability and Statistics, Data Science, and International Business.

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree can lead to many entry-level roles. Students pursuing accounting may need specific coursework for CPA eligibility, and some roles in accounting or finance may benefit from a master’s degree or professional certification.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

For accounting, yes, coursework matters a lot. For finance, there is often more flexibility across economics, business-oriented, math, and quantitative majors.

This area includes launching ventures, building products and services, understanding customers, growing organizations, managing operations, and developing business and marketing strategy.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Business Economics, Economics, International Business, Communication, Media Industries and Communication, Data Science, Cognitive Science, Real Estate and Development, and other majors that build strengths in analysis, communication, consumer behavior, innovation, and leadership.

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree is often enough to begin in marketing, sales, operations, product, or business roles. Some professionals later pursue an MBA or other graduate degree, but it is not required to get started.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Usually not in a strict way. Business-related majors can be helpful, but communication, creativity, leadership, strategy, analytics, and hands-on experience also matter a great deal.

This field includes software development, app and web development, embedded systems, computing infrastructure, and hardware-software integration.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics–Computer Science, and some Cognitive Science pathways. Learn more about UC San Diego's Computing Pathways. 

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree is often enough for entry-level software and computing roles. A master’s degree can be helpful for advanced technical specialization.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

For computer engineering, yes. For software development, the exact major can be more flexible if students build strong technical skills, complete internships, and develop projects or portfolios.

This field supports mental health, relationships, development, and wellbeing in schools, clinics, hospitals, nonprofits, and private practice.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Psychology, Human Developmental Sciences, Cognitive Science, Sociology, and Education Sciences are all relevant foundations.

Degree needed:

A master’s degree is typically required for licensed counseling or therapy roles; a doctorate is required to become a psychologist.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

There is flexibility, but majors focused on human behavior, development, and mental health are the strongest fit.

Education includes teaching, school leadership, student support, higher education, and faculty careers. Students interested in education may pursue classroom teaching, K–12 administration, or college/university teaching and research.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Education Sciences is the clearest UC San Diego pathway for students interested in schools and teaching. Other relevant majors may include Human Developmental Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, History, Mathematics, Biology, or other disciplinary majors depending on the grade level or subject area a student hopes to teach.

Degrees needed:

• K–12 teachers: typically need a teaching credential after the bachelor’s degree.
• K–12 administrators: typically need teaching or school experience plus an administrative credential and often a master’s degree.
• College professors/faculty: usually need a master’s or PhD, with a PhD often expected for tenure-track faculty roles, especially at research universities.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

• For elementary teaching: usually less. Many majors can lead to teaching if students complete credential requirements.
• For secondary teaching: yes, often more. Students usually need strong preparation in the subject they want to teach.
• For K–12 administration: the undergraduate major matters less than experience, credentials, and graduate preparation.
• For college faculty roles: yes. Students usually major in the academic field they hope to teach or research later.

Engineering applies math, science, design, and technology to solve real-world problems. This broad field includes areas such as mechanical, structural, materials, environmental, chemical, aerospace, and systems-oriented work.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, NanoEngineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Systems, Physics, Mathematics, and related technical fields.

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree is often enough for many entry-level engineering roles. A master’s may be helpful for specialization, and some advanced research or academic roles require a PhD.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Usually yes. Engineering employers often look for students with technical preparation aligned to the field they want to enter.

Nursing focuses on patient care, health education, and care coordination across hospitals, clinics, and community settings.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

UC San Diego’s undergraduate majors list does not include a nursing major. Students interested in nursing can choose majors such as Human Biology, General Biology, Public Health, Global Health, Psychology, or Human Developmental Sciences while completing nursing school prerequisites.

Degree needed:

Students typically complete a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN), accelerated BSN, or entry-level master’s nursing program elsewhere, then pursue Registered Nurse (RN) licensure.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Usually no specific major is required, but prerequisite coursework matters a lot. Early planning is important. 

Optometry, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine

These professional healthcare pathways prepare students for specialized clinical careers outside of medicine.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Biology, Human Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacological Chemistry, Public Health, and Global Health are all common preparation pathways.

Degrees needed:

These careers require professional degrees such as Doctor of Optometry (OD), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Usually, no. As with pre-med, completing prerequisite coursework and gaining relevant experience matter more than choosing one specific major.

This area includes law, advocacy, policy, courts, corrections, investigations, and public safety careers. At UC San Diego, pre-law is not a major, and students interested in pre-law may declare any academic discipline.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Strong options include Political Science, especially Public Law or Public Policy, plus Sociology, Sociology—Law and Society, Philosophy, History, Communication, Psychology, and International Studies

Degree needed:

A Juris Doctor (JD) is required to become an attorney. Many criminal justice roles do not require law school.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Not for law school specifically. Reading, writing, analysis, argumentation, and research skills matter more than the title of the major. 

A pre-med path prepares students for medical school and careers as physicians. At UC San Diego, pre-med is not a major, and students interested in pre-med may declare any academic discipline.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Common choices include General Biology, Human Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Public Health, Global Health, and Psychology.

Degree needed:

Medical school (MD or DO) is required.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Not usually. Medical schools care more about completing prerequisites, strong grades, clinical experience, research, and service than about one specific major.

This field focuses on health at the community, population, and systems level. Careers may involve health education, program management, community outreach, policy, hospital administration, and health equity work.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Public Health, Global Health, Human Developmental Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, and related social science or health-focused majors.

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree can lead to some entry-level roles. Leadership, policy, and administrative positions often prefer a master’s degree, such as an Master's in Public Health (MPH) or Master's in Healthcare Administration (MHA).

Does the major matter?

Somewhat. Health-related and policy-oriented majors can be especially useful, but there are multiple pathways into the field.

This area includes work in government, nonprofit organizations, advocacy, diplomacy, public service, and policy analysis.

Relevant UC San Diego majors/pathways:

Political Science, Public Policy, International Studies, Urban Studies and Planning, Economics, Sociology, Public Health, and History.

Degrees needed:

A bachelor’s degree can be enough for many entry-level roles. A master’s degree such as an MPP, MPA, or related graduate degree may help with advancement.

Does the undergraduate major matter?

Not usually in a strict sense. Strong writing, analysis, research, communication, and internship experience are often just as important as the major itself