I am currently attending a community college in California and I am hoping to transfer to UC Berkeley under media studies major. As I was reading through some of the posts, I realized that if I wanted to apply to the Media Studies major, I would have to apply separately to get in. I was sort of confused in this part. If I wanted to get into Berkeley Media Studies major, and have to separately apply to the department, does it mean that I would have to go into Berkeley as a freshmen? If I do not get into the major what would I have to do? Will anyone please tell me what the separate application process is like? Are extracurricular activities weighed heavily? I am really desperate and I really hope I can know more about this process.
If you’re transferring from a CCC, you won’t be a freshman, you’d be a junior.
When you apply as a transfer to UCB, you don’t get a backup, or alternate, major. You either get into the major you apply for and you attend Berkeley, or you don’t and you attend another school.
I’m not sure what you’re talking about with a “separate” application process.
Extracurriculars help, as do your essays and everything else, but GPA is biggest. It sounds like you need to do some more research on what you’re trying to do.
This might be something similar to the separate application process that UCLA has for certain arts majors. For example, the Theater, Film and Television majors need to apply to the School of TFT as well as to UCLA. You would still begin as a junior as you should have finished 60/90+ credits by the time you would transfer, so you already hold junior standing in whatever college you should choose to attend.
With most programs that you have to apply separately for, they will definitely look for applicable ECs and they will most likely be very important. If you were to apply to UCLA’s School of TFT, for example, you would be a much, much better applicant if you had relevant experience under your belt as opposed to someone without any theater, film, or television experience. They require an extra application because they are highly selective, so you want to look your absolute best!
I may be wrong here, but it may be that if you get accepted to UCB, you get accepted to the school and not the major. So, once you’re there (as a junior with at least 60 units), you will have to apply to the media studies major. I am applying for the same major at the same school, so I’m curious about this too
My advice, not having in-depth knowledge about that program, would be to do yourself the biggest favour you could do and call them to ask for information about applying as a Media Studies major. It’s always the best and least stressful way to get your questions answered. Not to imply that we’re not willing and happy to help and give advice as best as we can 
but we’re really not nearly as qualified as they are to answer these questions easily and with surety.
I applied to Berkeley as a media studies major as well & had the same question. If you go on Assist.org and go to the media studies page for Berkeley - there’s contact information of the advisor or head of the department there that you can email. I did try emailing her twice though regarding this separate application into the major but she did not respond. You can try and give her a call as well. Did you check out this website?
I’m in Media Studies. You don’t apply separately. Just list it as the major in your application.
But it’s true. In L&S everyone is admitted to the College, not the major. If all requirements are completed you just go to L&S and formally apply. If you don’t have all req. completed (like MS 10) they reserve space for you as a pre-MS major and you take the courses that first semester, then apply to the major.