Help Deciding Major Pathway!

Hello all, I was hoping to get some insight on a dilemma. I was admitted into UC Berkeley as a junior transfer for Fall of 2020, and I applied as an English major. I have all of my prerequisites done, and I only have seven courses (about 28 units) left in order to fulfill all major requirements. Therefore, I have been looking into possibly double majoring.

If I were to double major, I am deciding between Legal Studies or Rhetoric, though I am leaning towards Legal Studies as my second major. With Rhetoric, I feel as if it would be way too similar to English and I’m looking to double major only if it’ll add significant value.

However, I really like the Public Policy minor offered at UCB as well. If I were to major in English and minor in Public Policy, I would be able to graduate a semester early! That would really help me because it would be way less expensive, and i’d have an early start to job searching.

If I were to double major, I would graduate on time. My interests career-wise is working in politics and government, with my ideal job that I really really want to do being lobbying. I would love to work as a lobbyist at the California State Capitol, that is definitely my end goal. I have talked with UCB undergrad advisors and both options are a possibility for me.

So yeah, do I go for the double major, or do I do one major with a minor, and graduate early?? Does anyone know about these majors and minors? So much to consider! I would really appreciate any advice or insight. Thanks!!

Even if you only have 28 units of major requirements remaining, you will still need to take a minimum of 50 units total (assuming we’re talking semester units), if you transfer in the maximum of 70 credits. You’d have to be very efficient (and lucky in terms of getting the classes you want, especially in your first semester when the continuing students have already registered) to finish in only three semesters.

I agree that a Rhetoric double-major wouldn’t add enough to be worthwhile.

Have you taken the four prerequisite classes for Legal Studies? (If you only have the four upper-division classes remaining, then it wouldn’t be bad, but if you have 6-8 total classes to take for the second major, it’s going to be a crunch scheduling-wise.)

TBH, though, the public policy minor in the Goldman School sounds like a better fit for your interests than the Legal Studies major. It’s not like you need a Legal Studies major to get into law school, and if you decide to go that route you’ll learn plenty about law once you get there. You seem chiefly interested in public policy, and The Goldman School is one of the top public policy schools in the country. Why not take advantage of that opportunity?

I feel like you’re being tempted to feel like “more is better” in terms of racking up two majors rather than a major and a minor. It really isn’t, though. It’s the content that’s important. Do the thing that you’re most interested in and passionate about (which sounds like public policy). If you can afford to spend the full two years at Berkeley, do so even if you could rush through in three semesters. Take electives that are useful and meaningful! It’s not all about squeezing out the maximum credentials in the minimum time; it’s about what you learn and what you accomplish along the way, both in classes and in your EC’s. You could also consider doing the UC semester in DC in the fall of your senior year, and still graduate in the spring with the major and the minor. There’s also the Cal-in-Sacramento summer fellowship/internship program, which has its own Poli Sci prerequisite course. Don’t schedule yourself so tightly that you can’t make space for these opportunities!