The Bobcat Advising Center (BAC) is the academic advising home for all first year students in every major as well as first year undeclared, continuing undeclared, and lower division undeclared transfer students.
We are here to support your exploration through academic advising and by encouraging you to take full advantage of on- and off-campus resources to help with your decision-making process in selecting a major.
With your BAC academic advisor, you can discuss course selection, preliminary graduation plans for majors you are considering, personal and career interests, admission requirements for different majors, and resources that will support your choice.
Undeclared Student Learning Outcomes
As an undeclared student in our BAC academic advising program, our goals are to help you:
- Further develop major decision-making and career exploration skills
- Develop career goals that combine your interests, values, and strengths
- Identify experiences such as research, internships, clubs and organizations and/or other activities to further explore your interests
- Understand major declaration policies and requirements for your intended major
- Understand how to use MyDegreePath to help with exploring and planning for majors
- Locate academic and career advising resources on campus and online
- Identify a preferred major and an alternate (backup) major to explore
- Understand the maximum terms allowed at UC Merced for your preferred major and degree
Undeclared Student Responsibilities and Expectations
As an undeclared student in our BAC advising program, you are expected to:
- Complete required meetings with your BAC academic advisor every semester
- Read your UC Merced email daily, including messages from your BAC academic advisor
- Review the BAC Major Exploration Activities Checklist
- Do the necessary research and reflection to make progress toward selecting a major between each meeting with your BAC academic advisor
- Prepare for appointments with your BAC academic advisor by developing questions for discussion and reviewing your progress toward selecting a major since your last appointment
- Develop a MyDegreePath graduation plan to declare your major
- Declare a major before you reach 90 total units (including units in progress and units completed through AP or IB exams or college courses taken in high school or at a previous institution prior to transfer)
