SSHA Admissions Pilot
Starting Fall 2025 and ending the Fall 2027 application cycle, the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA) will not require transfer students to complete the major-specific transfer selection criteria to be admitted to the following majors. Students wanting to enroll in those majors will be admitted using UC Merced’s general transfer requirements. (insert Link here).
** While major courses are not required for admissions, it is highly recommended to complete as many of the recommended major preparatory courses as possible before transferring to ensure timely progress to degree. Any major courses not completed prior to enrollment at UC Merced must be completed upon enrollment at UC Merced to ensure time to degree and graduation. **
Which SSHA majors are in the pilot
| Anthropology, B.A. | Political Science, Law and Policy Emphasis, B.A. |
| Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, B.A. | Psychology, B.A. |
| Global Arts Studies, B.A. | Psychology, Health Psychology Emphasis, B.A. |
| Global Arts Studies, Performance Studies Emphasis, B.A. | Psychology, Social Psychology Emphasis, B.A. |
| Global Arts Studies, Visual Studies Emphasis, B.A. | Sociology, B.A. |
| History, B.A. | Sociology, Community Studies Emphasis, B.A. |
| Philosophy, B.A. | Sociology, Health, Medicine, and Society Emphasis, B.A. |
| Political Science, American Politics Emphasis, B.A. | Sociology, Justice, Law, and Society Emphasis, B.A. |
| Political Science, Comparative Politics Emphasis, B.A. | Sociology, Race and Racial Justice Emphasis, B.A. |
| Political Science, International Relations Emphasis, B.A. | Writing Studies, B.A. |
Timing
This pilot program is for transfer students applying from Fall 2025 through Fall 2027 terms.
Why is SSHA Making this change?
This pilot aims to address potential barriers for transfer students and enhance their pathway to UC Merced. For specific SSHA majors, this pilot will temporarily suspend the existing transfer selection criteria in favor of non-selective screening criteria, as outlined in the catalog, effective immediately and continuing through Fall 2027. This initiative is expected to improve accessibility and better support transfer students’ academic success.
