Majors and Minors

NC State is home to 12 colleges covering all major academic disciplines. While our traditional strengths lie in engineering and agriculture, we’re also a university of choice for students of the humanities and social sciences, plant and animal life sciences, management, design, textiles, education, natural resources, veterinary medicine, and the physical, chemical, mathematical, statistical, biological and earth-system sciences.

When you apply to NC State, you’ll be asked to choose your preference for a major (or two).

You should select two different majors based on your interests. If we determine you are not competitive for your first-choice major, we will review you for your second-choice major. If you are interested in pursuing more than one major, or adding a minor, you will have the opportunity to speak with your academic advisor about this process once you begin taking classes on campus.

*Transfer applicants will only select a first-choice major.

If you are a first-year applicant, you have the choice to explore your options during your first year through our nationally recognized Exploratory Studies program.

You should choose “Engineering First Year” or “Life Sciences First Year” on your application if you’re a first-year applicant interested in engineering or life sciences. And if you’re planning to attend medical, dental, veterinary or law school after graduation, you can select any major and pursue a tailored pre-professional program once you’re here.

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High-Impact Education

NC State excels at giving students everything they need to hit the ground running in the real world. On top of world-class academics, you can expect your time here to be packed with rich experiences that deepen your understanding — and strengthen your resume.

Co-ops and Internships

Because employers value real-world experience as much as academic success, we make sure you enjoy both at NC State. As early as your freshman year, you can start building your career skills through internships or co-ops with top companies.

NC State’s Cooperative Education program offers more than 1,000 work rotations each year that allow you to work in a job relevant to your major, all while making important contacts and even earning credit toward professional certification. Leadership and Civic Engagement offers service-oriented volunteer positions and internships. And our Career Development Center supplies comprehensive career counseling, resume and interview help, career events and other job-search tools.

Honors and Scholars Programs

Qualified students who meet specified criteria are invited to apply for our honors and scholars programs after admission.

The University Honors Program gives you a competitive edge in your career, whether you plan to attend graduate or professional school, apply for a major scholarship or fellowship, or find a job. Honors students place a heavy focus on achieving academic goals, and the program requires significant capstone research that creates new knowledge.

The University Scholars Program offers personal, professional and leadership development. Through a series of experiences designed to connect you with the arts, you’ll be encouraged to consider the interplay between contemporary, scientific and political issues, and work toward key career goals.

Students interested in these programs must apply by our Early Action deadline of November 1 to be considered.

Study Abroad

Going overseas gives you international exposure and helps to bring textbooks and classroom lessons to life. At NC State, you can choose from more than 200+ Study Abroad programs in dozens of countries. You could pursue marine science at the Great Barrier Reef, study architecture at our European Center in Prague or explore environmental sciences beneath the canopy of the Amazon — all without delaying graduation. We encourage all of our students to study abroad and provide resources to help you do so.

Undergraduate Research

As a top research university, NC State will push you to collaborate with proven scholars and conduct undergraduate research in your chosen field. You’ll gain real-world experience, build your resume and get the chance to present your findings as at an undergraduate research symposium.

Examples of past projects include digging into real archaeological sites, developing new ways to manage plants or wildlife in their natural habitats, and engineering machines to better administer pharmaceutical drugs to patients.