Discover your passion and career pathway in the sciences.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Undeclared Sciences Program, please contact:

Stephen Norton
Program Director, Assistant Dean
Email: Stephen_Norton@uml.edu
Phone: 978-934-3844

Chemistry faculty member and student work with equipment in a UMass Lowell lab

About the Undeclared Sciences Program

The Undeclared Sciences Program allows you to explore a diverse range of scientific disciplines within a close-knit community of students united by an interest in science, the process of discovery, and the applications of scientific knowledge to the world around us.  

Within the program, you'll gain an overview of the different majors in the college and associated career paths. You’ll also refine your interests, assess your values, and evaluate your strengths so you can make a more informed decision about which major works best for you.

Exploring the Sciences 

A centerpiece for the program is the First Year Seminar SCIE.1500: Exploring the Sciences. This course facilitates the major selection process through guided career exploration activities, cultivating and refining critical decision-making skills, and exposing you to the full range of disciplinary options with the College of Sciences.   

During the semester you will have the opportunity to:

  • Meet one-on-one with faculty from different scientific disciplines
  • Engage with undergraduates from the various departments
  • Participate in clubs and organizations matching your interests
  • Visit various college facilities including robotics and biology labs, the particle accelerator and nuclear reactor

bachelors

Find your program: bachelor's*, master'sdoctoral

*Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Undergraduate Majors & Minors

Minors

Summer Engagement Prior to First Semester

Professor Frank Colby of the EEAS department pointing to large, interactive weather monitor

If you select Undeclared Sciences, the program director will meet with you individually during the summer prior to your first Fall semester at UML.

During the meeting, we will review and assess your initial interests, experiences and qualifications to determine an optimal course schedule, which will allow you to explore multiple pathways compatible with your goals while also ensuring you remain on-track for graduation. 

You will also have the opportunity to meet with faculty from different science programs and from across campus if you need additional guidance or simply wish to more fully explore the academic and co-curricular possibilities open to you.

Hear from Our Faculty & Students

UMass Lowell alumna Sabrina Pedersen ’17 speaks at a workshop for Braver Angels, a bipartisan, nonprofit organization that seeks to depolarize American politics.
Sabrina Pedersen '17
Biological Sciences

With the nonprofit Braver Angels, alumna Sabrina Pedersen ’17 is working to depolarize American politics.

It’s about how you can build relationships with people whom you disagree with.
Read More About Sabrina Pedersen 
Joe Mendes poses wearing his UMass Lowell EMS uniform
Joe Mendes ’24
Biology

Honors pre-med biology major Joe Mendes has taken a leading role with UML Emergency Medical Services.

I’ve met a ton of people and made some really close friends.
Read More About Joe Mendes 
Laurie Agel speaks at a podium
Laurie Agel '18
Marine Sciences & Technology

Software engineer Laurie Agel was looking for a career change in her 40s. Fifteen years later, she has her Ph.D. in marine sciences and technology from UML and is working as a post-doctoral research assistant, studying extreme precipitation and flooding in the Charles and Mystic river basins.

I’ve seen many, many people like me – people doing a second career and coming in from another field. And there’s just so much excitement at UMass Lowell. I don’t really feel like a fish out of water.
Read More About Laurie Agel 
Monique Yoakim-Turk.
Monique Yoakim-Turk '87, '88
Biology

Biology alumna Monique Yoakim-Turk has built a successful career helping organizations take research breakthroughs from the lab to the market.

In the Biology Department, I was part of a community of people trying to improve health care and do good for the world.
Read More About Monique Yoakim-Turk