Top 10 UChicago Best Majors

The Core Curriculum at the University of Chicago (UChicago) gives students foundational knowledge before allowing them to go wide and deep in their interests. No wonder the institution ranks 11th nationally. But how does its individual programs hold up to that reputation? In this article, we’ll talk about UChicago’s best majors and what makes them stand out.

• What Are the Best Majors at UChicago?
• Economics at UChicago
• History at UChicago
• Mathematics at UChicago
• Physics at UChicago
• Political Science at UChicago
• Chemistry at UChicago
• Public Policy at UChicago
• Biological Sciences at UChicago
• Psychology at UChicago
• Computer Science at UChicago
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the Best Majors at UChicago?

The University of Chicago offers 65 majors, each distinguished in its own way. For this list, we’ve selected ten standout programs based on their US News rankings. Below is a quick overview of ten of UChicago’s best majors:

In the following sections below, we’ll discuss more about what makes these particular programs stand out.

Economics at UChicago

When talking about the UChicago best majors, economics should definitely top the list. After all, this program ranks number 1 nationwide, tied with other top-tier schools like Harvard and Stanford University.

UChicago is known for being the birthplace of the Chicago School of Economics, a neoclassical “economic school of thought, founded in the 1930s by Frank Hyneman Knight, that promoted the virtues of free-market principles to better society.”

The undergraduate economics curriculum at the university is renowned for its rigor and emphasis on developing strong analytical and quantitative skills. As one of UChicago’s best majors, it will train you to think like real economists who create and analyze models, teaching you to compare model predictions to the real world.

The program offers a few tracks for its undergraduate economics students:

• Standard Track. Emphasizes general economic principles and mathematical methods. Within this track, you can pursue an honors-level coursework in intermediate microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.
• Business Economics Track. Focuses on applying economic principles, particularly in business contexts, and lets you take courses at the Booth School of Business.
• Data Science Specialization. Lets students combine economic theory with advanced data analysis techniques.

Regardless of your track, you’ll take introductory and core economics courses. As one of UChicago’s best majors, you’ll also have a wide range of elective courses to choose from, from labor economics to economic history, so you can specialize in areas of interest and explore applied economics.

History at UChicago

History at UChicago emphasizes primary source analysis, historiography, and the construction of nuanced historical arguments. As one of UChicago’s best majors, it ranks 2nd in the country.

A notable part of the undergraduate program is methods courses, namely:

• Historiography. This course explores how historians formulate arguments, evaluate evidence, and construct narratives.
• Research Colloquium. These courses guide students through the process of writing an original research paper based on primary sources, giving hands-on experience in historical scholarship.

You’ll choose a geographic or thematic field for focused study, which will be your specialization. Examples include:

• Geographic Fields. Africa, Ancient Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, Russia, South Asia.
• Thematic Fields. Economic, Empire, Environment, Gender/Sexuality, Intellectual, Legal, Race, Religion, Science/Technology/Medicine, Urban. Students can even petition to create their own interdisciplinary major field.

Aside from that, you’ll also be required to take courses covering at least two geographic regions and at least one course that treats history before 1800 and one after 1800. All these requirements ensure that you get a broad understanding of historical periods and global contexts.

Mathematics at UChicago

Mathematics is also one of UChicago’s best majors, ranking number 6 in the country. The program’s curriculum is known for its intellectual intensity and demanding nature, helping students develop a solid understanding of mathematical concepts and the ability to construct rigorous proofs.

The department offers various mathematics degrees:

• BA in Mathematics. Offers students more elective freedom, letting them more deeply understand how modern math relates to the other arts.
• BS in Mathematics. Gives students a good foundation in modern math and how it relates to the other sciences.
• BS in Applied Mathematics. For students interested in the application of mathematical tools to scientific and engineering problems.
• BS in Mathematics with Specialization in Economics. Combining the rigorous math foundation with a deep dive into economic theory, preparing students for quantitative roles in finance or economic research.
• BS in Computational and Applied Mathematics. A joint program from the Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics for students who want a solid quantitative background that they can apply to different areas—such as physics, engineering, and finance.

As one of UChicago’s best majors, the core of mathematics is demanding, but it still offers a good deal of flexibility in elective choices so you can tailor your studies to your specific interests and career goals.

Perhaps the most defining feature of the program is the Honors Calculus/Analysis Sequences. These courses focus heavily on theoretical foundations, proof-writing, and abstract concepts, even at the introductory level. You’ll understand formal definitions and prove theorems, rather than simply memorizing formulas or techniques.

Physics at UChicago

The University of Chicago’s Physics Department is legendary for groundbreaking discoveries like the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. Because of that, it’s no surprise that undergraduate physics is also one of UChicago’s best majors, ranking 7th in the country.

The department offers both BA and BS degrees. The BS degree typically involves a more extensive coverage of advanced topics and experimental physics, making it particularly great if you’re planning graduate study in physics.

Regardless of your physics degree, the curriculum is designed to give you a comprehensive and highly demanding education in the core principles of physics, emphasizing mathematical rigor and conceptual understanding.

Some types of courses you can expect to take are:

• Honors Introductory Sequences. These sequences cover mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, and heat with a higher mathematical level, usually incorporating advanced problem-solving techniques and theoretical discussions.
• Intermediate and Advanced Core Courses. An example is Intermediate Mechanics, which goes deeper into classical mechanics, usually using Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms. Another example is Statistical and Thermal Physics, which covers thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.
• Experimental Physics Labs. These advanced laboratory courses provide hands-on experience with experimental design, data acquisition, analysis, and error propagation.
• Mathematical Methods for Physics. Taking dedicated courses in mathematical methods or high-level math courses ensures you have the mathematical tools needed to handle complex physics problems.
• Electives and Specializations. You can choose from many advanced electives to explore specialized areas like Solid State Physics, Nuclei & Elementary Particles, and Astrophysics, among many others.

Political Science at UChicago

Another of UChicago’s best majors, political science emphasizes foundational texts and theoretical approaches, encouraging you to deal with the big questions of politics across different traditions and contexts. The program ranks number 8 nationwide.

UChicago’s political science curriculum is structured around four subfields:

• Political Theory
• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations

The program is very theoretical, but as one of UChicago’s best majors, it also emphasizes methodological training. This means you can expect to be exposed to both qualitative and quantitative research methods to prepare you to critically evaluate empirical evidence and conduct your own research.

The Political Science Department is part of an excellent system of research centers and modern facilities that can improve your undergraduate experience. These include:

• Institute of Politics. Hosts prominent speakers and debates and offers internships and extracurricular activities related to politics and public service, bridging academic study and the world of practical politics.
• Chicago Center on Democracy. Encourages research and public engagement on the challenges facing democracy globally.
• Pozen Family Center for Human Rights. Promotes research, education, and engagement on human rights issues.

Chemistry at UChicago

Chemistry is another of UChicago’s best majors, ranking 9th nationwide. The undergraduate curriculum is known for providing a comprehensive and conceptually deep understanding of chemical theory and practice. It also emphasizes the discipline’s quantitative and experimental aspects.

The chemistry curriculum covers the major subfields of chemistry: organic, inorganic, physical, and even analytical. You’ll also take a series of lab courses where you’ll learn experimental design, advanced synthesis techniques, instrumental analysis, and data interpretation.

Undergraduate research is a big part of the chemistry program, and there are many opportunities to be part of scientific discovery. Some examples are faculty research opportunities, research assistantships, and summer research programs.

Research is made possible thanks to modern facilities and interdisciplinary research centers. Some notable examples are advanced instrumentation and core facilities like:

• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility
• Mass Spectrometry Facility
• Searle Cleanroom and Nanofabrication Facility.
• Soft Matter Characterization Facility
• Advanced Electron Microscopy Facility: For high-resolution imaging.
• Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne

Aside from simply participating in research, the department also encourages you to present your findings at departmental symposia, undergraduate research conferences, and sometimes even national scientific meetings.

Public Policy at UChicago

UChicago’s Public Policy is another of its best majors, ranking 9th in the country. The program trains you to understand and address complex societal challenges by giving you a multidisciplinary foundation in different social sciences, most notably:

• Economics
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Law

Beyond analysis, the public policy curriculum also covers the practicalities of policymaking. You’ll also choose a specialization consisting of three related, policy-relevant courses. This lets you engage more deeply with a specific policy domain, such as:

• Urban Policy
• Criminal Justice
• Energy and Environment
• Health Policy
• Economic Policy
• International Development
• Conflict
• Education Policy
• Data Science or Tech Policy

The Capstone Experience is also an important part of one of UChicago’s best majors, giving you hands-on contact with real-world policy problems.

One option for that is the Practicum Requirement, where you’ll need to take one Windows course and one Methods course. These courses are designed to help you learn and apply research methods like demography and survey design in a “real-world” context.

The other option is the BA Thesis route, which is for students who want to pursue original, independent research. This would be ideal if you’re considering graduate school or research careers.

Biological Sciences at UChicago

The biological sciences ranks number 11, making it another one of UChicago’s best majors. The undergraduate curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive and deep understanding of biological principles, emphasizing scientific reasoning and experimental support for concepts.

The Biological Sciences Division offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS). The BS degree is designed for students who want a more in-depth and research-intensive experience in biology. Meanwhile, the BA degree provides extensive training in biology while offering more flexibility to take elective courses outside the major, allowing for broader academic exploration.

Regardless of whether you pursue a BA or BS, the main paths you can choose from are:

• Biology Track (General Biology)
• Interdisciplinary Biology
• Computational Biology
• Ecology and Evolution
• Global and Public Health

As one of UChicago’s best majors, students pursuing the Biology Track can also choose to specialize in a particular area of biology through a focused selection of electives. Some of the available specializations include:

• Cancer Biology
• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Endocrinology
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Microbiology

Psychology at UChicago

Psychology at UChicago is well-known for its rigorous scientific approach to understanding the mind and behavior, emphasizing both foundational theories and empirical research. Thanks to that, psychology has become one of UChicago’s best majors, ranking 14th in the country.

The program’s curriculum is designed to help you build a strong scientific foundation, which lets you have a deep understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, and core psychological theories.

As one of UChicago’s best majors, the undergraduate psychology program covers a wide range of subfields, letting you explore various aspects of the human mind and behavior. Hands-on research is also a big part of the experience. You’ll take various laboratory courses, where you’ll gain practical training in experimental design, data collection, and analysis.

Aside from required lab courses, there are many other research opportunities. For example, students can work as research assistants, usually for course credit in classes like PSYC 290 Research Experience or PSYC 494 Advanced Research.

You’re also encouraged to present your research at departmental symposia, undergraduate research conferences, or even national psychology conferences.

Computer Science at UChicago

Computer science is another of UChicago’s best majors, ranking number 27 in the country. The curriculum covers both fundamental principles and their practical applications, but it also emphasizes mathematical rigor. You’ll be required to take advanced math courses to strengthen your analytical and problem-solving skills for complex computer science problems.

Undergraduate students can choose between a BA and a BS degree, with the BS offering greater depth in foundational topics.

As one of the best majors at UChicago, computer science also encourages students to explore connections between computer science and other disciplines, such as mathematics, economics, and the humanities. This interdisciplinary focus allows for a more holistic understanding of how computing affects different fields.

Computer science has also become one of UChicago’s best majors thanks to connections to other departments and initiatives that its students and faculty engage in research in various areas of interest, including:

• Security and privacy
• Systems, architecture, and networking
• Data science
• Human-computer interaction
• AI & machine learning
• Programming languages
• Theory

Institutions such as the Data Science Institute have resources, research opportunities, and interdisciplinary workshops that can bring together researchers from different disciplines to advance the foundations and applications of computer science.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does UChicago admit by major?

No, the University of Chicago does not admit by major. All admitted first-year students enter “undeclared” into the College, and you typically don’t declare a major until the end of your second year.

2. Is UChicago as good as Ivy League schools?

UChicago is technically not part of the Ivy League, but it’s widely considered an academic peer to them. After all, it consistently ranks among the top universities nationally, alongside other Ivies.

3. What is the #1 university in Chicago?

The University of Chicago is the number 1 university in Chicago, and it ranks number 2 in the state of Illinois.

Takeaways

• Some of UChicago’s best majors include economics, computer science, mathematics, biological sciences, political science, psychology, public policy, history, physics, and chemistry.
• UChicago emphasizes foundational knowledge, critical inquiry, and extensive research opportunities, which prepare its students for both advanced study and careers.
• Is your dream program one of UChicago’s best majors? Talk to a college admissions consultant to help you build a strong college application that can get you accepted into the institution.