Choose a major that will compliment a Sim's current skills and aspiration.
The Sims 2: University requires young adults to declare a major at college before their Junior year (3rd year). Majors can be declared by using the phone or computer (under the college menu), but Sims will not do this autonomously. Sims who have not declared a major before the end of their Sophomore year will automatically be enrolled in the Philosophy major when they become Juniors. Sims cannot have more than one major, but can change their major at any time before the end of their Junior year.
All majors have one class per semester. While classes normally last two hours, each major has one or two classes that last for three. All majors have a mixture of morning, afternoon, and evening/night classes.
Each major requires different skills that compliment specific career tracks. Each major is associated with certain specific career tracks. If a Sim who graduated with honors enters a career track related to his or her major, he or she will get a bonus of 1, 2, or 3 levels. (+1 for Cum Laude, +2 for Magna Cum Laude, +3 for Summa Cum Laude).
Sims who have not declared a major may roll a want to declare one. This is a 2500 point want, so while players can ignore it, it is a good way to give a Sim's aspiration bar a quick boost. These Sims may also roll fears of declaring certain majors. Which majors, if any, a Sim wants or fears will usually depend on his or her aspiration, personality, and skills. For example, Fortune Sims are likely to want to declare Economics. A Sim who has a secondary aspiration may also roll a want to declare a major related to it.
Notes
Total Skills is the total amount of skill points needed for a Sim to earn all skills required to have a chance of ending 4 years of college with maximum class performance.
It is not unusual for pre-made University Sims created as anything other than first-semester Freshmen to lack skills other than those needed for their current semester, even if it would be difficult or impossible for them to have gotten that far with only those skills.
Careers in bold are the career that the major is meant for. If a Sim goes into this career after studying the major, he or she will find advancement to be easier, as the major and career share several skills.
Majors
Undeclared
The Study of ... Indecision. Sims with an undeclared major aren't lazy, they're just not sure where their passion is yet.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
The World: A survey of everything that ever happened
15:00 - 17:00
1
-
-
-
1
1
-
Academic Argument: Beyond "did not, did too"
8:00 - 11:00
-
1
-
1
-
-
1
Sophomore
Workshop: Writing more goodly
20:00 - 22:00
-
2
1
-
2
-
-
Intro to Philosophy: Your insignificant place in the universe
18:00 - 20:00
2
-
-
-
-
2
2
Notes
All incoming freshmen, and all young adult townies and NPCs, are Undeclared, meaning that they have not yet declared their major.
Art
Art: The study of visual forms. What better pursuit than to devote ones life to the pursuit of the beautiful or thought provoking. Whilst the disciplines are diverse indeed, all artists are brought together with one goal. Creation.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
Stick Figures: Lowering the bar
15:00 - 17:00
-
1
-
-
-
1
1
Life Drawing: An excuse to see naked people
17:00 - 19:00
-
-
1
1
1
-
-
Sophomore
Underwater basket weaving: Art meets fitness
10:00 - 13:00
1
-
2
-
-
2
-
Oil painting and other ways to poison one's self
19:00 - 21:00
2
2
-
-
-
3
-
Junior
Art History 1: Artists you'll never be as good as
16:00 - 18:00
-
3
3
-
-
-
-
Art History 2: Artists you're already way better than
Biology: The study of life. Trees, Gazelles, Sims, the smooth endoplasmatic reticulum - what makes them work? If it has cells, a biologist can study it and find out. Unfortunately they don't know a darn thing about robots!
Drama: The study of performance. Sims are born to perform, being dancing, joking or "Busting a Move." However, it is only those Sims who delve into drama that manage to transcend merrymaking and create art.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
The History of Ancient Drama: When every play ended with death
10:00 - 12:00
1
1
1
-
-
-
-
Improvisation: Because scripts are for wusses
19:00 - 21:00
-
-
-
1
-
1
1
Sophomore
Pratfalls and other ways to give up your dignity
11:00 - 13:00
-
-
2
2
1
-
-
Costume Design: Because naked actors are distracting
14:00 - 16:00
-
-
3
-
2
2
-
Junior
Moving Pretentiously: A modern dance workshop
18:00 - 21:00
-
-
-
3
-
3
-
Stage combat without killing your peers
17:00 - 19:00
-
-
-
4
3
-
-
Senior
The One-Sim Show: Drama for those who don't play well with others
11:00 - 14:00
-
-
4
-
-
4
-
Characterization: Becoming someone more interesting than you
The drama professor has a bug that causes them to instantly have a 100/100 lover relationship with any adult they interact with. A Sim will consider the drama professor cheating all the time if they get married.
The Prima Guide for Seasons lists the Adventurer career as being linked to the Drama major. However, the career is not linked in the game.
Economics
Economics: The study of services and commodities. If it has to do with Simoleons, these folks know about it. It isn't an easy job, but a talented economist who can figure out the markets makes quite the business person.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
Why money does grow on some trees
17:00 - 19:00
1
-
1
-
-
-
1
Work is for Losers: A counterfeiting workshop
18:00 - 21:00
-
1
-
1
-
1
-
Sophomore
Economic Forecasting: Guessing never hurt anybody
16:00 - 18:00
-
-
2
-
1
2
-
Laissez-Faire and other lazy policies
12:00 - 15:00
-
2
3
-
2
-
-
Junior
Econometrics: Graphs a'plenty
14:00 - 16:00
-
3
-
-
-
3
-
Converting video game money into real simoleans
20:00 - 22:00
-
4
4
-
-
-
-
Senior
Exploiting the environment for fun and profit
12:00 - 14:00
-
-
-
-
3
4
-
Senior Project Internship: Coffeemaking at Landgraab Enterprises
History: The study from the past. From paintings of the earliest cavesim to last weeks change of menu in our local schools, those who study History often go into military service or politics due to their desire to reverse the mistakes of the past to make a better future for Simkind.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
Intro to History: People More Important Than You
20:00 - 22:00
1
-
-
1
1
-
-
Civilization: Why It's Rarely Very Civil
15:00 - 17:00
-
1
-
-
-
1
1
Sophomore
Revisionism: It's Not Libel If They're Dead
16:00 - 18:00
-
-
1
-
2
2
-
Memorizing Names and Dates: An Alternative to Learning
12:00 - 14:00
-
2
2
-
3
-
-
Junior
Ethnography: Why Those People Seem Strange
13:00 - 15:00
-
-
3
-
-
3
-
Political Science Majors: Why You Should Hate Them
Literature: the study of written word. Reading and writing may seem like a basic skill, but language is power, and those who study literature can harness the power to convince, educate or dominate other Sims.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
How To Judge a Book By Its Cover
13:00 - 15:00
-
1
-
-
1
1
-
Haiku: Form Over Function
12:00 - 15:00
1
-
-
1
-
-
1
Sophomore
Words Ending with -eth: A Shakespearean Study
14:00 - 16:00
-
-
1
2
-
2
-
The Girl From Nantucket and Other Famous Limericks
11:00 - 13:00
-
2
2
-
-
3
-
Junior
Iambic Pentameter: DaDUM DaDUM DaDUM DaDUM DaDUM
14:00 - 16:00
-
3
-
-
-
4
-
Understanding C.London's Complete Works: Good Luck, Kid
09:00 - 11:00
-
-
3
3
-
-
-
Senior
Using Bizarre Metaphors: Life is Feeding Baked Alaska to Zombies
Mathematics: the study of numbers and basic forms. Math is not something that comes naturally to every Sim but those that learn to understand it can see the patterns and science all around them, and have uncanny insight into the mechanical and logical.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
Remedial Addition: The Fingers and Toes Technique
13:00 - 15:00
-
1
-
1
1
-
-
P = NP and other Straightforward Proofs
15:00 - 18:00
1
-
-
-
-
1
1
Sophomore
PEMDAS and You
11:00 - 13:00
-
2
1
-
2
-
-
Stepping Robot Hordes: Dividing by Zero
18:00 - 20:00
-
-
-
-
3
2
2
Junior
3D Geometry: Re-imagining the Plumb Bob
15:00 - 18:00
-
3
-
-
-
3
-
Reasoning with Irrational Numbers
19:00 - 21:00
-
-
-
-
4
-
3
Senior
Mathematics in Nature: Pinecones and the Golden Ratio
Philosophy: the study of the fundamental problems of existence and Sim understanding. Is it metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, or the only path to enlightenment regarding the problems of Simkind? Hard to say. One fact is indisputable, though: philosophy textbooks have the longest words EVER!
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
What is the Meaning of This?!
10:00 - 12:00
-
1
-
-
1
-
1
The Refrigerator Light: Proof vs. Faith
18:00 - 20:00
1
-
1
-
-
1
-
Sophomore
Old Dead Guys Who Thought Stuff
12:00 - 14:00
-
-
-
1
2
2
-
Optimists and Other Idiots
16:00 - 18:00
2
-
2
-
3
-
-
Junior
Philosophy's Place in the Neighborhood: Anywhere?
9:00 - 12:00
-
-
-
-
4
3
-
Existentialism: Depressing Yourself on Purpose
11:00 - 14:00
3
-
-
-
-
4
-
Senior
Who Controls the Pie Menu and Why?
16:00 - 18:00
-
-
3
-
5
-
-
Senior Project: Preparing for the Fast Food Industry
Physics: the study of the many forms of energy. Those who study Physics learn the intricacies of the world around us, allowing them to harness nature to do some amazing things. In other words, Physicists give society cool things like lasers and catapults.
Political Science: the study of people and power. those who study Political Science gain a knowledge of the workings of people in groups and learn the subtle skill of manipulation and influence. This command over other Sims can lead to a number of careers including, of course, Politics.
Psychology: the study of the mind. Everyone is aware of the complexity of a Sim's brain, but few understand its workings. A Sim is indeed a wild mix of aspirations, personalities and base instincts - and perhaps only one who studies psychology could understand this method behind this madness.
Semester
Class Title
Hours
Freshman
Introduction to Psychology: We Are Too a Science!
16:00 - 18:00
-
-
-
1
1
1
-
Animal Behavior: OF Mazes and Cheeses
9:00 - 11:00
1
1
-
-
-
-
1
Sophomore
Abnormal Psychology: A Guide to Misdiagnosing Your Friends
12:00 - 14:00
-
-
1
-
2
2
-
The Prefrontal Lobe and Other Optional Brain Parts
19:00 - 22:00
-
-
2
-
3
-
2
Junior
Cognitive Dissonance: Recognizing How Broken Your Brain Is
Majors returned in The Sims 3: University Life. The number of majors available is lower than in The Sims 2: University, with a grand total of six. The six majors are Business, Communications, Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science and Medicine, and Technology.
Each major will help a Sim start jobs at a higher level, earn more pay, get career bonuses more frequently, and earn career experience faster. Each career is associated with a major. For example, the Journalism career will benefit from Communications major. The list of associated career is shown on the table below. It's important to know that a Sim's final grade is what determines his or her success in the career:
Earning an A allows Sims to enter a career at level 4 with +150% pay raise and +100% performance boost.
Earning a B allows Sims to enter a career at level 3 with +75% pay raise and performance boost.
Earning a C allows Sims to enter a career at level 2 with +50% pay raise and performance boost.
Earning a D grants Sims with +25% pay raise and performance boost.
The university enrollment interface
Sims can enroll in university through a phone, a computer, or school. Sims can take the Sims University aptitude test from the university welcome kit, dropped off by a university mascot or bought from the Buy mode. Taking an aptitude test may grant scholarships and free credits for Sims based on their skills and career experience. Upon enrolling, an enrollment screen will pop up. In this screen, the players can choose which Sims will attend university. The players can also see the scholarships earned through the aptitude test and select the degree for Sims to work for. After picking a degree, the players can set the number of credits Sims will take. More credits means more classes to take and enables Sims to earn degree faster, but Sims will get less free time. The players can choose to take one or two terms; each term being a week long.
A Sim may take up to 3 classes per term. All classes last 2 hours, start at either 8 AM, noon, or 4 PM, and meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each major will have a 2-hour class activity and a 2-hour lecture; one of these will be scheduled for Tuesday, and the other for Thursday. Final exams are scheduled each Friday. Not attending the final exam will severely damage the academic performance.
Business
Technology
Science and Medicine
Fine Arts
Communications
Physical Education
