Pathways at Cal Lutheran
Information and FAQs for Students
Welcome to the Pathways information page for students.
Pathways is in pilot mode for Fall 2026
Pathways is rolling out to a group of pilot students this fall, with plans to expand to all traditional undergraduate students for the 2027-28 academic year. See details below.
Pathways is Cal Lutheran's new planning tool that offers intentional, step-by-step plans — hand-curated by Cal Lutheran professors. Each plan connects what you're studying right now to the real-life career you're aiming for, by mapping out the specific courses, skills, and experiences that are important for that field. Rather than leaving your future to chance, your pathway is a roadmap to reaching your goals with purpose, so that every semester builds toward the career you want.
Supported by a faculty mentor and adviser, your pathway will lead you from first year to senior year — so you won't have to navigate solo.
Helpful Perks
- You'll build a comprehensive plan for your entire undergraduate journey — one step
at a time.
Your pathway will connect you to the courses and real-world experiences that are most likely to move you closer to your career goals. - You'll be supported by a dedicated guidance team looking out for your best interests.
With a Pathways Faculty Mentor and an Academic Adviser by your side, you'll have expert insights into your field(s) of interest and helpful guidance to reach key milestones along your path to graduation. - You'll have the tools and confidence to manage every twist and turn.
Most students' college journeys don't follow a straight line. When surprises pop up, you'll be ready to adapt quickly and realize your full potential.
The Big Idea Behind Pathways
Your major matters, but it's not the whole story of who you're becoming at Cal Lutheran. Pathways is based on the idea that everything else — your general education classes, the clubs you join, the leadership roles you take on, the passion projects you enjoy in your spare time — is just as much a part of preparing you for what's next.
Pathways helps you build durable skills that will be useful to navigate your entire career. In a world where technology and job markets keep shifting, the core qualities you develop through Cal Lutheran's guided liberal arts education are your assets that will keep you relevant in a dynamic job market.
By graduation, the goal is for you to walk away with more than just a diploma. You will have a path — a clear sense of who you are, what you can offer, and how your Cal Lutheran education prepared you for it. You'll be ready — not just for your first job — but for a lifetime of meaningful vocation.
How It Works
First Steps for Pilot Students
1. Explore Pathways
Use the pathway explorer to browse career options popular with Cal Lutheran students who have similar majors and interests.
As you explore options, you can compare pathways to visualize their differences and then bookmark your favorite pathways.
Suggested Timeframe: Early Sept.
2. Choose a Pathway
In mid September, you'll receive an email inviting you to officially choose a pathway that you'd like to start focusing on.
Not sure which pathway feels right? You can always try one out, reflect as you go,
and make changes at any point in time. You'll have support each step of the way, no
matter which direction you head.
Suggested Timeframe: Mid Sept.
3. Meet Your Guides & Peers
To support you on your journey, you'll meet with your Pathways Faculty Mentor and Academic Adviser. They'll work together to help you make the most of every opportunity.
And, if you're a first-year student, you'll have the chance to meet other students who are on a similar path in your First-Year Experience (UNIV 101) course for fall semester.
Suggested Timeframe: Late Sept.
4. Customize Your Plan
Your pathway comes packed with dozens of suggested courses and on and off-campus experiences that can help you prepare for success. You'll be able to add as many of these as
you'd like to your plan, and find other opportunities you'd like to pursue. You can also add anything you've already accomplished along the way.
Your guides will lead you from here.
Suggested Timeframe: Oct. & Beyond
Watch: Pathways in Action
Deciding on a direction for your future career can feel scary — but that doesn't have
to stop you from taking steps forward.
With Pathways, you'll have an organized way of gaining exposure to potential options
for your future, so you can explore real careers, gain meaningful experience, and
be able to change direction any time.
Fall 2026: Pilot Group
Rolling out to a pilot group of undergraduate students in August 2026.
Who is eligible for the pilot, and how were those students chosen?
To help Cal Lutheran roll out Pathways smoothly and successfully for all traditional undergraduate students in Fall 2027, Pathways will be piloted with a group of students in Fall 2026. The students in the pilot group were identified by a process of matching them to Interest Areas (using pre-existing information about their academic interests provided to the university at the time of enrollment), based on the Interest Areas made available for the pilot.
How do I know if I'm in the pilot?
If you're in the pilot group, an invitation email was sent to your CalLutheran.edu inbox on September 8, 2026, and you can get started with the Pathways platform in MyCLU. If you didn't receive an email, please keep an eye out for updates about the full launch of Pathways in Fall 2027.
Can I be added to the pilot, if I'm not already in it?
We are unable to add additional students at this time but look forward to the full launch of Pathways in Fall 2027. If you would like to be notified of updates from the Pathways implementation team, please fill out an interest form.
What types of pathways are offered for the pilot?
The Fall 2026 pilot offers a total of 19 pathways across three Interest Areas:
Business & Entrepreneurship
Health Sciences & Pre-Med
Law, Policy & Government
Fall 2027: Full Launch
Expected to roll out to all traditional undergraduate students in August 2027.
Who will be eligible for the full launch of Pathways?
The full launch of Pathways in Fall 2027 is expected to be made available to all traditional undergraduate students at Cal Lutheran. At this time, we do not expect an impact to students in the graduate programs or Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program.
How many pathways will be offered in the full launch?
We anticipate 10-12 Interest Areas will be offered in the full launch, each featuring about 4-6 pathways. We are seeking to ensure that all discipline areas are robustly represented in the offerings for our full launch, so that we can best serve all students no matter their career interests.
Why can't the full launch happen now?
Great programs start with great planning. That's why we're launching Pathways this fall semester with a group of pilot students — giving us the chance to learn, gather feedback, and refine the program before it's available to everyone.
We anticipate that the result of the pilot will yield a stronger, better Pathways experience for all students at full launch in Fall 2027. In the meantime, every student continues to have full access to all of Cal Lutheran's resources — including Faculty Advisers, Academic Advisers, and Career Counselors. Pathways is an enhancement to that support, and not a replacement for it.
Every student and family is part of this journey, whether you're in the pilot this fall or joining us at launch. We're building this with our community, not around it.
Note: The above information reflects the expected launch timeline for Pathways as
of September 2026. Modifications to the plans and timeline of the full launch in Fall
2027 may occur based on assessments and evaluations of the Fall 2026 pilot. Updates
will be provided to students as more information becomes available.
How to Get Started
If you've received a Pathways invitation email to your CalLutheran.edu inbox, you're in the pilot group for Fall 2026. Click the button below to access the Pathways platform in MyCLU and begin your journey.
If you haven't received a Pathways invitation email by September 8, 2026, you will be invited to Pathways during the full launch in Fall 2027. Please keep an eye out for updates in the months ahead.
Is Pathways a new academic degree/program?
Who is eligible to participate in Pathways? How do I know if I am eligible?
Will I be required to choose a certain major for my pathway?
If I am not in the Pathways pilot group, am I missing out?
Once I choose a pathway, can I change it at a later date?
Can I change my Pathways Faculty Mentor?
Do I have to choose a pathway? Do I have to participate in Pathways?
What is the Pathways platform, exactly?
How safe/secure is the data in the Pathways platform?
Can my professors/advisers see everything that I see as a student in the Pathways platform?
Does FERPA apply to the Pathways platform?
How can I find out who my Pathways Faculty Mentor and Academic Adviser are? How can I contact them?
Who can I contact if I have questions?
Questions & Feedback
Pathways is brand new this year, and we're building it thoughtfully — starting small and expanding it so more students can benefit in the years ahead. We hope the information on this page is helpful to understand the basic elements of Pathways, and we welcome you to reach out if you have additional questions.
For questions about planning your pathway (if you're in the pilot group for Fall 2026):
- Your Pathways Faculty Mentor is your best first stop for questions — they are here to help!
- You can get started in MyCLU and find your Pathways Faculty Mentor's contact information.
For technical troubleshooting help with the Pathways platform in MyCLU:
- Please email our ITS team at helpdesk@CalLutheran.edu to open a support ticket.
- Be sure to include the details of your question.
For questions about the Pathways launch timeline:
- Please fill out our Questions & Feedback form.
- Your question will be directed to the relevant Pathways project leader(s) as needed.