Top AI and Business Majors in Regular Admissions at 10 Major Universities

For the 2024 academic year, the top departments by regular admission scores at the 10 major universities showed that in the natural sciences, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Semiconductor fields ranked highest, while in the humanities, Business Administration was the top department.

Jongro Academy released on the 3rd the analysis results of the top three departments by regular admission scores at the 10 major universities including Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University. Medical-related fields were excluded from the natural sciences.

On the 15th, one month before the 2025 College Scholastic Ability Test, a notice indicating "CSAT D-30" is posted at the entrance of Jongno Academy Mokdong Main Branch in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

In the natural sciences, AI and Semiconductor departments had the highest freshman admission scores, while in the humanities, Business Administration ranked highest.

Among the 31 departments ranked in the top three for humanities at the 10 major universities in 2024, Business Administration appeared 6 times, the most frequent, followed by Economics, Media & Statistics, and Public Administration, each appearing 3 times.

In the 2021 academic year, Business Administration and Economics departments were the most frequent; in 2022, Business, Economics, and Public Administration; and in 2023, Political Science and Diplomacy departments ranked highest.

No language and literature departments entered the top three rankings.

In the natural sciences, among the 39 departments ranked in the top three by regular admission scores at the 10 major universities in 2024, AI and Semiconductor-related departments appeared 5 times, the most frequent. Computer-related departments appeared 4 times, followed by Electronics & Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering, each appearing 3 times.

The number of AI departments in the top three increased from only 1 in 2021 to 2 in 2022, 4 in 2023, and 5 in 2024.

Semiconductor departments also rose from 2 each in 2021 and 2022 to 5 in both 2023 and 2024.

Mechanical engineering-related departments numbered 3 in 2021, dropped to 1 in 2022, and were not included from 2023 onward.

Jongro Academy analyzed that due to employment difficulties and other factors, there has been a sharp increase in preference for policy-driven newly established departments and corporate contract departments such as Business, Economics, and Media in the humanities, and AI and Semiconductor in the natural sciences.

However, it added that at top-tier universities, preference for university brand remains strong in the humanities rather than specific departments, and that score trends vary annually due to factors such as cross-application from natural sciences to humanities under the integrated CSAT system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.