*UCSC does not offer this as an undergraduate major.

The purpose of the Education Department’s instructional programs is to prepare all students, undergraduates and graduates, to engage in the analysis and integration of educational theory, research, and practice for an increasingly diverse society. The department’s primary intellectual and practical focus is on fostering equitable and effective schooling for all students.

Study and Research Opportunities

• Undergraduate Minor. The education minor is designed to provide opportunities to examine basic questions, theories, practices, and research in the field of education. The minor is useful to both liberal arts study and as a foundation for students planning to become teachers. The state of California prohibits universities from offering undergraduate majors in education.
• Master's/Credential Program. The Master of Arts in Education and California Teacher Credential Program offers both the preliminary multiple subjects teaching credential (for elementary school teachers) and the preliminary single subject teaching credential for secondary teachers. The single subject program offers the following subject areas: Mathematics, English, Social Sciences, and Science. The program also offers the Bilingual Authorization (Spanish) teaching credential. The Bilingual Authorization authorizes primary language instruction and dual language immersion education. Programs of study are subject to change. 
• Ph.D. in Education. The Ph.D. in Education program prepares graduate students in becoming leading scholars who engage in research focused on the educational needs of students from linguistic and cultural groups that have historically not fared well in our nation's public schools. To achieve this goal, this program provides students with grounding in the varieties of interdisciplinary theorizing, research methods, and applications needed to advance the study of learning and teaching for diverse student populations. The courses and research experiences are closely related to practice in K-12 classrooms. Students in this interdisciplinary program apply tools and perspectives from education, anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, cognitive science, and cultural historical theory. The program integrates theory and practice to examine learning and teaching within the multiple contexts of classroom, school, family, and community. Graduates of this program will be qualified to teach and to conduct the kinds of educational research demanded by tenure-track positions in research and regional universities. Graduates may also work in non-university based institutions that focus on teacher professional development, curriculum development, and related areas of educational research and development.
  
  Together with his or her faculty academic adviser, each student develops an integrated program of study that includes advanced course work, seminars, and electives. Students learn through an apprenticeship model in which they develop expertise through active participation in research. Courses may be taken in other departments when appropriate.

High School Preparation

High school students who plan to pursue a career in education should take the courses required for UC admission and complete any courses recommended as background for their intended major.

Transfer Preparation

Students who plan to transfer to UC Santa Cruz as juniors will find it helpful to complete courses that fulfill campus general education requirements before coming to Santa Cruz. They should also complete any prerequisites for their intended major. Transfer students should contact the Education Department soon after arrival at UC Santa Cruz in order to plan for subject matter course work and testing requirements.

While it is not a condition of admission, students from California community colleges may complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) in preparation for transfer to UC Santa Cruz.

Transfer course agreements and articulation between the University of California and California community colleges can be accessed on the ASSIST.ORG web site.

Careers

• Bilingual-multicultural education
• Business education
• Curriculum development
• Education administration
• Educational consulting
• Educational research
• Industrial training
• Professional education associations
• Public relations
• School counseling
• School psychology
• Special education
• Teaching: elementary, secondary

These are only samples of the field’s many possibilities.

Minor in Education

The UC Santa Cruz undergraduate courses in education engage students in the study of the history of educational thought and philosophy, the politics and economics of education, learning theory and pedagogy, and issues of cultural and linguistic diversity in education.

Because an academic major in education is not permitted in the state of California, UCSC offers two minor tracks in education for those students who are considering a career in teaching and also for those who hold a general interest in educational studies. Please note that that the minor tracks in education do not provide a California Teaching credential. Additionally, the UCSC teaching credential program is a graduate program and course work taken in either minor track cannot be substituted for credential requirements.

General Minor in Education: The general minor in education consists of six courses: Education 60, Introduction to Education: Learning, Schooling, and Society; Education 180, Introduction to Teaching; and four upper-division education courses (please refer to the Education Department’s web site at education.ucsc.edu for a list of approved courses for the education minor).

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Minor in Education: The STEM minor specifically serves students in STEM majors who are considering careers in secondary mathematics or science teaching. The STEM minor in education consists of eight courses, totaling 32 units and including 90-100 hours of classroom field placements: EDUC 50 (2 units), EDUC 60, EDUC 100 (2 units), EDUC 185B or 185C, EDUC 185L (3 units), one education course addressing cultural and linguistic diversity (e.g., EDUC 128, 135, 141, 164, 170, 177, or 181), and two education upper-division electives. Students pursuing the STEM education minor should meet with the Cal Teach staff as early as possible. Entry into EDUC 50 is by interview only, and interested students must submit an application to the Cal Teach program (see calteach.ucsc.edu or e-mail calteach@ucsc.edu).

To declare either minor track in education, students must file a Proposed Plan and Declaration of Major/Minor form at the Education Department. Students pursuing a minor in education should meet early on with the Education Department’s Undergraduate Academic Adviser so that they can effectively plan their course work (please refer to the Education Department’s web site at education.ucsc.edu for advising hours.)

More Information

Education Department Advising Center
McHenry Library 2140B
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, California 95064
(831) 459-3249
education@ucsc.edu