- Behavioral & Social Sciences
- B.A.
- Ph.D.
- Undergraduate Minor
- Social Sciences
- Politics
Program overview
The most significant purpose of the politics major is to help educate a reflective and activist citizenry capable of sharing power and responsibility in a contemporary democracy. Courses address issues central to public life, such as democracy, power, freedom, political economy, social movements, institutional reforms, and how public life, as distinct from private life, is constituted. Our majors graduate with the kind of sharp analytical and critical thinking skills that set them up for success in a variety of careers.
Learning Experience
Study and Research Opportunities
- B.A., Ph.D.; undergraduate Politics minor, graduate Politics designated emphasis
- Combined Politics / Latin American and Latino Studies undergraduate major available
- UCDC Program in our nation's capital. Spend a quarter at the UC campus in Washington, D.C.; study and gain experience in an internship
- UCCS Program in Sacramento. Spend a quarter learning about California politics at the UC Center in Sacramento; study and gain experience in an internship
- UCEAP: Study abroad through the UC Education Abroad Program in one of hundreds of programs in more than 40 countries around the world
- UC Santa Cruz also offers its own study abroad programs.
First-Year (Freshman) Requirements
Transfer Requirements
This is a non-screening major. Transfer students will find it helpful to complete college courses that satisfy UC Santa Cruz general education requirements. Courses from other institutions may be considered only if they appear on the student’s transfer credit list on the MyUCSC portal. Students are allowed to substitute only one course taken elsewhere to satisfy a Politics Department lower-division requirement. Students should discuss the process with the department adviser.
California community college students may complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before transferring to UC Santa Cruz.
Transfer course agreements between UC and California community colleges can be accessed at ASSIST.ORG.
Internships and Career Opportunities
- Business: Local, international, government relations
- Congressional staffing
- Foreign service
- Government: career civil servant positions at local, state, or national level
- Journalism
- Law
- Legislative research
- Lobbying
- NGOs and non-profit organizations
- Organizing in the areas of labor, environment, social change
- Policy analysis
- Political campaigns
- Political science
- Public administration
- Secondary school and college teaching
These are only samples of the field’s many possibilities.