Academics
Take the next step in your educational journey by earning your degree from the Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz.
Why study environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz?
Across all of our academic programs, we believe in learning by doing. We prioritize field study, internships, and research opportunities for our students in order to ignite their passion, deepen their real-world understanding, prepare them for careers, and help them make a positive impact. Our unique learning environment offers excellent facilities, cutting edge academic and policy-relevant research, and a tight-knit community committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our students are some of the best and brightest in their fields, winning prestigious awards and research grants. Through our interdisciplinary curriculum, they become skilled problem-solvers who can approach complex environmental challenges with perspective from both the natural and social sciences. Our alumni often go on to become innovative leaders who help to turn the tide on environmental issues through their work in government, industry, the nonprofit sector, and academia.
Discover our degree options and learning opportunities:
Student experiences
Grace Brieger: Combining art with a love for California native plants
Through an internship with the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, environmental studies and studio art double-major Grace Brieger developed a “Birds of the UCSC Arboretum,” photo-essay that applied her research, observation, and photography skills. She encourages other students to take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities and enjoy the beautiful campus.
Daniel Hastings: Understanding the impacts of climate change on Joshua trees
Ph.D. candidate Daniel Hastings won multiple funding awards to support his investigation of water storage in the tissues of Joshua trees. His work includes a focus on yearly fluctuations in water storage and plans to develop of an integrated model of Joshua tree anatomy that simulates the plants responses to different climate conditions.
Samantha Rozal: Research on the prevalence and impacts of marine debris
During her time at UC Santa Cruz, Rozal got involved with the Survey Slugs program at Long Marine Lab, through which she had opportunities to conduct research on marine debris for her senior thesis. She went on to pursue a master’s degree after graduation and is now a Management Fellow at Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in Los Altos, California.
Dmitrius Rodriguez: Transformative experiences through Natural History Field Quarter
Through the Environmental Studies Department’s beloved Natural History Field Quarter program, Dmitrius Rodriguez made lifelong memories while learning and living in natural reserves across the state. Rodriguez also learned a lot about themself and felt supported by the program’s efforts to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive.