Academics
Take the next step in your educational journey by earning your degree from the Politics Department at UC Santa Cruz.
Why study politics at UC Santa Cruz?
Studying politics provides a deeper understanding of the systems, institutions, and power structures that shape society and influence nearly every aspect of human lives. At UCSC, studying politics is not merely the study of the organization of power relations, but also the disrupting, dis-organizing, and remaking of those relations. In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, the ability to critically analyze politics and processes of political influence and change is crucial, and a politics major provides valuable knowledge and skills for careers and democratic citizenship.
Our Politics B.A. is one of the most popular undergraduate majors on campus, consistently ranking in the top 10 for the number of degrees awarded. Meanwhile, we train our graduate students in core areas of political inquiry and require them to develop expertise not only in relevant scholarly literatures of political science, but also in those of related fields particularly significant for their own work. As a result, our Ph.D students take creative and often unconventional approaches to answering critical but perhaps overlooked questions.
Discover our degree options and learning opportunities:
Student experiences
Marisol Ornelas: Valerie Fuette Scholarship winner
Marisol Ornelas is a politics and legal studies major and first-generation college student focused on labor and education policy. After graduation, she plans to attend law school and practice family and labor law to give back to her community.
Samantha Moore: My Voice Will Aid in the Fight For Human Rights
Politics and philosophy double-major Samantha Moore participated in the UCDC program, which helped her get an internship with the Human Rights Campaign. She plans to build a career focused on supporting human rights and improving humanitarian action.