Academics

Undergraduate Program

Students majoring in ecology and evolution will receive a B.S. degree based on an integrated series of courses providing breadth in fundamental areas of biology and allied sciences that enhance understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes. The capstone of this curriculum is a suite of field courses providing students unique opportunities to learn and conduct research in a host of ecological systems. Students are encouraged to take field courses in their areas of specialization. Other opportunities include participation in research projects with faculty sponsors and the intensive Education Abroad Programs (EAP) in Costa Rica (tropical biology) and Australia (marine sciences).

Graduate Program

The graduate program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCSC is one of the premier EEB programs in the country. Our graduate students regularly win prestigious awards for their presentations at international meetings and publish their work in the best journals of their fields. In addition to taking advantage of local field sites and state-of-the-art departmental laboratories, more than two-thirds of the EEB faculty also participate in field studies throughout the world, especially in Africa, Latin America, and around the Pacific Rim.

A special strength of the EEB program is the integration of terrestrial and aquatic perspectives across all research tracks. The course requirements and examinations emphasize both breadth and depth.