Solutions for society
Join us in building a better future.
The Social Sciences Division at UC Santa Cruz is a community of changemakers working to address some of the biggest, most complex social and environmental challenges of our time. We do this through applied data analysis, scientific observation, and social theory that broaden and deepen understanding of people, our societies, and our connections to the natural world.
Our departments and programs
Get to know the Social Sciences Division
Social scientists work across many sectors of society to tackle urgent global challenges, like climate change and inequality. Our division’s research can identify the root causes of these issues, the most effective solutions to address them, and the best strategies to mobilize people in support of solutions.
We deliver crucial insights that meet the needs of the moment and equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and perspective they need to transform the future.
Academics
Through our 33 diverse undergraduate and graduate degree offerings, we provide inclusive, personalized learning experiences and support that prepares the next generation of leaders to pursue rewarding, high-impact careers that make a difference.
Research
In the Social Sciences Division, we believe that big challenges require big-picture thinking. Through our interdisciplinary research, we ask both “why?” and “why not?”, pairing critical inquiry with a problem-solving mindset that delivers practical solutions for meaningful change.
We are national leaders in equitable research methods and believe strongly in the value of involving students in our work.
Affiliated residential communities
We are the only academic division at UC Santa Cruz to have a formal relationship with specific residential living-learning communities in the campus’s college system. Both College Nine and John R. Lewis College are affiliated with the Social Sciences Division.
We support programming for College Nine, which has a theme of international and global perspectives, and John R. Lewis College, which has a theme of justice and community. Both colleges administer the (H)ACER program, through which students conduct real-world research and service projects in partnership with community organizations.
