The Community Studies Program teaches effective techniques and strategies for community organizing and social movement work and provides extensive real-world learning experiences to prepare students for careers spent making a difference on social justice issues.
If you have a vision for a type of change you’d like to see in the world, we’re here to help you make it a reality.
Community Studies major
A Bachelor of Arts degree in community studies is ideal for those who want to lead social change work. We help students develop a strong understanding of the systems and power dynamics that contribute to society’s problems and what it takes to disrupt them. All of our students also embark on six months of field study, a uniquely rewarding form of learning that allows you to make a difference for others while gaining valuable real-world experience.
Faculty
Faculty in the Community Studies Program have historically pioneered approaches to experiential learning and social justice that were central to UC Santa Cruz’s founding ethos and have continued to define the campus’s identity and goals. Today, our core and affiliated faculty continue to innovate, while drawing upon our deep history.
Together, we are a community of activist-scholars and esteemed educators dedicated to mentoring students who are passionate about community activism and public service.
Research
Our affiliated faculty have research specialties in more than a dozen topics related to social and environmental justice. Through equitable and inclusive research practices, we co-create knowledge alongside the communities we serve.
Our research seeks to answer big questions about inequity, stigma, bias, and discrimination in our society, using techniques like critical analysis, ethnography, and applied social science methodology.
