The department encourages undergraduates to take advantage of a range of special opportunities to broaden their educational experience, including university-wide programs such as UCDC, and departmental programs such as Freshman Seminars and Independent Studies.

Study Abroad

Many political science majors study abroad, either as a means for deeping their study of politics or as a way of complementing their major with experiences in another culture and language.  For more information, see the UCSB Education Abroad Program.

UC Center at Sacramento

The relatively new UC Center at Sacramento offers students the chance to study and become involved in California State government through a small, intensive program with students from the other UC campuses around the state.  

UCSB Washington Program

One of the most popular campus programs for political science major is the UCSB Washington Program, a part of "UC DC," which offers students an experiential learning experience in Washington DC.

Seminars and Independent Studies

The department offers Freshman Seminars and Senior Seminars. Qualified students may also enroll in an independent study with a faculty member, in which they engage in individualized learning on a topic of interest.  For more information about seminars and independent studies, contact the department's undergraduate advisor, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .