Academic Support Programs

Check with your academic advisor for department specific programs.

General Academic Support 

Career Center- The Career Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive, quality career development and employment/internship programs and resources that prepare a diverse student/alumni community to successfully meet today's and tomorrow's challenges.

Disability Resource Center-The DRC's goal is to assist the UCSC campus with equal educational access for students with disabilities.

Educational Opportunity Program- EOP provides a variety of academic and personal support programs designed to improve the retention and academic success of first-generation, low-income, or educationally disadvantaged college students. EOP serves to enhance undergraduate experiences by helping students acquire the skills to prepare for graduate programs, professional school, and future leadership roles. The Pre-Graduate Program hosts workshops every quarter.

Learning Support Services- Peer guided group sessions called Modified Supplemental Instruction (MSI) are available for selected lower and upper division undergraduate courses. Content related tutoring is available for additional classes.  See the webpage for more information.

Let's TalkLet’s Talk is a drop-in program sponsored by Counseling and Psychological Services.  Students can stop by for a brief (10-15 minute) confidential conversation with a counselor to receive consultation, support, referrals, and advice.  The program is offered during the academic year.  Please check with the program for up-to-date times and locations.

Services for Transfer and Re-entry Students- STARS provides the extra academic and personal support transfer, re-entry and readmitted students may need to benefit fully from their education at UCSC whether they are full-or part-time. STARS is here to assist students with their pre-admissions questions, transition concerns, academic support network, and post graduation planning.

STEM Academic Support

Academic Excellence Program (ACE)- STEM students work together in small discussion sections that accompany the large math and science lectures. Sections help students understand the lecture and text book through concept specific worksheets section members work on as a team.

California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)- CAMP is a statewide initiative that aims to support and retain underrepresented undergraduates to achieve their degrees in the biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

The Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) provides participating students with the opportunity to receive an in-depth experience in the academic and experimental aspects of biological research. Funded through the National Institutes of Health, the program consists of a laboratory-training program during the summer and laboratory research projects during the academic year. 

Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP)-Also known as the MESA Engineering Program, MEP is the university level component of the statewide Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) - a program of the University of California Office of the President. At UC Santa Cruz, MEP is supported by the Baskin School of Engineering with its goal to promote diversity and facilitate the retention and graduation of a diverse population of students, especially groups which continue to remain the most underrepresented in engineering studies.

Research Affiliate for Diversity (RAD)- RAD is geared for students in all STEM disciplines. Students are eligible to participate in a one-unit research orientation class, community events, tutoring, and graduate school preparation.

Research Mentoring Institute (RMI)- The Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering (CBSE) at UCSC offers the Research Mentoring Institute (RMI) for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing research projects in areas relevant to the human genome, including the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genome research. 

Workshops for Engineering & Science Transfer students (WEST) is designed to give students transferring from other institutions a jump-start on entering UCSC science and engineering majors. WEST fosters collaboration between students of different educational backgrounds and actively engages participants in the real processes of research through inquiry based activities while helping build a community of STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology, Mathematics) transfer students. These 2.5 day workshops are held every year in September, just before the start of fall quarter classes. 

University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS)- UC LEADS is aimed to educate California's future leaders by preparing promising students for advanced education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The program is designed to identify upper-division undergraduate students with the potential to succeed in these disciplines, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have adversely impacted their advancement in their field of study.