BA Biological Sciences at University of California, Santa Barbara

Programme overview

UCSB's undergraduate program in biology is jointly administered by two academic departments: Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Each department offers several specialized majors leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, and the departments share a general biological sciences major leading to either a B.S. or a B.A.

Faculty: College of Letters and Science | Department: Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology | Study mode: full-time | Location: Santa Barbara, CA, United States

What you will study

Major requirements are organised as Preparation For The Major: MCDB 1A, MCDB 1B, EEMB 2, EEMB 3, MCDB 1LL, EEMB 2LL, CHEM 6AL, CHEM 109A, CHEM 109AH, CHEM 109B, CHEM 109BH, PSTAT 5LS, PSTAT 5A, MATH 4A; Upper-Division Major. To be admitted to full major status, students must fulfill the pre-biology course and grade-point average requirements as described in the General Catalog and Pre-Biological Sciences Major Sheet.

Career pathways

Graduate and professional pathways include Nonprofit organizations; Governmental agencies; Business and industry; Ocean Science; Marine Biology; Environmental Science. Top employers include National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of California, The Nature Conservancy.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to UCSB is to the university and a college (College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, College of Creative Studies), not to the individual major; applicants must meet the University of California subject requirements for first-year or transfer applicants and apply through the UC Application. Selective-major and second-choice-major rules are described by UCSB Undergraduate Admissions.

Entry term: fall. First-year and transfer applicants apply for fall 2027 through the UC Application.

First-year and transfer applications for fall 2027: UC Application filing period October 1 - November 30, 2026 (opens August 1). Application fee: $80 per campus for U.S. residents, $95 per campus for international students. Transfer applicants also submit the UCSB TAG Application September 1-30. First-year decisions mid-March; transfer decisions mid-April; Statement of Intent to Register May 1 (first-year) and June 1 (transfer).

SAT and ACT scores are not used in admission selection or scholarships; submission is optional and may be used for course placement. Students applying to College of Creative Studies majors submit a supplemental application; Dance and Music B.M. applicants complete an audition.

Graduate applicants apply through the UCSB online graduate application; the deadline is set by each department. Application fee: $135 for US citizens and permanent residents, $155 for all others, payable by credit card, check or money order. GRE required only by some programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/

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