Summer Discovery at University of California Santa Barbara offers students the opportunity to explore Santa Barbara/Goleta, its surrounding cities and to participate in a wide array of academic course and activities.  UCSB is an internationally renowned center for teaching and research. The breathtaking 989 acre campus is located approximately 100 miles north of Los Angeles, and is beautifully situated on a promontory bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands to the west, and the Santa Ynez Mountains to the east. UCSB offers four different college credit programs. The Early Start, and Academic & Enrichment Programs feature approximately 50 classes in over 40 different fields. Also available are the intensive Research Mentorship Program where students partner with research scientists in the arts, humanities, social life, physical sciences, or engineering. An additional non-credit program will be offered, consisting of two enrichment courses. After class college prep, sports and recreation are also offered.  UCSB’s beautiful campus is home to 18,200 undergraduate, 2,200 graduate students and 998 faculty members. The campus has a stunning physical environment and the research facilities of a world-class institution, creating a unique learning environment for Summer Discovery @ UCSB students. UCSB offers a wide array of undergraduate majors and graduate programs through three colleges: Letters and Science, Engineering and Creative Studies. UCSB is one of only 62 institutions elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities and the Newsweek guide to America’s best colleges named UCSB one of the country’s “hottest colleges” twice in the past five years.

Students choose from 4 unique curricula that include a remarkably broad spectrum of subjects. The UCSB college credit/enrichment program features approximately 100 classes in over 40 different fields. Students selecting Curriculum A (The Early Start Program) enjoy the challenge of 2 college credit courses to expand knowledge and improve skills. Curriculum B (Academic & Enrichment Program) allows for 1 college credit and 1 skills-based enrichment course. Students selecting Curriculum C choose the more intensive academic experience of the Research Mentorship Program, where students partner with professional researchers in the discipline they selected. Students selecting Curriculum D (Enrichment Program) combine two non-credit enrichment courses designed to expand knowledge in areas of personal interest. Students selecting Curriculum E will participate in an intensive, 4-week community service program that combines volunteer field work and classroom experience. Students earn college credit and approximately 50 hours of community service.

Santa Barbara County is an extraordinarily lively, vibrant region whose diverse cities and communities host an almost unimaginable selection of annual and special events from parades, fairs, and festivals, to celebrations of the area’s many unique qualities and characteristics. In Santa Barbara County, something wonderful is always happening.  Students will have the opportunity to visit nearby colleges, including UCLA.  In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in a wired of array of activities and excursions including trips to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Knott’s Soak Water Park, Disneyland, Universal Studies and much more.