UC Santa Cruz has a strong commitment to queer studies and the critical study of sexualities and genders, evident in a wide range of course offerings, faculty interest, and research programs in these areas. Courses with queer content can be found in departments such as Anthropology, Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, Feminist Studies, Film + Digital Media, History, History of Consciousness, Legal Studies, Literature, Sociology, and Theater Arts.
Although UCSC does not yet have a major or minor in Sexuality Studies, majors as Feminist Studies, Sociology, and Literature, to name a few, have sufficient flexibility to allow students to design a course of study that will enable them to explore these interests. For students who prefer to take a more self-directed course of study, there is the option of designing an independent major.
Department News
Humanities EXCEL Fellows build community through hands-on Internships
At UC Santa Cruz, the Humanities EXCEL Program is helping Humanities undergraduates discover new pathways to professional growth and connect to local communities through paid internships.
Humanistic approaches to urgent environmental issues
At UC Santa Cruz, the environmental humanities encourage us to ask: what happens when we stop treating the natural world as merely a backdrop, resource, or object of study—and instead treat it as a web of interconnected lives?
Celebrating the Class of 2025: Innovators, advocates, and future leaders
Highlighting a handful of graduates who are ready to make a difference
Department Events
Visit the UCSC events calendar for a list of all upcoming events