Diversity & Outreach

Our Mission

The purpose of the Office of Graduate Diversity, Recruitment, and Retention is to assure the intellectual vitality of our University by attracting the brightest, most talented and diverse community of scholars to our graduate programs. We work to promote academic excellence in graduate degree programs, foster a diverse and inclusive graduate community, and cultivate a campus environment that is intellectually challenging and socially supportive.

Our goal is to achieve a graduate student population of men and women that is reflective of our diverse state and nation, inclusive of all socioeconomic levels, ethnicities, physical abilities, ages, religions, national origins, and sexual orientations. We especially encourage applications from students who have overcome economic or social disadvantage in pursuing their academic objectives, and who bring perspectives, research topics, and career interests that advance UC Santa Barbara’s goals of excellence and diversity.