Admissions
The Santa Cruz science writing program is unique in requiring not only a degree in science or engineering and excellent writing skills, but also research experience. Full-time work in the lab or the field gives our graduates an edge in their careers, and it creates a bracing intellectual environment in the classroom. About two-thirds of our students have done graduate work at the master's or Ph.D. levels, but we also admit outstanding candidates with bachelor's degrees.
We enroll 10 students annually from a pool of about 40 applicants. Foreign students must meet the same criteria as U.S. citizens and must demonstrate proficiency in written English.
Minimum requirements
- degree in science or engineering (i.e. bachelor's, master's, postbacc, PhD)
- academic research or professional experience in your field (six months minimum)
- three to five strong letters of recommendation
- (optional) Graduate Record Examination general test
If you are submitting GRE general test score use campus code: 4860, no department code. We do not require the GRE subject test.
Requirements for enrolled students
- car for commuting to internships (most are within one hour of Santa Cruz)
- wireless-enabled laptop or tablet computer (our computer lab uses Macs)
- digital recorder for interviews
- digital camera (high-quality phone camera or SLR)