Admissions

The SciCom class of 2018.

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)