About Crown College

Crown College faculty and students represent a wide variety of academic disciplines. Although Crown has more science and engineering students than any of the other colleges, the majority of Crown's students major in the social sciences, humanities and arts. This diversity of interests and thinking enriches our intellectual environment.

An important goal of the college is to foster an appreciation for the contributions of diverse cultural groups and to provide an atmosphere in which issues of both diversity and common social purpose are integrated into a wide range of programs and discussions.

From the time of its founding in 1967, issues pertaining to the role of science and technology in society have been a focus of special interest at Crown College. We approach these issues from an interdisciplinary perspective that recognizes the influence of social and cultural factors on the scientfic enterprise, as well as the ways in which science and technology influence our society.

Crown College Core Course

The Crown College core course, Crown 80A or 80B, Ethical Issues in Emerging Technologies, is an interdisciplinary seminar concerning the effects of these world-changing technologies and encourages students to develop decision-making strategies to steer these technologies. The course examines the impacts of these technologies on society using a variety of disciplinary approaches that engage the perspectives of both humanists and scientists.

What Makes Us Unique

Crown College also sponsors The Crown Science and Engineering Learning Community, which in collaboration with the Academic Excellence Program, supports students majoring in the sciences.  The KZSC radio station, a non-commercial, educational public radio station is housed at Crown College.  Students can take a 5 unit course- Crown 70 Introduction to Broadcast Media – Radio  which serves as an introduction to UCSC’s radio station KZSC- FM and broadcasting. The college also sponsors a wide variety of co-curricular events spanning cultural , educational, and social areas of interest. One popular series is the Science/Public Affairs Tables, informal dinners at the Provost House that offer students an opportunity to socialize with a faculty member outside the classroom and learn about his or her research.

Juniors and seniors can participate in the college's Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, which awards $800 fellowships to student-faculty teams and encourages their interaction through undergraduate research.

Crown College is one of 3 colleges at UCSC which offer the First Year Honors Program. The UCSC First-Year Honors Program offers a congenial and challenging academic home for a select group of well-prepared students at UC Santa Cruz. This enriched program of study includes special courses, seminars, colloquia, and other events during each quarter of the academic year.

The Crown College Leadership Certificate Progam allows Crown College students to be recognized for the broad and well-balanced range of leadership opportunities and experiences they have taken advantage of while here at UCSC. Through these experiences, students develop life-long skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing workplace and global environment. This certificate is designed to recognize and document co-curricular activities and leadership experiences and will also admirably complement a student's resume.

Our mission at Crown College is to promote intellectual, personal and social success and to provide an ethical and inclusive living and learning environment. We extend a warm welcome to all students and encourage them to take advantage of the many opportunities here at Crown as we strive to create an atmosphere of academic excellence.