生态学和进化生物学是高度融合的学科，它们在一个单一的原理和理论框架下，将现代生物学中的所有主题基本融合在一起。生态学家和进化生物学家解释了生物体过去，现在的丰度，分布和多样性模式。为此，生态学家和进化生物学家必须熟悉从分子和种群遗传学到板块构造的机制和历史的广泛专业领域的当前知识。生态与进化专业向学生介绍导致生态群落多样性和动态的过程，以及使生物科学统一的进化原理。该专业强调在实验室和现场研究中与教授及其研究生进行独立研究的机会。许多选择生态学和进化学专业的学生对自然历史领域非常感兴趣，并计划继续在研究生
UCSB's undergraduate program in biology is jointly administered by two academic departments: Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Each department offers several specialized majors leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, and the departments share a general biological sciences major leading to either a B.S. or a B.A. degree. Research and teaching programs cover the full spectrum of biological science from molecular biology and biochemistry to community and ecosystems ecology. Over 150 upper division biology courses are offered to support our majors. These courses include lectures and seminars, laboratory and field studies, and independent studies and group projects.