UCSB是美国为数不多的提供水生生物学本科专业的大学之一。该专业提供海洋和淡水子学科的课程工作以及实验室和现场经验。UCSB非常适合研究淡水和咸水环境以及居民。校园的室外实验室包括太平洋和加利福尼亚大学受保护的自然土地和水源中的四个：卡平特里亚盐沼，西校区沙丘，圣塔芭芭拉海峡的圣克鲁斯岛和内华达山脉水上研究实验室在内华达山脉东部山脉。校园的海洋科学研究所（MSI）涉及来自全球六个领域的研究人员，这些研究者涉及全球环境变化，生物海洋学，潮间带和潮间带生态以及极地热带和温带生态系统等领域的全球研究。MSI的核
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.<br><br>The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) offers the bachelor of science degree in four departmental majorsaquatic biology, ecology and evolution, physiology, and zoology. In addition, it cooperates with the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology in offering the interdepartmental biological sciences major, with both B.A. and B.S. objectives. The department offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of master of arts and doctor of philosophy, with emphasis in ecology, evolution, and marine biology. In addition, a wide range of courses is available to all undergraduates for elective enrollment or for the support of their preparation for degrees in other departments or programs.