Ph.D. / MA - Chicana and Chicano Studies

Application Quarter(s) and Deadline(s)

Program Contact Information

Requirements

Quick Overview

*See English Language Exam Scores for more information

Requirements - Detailed Information

Transcripts from all Post-Secondary Institutions

You are required to upload a transcript for each institution attended. All schools at which you completed one or more full academic terms (or equivalent) should be reported on your application. This includes community colleges, summer sessions, extension programs, and any other postsecondary education for which you received credit. Do not include high schools or college preparatory schools.

The transcript legend or key for each institution (usually found on the backside of the official transcript or in the school’s general catalog or website) must be included in your uploaded document. Additional instructions can be found in the Education History section of the How to Complete the Application webpage and within the application itself.

Note: DO NOT send your transcripts or any other documents directly to UCSB unless you have been admitted and chosen to attend UCSB or you have been specifically instructed to do so. You must upload a PDF of your transcript to your application.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants to the Ph.D. / MA - Chicana and Chicano Studies program are required to provide 3 letters of recommendation. General instructions can be found in the Letters of Recommendation section of the How to Complete the Application webpage and within the application itself.

Program Note on Reference Type: The department has no reference type preference for letters of recommendation

Résumé or Curriculum Vitae

List your positions of employment or volunteer work/community service since high school, either full or part-time, including the hours per week worked and the nature and dates of employment or service.

Note: Do not include GRE scores on your Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV) if your program does not accept them.

Additional Program Instructions: CV can exceed more than 2 pages

Statement of Purpose

Give a brief statement outlining your reasons for undertaking a graduate program, your particular area of specialization within the major field, your past academic work, and your plans for future occupation or profession. Also include any additional information that may assist the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UC Santa Barbara.

Your Statement of Purpose must be written in narrative (essay) form without duplicating content from your Personal History Statement.

Additional Program Instructions: -1500 words maximum

-12-point Times New Roman font

-Numbered pages

-Name and title in the header

-Please explain why you are interested in applying to our program

-Please explain what your research interests are

-Please explain what led you to pursue those research interests in a Chicana and Chicano Studies doctoral degree.

Personal History Statement

UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling or coming from a family background of limited income. Please describe if you have any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bi-cultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect under-served segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations.

A minimum word count of 250 words is required for your Personal History Statement. There is no maximum length requirement. Most statements are typically 1–2 pages. Your Personal History Statement must be written in narrative (essay) form without duplicating content from your Statement of Purpose.

Additional Program Instructions: -1000 words maximum.

-12-point Times New Roman font

-Numbered pages

-Name and title in the header

Writing Sample

-The Writing Sample must be within 20-25 pages long

-12-point Times Roman Numeral font

-Numbered pages and a titled header with your name

-We can allow 2 pages under or over the limit, but it cannot be below 18 pages long

-The Writing Sample is the sample in which best shows your writing and research skills, and are typically research essays although creative writing samples are permitted

English Language Exam Scores (if applicable)

An excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment at UC Santa Barbara. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test (DET).

Exemptions from the English language admissions requirements are permitted for applicants who have completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution where the verified sole official language of instruction is English. More information can be found in the Exam Scores section of the How to Complete the Application webpage.

The minimum score requirements for accepted exams are listed below:

• TOEFL Minimum Total iBT Score: 4.0 (post-January 2026) or 80 (pre-January 2026)
• IELTS Minimum Overall Band Score: 7
• DET Minimum Total Score: 120