UC Santa Barbara offers an ever-expanding selection of fully online courses during the summer. These courses have been specifically designed for online delivery in cooperation with campus pedagogical experts, and have been rigorously vetted, approved and optimized in order to provide the best possible online learning experience. They are recognizable in course listings by the addition of a "W" between the subject and number (e.g. PSTAT W 120A instead of PSTAT 120A).
What is the difference between an online course and "remote instruction"?
Online courses have been specifically designed for online learning from the outset. Courses being delivered remotely were designed for in-person instruction, and are being adapted for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.
Summer 2021 Online Courses
There are more than forty online courses representing a variety of discplines offered during the summer. Current offerings are listed below. To learn more about each course and to enroll, UC Santa Barbara students should log in to GOLD. Visiting students should review the steps to apply to Summer Sessions, and will receive information about course registration upon acceptance.
Session A
| Course | Course Titles | GEs and Special Requirements |
| COMM W 107 | Interpersonal Communication (4 units) | |
| ED W 125 | Schooling in the U.S. (4 units) | |
| EEMB W 22 | Concepts and Controversies in the Biological Sciences (4 units) | C |
| ESS W 3 | Nutrition For Health (3 units) | |
| ESS W 131 | Sport and Exercise Psychology (4 units) | |
| FEMST W 20 | Gender and Power: Introduction to Feminist Studies (4 units) | D; WRT |
| FEMST W 150 | Sex, Love, and Romance (4 units) | WRT |
| GEOG W 12 | Maps and Spatial Reasoning (4 units) | C |
| HIST W 2A | World History (4 units) | E; E1; EUR; WRT |
| HIST W 4B | Modern Europe (4 units) | E; E1; EUR; WRT |
| HIST W 80 | Chinese Civilization (4 units) | E; NWC; WRT |
| MCDB W 108A | General Biochemistry (4 units) | |
| POL S W 121 | International Politics (4 units) | D; WRT |
| SPAN W 1 | Elementary Spanish (4 units) | |
| SPAN W 2 | Elementary Spanish (4 units) | |
| THTR W 19 | Design Fundamentals for Dance and Theater (4 units) | |
| WRIT W 107WC | Writing for Web Content (4 units) | A2 |
SESSION B
| Course | Course Titles | GEs and Special Requirements |
| CHEM W 142A | Biochemistry (3 units) | |
| CMPSC W 8 | Introduction to Programming (4 units) | |
| DANCE W 36 | History of Modern Dance (4 units) | F; WRT |
| EARTH W 20 | Geological Catastrophes (4 units) | C; QNT |
| EEMB W 146 | Biometry (4 units) | |
| EEMB W 158 | Climate Change Impacts on Marine Ecosystems (4 units) | |
| ENGR W 3 | Introduction to Programming (3 units) | |
| ESS W 3 | Nutrition For Health (3 units) | |
| FAMST W 151FA | American Film History: The Silent Film West of Hollywood (4 units) | |
| FEMST W 20 | Gender and Power: Introduction to Feminist Studies (4 units) | D; WRT |
| FEMST W 150 | Sex, Love, and Romance (4 units) | WRT |
| GEOG W 12 | Maps and Spatial Reasoning (4 units) | C |
| HIST W 80 | Chinese Civilization (4 units) | E; NWC; WRT |
| INT W 20 | Introduction to the Research University (2 units) | |
| INT W 120 | Transferring to the Research University (2 units) | |
| MCDB W 138 | Medical Immunology (4 units) | |
| PSTAT W 120A | Probability and Statistics (4 units) | |
| PSTAT W 182T | Tutorial in Actuarial Statistics (2 units) | |
| SPAN W 1 | Elementary Spanish (4 units) | |
| SPAN W 2 | Elementary Spanish (4 units) | |
| THTR W 2B | Performance in Global Contexts: Asia (4 units) | F; NWC |
| THTR W 19 | Design Fundamentals for Dance and Theater (4 units) | |
| WRIT W 107WC | Writing for Web Content (4 units) | A2 |
| WRIT W 109ST | Writing for Science and Technology (4 units) |
Online pedagogies can vary substantially. While some courses allow for a certain degree of self-pacing, others have assignments or required activities frequently (even daily). Students who regularly miss required assignments or activities may be dropped for non-participation. To learn more about the expectations for a course you are considering, please reach out to the instructor or department offering the course. Once you have enrolled, log into Gauchospace to view the syllabus and look out for any email announcements the instructor may send out before instruction begins, as these may help you to better understand the expectations for your specific online course.
Exams in Online Courses
Some online courses may require proctored exams, either online or in person. Most summer online courses at UC Santa Barbara have online exams. For proctored exams online, your course instructor will guide you to an online proctoring service. If you are able to come to campus for in-person exams, you will take this proctored exam in a room arranged by your instructor.
If you are not able to come to campus for an exam, it is your responsibility to let your online course instructor know and to locate and arrange for a proctoring service in your area. You will be responsible for the cost of using a proctoring center or online proctoring service (the range is typically $20-30). You must make arrangements for a remote testing location at least 2 weeks prior to your exam date. Acceptable private proctors normally include, but are not limited to, faculty, other university or college testing centers, ministers, military education officers, non-direct superiors and corporate executive officers, and public librarians. Community colleges often offer proctoring services for a minimal fee.
Technical Support
You will have technical support from two sources:
