The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Because teaching and research go hand in hand at UC Santa Barbara, its students are full participants in an educational journey of discovery that stimulates independent thought, critical reasoning, and creativity.  UCSB's academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society.  The commitment to public service is manifested through the creation and distribution of knowledge that advances the well-being of our state, nation, and world.  All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as students draw inspiration, opportunity, and advantage from the beauty and resources of UC Santa Barbara's extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.