The College of Letters and Science, the main undergraduate school at UC Santa Barbara, is the largest center of teaching, learning, and research at UCSB, and the only school on campus offering a comprehensive liberal arts education. The College's more than 17,000 undergraduates are able to take advantage of great opportunities to learn, to discover what interests them, to engage in advanced research and creative activity, and to prepare for a wide variety of careers. At a time of rapid personal development, a liberal arts education increases students’ self-knowledge and allows then to explore their gifts, aptitudes, personal limits, interests, tendencies and temperaments.

To help students make the most of their education, the College offers a wide range of advising services to all undergraduates. The Office of Undergraduate Education has a staff of professional advisers, as well student peer advisers, who can offer assistance in choosing a major, long-range curriculum planning, and understanding academic requirements, policies and procedures, including the Mimimum Cumulative Progress Policy. There is specialized advising available for students interested in medical or legal careers. In addition, there are faculty, staff and peer academic advisers in every department and program in the College. Students are encouraged to seek advising assistance at any time, or to speak to an adviser to ask any questions they may have.

The Division of Undergraduate Education has specialized publications that can help students choose a major (Explorations) or learn more about the Honors Program (Honors Newsletter).