The Global Leadership Certificate is composed of required courses in global studies and communication and a wide array of transferable social sciences and arts/humanities elective courses. Students are prepared to continue their academic studies in a variety of fields, not limited to global studies and communication, such as history, political science, economics, business, sociology, and environmental studies. The program will also prepare students for employment in one of the many occupational fields affected by globalization and changing communication. More specifically, it will prepare students for positions in the public and private sectors, ranging from education, government, journalism, and media, to non-governmental organizations, of which the Santa Barbara community has many. The Global Leadership Certificate supports Santa Barbara City College’s core principles of promoting global responsibility as articulated in the SBCC mission statement.

The Film and Media Studies Department at Santa Barbara City College offers a wide variety of courses designed for film majors and interested non-majors who wish to enhance their knowledge and appreciation of film and media as part of their undergraduate education. Students are exposed to a vast array of films from the classic to the contemporary, including both American and international works.

Computer Science has grown dramatically over the last decade, until it now affects each of us in our daily lives. We come into contact with ten or more different computer systems each day. These range from automatic bank tellers and "intelligent" cash registers, to automobile fuel monitoring systems. The Computer Science Department teaches students how to design and implement the computer software that brings intelligence to computer systems. Santa Barbara City College's Computer Science program includes introductory to advanced topics. It is designed to provide general education, transfer and occupational training.

Exceptional career opportunities for teachers and associate teachers in bilingual/bicultural early childhood settings are increasing with the state’s growing diversity. This certificate can be earned concurrently with the Early Childhood Education certificate. See Department Chair for details. The Early Childhood Education Program at Santa Barbara City College centers around the continuing experience of supervised teaching, combined with intensive classroom instruction. Basic principles of early childhood education, including curriculum for preschools, school age programs and care-giving for infant centers, are introduced. In-depth study of observation, assessment, health, safety and nutrition are also introduced.

The Early Childhood Education Degree Program at Santa Barbara City College centers around the continuing experience of supervised teaching, combined with intensive classroom instruction. Basic principles of early childhood education and child development, including curriculum for preschools, school age programs and care-giving for infant centers, are introduced. In-depth study of observation, assessment, health, safety, and nutrition are also introduced. Throughout, there is considerable emphasis placed on developing professional interaction styles consistent with fostering positive staff relationships, communication and collaboration with parents, knowledge of community resources, and multicultural awareness of the diverse populations with whom the student will work.

Film and media have profound impacts on how we view the world and ourselves. Film and Media Studies explores the theory, criticism and history of motion pictures and of continually evolving media platforms that shape and influence our everyday lives. The Film and Media Studies department at Santa Barbara City College offers a wide variety of courses designed for film majors and interested non-majors who wish to enhance their knowledge and appreciation of film and media as part of their undergraduate education. Students are exposed to a vast array of films from the classic to the contemporary, including both American and international works.

Designed to provide a focused skillset for those students interested in pursuing a career as a Documentary Filmmaker. The Film and Television Production Program seeks to inspire and empower students to study and work in an industry that they are passionate about, furnishing them with the skills and knowledge to create meaningful careers in the film and television industry. Santa Barbara City College provides a supportive learning environment for students to succeed via our curriculum in Film and Television and hands-on production classes. Students are taught industry-level productions skills, media literacy, and critical thinking skills that prepare them for college transfer or entry into the industry. Students will have an opportunity to earn a Film, Television and Electronic Media (AS-T) for Transfer Degree or a Film Production Associate in Arts (AA) degree.

This curriculum offers an opportunity to develop skills in specific performance or technical areas, creating a broad based historical and theoretical background as applied to the commercial music field. The Santa Barbara City College Music Department offers a comprehensive program aimed at reaching each student of music, both major and non-major alike. It provides the music major with a thorough basis in the creative (theory, composition, interpretation) and recreative (performance, applied music, history and appreciation) realms of musical endeavor and enjoyment. For those interested in the commercial music field, the department offers courses in jazz, sound recording and electronic music, song writing and arranging. Non-majors seeking a better understanding of music can participate in performance groups and classes in theory, history and instrumental instruction, among others.

The Certificate in Creative Writing requires a total of 18 units. Students must take both core courses (6 units), then 4 courses from their selected track–Creative Writing Emphasis or Professional Writing Emphasis (12 units), with the possibility of substituting two of those courses from the elective list (see below). Each emphasis has a list of recommended electives. During the semester that a student receives the Creative Writing Certificate, she or he should present a public reading of no less than twenty minutes as arranged with an English Department faculty member who regularly teaches creative writing courses. The English Program at Santa Barbara City College has been developed with the following vision as its guiding principle: to provide to all matriculating students an education that encompasses foundational skills for employment and for all of their college and university learning. The skills include composition and critical thinking, both of which further their ability to participate knowledgeably in the social dialogue of our times. The study of literature in its various forms of fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry enlarges students’ cognitive abilities and connects them to the larger discourse relating to human experience and values.

Certificate of Achievement in Hospitality comprised of intensive eight-week courses, part-time students who enroll in two courses per semester will be able to complete the certificate in two years. Those who enroll full-time will be able to complete both the certificate and the degree in two years. Fully accredited by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH and LA), students will receive AH and LA course certificates for each course they successfully complete. Students who earn this SBCC certificate will also qualify for the Hospitality Operations Certificate from the AH and LA.

The Accounting Assistant/Bookkeeper, Level II, Certificate of Achievement provides students with the foundational knowledge in GAAP-based accounting to be applied to an entry-level position. There are a variety of career opportunities for students completing the Accounting Assistant/Bookkeeper, Level II, Certificate of Achievement.

The Accounting Assistant/Bookkeeper, Level III, Certificate of Achievement provides students with the foundational knowledge in GAAP-based accounting to be applied to an entry-level position. There are a variety of career opportunities for students completing the Accounting Assistant/Bookkeeper, Level III, Certificate of Achievement.

Associate of Arts or Science in Administration of Justice: Law Enforcement Emphasis course of study is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in municipal and county law enforcement agencies (i.e. police or sheriffs departments), and/or to transfer to Bachelor's degree programs in Criminal Justice or related fields to prepare for federal or state-level law enforcement positions (i.e., FBI, DEA, INS, etc.)

This Certificate of Achievement in Journalism offers a fast-track introduction to the American news media and the expanding opportunities in web publication. Students immediately become media practitioners as they develop work for The Channels, SBCC’s award-winning college news publication.

The Certificate of Achievement in Theatre Arts is a one-year curriculum that will cover three broad areas: a historical overview of drama, basic acting training, and basic technical theatre skills. These courses are intended to give the student a complete introduction to a course of study in theatre, culminating in a Certificate of Achievement: Theatre Arts.