Non-CS Focused Clubs & Organizations @ UCLA
Written in collaboration with ACM at UCLA, SWE @ UCLA, and UPE at UCLA.
See more resources at https://linktr.ee/CS_Resources_at_UCLA.
Author: Carson K.
Find your community today!
Although UCLA has a wide number of options available for students looking to get involved in computer science organizations, there is an even greater abundance of non-CS organizations for students looking to broaden their horizons.
Types of Clubs
UCLA offers over 1,300 student organizations including those related to
- Student government
- Academic
- Leadership
- Spiritual & Religious
- Club sports
- Community outreach
- Music
- Dance
- Career Development
- …and so much more!
A full list of organizations can be found here.
There’s something for everyone and we highly encourage anybody, especially freshman, to explore some of these options as it is a great way to make friends who share similar interests.
In addition, there are many organizations at UCLA that go hand in hand with popular interests among CS students — some of these clubs are centered around entrepreneurship, start-ups, app development, and other related areas. Many clubs also look for front-end and back-end developers to help manage their operations, so be on the lookout for those as well!
Time Commitments
For students who are concerned about time commitments, many organizations at UCLA demand only as much as you can afford. They are quite flexible in terms of how much time they expect their members to invest, as they are understanding of the rigorous workload that an average student carries in addition to other extracurriculars with which a student may be involved.
Running for officer positions and spearheading club events is a great way to show your support, but there are always other ways to get involved that are more accommodating to your schedule — such as being a general member or simply attending a social event. Some clubs host larger-scale events that seek volunteers, which would be a quick, low-commitment way to test the waters and get to know other club members.
Don’t be afraid to try out lots of clubs! You can always attend their general meetings and decide later if you’re interested.
This way, you’ll widen your options and will be guaranteed to find a crowd with which you can easily connect.
In Summary
With the current circumstances, it may seem challenging at first to get to know people — especially remotely. However, clubs are taking special steps this year to welcome as many students as they possibly can and are providing prime opportunities to mix and mingle. The best way to keep up with club events and opportunities is to keep an eye on their social media. Many will market their programs on Facebook, such as in major-specific groups or “Class Of” groups.
UCLA has no shortage of opportunities for CS students to explore their passions and attain a greater sense of purpose.
Any student should feel welcome to learn more about what they love and meet like-minded people who compose our diverse student body.
More information can be found at UCLA’s Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement website.