Description
UNITY Theme Program: Exploring Diverse Genders and Sexualities in Community
The UNITY Theme Program is a living-learning community that focuses on LGBTQ+ education, community-building, leadership development, and personal growth. Through the academic seminar and residential experience, UNITY promotes identity exploration, community engagement, activism, and education on LGBTQ+ issues while providing resources and support in a queer and trans community space. The UNITY program emphasizes respect and care for each others’ lived experiences by developing and honoring shared community agreements and principles.
UNITY’s staff work to create resources and support for students as they explore identity, community, and advocacy through a lens of gender and sexual diversity. Our residential program includes options for gender-inclusive room assignments and centers the living experience around community building and holistic wellness, supported by a live-in theme program resident assistant.
The UNITY Theme Program also promotes student leadership and activism by encouraging students to have a meaningful impact on the greater LGBTQ+ community at Cal. Students participate in retreats and socials and have opportunities to engage in community outreach, event planning, and advocacy work through contextual education. UNITY students are able to learn more about themselves, develop a network of friends/mentors, access community resources, and gain valuable skills and knowledge to build a strong foundation for their time here at UC Berkeley.
Program Requirements
UNITY students are expected to participate and be actively engaged in theme program activities and events, including:
- A yearlong seminar that meets once a week in (2 units in fall, 2 units in spring). The seminar instructor determines the seminar’s schedule at the beginning of each semester. The UNITY program welcomes students of all knowledge levels relating to LGBTQ+ issues and queer theory, and prioritizes developing shared knowledge of foundational concepts through a socratic seminar, reflection on personal experiences, and discussion of community topics through an intersectional lens.
- The fall seminar is a two hour class centered on an introductory exploration of queer & trans history, identities, and communities. Students will learn about the broader LGBTQ+ community as well as experiences and topics unique to various identities within the community, as they reflect on their own experiences in dialogue with others.
- Common Read/Media – Students collaboratively pick an LGBTQ+ narrative to engage with as a cohort. The common read/media can be a book, play, TV show, or another form of media that explores queer/trans issues.
- Democratic Education – Students will engage in peer learning by completing a group project that involves researching and presenting upon a topic of interest that pertains to the LGBTQ+ community.
- Required UNITY seminar for Fall 2025 will take place on Mondays 4-6 pm. Do NOT register for any courses during this time period. The seminar may not show up on your schedule until the first week of classes.
- The spring seminar is an hour long discussion class focused on queer theory and leadership. Students will learn about concepts of queer theory and apply these ideas to the leadership experiences they have through their contextual education placements.
- Contextual Education is a method of teaching that roots academic concepts/scholarship in student experience. Students engage in 3-4 hours of community internship/volunteer work in conjunction with the weekly one hour academic seminar.
- The fall seminar is a two hour class centered on an introductory exploration of queer & trans history, identities, and communities. Students will learn about the broader LGBTQ+ community as well as experiences and topics unique to various identities within the community, as they reflect on their own experiences in dialogue with others.
- Signature Events & Programming – UNITY holds signature programs throughout the year, several of which are collaborations with the Gender Equity Resource Center and the Queer Alliance Resource Center. Some of these events include:
- UNITY Retreat
- QTPie: A Campus LGBTQ+ Welcome
- Oakland Pride Parade & Festival
- Castro History Tour
- Annual UNITY Drag Show
Living Space
UNITY residents live together on the southside of campus. For more information about residence halls, including amenities and features, academic services, and more, please visit Housing.
Contact
For questions about the UNITY Theme Program (such as program requirements, application process, seminar, etc.), contact the program directly by emailing the UNITY Theme Program at unitytp@berkeley.edu.