Cal Poly | Learn by Doing

Since 1901, Cal Poly and Learn by Doing have been inextricably linked. Combining rigorous academics and real-world applications, Learn by Doing has guided and inspired hundreds of thousands of our students toward successful careers for well over a century — and can do the same for you well into your future.
Explore Learn by Doing
Whether you're dreaming of attending Cal Poly in the future or have already secured your spot, discover what sets us apart. Explore our renowned Learn by Doing approach and the impactful contributions our graduates make. Then see what it's like to study here.
Learn by Doing ensures you play an active role in helping solve some of California’s — and the world’s — most complex challenges: climate change, tech and humanity, space, the built environment, food and wine, and entrepreneurship, to name just a few. It also helps to ensure that when you graduate, both you and employers will agree with us that you are ready.
Digital Democracy, created at Cal Poly and operated in partnership with nonprofit newsroom CalMatters, recently won an Emmy for political reporting.
An interdisciplinary team of Cal Poly researchers created an innovative guide to help communities reduce their wildfire risk.
A biochemistry team is searching for the antibiotics of the future — by looking millions of years into the past.
Cal Poly’s six academic colleges offer more than 150 undergraduate majors and minors, as well as over 50 graduate programs. Learn by Doing unifies our colleges and animates the curriculum of each — because no matter the field of study, the best way to build new knowledge is to try it out for yourself.
Explore new horizons
Preparing students for impactful careers in maritime leadership.