Introduction
Undergraduate
Departments
Departmental
Undergraduate Majors
History
UCSD is one of the ten campuses which make up the University
of California system. The other campuses are located in Berkeley,
Davis, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Riverside,
Los Angeles, Irvine, and Merced. Each has its own distinct
academic and social character, and each offers programs and
facilities which set it off from the others.
As a member of the ten-campus family of the University
of California, UCSD is a university in scale and scope.
Graduate
and undergraduate programs, offered in a wide range of disciplines,
lead to the bachelors, masters, M.D., Ph.D.,
and PharmD. degrees. UCSDs Scripps Institution of
Oceanography is internationally renowned, and UCSDs
School of Medicine has won national acclaim for excellence.
UCSDs Graduate
School of International Relations and Pacific Studies is
the only school of international affairs in the UC system.
The
UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmecutical Sciences
enrolled its charter class in 2002, and the Rady School
of Management
enrolled Executive MBA students in 2004 and will enroll full-time
students in fall 2005. At both the undergraduate and graduate
levels,
UCSDs curricula and programs have been highly ranked
in recent surveys of American higher education.
UCSD enrolled its first undergraduates in 1964. Nevertheless,
the campus can trace its origins in this area as far back as the
late 1800s. At that time, zoologists on the Berkeley campus, seeking
a suitable location for a marine field station, found La Jolla
a very desirable site. The facility they established became a
part of the University of California in 1912 and was eventually
named the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In the late 1950s,
when the Regents of the University of California decided to situate
a general campus in the San Diego region, the Scripps Institution
formed the nucleus of the new campus.
Today UCSD is recognized throughout the academic world
for its faculty and for its graduate and undergraduate programs.
The faculty now includes eight Nobel laureates (four of whom
hold joint appointments with the nearby Salk Institute);
six recipients of the National Medal of Science; one winner
of the Pulitzer Prize; sixty-five members of the National
Academy of Sciences; seventy-seven Fellows of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences; fifteen Fellows of the American
Philosophical Society; eight fellows of the Econometric Society;
fourteen members of the
National Academy of Engineering; five members of the International
Academy of Astronautics; twenty-five members of the Institute
of Medicine; and three members of the National Academy of
Education.
UCSD houses a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the best-known honor
society for the liberal arts and sciences in America. The campus
is one of 265 four-year institutions selected for this distinction
since the society was founded in 1776, and more than 200 current
faculty and staff are members.
UCSD is a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) and is fully accredited by the Senior College Commission
of WASC. WASC is located at 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda,
CA 94501, and may be reached at (510) 748-9001 or by fax at (510)
748-9797.
University and Community
There are certain facts about UCSD to consider in making your
choice. Among them are:
UCSD, a four-year undergraduate campus, is also a full-fledged
graduate and research institution. UCSD faculty and scholars are
continually involved in research and developmental projects that
put this campus on the cutting edge of science, technology, and
the arts and humanities.
San Diego has become one of Americas major centers
for high-technology electronics and biomedical industries.
Students concentrating on sciences or engineering are actively
sought by these industries to fill summer jobs and career
positions. Off-campus internships also are available to UCSD
students in all fields of study.
UCSD is recognized nationally as a major center for the
arts and humanities, including music and theater.
Undergraduates are offered opportunities to participate
in certain research projects conducted by UCSD faculty. A number
of UCSD undergraduates have developed computer skills that have
led to their employment by leading computer manufacturers, and
still others have gone on to form their own software enterprises
as a direct result of their UCSD training.
UCSDs unique small-college structure encourages
undergraduates to play a more active role in student government,
social life, and athletics than is generally open to them
in other major universities. Opportunities for involvement
in student governance are especially strong as there are student
governing bodies at the campus level as well as within the
six individual colleges.
Campus athletic facilities include the Recreational
and Intramural Athletic Center (RIMAC), two gymnasiums, two
swimming pools, and numerous tennis and handball courts. The
universitys recreational and intramural athletic programs
are among the most varied and extensive in the nation today.
Major Fields of Study
UCSD offers a wide variety of nationally recognized majors
in a broad array of fields, see Departmental
Undergraduate Majors. (For a listing of graduate
programs, refer to the section of this catalog titled Graduate
Studies.)
For academic departments of UCSD see Undergraduate
Departments. Details and requirements of the various
individual courses are found in the Courses, Curricula,
and Programs of Instruction section.
UCSD has limited the number of its academic departments. For
example, there is only one Department of Literature. This system
has proved especially valuable to undergraduates who choose to
avoid overspecialization early in their studies.
A number of special, individually oriented programs use the
combined resources of two or more departments. Among these are
Chinese Studies, Classical Studies, Computing and the Arts, Critical
Gender Studies, Earth Sciences, Environmental Systems, Human Development,
German Studies, International Studies, Italian Studies, Japanese
Studies, Judaic Studies, Latin American Studies, Study of Religion,
Russian and Soviet Studies, the Teacher Education Program, Third
World Studies, and Urban Studies and Planning.
Engineering students may choose from a number of majors in the
Department of Bioengineering (BE), the Department of Computer
Science and Engineering (CSE), the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering (ECE), the Department of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) or the Department of Structural
Engineering (SE). All five departments seek to educate the
engineer of tomorrow.
Undergraduates interested in premedicine and prelaw majors
should note that a variety of departments can serve their
needs. For premed students, the common choices are biology,
chemistry, psychology, and bioengineering. Some students are
electing double majors or are combining nontraditional majors
with science majors. For prelaw students, nearly any undergraduate
major will qualify a student for admission to a law school.
Should you need help in deciding on a major, many UCSD professionals
are available to aid you. Among them are the deans of academic
advising in the provosts offices of the six colleges,
faculty members, and departmental advisers. Additional specialists
in Career Services Center and in Psychological and Counseling
Services are available to help you appraise your personal
aptitudes.
Summer Session
UCSD offers a Summer Session consisting of courses selected
from the regular undergraduate curriculum and taught by UCSD faculty.
In addition, Summer Session provides special educational opportunities
not easily available during other quarters.
The Summer Session Program is open to UCSD students, students
of other colleges and universities, qualified high school seniors,
and the general public. Credit courses for selected professionals,
such as teachers and engineers, are also offered.
Summer Session catalogs and registration forms are available in
mid-March of each year. UCSD students may enroll via WebReg, http://studentlink.ucsd.edu.
For free copies write to UCSD Summer Session, 9500 Gilman Dr., Dept.
0179, La Jolla, CA 92093-0179; or call (858) 534-4364; or send email
to: summer@ucsd.edu.
What UCSD Does NOT Offer
Although the range and variety of programs offered at UCSD are
very wide, there are certain disciplines which are not available
on this campus. In some instances, the absence of a particular
program reflects the academic philosophy of the UCSD campus and
its faculty. In others, the absence of a curriculum is temporary,
awaiting the availability of funds, personnel, or facilities before
a program can be offered. In still others, programs have not been
included which would, in the universitys judgment, unnecessarily
duplicate comparable offerings on other UC campuses or at other
institutions.
Among undergraduate majors currently not available at UCSD are:
1. Business.
2. Oceanography. Although UCSD does not offer an undergraduate
major in oceanography, some marine science courses are offered
in the Division of Biology. Students planning to pursue oceanography
at the graduate level may select from a large number of undergraduate
courses in the physical, biological, and earth sciences to
build a firm foundation for later graduate work. Graduate-level
work in oceanography is offered by the Scripps Institution
of Oceanography.
3. Nursing.
4. Industrial Arts.
5. Journalism. Although no major in journalism is offered, the
Department of Literature offers a major in writing that can emphasize
journalistic writing, and the development of writing skills is
stressed in many disciplines. Many courses offered in the humanities
and social sciences will provide the kind of broad-based preparation
needed by practicing journalists. Several student newspapers are
published on campus, providing ample laboratory opportunities
for students to practice journalism.
6. Geography.
7. Physical Education. Note: UCSD does not offer athletic scholarships,
and there is no intercollegiate football team at UCSD.
The Colleges of UCSD
UCSD undergraduates enjoy the benefits of a great university
without the disadvantages of bigness found in many of todays
mega-universities. The master plan conceived by UCSDs
planners borrowed from the Oxford and Cambridge concept to
provide a family of colleges, each with its own special academic
and social flavor. UCSDs students gain a sense of belonging
through affiliation with one of the campuss semiautonomous
colleges.
There are six colleges: Revelle, John Muir, Thurgood Marshall,
Earl Warren, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Sixth College. Each is independent,
yet all are interrelated: all university academic and support
facilities are available to all students, regardless of their
college affiliation.
Each college has its own educational philosophies and traditions,
its own set of general-education requirements, and its own
administrative and advising staff. The objective is to give
students and faculty the advantages of a small, liberal arts
college combined with the best features of a major university.
Students applying to UCSD should select a college in order of
their preference.
Details regarding the individual colleges are given in the Choosing
a College at UCSD section of the catalog.
Recreation at UCSD
UCSDs undergraduate colleges are situated on a parklike
site at La Jolla. La Jolla has some of the finest beaches
and coves, art galleries, and other attractions in the nation.
Much of UCSDs recreational and social life centers on
the waterfront, with surfing, SCUBA diving, and beach activities
among the favorite diversions of UCSD students. Throughout the
area, students find a variety of amusements, ranging from the
small-town atmosphere of waterfront Del Mar to the primitive wilderness
of Mexicos Baja California peninsula.
The city of San Diego, some twelve miles south of the campus,
offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, including
Old
Town (Californias birthplace), Sea World on Mission Bay,
and the world-famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. A year-round
calendar of major league sporting events is offered in the citys
Sports Arena, PETCO Park, and in San Diego Qualcomm Stadium.
There are numerous theaters in San Diego. A year-round program
of contemporary and classical professional theater may be enjoyed
in the Old Globe and the adjacent Cassius Carter Centre Stage,
and special summer theater fare is featured on the parks
outdoor Festival Stage.
On-campus entertainment includes a year-round series of movies
and cultural programs, dances, chamber music, and rock-band concerts
sponsored by the University Events Office. The Department of Theatre
and Dance presents plays in both the 500-seat Mandell Weiss Theatre
and the 500-seat Forum Theatre. The Department of Visual Arts
offers a continuing series of art shows in the Mandeville Art
Gallery and displays of student art in other campus galleries.
Informal meeting places on campus are hubs of student activity
throughout the day and evening, among them the Muir Rathskeller,
Marshall College Mountain View Lounge, and the Price Center.
Mountains, Deserts, and Beaches
Many Southern Californians enjoy the out-of-doors. The San Diego
metropolitan area enjoys the most comfortable year-round climate
in the United States.
Fishing opportunities are plentiful offshore in kelp beds west
of La Jolla and surrounding the Coronado Islands in Mexican waters.
Fresh water fishing is available in nearby lakes. An hours
drive to the east, the Laguna Mountains provide pleasure during
all seasons for campers and hikers. Beyond the Lagunas lies the
vast Anza-Borrego Desert with its breathtaking display of wildflowers
every spring.
The peninsula of Baja California, one of the worlds last
great wilderness areas, stretches for 900 miles southward from
the international gateway at Tijuana. It is the site every year
of the grueling Baja cross-country auto race.
Sports at UCSD
Through its intercollegiate athletic and intramural programs,
UCSD provides its students with one of the more extensive
and competitive sports programs in the United States. UCSD
fields a wide variety intercollegiate athletic teams along
with several club sports teams, while the intramural program
provides for student competition in a wide variety of sports
in three categories of play: men, women, and coed.
Need More Information?
Check the Following:
Note: An admissions packet for students interested
in applying to UCSD can be obtained from any California high
school or community college counselors office, by writing
to the Office of Admissions on any University of California
campus, or online at www.ucop.edu/pathways/appctr.html.
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