Eleanor Roosevelt College

Eleanor Roosevelt is widely regarded as one of the most visionary and influential American public figures of the twentieth century, and her life and achievements continue to inspire men and women everywhere. She was one of the first to champion human and civil rights for all Americans during the Great Depression and the Second World War. After the war, she was the architect of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the decades that followed, her tireless efforts to promote international understanding and human rights earned her worldwide respect and the title "First Lady of the World."

The College

Eleanor Roosevelt College (ERC) was established in 1988, and its current enrollment of about 2300 men and women will grow to approximately 3000. The college serves students interested in pursuing academic excellence, establishing the groundwork for future success, and becoming lifelong learners and effective world citizens.

ERC fosters the ideal of a comprehensive education that develops intellectual capacities and expands general knowledge. The core curriculum exposes students to a variety of academic disciplines, providing a foundation that is suitable for all majors, whether in the natural or applied sciences, the social sciences, or the humanities and the arts. It prepares students for opportunities to study and conduct research with UCSD faculty and scholars.

The world in which today's students will make their careers is one of rapid scientific and technological change, rich cultural diversity, and intense social and political interactions. ERC's general-education curriculum and co-curricular programs build knowledge of other cultures and skills for working in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century. Students seeking careers in fields as diverse as business, law, medicine, public policy, engineering, the sciences, and the arts or humanities find ERC's curriculum and programs equally valuable and relevant.

At ERC, shared educational goals are pursued in a supportive community where students are valued and respected, where they are challenged and helped to succeed, and where they can develop independence and confidence about their roles in society.

General Education

The general-education requirements at ERC are designed to provide all students with a broad intellectual foundation. The curriculum offers undergraduates opportunities to learn about the various fields that may be open to them, thus assuring that their choices in selecting a major, pursuing graduate study, or seeking employment will be based on clear understandings about the nature of the work and their own interests and talents.

Advanced Placement Credits

University credit may be granted for College Board Advanced Placement Tests on which a student earns a score of 3 or higher. The credit may be applied toward general-education requirements, elective units for graduation, as subject credit for use in a minor, or as a prerequisite to a major. For further details, see the advanced placement chart in "Undergraduate Admissions, Policies and Procedures."

ERC academic counselors provide information about advanced placement or courses that meet the general education requirements of the college. Students should take advantage of the counseling available in the Academic Advising Office to help them effectively incorporate the college general-education requirements into their academic program.

ERC General Education Requirements for Students Entering as Freshmen

The Making of the Modern World (six quarters)

This interdisciplinary sequence of six courses incorporates humanities (literature, history, and philosophy) and social sciences as well as writing. The courses examine Western and non-Western societies, cultures, and state systems both historically and comparatively. The Making of the Modern World (MMW) is taught by faculty from the disciplines of anthropology, history, literature, political science, and sociology.

MMW is designed to help students search for connections—between past and present, among the societies and civilizations that have inhabited the earth, and among the ways that humans have used to make sense of their experience.

At ERC, the university writing requirement is met through MMW and relies on those courses for its content. Instruction and practice in writing, in turn, help students master the course content and analyze and synthesize the material. In all fields, written communication skills are among the most important qualifications graduates take to the job market and graduate school. Writing is assigned in MMW 2–6; the second and third quarters include intensive writing instruction and carry two additional units of credit. For more details, see "The Making of the Modern World" in the department listings.

Natural Sciences & Quantitative Methods (four quarters)

Two courses are to be chosen from selected offerings in biology, chemistry, physics, and/or earth sciences. In addition, two courses are to be chosen from selected offerings in pre-calculus, calculus, statistics, symbolic logic, or computer programming.

For students majoring in scientific fields, these courses are preparation for major study; for students who will continue their studies outside the sciences, they provide a basic understanding and appreciation of methods and developments in the fields. Many of the selected courses are designed for non-science majors.

Foreign Language (three quarters)

ERC students are required to demonstrate basic conversational and reading proficiency in a modern foreign language, or advanced reading proficiency in a classical language, by completing the fourth quarter of foreign language instruction (or equivalent) with a passing grade.

Students may also complete this requirement by demonstrating advanced language ability on a special proficiency exam. Students considering this option should consult with an ERC academic counselor during their first year at UCSD.
Advanced placement scores in language or literature, and IB scores in language, may exempt students from all or part of the ERC language requirement.

College-level language study is a prerequisite for study abroad in most non-English speaking countries and enhances understanding of those societies. Students wishing to study abroad in non-English speaking countries may need to take additional language classes, and will need to take all language courses for letter grades.

Fine Arts (two quarters)

Two four-unit courses are required, to include study of both Western and non-Western music, theatre, dance, and/or visual arts. These courses help students appreciate the rich range of human expression to be found in cultures and ages other than their own.

Regional Specialization (three quarters)

Each ERC student selects three courses dealing with a single geographic region of the world. The college has defined regions broadly enough to assure course availability and narrowly enough to ensure coherence of subject matter. These courses may be chosen from offerings in humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. At least two of the three must be taken at the upper-division level. See "Minors" below about application of this course work to an optional ERC minor.

Upper-Division Writing Requirement

To demonstrate competency in written English at the upper-division level, students submit to the Academic Advising Office a paper or papers of specified lengths that were written for one or more upper-division courses and graded C– or higher. Papers are returned to students after Academic Advising Office staff certify that they meet the upper-division writing requirement.

Sample Program

A program like the sample one shown here would lead to completion of most general-education requirements during the first two years of college. Some variation will occur depending upon a student's academic preparation, choice of major, and individual interests and priorities. For example, students planning to major in science, math, or engineering will be taking many prerequisite courses for their major. 

FALL              WINTER            SPRING           
FRESHMAN YEAR
MMW 1             MMW 2             MMW 3 
foreign language  foreign language  foreign language 
fine art          quantitative      quantitative 
Subject A, major,    methods          methods 
  or elective     fine art          major or elective 
SOPHOMORE YEAR 
MMW 4             MMW 5             MMW 6 
natural science   natural science   major or elective 
major or elective major or elective major or elective 
major or elective major or elective regional specialization 
JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS 
regional specialization (2) 
major course work 
electives

Transferring to ERC

Transfer students may meet most ERC general-education requirements before entering UCSD if they have followed articulation agreements with community colleges, or taken courses elsewhere that ERC deems equivalent in content to UCSD courses that meet the college's requirements.

All transfer students must take three quarters of MMW, and it is recommended that the three courses be taken in sequence. Students who have not met their freshman writing requirement elsewhere must complete it by taking MMW 2 and/or MMW 3 as part of this three-course requirement.

All transfer students must also take two upper-division regional specialization courses and satisfy the upper-division writing requirement. See "Graduation Requirements" below.

Grading Options

  1. No more than 25% of total UCSD units counted in satisfaction of degree requirements may be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis.
  2. Electives may be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis except if they are to be applied to majors or minors. Check with the appropriate department or college for rules applying to specific majors or minors.
  3. Courses that meet the following ERC general-education requirements may be taken Pass/Not Pass: fine arts, foreign language,
    natural sciences, quantitative methods, and one regional specialization course. All other general-education courses must be taken for letter grades.

Leadership and Community

ERC students are recognized for their strong sense of community. These bonds are created in part by common classroom experiences in MMW. They also grow from shared explorations in a variety of college programs in which students take active roles: college and campus-wide student government, service to the campus and the larger community, the acquisition of leadership skills, and sports and social activities.

The college is home to UCSD's International House, which offers informative and dynamic discussions for the campus community at its weekly International Affairs Group meetings. ERC also hosts (with the Programs Abroad Office) a retreat each fall to welcome back study abroad returnees from all five colleges and assist with their re-integration into the UCSD community.

Expanding Horizons

Students whose interests extend beyond our borders are encouraged and assisted in finding opportunities to spend part of their college career in another country. There are many options, including short-term or year-long academic programs, work opportunities, and career-related internships.

At one time or another, men and women from ERC have studied in more than forty different countries in Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia.

Students on university financial aid who participate in the UC Education Abroad Program pay UCSD fees and retain their financial aid packages, which are budgeted to include study abroad expenses. For a fraction of their normal UCSD fees, students who participate in approved academic study programs sponsored by other universities may apply their UCSD financial aid to the cost of such programs. In addition, there are a number of sources for scholarship aid designated for study abroad.

Majors

An ERC student may pursue any of the approximately 100 undergraduate majors offered at UCSD. Students may complete more than one major, provided they comply with all Academic Senate regulations concerning double majors. To declare a double major, a student must have accrued at least ninety but no more than 135 units, have at least a 2.50 GPA, and meet university requirements regarding total maximum number of units earned and quarters attended at UCSD.

Most majors require the completion of specified "pre-major" or prerequisite courses at the lower-division level before enrollment in upper-division major courses. For some majors, admission to upper-division course work is contingent upon a satisfactory GPA in certain pre-major courses. Students are strongly encouraged to work closely with department advisers as well as college academic counselors to assure adequate and timely preparation for their majors.

Completion of certain majors may take more than four years or the minimum 180 units required for graduation. Time-to-graduation in other instances may be affected by a student's level of preparation for upper-division work in the major or by a decision to change major. See "The Undergraduate Program(s)" in respective department listings.

ERC Individual Studies Major

ERC offers an Individual Studies major to meet the needs of students who have defined academic interests for which suitable majors are not offered at UCSD. Students who find themselves in this situation should consult a college academic counselor at the first opportunity.

This major includes regular course work and often independent study, representing a minimum of twelve upper-division four-unit courses. A regular member of the faculty serves as adviser to the student. Students admitted to the Individual Studies major may enroll in ERC 199, an independent study course supervised by a faculty member, who tailors the content to fit
the major.

Qualifying seniors pursuing an Individual Studies major may undertake an honors thesis research project (ERC 196) under the tutelage of their faculty mentor. See "Eleanor Roosevelt College" in the department listings.

Further information about an Individual Studies major may be obtained from the ERC Academic Advising Office.

Minors and ERC Special Minors

Minors are not required at ERC. However, completion of a minor can be an educational or pre-professional asset. All students have the option of completing any approved departmental or inter-departmental minor.

Alternatively, students may wish to combine foreign language course work with an associated regional specialization to earn an ERC Special Minor in, for example, Asian Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Such minors must conform to Academic Senate policies: For students entering the University before January 1998, this means completion of at least six courses (twenty-four units), of which at least three (twelve units) must be at the upper-division level. Students entering in January 1998 or later must complete at least seven courses (twenty-eight units), of which at least four (sixteen units) must be at the upper-division level. Upper-division courses applied toward a minor may not be used to meet the requirements of the major.

Internships

As a way to combine classroom theory and practical experience, juniors and seniors are encouraged to consider internships under programs available to any UCSD student and administered by the Academic Internship Program, Career Services, or UCSD Associated Students.

Participants work for various lengths of time in enterprises that match their major interests and career goals. Most placements are local, but some are in such locations as Washington, D.C., Sacramento, Los Angeles, or London.

Working with faculty advisers, students enrolled in academic internships write research papers integrating their work experience with their formal studies, and they can earn up to sixteen units of credit in increments of four, eight, or twelve per quarter.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a baccalaureate degree from the University of California, an Eleanor Roosevelt College student must:

  1. Satisfy two University of California requirements: the Subject A requirement in English composition and the American History and Institutions requirement. See "Undergraduate Admissions, Policies and Procedures."
  2. Fulfill the ERC general-education requirements as described.
  3. Complete an approved departmental or inter-departmental major, meeting all requirements as specified by the major department or program.
  4. Satisfy the senior residency requirement that thirty-six of the final forty-five units must be completed as a registered UCSD student. Students studying abroad in their senior year may petition to have this requirement waived.
  5. Complete and pass a minimum of 180 units for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. At least sixty of those (fifteen courses) must be at the upper-division level. The B.S. degree is awarded in biology, physics, cognitive science, chemistry, earth sciences, management science, and designated engineering and psychology programs; the B.A. is awarded in all other majors.
  6. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Honors Recognition

Students who earn a quarter GPA of 3.5 or higher are notified by letter of having achieved Provost's Honors. Students who maintain GPAs of 3.5 or higher for a full academic year are awarded Provost's Honors certificates.

Every spring, ERC holds an academic honors recognition event to which high achieving students are invited, and graduating seniors are encouraged to invite individual faculty as their guests.

Also each spring, UCSD's chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society invites to membership seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement (3.65 GPA), breadth in their academic programs (including humanities, language, and quantitative methods), and good character, among other criteria. See "Phi Beta Kappa" in the index.

At Commencement, ERC graduates with extraordinarily outstanding overall academic records are named Provost's Scholars. Graduates with final cumulative GPAs equivalent to approximately the top 14 percent of UCSD graduates become eligible for University Honors and receive their degrees Cum Laude (with honors), Magna Cum Laude (with high honors), or Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors).

ERC Honors Program

The Freshman and Sophomore Honors programs at ERC have been established to provide exceptionally motivated and capable students with enhanced educational experiences in association with faculty and other honors students.

Selected new students are invited to enroll in the Freshman Honors Seminar. During fall quarter, students meet with a variety of faculty members to learn more about their research and about academic enrichment opportunities at UCSD. Seminar members also participate in other enriching academic and cultural events.

The Freshman Honors Seminar continues during winter quarter (and some years through spring quarter) with faculty speakers who focus on international themes. In winter (and spring) quarters, these seminars carry one unit of credit each (ERC 20). See "Eleanor Roosevelt College" in the department listings.

Sophomores who have earned cumulative grade-point averages (GPAs) of 3.5 or higher have opportunities to pursue independent study with individual faculty for credit (ERC 92). See "Eleanor Roosevelt College" in the department listings.

Additional honors opportunities are offered in MMW. Students with excellent grades in MMW 1, 2, and 3 and high cumulative GPAs are eligible to take honors sections of MMW (4H, 5H, and 6H). These students attend regular MMW lectures and meet in separate honors discussion sections. They also attend special guest lectures and enrichment activities related to course content.

At the upper-division level, students may qualify to enroll in honors programs offered by their major departments. These programs usually include research under the direction of a faculty mentor and the writing and presentation of an honors thesis.

 
Copyright 2001, The Regents of the University of California. Last modified July 13, 2001.
Reflects information in the printed 2001-2002 General Catalog. Contact individual departments for the very latest information.