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John Muir College
John Muir College admitted its first students in the fall of 1967 and
moved to its present quarters in 1970. The college was named for John
Muir (1838–1914), a Scottish immigrant who became a famous California
naturalist, conservationist, and author. Muir explored the Sierra Nevada
and Alaska, and worked for many years for the cause of conservation and
the establishment of national parks and forests. Please visit out Web
site at http://provost.ucsd.edu/muir
The Character of the College
Naming a college affirms certain ideas and values. John Muir was committed
to learning, self-sufficiency, and the betterment of human-kind. Throughout
his life he was open to new ideas and experiences which he shared with
others through his many books. In keeping with his example, the college
has, through its interdisciplinary studies programs, developed courses
covering such areas as contemporary issues, critical gender studies, and
environmental studies. It has established an individualized major called
the Muir Special Project. And it has inaugurated an exchange program with
Dartmouth College, one of the most distinguished undergraduate institutions
in the United States. Each quarter about fifteen UCSD students attend
Dartmouth, while a similar number come from Dartmouth to Muir. By these
and other means, the college maintains at UCSD the heritage of the remarkable
man for whom it was named.
The General-Education Philosophy and Requirements
The general-education program was established by the faculty of John
Muir College to guide students toward a broad and liberal education while
allowing them substantial choice in the development of that education.
In addition to two analytical-writing courses, students must select year-long
sequences (three courses in the same department) from four different academic
areas. One of the sequences must be from the social sciences area, the
second from the natural sciences or mathematics (calculus), and the remaining
two sequences from the humanities, fine arts, or foreign languages. Students
choose sequences from several alternatives.
It should be understood that this freedom carries with it certain responsibilities
on the part of the student for careful planning. Some of these are:
- Students should request from the Academic Advising unit of the Office
of the Provost a list of general-education requirements before making
their final selection of courses.
- Complete sequences only may be applied to the general-education requirement.
Ordinarily an entire sequence from one department is taken in one academic
year.
- Courses taken to satisfy only the general-education requirements may,
in general, be taken for a letter grade or Pass/Not Pass.
- Units obtained from advanced placement may be applied toward the 180
units needed for graduation; such units may be used to fulfill partially
the general-education requirements.
For students who transfer to Muir College from another institution, the
general-education requirements will be interpreted in this way: two semester-courses
or three quarter-courses in one subject represented on the approved list
normally will be accepted as completing one of the four required sequences.
After the Office of Admi-ssions evaluates a student's transcript, the
Academic Advising unit of the Office of the Provost makes an evaluation
of prior work for each student at the time of his or her first enrollment.
Pass/Not Pass Grading Option
Muir students are reminded that to take a course Pass/Not Pass, they
must be in good standing (2.0 GPA). No more than one-fourth of an undergraduate
student's total UCSD course units counted in satisfaction of degree
requirements may be in courses taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis with the
exception of all major-related courses and most minor courses. It is advised
that students check with their major or minor department regarding restrictions
or exceptions.
Enhancing Your Education
Students are able to enhance their undergraduate education by participating
in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) and UCSD's Opportunities
Abroad Program (OAP) while still making regular progress toward graduation.
Information on EAP/OAP is detailed in the Education Abroad Program section
of the UCSD General Catalog. Interested students should contact the Programs
Abroad Office in the Interna-tional Center and visit the Web site at http://www.ucsd.edu/icenter/pao/.
Financial aid recipients may apply aid to the program and special study
abroad scholarships are readily available.
Many programs are now available for sophomores, as well as juniors and
seniors. With careful planning students should be able to fulfill
some general education, major, and/or minor requirements while studying
abroad.
Major Programs and Special Projects
Almost all of the major programs at UCSD have a pattern of prerequisites,
some of them quite extensive. Students must declare a major upon accumulating
ninety units. Students who do not plan well could find, in their junior
year, that they have access to few majors without doing additional lower-division
work. With careful planning, they may have access to a wide range of majors.
Muir College students are encouraged to consult regularly with the academic
advisers of the Office of the Provost as well as with their major department
advisers concerning the selection of appropriate courses so as to graduate
by the 200 maximum unit limitation.
Each academic department has, in its section of this catalog, a paragraph
entitled "The Major Program." Students are encouraged to
read these sections carefully, for they indicate both the extent and
the nature of the upper-division program. The following points are useful
to keep in mind:
- A substantial command of at least one foreign language is required
by some departments (e.g., linguistics, literature).
- Specific science courses are required by many departments. For example,
the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering require Physics 2A-B-C-D or
Physics 4A-B-C-D-E; the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry requires
Physics 1A-B-C, Physics 2A-B and C or D, or Physics 4A-B-C-D-E.
- The physical and life sciences, applied sciences (the Departments
of Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Bioengineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Structural
Engineering) together with certain social sciences (including cognitive
science and economics), require at least one year of calculus.
The Muir Special Project (MSP) major is a B.A. degree only and is intended
for students who have specific talents and interests which are not accommodated
by one of the departmental majors. The MSP normally includes regular course
work and independent study representing up to fifteen upper-division four-unit
courses as well as a project or thesis. The project may be one of two
kinds: creative work of some sort (e.g., a book of poetry, a collection
of musical compositions), or a detailed program of study and research
in a particular area. The latter results in a long paper representing
a synthesis of knowledge and skill acquired. In either case, a regular
member of the faculty must serve as an adviser to a student doing the
project. It should be understood that the demands of a special project
major are great, and a project is not appropriate for a student who simply
does not want the discipline of a normal major. For a course to be included
as part of a Muir Special Project, the student must earn in it a grade
of C– or better. Further information may be obtained from the Muir
Academic Advising Office.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor of science a John
Muir College student must:
- Declare graduation by obtaining, completing, and returning the Degree
and Diploma Application packet to the Academic Advising Office. This
must be done by Friday of the ninth week of the quarter preceding
the quarter of anticipated graduation. Students who plan to graduate
at the end of a summer session must complete the above-mentioned process
by the Friday of the ninth week of spring quarter. Fees may
be assessed if students miss these deadlines. Degrees are not automatically
granted: students must file their intention to graduate.
- Meet the general university requirement in Subject A, English Composition.
(See "Undergraduate Admissions, Policies and Procedures.")
- Satisfy the University of California requirement in American History
and Institutions (See "Undergraduate Admissions, Policies and
Procedures.")
- Meet the Muir College requirement in writing proficiency. This requirement
asks that the student demonstrate an ability to write English according
to standards appropriate for all college work. (See Muir College course
listings: "The Writing Program.")
- Fulfill the general-education requirements.
- Fulfill the U.S. cultural diversity requirement.
- To receive a B.A. or B.S. degree*, students must complete a minimum
of forty-five four-unit courses (180 units) which includes a minimum
of eighteen upper-division courses (72 units).
- Show some form of concentration and focus of study. Ordinarily this
is accomplished by completing a department major. Students in the
college may attempt any major upon completion of the prerequisites.
(The Departments of Biology, and Literature/Writing require students
to attain a minimum GPA in prerequisite courses and apply for admission
to majors in the departments.) Presently, freshman entry to computer
science and computer engineering majors in the CSE and ECE departments
is restricted. Refer to the departments for current detailed information.
Students who do not choose to meet this requirement by means of a
departmental or interdisciplinary major and who qualify may propose
a special project major. As the name implies, this is a specialized
form of concentration. It normally consists of a combination of regular
course work, independent study, and a senior thesis or project. Each
proposal and senior thesis or project must be approved by the provost.
(See the section, "Major Programs and Special Projects,"
above.)
- Satisfy the residency requirement which stipulates that 36 of the
last 45 units passed be taken at UCSD as a registered Muir College
student. Students planning to study abroad during the senior year
should be aware that they must return to complete a minimum number
of twenty-four units at UCSD. Such students should see their college
Academic Adviser for clarification.
- Accumulate a grade-point average of at least 2.0 overall and in
most major. Depart-ment's may require a C average in all upper-division
courses used for the major or C– grades in each course used for
the major. Students should consult with their department to determine
which grading regulation applies.
- Make up all incomplete grades. Students may not graduate with "NRs",
"IPs", or "Incomplete" entries on their transcript.
Therefore, they should be sure that all Incompletes have been cleared
and final grades have been properly recorded by the end of the quarter
in which they plan to graduate.
- Complete all requirements for the degree during the quarter in which
students file to graduate. If the degree requirements are completed
after the expiration of the deadline in a quarter, but before the
beginning of the next quarter, students must refile to graduate for
the subsequent quarter.
- Refile the Degree and Diploma Application form if unable to satisfy
all graduation requirements, including grade changes, by the end of
the proposed graduating quarter. Students will graduate at the end
of the quarter in which deficiencies are satisfied.
- It is the students' responsibility to contact their department
adviser to verify that they have satisfied departmental requirements
for graduation.
While John Muir College does not call for the completion of a minor to
fulfill its requirements for the degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor
of science, it does acknowledge such completion of an approved departmental
minor on a student's transcript. No upper-division courses may
be used to satisfy both a major and a minor.
Students entering UCSD after January 1, 1998 are required to complete
twenty-eight units of interrelated work, of which at least twenty
units must be upper-division. Students entering UCSD before
January 1, 1998 must complete a minimum of six courses or twenty-four
units of interrelated course work. A minimum of three upper-division courses
must be completed. Departments or programs may establish more stringent
criteria than the minimum. A formal request for the minor must be approved
by the department or program and college by the quarter before graduation.
Upon satisfaction of the graduation requirements, Muir College will recommend
that the students be awarded the degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor
of science (180 units, of which at least seventy-two must be upper-division).
Honors
Quarterly provost's honors, departmental honors, college honors, membership
in the Caledonian Society of John Muir College, and Phi Beta Kappa honors
are awarded. Please note that graduating seniors must have letter grades
for eighty units of work completed at the University of California for
college honors. For additional information, see "Honors"
in the Index.
Honorary Fellows of Muir College
Hannes Alfven, Scientist and Nobel laureate
*Georg von Bekesy, Psychologist and Nobel laureate
Oscar (Budd) Boetticher, Filmmaker
*David Brower, Conservationist
Francis H.C. Crick, Scientist and Nobel laureate
*Ernst Krenek, Composer
*Ernest Mandeville, Philanthropist
*William J. McGill, Educator
*Jonas Salk, Scientist
*Claude E. Shannon, Mathematician
John L. Stewart, Founding Provost
*Earl Warren, Jurist and Statesman
*Robert Penn Warren, Poet and Novelist
*Mandell Weiss, Philanthropist
*Deceased
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