INFORMATION FOR ADMITTED STUDENTS
ORIENTATION
Each May information about UCI's orientation programs sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students is sent to applicants for admission who plan to enroll in the fall.
Student-Parent Orientation Programs (SPOP) are held at different times during the summer. SPOP is designed to help new students with their registration materials and offers informative sessions on academic programs, extracurricular activities, housing choices, and much more. Participants and their parents live in residence halls, and the program fee covers room, board, and program costs. Mini-SPOPs (intensive one-day events) are held in July for students and parents who are unable to attend the multi-day programs. For more information, telephone (949) 824-7759 or send e-mail to jhalvaks@uci.edu.
Transfer Orientation is a unique one-day program geared to the needs of transfer students. Held in early August, the program provides advising, access to campus resources, a graduate school preparation workshop, and more.
Welcome Week features a variety of academic and social activities for new and returning students and is scheduled the week prior to the beginning of fall quarter classes.
DIVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
The core mission of the Division of Undergraduate Education is to provide campus leadership, programs, and services which enhance the quality of undergraduate education at UCI. An advocate and steward for educational excellence, the Division works with all academic units, programs, and members of the UCI community to foster a climate of learning and discovery for every undergraduate student. Through its diverse and innovative programs and services, the Division provides support for student academic achievement, for a rich and coherent curriculum, and for outstanding teaching through the integration of teaching and research activities and the facilitation of effective pedagogy.
The Division of Undergraduate Education is responsible for the following programs and services: the Campuswide Honors Program, which also administers the Scholarship Opportunities Program; the Center for International Education, which includes the Education Abroad Program and the International Opportunities Program; the Peer Academic Advising Program and academic advising for Undecided/Undeclared students; the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program; the Learning and Academic Resource Center; Student Academic Advancement Services; the Testing Office; the Instructional Resources Center and the Instructional Technology Center; the Resource Center for Undergraduate Education Grants; administration of the UCDC Academic Internship Program; and the organization of the campus' student orientation programs in cooperation with the Division of Student Affairs. The Division's programs and services are described in detail below.
The Division is responsible for the administration of the revised Academic Honesty Policy (adopted by the UCI Academic Senate on December 12, 1996; see the Appendix) as it relates to undergraduates; for maintaining a classroom environment conducive to teaching and learning; and for implementing the Student Recommended Faculty Program, initiated at UCI in 1969. This is the only such program in the U.S. that affords undergraduates the opportunity to identify, select, and propose recruitment of nonrenewable faculty appointments in curricular areas of particular interest not represented at UCI. Call (949) 824-8658 for information.
Additionally, the Division's Research, Evaluation, and Grants Office evaluates various programs and conducts research on topics related to undergraduate education such as student retention, academic needs, course grades, enrollment patterns, and curricular issues, and also assists in developing grant proposals for external funding.
Placement Testing
UCI's Testing Office administers placement tests to new and continuing students to ensure correct placement in selected introductory courses and to help students assess their readiness for University-level work. These tests are selected or developed by UCI faculty who also determine the grading criteria for each test. Results from placement tests are used by students and their academic counselors to formulate a plan of study which is best suited to the students' learning needs and career goals and to determine enrollment in introductory courses. Additional information, such as entrance examination scores, Advanced Placement (AP) scores, and high school work, also may be used to determine course placement.
Placement tests are given in the areas of chemistry, physics, precalculus, mathematical analysis, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, and English as a second language:
1. Chemistry Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in an introductory chemistry course (Chemistry 1P, 1A, or H2A) are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt.
2. Physics Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Physics 7A or 7B are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt. Students with no background in Physics need not take the placement test and should enroll in Physics 7A.
3. Precalculus Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Mathematics 2A are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt.
4. Mathematical Analysis Test. Students who plan to enroll in Mathematics 1A or 1B, or who have not had a prior course in precalculus and who plan to enroll in mathematics courses at UCI are strongly encouraged to take this test.
5. Chinese Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Chinese 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, or 3C are required to take this test. A satisfactory score on this test, followed by the successful completion of a Faculty Oral Interview, will satisfy the Language Other Than English breadth requirement.
6. French Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in French 1A, 1B, 1C, or 2A are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt.
7. German Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in German 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, or the 100 series are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt.
8. Japanese Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Japanese 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, or 3A are required to take this test followed by an oral interview. A satisfactory score on the test and oral interview will also satisfy the Language Other Than English breadth requirement.
9. Korean Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Korean 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, or 3C are required to take this test followed by an oral interview. A satisfactory score on the test and oral interview will also satisfy the Language Other Than English breadth requirement.
10. Spanish Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Spanish 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, or 5 are required to take this test unless otherwise exempt. (See the Department of Spanish and Portuguese section of this Catalogue for more information.)
11. Vietnamese Placement Test. Students who plan to enroll in Vietnamese 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, or 2B are required to take this test, unless otherwise exempt, followed by an oral interview.
12. English as a Second Language (ESL) Placement Test. This test is required of students (a) whose native language is not English, (b) whose verbal score on the SAT I: Reasoning Test is 430 or less, (c) who have not satisfied the Subject A requirement, and (d) who have received a letter from the ESL Program requiring them to take the ESL Placement Test. Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) are not considered. The ESL Placement Test also is required of students referred to the ESL Program on the basis of their score on the Universitywide Subject A Examination. See the section on Admission of International Students for additional information.
All newly admitted freshmen will receive a detailed brochure describing the placement tests and the testing schedule for the summer. Students should take required tests before registering for classes and should discuss their results with an academic counselor or faculty advisor. Students enrolling for the first time in fall quarter are strongly advised to take placement tests at the earliest possible date (usually in June) in order to allow time to receive their results and discuss them with an academic counselor during the summer registration period and prior to enrolling in courses. For the convenience of continuing students, placement tests also are administered every quarter during the academic year; consult the Schedule of Classes for dates.
The Testing Office also administers language tests for exemption to the Language Other Than English breadth requirement, and is responsible for the campus-based administration of the Subject A examination.
Further information on placement and language testing may be obtained by calling (949) 824-6207 or by visiting the Office's Web site at http://www.testingoffice.uci.edu/. The Office is a unit of the Division of Undergraduate Education.
University Subject A Examination
The University of California system has established the Universitywide Subject A Examination (see University Requirements). Results from this examination are used to place students in UCI writing and, if needed, ESL courses. There is a $55 nonrefundable administrative fee associated with the examination. The fee payment process and waiver information are explained in materials students receive in April from the Educational Testing Service. Students who receive admission application fee waivers will automatically have this exam fee waived. Please refer to the section on Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree for complete information on the Universitywide Subject A Examination.
Academic Advising
At the time of admission to UCI every undergraduate student is assigned to the school or program that offers the student's selected major. Students who have indicated "Undecided/Undeclared" as a major on their UC Application for Admission receive assistance from the Undecided/Undeclared Advising Program until they select an academic major. This program is located in 256 Administration Building; telephone (949) 824-6987.
Jurisdiction over all questions of academic regulations and academic standing rests with the dean or director of the school or department to which a student is assigned or, in the case of undecided/ undeclared majors, with the Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education. Each academic unit provides academic advising for its students and processes requests to add or drop courses, waive or change graduation or other requirements, or change majors. Students are responsible for knowing the governing regulations of the school or program to which they are assigned.
While each academic unit is responsible for maintaining a system which provides academic advising, these systems differ from unit to unit. In some, all of the faculty serve as advisors; in others, only certain members of the faculty are designated as advisors. All advising offices include academic counselors, professionals who assist students in planning their program, selecting a major, and making progress toward a degree. Peer academic advisors (trained upper-division students) assist students in many of the same areas as academic counselors. In addition, they are able to answer questions relating to student life issues, providing a student perspective. Responsibility for informing students of the names of their advisors rests with the dean or chair of the appropriate academic unit. This is done normally by letter; however, students may obtain information by telephone from the office of the appropriate dean or chair. Telephone numbers for academic advising offices are listed in the academic unit sections of the Catalogue and in the Schedule of Classes.
New students are encouraged to plan their academic programs with an academic counselor shortly after being admitted. The optimum time to initiate contact with an academic counselor is before the student enrolls in classes. The academic counselor can help the student determine whether the classes the student wishes to take are appropriate to the student's level of preparation, whether the proposed classes fit within the student's educational goals, and whether the classes will help meet some of the requirements for graduation.
In some schools and programs, consultation between students and their faculty advisors is mandatory. Regardless of whether or not consultation between student and advisor is required, students are responsible for initiating and maintaining periodic contact with their assigned faculty advisor. The actual frequency of these meetings will be determined by the desires of the student, the advisor, and the unit's governing regulations.
Each quarter, new students are required to go to the appropriate academic dean's office prior to registration for advice concerning class enrollment. These procedures for new students and provisions for continuing students are explained in detail in the quarterly Schedule of Classes.
Finish in Four
Many UCI students graduate in four years, with appropriate planning. In addition, UCI provides a Finish in Four Program for all undergraduates who wish to be assured of earning their degree in a timely manner. The goal of the program is to provide information and advising to enable students to make plans and decisions that will result in completion of their degrees in four years. The program involves a series of commitments on the part of the University and the student. Information about the Finish in Four Program is available from the academic advising offices.
Undecided/Undeclared Students
Students who enter the University as freshmen or sophomores, who are uncertain about their major, and who wish to explore, experiment, and then decide, participate in the Undecided/Undeclared Advising Program administered by the Division of Undergraduate Education. The Division is devoted to enriching the learning environment for lower-division students, especially those in the freshman year. Further information is available in the Majors and Careers section of this Catalogue.
Learning and Academic Resource Center
The Learning and Academic Resource Center (LARC) is a campuswide academic support unit that provides programs designed to help students acquire the skills needed to develop intellectually, become successful learners, and achieve their academic and professional goals.
LARC staff and programs provide students with personal contact and support necessary for academic success on a large and diverse campus where students need to enroll in many large lecture courses. The Center works closely with faculty to develop programs that meet both curricular objectives and the changing needs of students. LARC programs stress the development of academic abilities that all university students need regardless of major: effective study strategies, critical reading, and analytical writing. Other programs focus on specific disciplines and offer students the opportunity to improve their academic skills in such areas as biology, chemistry, mathematics, humanities, social sciences, and computer sciences, among others.
The Center offers adjunct classes, workshops, individual counseling, small peer tutoring groups, and support in all forms of academic writing. Students may enroll in LARC programs through TELE or by calling (949) 824-6451 to make appointments. Additional information including schedules for adjunct classes, workshops, and tutorials may be obtained on the World Wide Web at http://www.larc.uci.edu/.
Writing Workshops, sponsored by the Division of Undergraduate Education, seek to provide in-depth writing assistance of a focused and methodical nature to newly admitted students who may find English and Comparative Literature WR39A difficult because of insufficiencies in their University preparation. This assistance addresses specific compositional weaknesses and endeavors to provide students, at an early stage of their course work, with necessary verbal skills. Assistance is given in the form of workshops attached to special sections of English and Comparative Literature WR39A. The Writing Workshops enable instructors to give intensive and individualized attention to students.
Student Academic Advancement Services
Student Academic Advancement Services (SAAS) provides individual counseling and academic support for students who are first-generation college students or low-income students, as well as disabled students (those with physical and/or learning disabilities). SAAS sponsors several major projects and a variety of workshops.
A primary responsibility of SAAS is to monitor the academic progress of its students. To best assist students who are having difficulty with their course work, professional counselors maintain a close liaison with academic departments. When needed, referrals to other campus support services are provided. In conjunction with these academic and service units, a variety of workshops are offered throughout the year by SAAS, as well as a graduate school preparatory course for those students whose career interests require graduate study.
SAAS also sponsors and conducts the Summer Bridge at UCI for underprepared students who demonstrate the potential to succeed at the University. Summer Bridge is designed to provide and refine basic academic skills necessary for students to successfully complete their course work during the regular school year.
Students are encouraged to make appointments with Student Academic Advancement Services; telephone (949) 824-6234. For additional information, visit http://www.saas.uci.edu/ on the World Wide Web.
Honors Opportunities
UCI offers several challenging honors opportunities to its most motivated students. These include a comprehensive Campuswide Honors Program, which enrolls outstanding students from all majors from the freshman through senior years; a variety of major-specific honors programs at the upper-division level; the Humanities Honors Program, also offered at the upper-division level, but open to all majors on campus; and several Excellence in Research programs.
These programs offer some of the advantages usually associated with selective liberal arts colleges: rigorous, small, personalized classes and the intellectual exchange that creates a community of scholars. The difference, however, is that UCI's programs have the support and benefit of the 30.5-million-volume University of California Library system (of which UCI Library collections number some 2.2 million volumes) and of the numerous state-of-the-art laboratories on campus.
Honors students are also encouraged to participate in the Education Abroad Program, the International Opportunities Program, or the UCDC Academic Internship Program during their junior or senior year. These programs are described in a later section.
Campuswide Honors Program
Founded in 1988, the Campuswide Honors Program (CHP) is available to selected high-achieving students in all academic majors from their freshman through senior years. It maintains an active roster of approximately 600 students. About 90 percent of CHP students have continued their studies after graduation from UCI at some of the most prestigious graduate and professional schools in the country.
CHP provides outstanding UCI students with a special curriculum consisting of small, seminar-style classes, close interaction with peers, mentorship by UCI's top faculty, and the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research. Students also receive assistance in applying for scholarships, internships, education abroad, and relevant work experience. Completion of the Campuswide Honors Program is noted on the student's transcript and baccalaureate diploma.
Admission to the program as an incoming UCI freshman is by invitation only; all eligible candidates are reviewed and selected by faculty representatives from each academic unit. Transfer and other students are eligible to apply for admission to CHP up until the first quarter of their junior year, if they have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. CHP seeks to admit students who have a demonstrated passion for learning, a willingness to explore and take risks, a focus within their primary area of interest, and, at the same time, academic excellence in a range of disciplines outside of their major area.
Students pursue three year-long interdisciplinary Honors core courses (one course per quarter), satisfying several categories of the breadth requirement. Many of these courses provide an interdisciplinary approach to major subjects and issues. Faculty from a variety of disciplines are chosen especially for their teaching ability and scholarship. During their junior and senior years, participants pursue original research under the direct supervision of faculty members, culminating in the production of an honors thesis, creative project, or publication-quality paper. Many CHP students also participate in major-specific honors programs. The senior honors thesis that is developed and produced through these programs satisfies the CHP thesis requirement.
CHP students begin their course of study by taking honors sections of the Humanities Core Course. Team-taught by professors from various disciplines in the School of Humanities, the Humanities Core Course is organized around major themes; the current focus is Laws and Orders: Humanities and the Regulation of Society. Faculty from a wide range of disciplines exemplify the ways in which humanists approach issues from philosophical, historical, and cultural perspectives. In small discussion sections, students put those perspectives into practice in their own writing and in classroom conversations and debates designed to engage each student intellectually in the examination of law and the regulation of society.
The Critical Issues in the Social Sciences sequence is team-taught by professors from the Schools of Social Sciences and Social Ecology. Topics include human vision; authority (dis)obedience, and human society; decisions and compromises and their rewards and penalties; human language and its disablement; and exotic societies (including our own).
The Idiom and Practice of Science interdisciplinary sequence explores the role science plays in addressing socially significant problems. Students develop the ability to understand scientific models and to judge the content, merit, and limitations of many issues of science in the modern world. The development of analytical and writing skills is emphasized.
Honors General Chemistry, designed for CHP members and other highly qualified students, covers the same material as Chemistry 1A-B-C, but in greater depth.
The Honors Introduction to Computer Science sequence is open to CHP students majoring in Information and Computer Science and other students by consent. The first course introduces basic concepts, fundamental laws and principles of software and hardware organization, program construction, applications, and policy and social issues. The second course covers in-depth concepts of programming and mathematical tools for analyzing programs, and the third builds on this background with respect to mathematical tools and analysis.
Extracurricular Activities. CHP students are invited to participate in many social and cultural activities, including weekly coffee hours, beach bonfires, poetry readings, faculty home visits/informal lectures, movie and play nights, trips to museums, and camping retreats. Honors students also produce a quarterly free-form creative writing journal, and continuing Honors students may volunteer for the Peer Mentor Program and Honors Ambassador Program, providing assistance to incoming Honors students.
On-Campus Housing. CHP students have the option of living on campus in various locations. Freshmen may choose to live in Middle Earth in "The Shire." CHP students select Arroyo Vista where they can choose from one 16-person, one 24-person, and two 32-person houses. These residences offer a valuable living/learning experience with other honors students and the community spirit that is a special feature of CHP. Students bring to the living experience their vitality, creativity, and dynamic dedication to learning. Activities have included get-togethers with honors faculty, staff, and students; international potlucks; off-campus retreats; study breaks; and other events such as workshops and special speakers geared toward the interests of the residents.
Additional information is available from the Campuswide Honors Program,1200 Student Services II; telephone (949) 824-5461; e-mail: honors@uci.edu; World Wide Web: http//:www.honors.uci.edu/.
Major-Specific and School Honors Programs
Honors programs for qualified junior- and senior-level students also are available to Drama majors in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts; to students from all schools regardless of their majors, by the School of Humanities; to Chicano/Latino Studies majors; to Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics majors in the School of Physical Sciences; to Anthropology, Economics, International Studies, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Social Science, and Sociology majors in the School of Social Sciences; to Information and Computer Science majors; and to all majors in the School of Social Ecology. The focal point of each of these programs is the development of analytical and research skills through the pursuit of research under faculty supervision. An honors-level thesis is required by most of the programs. Students who participate in these programs may also participate in the Campuswide Honors Program. The honors-level thesis that is developed and produced through these programs also satisfies the CHP thesis requirement. Additional information is available in the specific academic unit sections of this Catalogue.
Excellence in Research Programs
The School of Biological Sciences, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and the Department of Cognitive Sciences offer students the opportunity to pursue research through their Excellence in Research Programs. Students work on their research projects under faculty supervision and have the opportunity to present their results to peers and faculty and, in certain instances, to have their research papers published. Additional information is available in the specific academic unit sections of this Catalogue.
Scholarship Opportunities Program
UCI encourages high-achieving students to learn how they can compete successfully for the most prestigious scholarships, research grants, and graduate fellowships available, and to begin learning about the process as early as possible. The Scholarship Opportunities Program (SOP), offered through the Campuswide Honors Program, presents workshops throughout the year, provides individual and group counseling, and sponsors the Winners' Circle, a club in which students help each other apply for scholarships, fellowships, and other awards. Additional information is available from SOP, 1200 Student Services II; telephone (949) 824-5461; e-mail: ucisop@uci.edu; World Wide Web: http://www.honors.uci.edu/ sop.html.
Honors Convocation
The UCI Honors Convocation ceremony is held each June for all students who graduate during that academic year with academic honors, receive special awards, and get inducted into honor societies. Of the graduating seniors, no more than 12 percent will receive academic honors: approximately 1 percent summa cum laude, 3 percent magna cum laude, and 8 percent cum laude. The criteria used in selecting candidates for these honors are available at the counseling office of each school. One general criterion is that students must have completed at least 72 quarter units in residence at a University of California campus. Students who have on file recorded acts of academic dishonesty, as defined in Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students, may be excluded by the Associate Deans from consideration for academic honors at graduation. For further information contact the Division of Undergraduate Education at (949) 824-5428.
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776, maintains a chapter at UCI. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor society; it recognizes outstanding scholastic achievement in the liberal arts and sciences. Upper-division students whose undergraduate records fulfill certain requirements are eligible for election to membership. Further information can be obtained from the Division of Undergraduate Education, 256 Administration Building.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), in the Division of Undergraduate Education, encourages and facilitates research and creative activities by undergraduates. Research opportunities are available not only from every discipline, interdisciplinary program, and school, but also from many outside agencies, including national laboratories, industrial partners, and other universities. UROP offers assistance to students and faculty through all phases of the research activity: proposal writing, developing research plans, resource support, conducting the research and analyzing data, and presenting results of the research at the annual spring UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium. Calls for proposals are issued in the fall and spring quarters. Projects supported by UROP may be done at any time during the academic year and/or summer, and the research performed must meet established academic standards and emphasize interaction between the student and the faculty supervisor. In addition, all students participating in faculty-guided research activities are welcome to submit their research papers for faculty review and possible publication in the annual UCI Undergraduate Research Journal.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) provides funding for UCI undergraduates from all disciplines who are conducting summer research projects or creative activities under the guidance of UCI faculty members. The program offers students the opportunity to become immersed in a research topic for a full-time 10-week period or the equivalent of 400 hours. SURP is open to all non-graduating UCI undergraduates who are in good academic standing and who have been involved in a faculty-mentored research project or creative activity for at least one quarter. The call for proposals is issued in the spring quarter of each academic year. Proposals should be prepared by the student applicant and jointly submitted by the student and a faculty member. Students who receive the SURP Fellowship can enroll in summer courses, upon receiving approval from their faculty mentor, and as long as they meet the 400-hour minimum requirement of the fellowship.
For more information, contact the UROP and SURP Office, 1100 Student Services II; telephone (949) 824-4189; fax (949) 824-1607; e-mail: urop@uci.edu; World Wide Web: http://www.urop. uci.edu/.
UCDC Academic Internship Program
The UCDC Academic Internship Program supervises and supports students who pursue internships, elective courses, research, and creative activities in the nation's capital. This program, situated in the exciting environment of Washington, D.C., is open to students in all majors through a competitive application process. In the 2002-03 academic year, students may enroll for fall, winter, or spring quarter, earn 12-16 units of course credit, and continue to be registered as full-time students. Financial-aid eligibility is maintained. Students who meet financial need and other eligibility criteria may also apply for a President's Washington Scholarship to help cover costs associated with participation in the program.
Students live in the new Washington D.C. Center building together with students from all the participating UC campuses. This provides a social and intellectual community throughout the quarter.
The UCDC Academic Internship Program also offers a unique opportunity for UCI faculty members and graduate students to teach and pursue research in the Washington, D.C. area. UCI faculty, along with UC faculty from Berkeley, Davis, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, offer programs with upper-division courses in diverse academic disciplines. UC students may receive credit for many of these courses.
Interested students with strong academic records are encouraged to apply. For further information, contact the Program Coordinator, 1002 Student Services II; telephone (949) 824-5400; World Wide Web: http://www.dccenter.uci.edu/.
Instructional Resources Center
The Instructional Resources Center (IRC), a unit of the Division of Undergraduate Education, provides instructional support through a variety of services and programs to the UCI teaching community. This support includes teaching development and skills training, as well as provision of classroom equipment, including instructional technology.
Teaching development includes consultation with teaching professionals regarding instructional strategies, methods, and learning theory. Faculty members and Teaching Assistants (TAs) may request consultations, and all services are free and confidential. Consultation can be further enhanced by videotaping the teacher in the classroom. Additionally, IRC staff can administer a midterm teaching evaluation to students and then provide the teacher with both statistical feedback and students' written comments. To schedule an appointment for a consultation or other service, call (949) 824-7584.
Other programs and services include: a two-day TA Professional Development Program during Welcome Week; a Faculty Summer Institute on Instructional Technology; a quarterly Teaching Colloquy; a quarterly on-line newsletter, UCIdeas; workshops specifically for new faculty, experienced faculty, and graduate students; and workshops and individual assistance with the compilation of Teaching Portfolios. IRC also co-hosts the annual "Celebration of Teaching."
IRC also provides services related to computerized presentation technology, video-conferencing, distance learning, audiovisual equipment and rental, film and video research and ordering, equipment repair, lecture hall media support, and video and multimedia production.
IRC's Instructional Technology Center, located on the ground floor of Social Science Tower, includes a 30-seat computer-assisted classroom, a room in which to conduct distance-learning courses, a 20-seat walk-in computer laboratory, and a media center where instructors can produce multimedia resources for their classes. Technicians and instructional specialist are available to advise teachers.
IRC's main office is located in Building 603, next to Humanities Hall. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Staff are available after hours and on weekends by special appointment. For general information, call (949) 824-1385; World Wide Web: http://www.irc.uci.edu/.
Center for International Education
The Center for International Education (CIE) includes the Education Abroad Program (EAP) and the International Opportunities Program (IOP). CIE is a comprehensive resource and counseling center which helps students take advantage of the many worldwide opportunities that exist for study, work, internship, volunteering, research, and non-credentialed teaching, and prepares students for participation in these programs. Participating in an international educational experience typically introduces students to ways of thinking different from their own, broadens their understanding of the historical and contemporary world, sharpens their interest in particular fields, enhances their overall intellectual development, and prepares them for a career in this globally interconnected society.
Professional staff and international peer advisors, who have returned from an IOP or EAP experience, are available to guide students in making appropriate choices of international programs for their educational goals. All EAP and IOP participants are provided with pre-departure orientations, an EAP or IOP Student Guide handbook, and reentry orientations upon their return to UCI. The Global Issues and International Perspectives class, offered by the School of Social Sciences, introduces prospective EAP and IOP participants to intellectual and adjustment issues that they may face during an extended stay in a foreign country.
Students can keep up-to-date on CIE events, deadlines, and new international opportunities by subscribing to the biweekly electronic newsletter, CIE-NEWS. For information on how to subscribe, contact CIE.
CIE, EAP, and IOP are located in 1100 Student Services II; telephone (949) 824-6343; e-mail: cie@uci.edu; World Wide Web: http://www.cie.uci.edu/.
EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAM
The Education Abroad Program (EAP) of the University of California offers students the opportunity to experience a different culture while making progress toward degree objectives. EAP is an overseas study program which operates in cooperation with about 120 host universities and colleges in more than 30 countries throughout the world. One quarter's participation in EAP fulfills the International/Global Issues breadth requirement (category VII-B). Participation in selected EAP programs also may satisfy the Language Other Than English breadth requirement (category VI); see an EAP counselor for a list of approved programs.
EAP offers four types of programs: (1) Full Immersion Programs. UC students take regular classes at the host university, in the language of the host country, side-by-side with native students. This option is available in many English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries, and students typically take classes in their major or related fields; (2) Language and Culture Programs. These are designed for students at beginning or intermediate language levels for the purpose of learning or improving language skills. UC students normally take classes side-by-side with other foreign students learning the language of the host country; (3) Programs for lower-division breadth. These programs are designed primarily to allow students to complete lower-division breadth requirements while experiencing another culture. Some other types of courses may also be available. Currently these programs are offered in English; and (4) Special Focus Programs. EAP offers a number of programs with a specific, limited academic focus, for example, Tropical Biology in Costa Rica, and Global Security and Economic Development in Japan.
The courses and fields of study open to EAP participants vary at each center. Each of the host universities has special areas of excellence and strength, as described in brochures for each country which are available at CIE and at http://www.uoeap.ucsb.edu/ on the World Wide Web.
Admission of UC students to the Education Abroad programs is subject to several qualifications. All applicants must demonstrate well-defined goals and a clear academic plan for integrating EAP studies into their UC degree program. Other requirements vary by program. Prerequisites generally include a 2.5 to 3.0 GPA, depending on the program. Some programs also require one to two years of university-level training in the host country's language. See the EAP Web site at http://www.uoeap.ucsb.edu/ or individual program brochures for specific details.
University of California faculty who serve as directors and associate directors at most Study Centers provide academic counsel to students while abroad. Full credit is granted for courses satisfactorily completed, and courses are recorded on official UC transcripts. With careful planning, most EAP students make normal progress toward their UC degrees. Application of credits earned abroad toward major or graduation requirements is determined by the academic unit in which the participant's major is offered.
Students interested in the language, literature, art, culture, history, government, or social institutions of the countries where EAP study centers are located have the opportunity to gain substantially from first-hand academic experience. Classes in the natural and physical sciences, engineering, and computer science are available at many prestigious host institutions. In addition, whatever their field of study, EAP participants can broaden their outlook and gain new skills as the result of study in a foreign country, as well as experience vastly different cultures and contrasting patterns of thinking while making progress toward a UC degree.
The cost of studying abroad through EAP is often comparable to the cost of studying at UCI. EAP participants are responsible for the same fees as they pay at UCI, including UC registration and educational fees, campus fees, and room, board, books, and personal expenses. The only additional costs directly related to the program are for their round-trip transportation and orientation and intensive language program (depending on the Study Center). Most University of California financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans, is available to EAP students who qualify. EAP also offers several other scholarships including individual country incentive scholarships awarded to all students studying in these specific programs; EAP Opportunity Grants available to economically disadvantaged students; and a competitive EAP Alumni Scholarship. Contact CIE for additional information.
Applications for EAP are generally due one year prior to the expected time of departure. Students may participate in EAP as sophomores, juniors, or seniors (fourth- or fifth-year), and may apply as early as their freshman year. In addition, students who have completed at least one full year of graduate study and who have support of their academic department and graduate dean may apply. Students interested in EAP should contact CIE early in the fall quarter to obtain an informative brochure, application forms, and information concerning application deadlines.
Summary of EAP Opportunities by Country
| PROGRAM OPTIONS | ELIGIBILITY | |||||||||
| SEMESTER/ | ||||||||||
| EAP HOST COUNTRY | YEAR | QUARTER | WINTER | SUMMER | SOPHOMORE | JUNIOR | SENIOR | GRADUATE | APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO CAMPUS EAP OFFICE | |
| AUSTRALIA* | X | F S | X | X | X | Fall: January | ||||
| Year/Spring: April/May | ||||||||||
| BARBADOS | X | F | X | X | X | January/February | ||||
| BRAZIL* | X | S | X | X | X | April/May | ||||
| CANADA | X | F | X | X | X | January/February | ||||
| CHILE* | X | F S | X | X | X | X | Spring/Year: April/May | |||
| Fall: January/February | ||||||||||
| CHINA | X | F | X | X | X | X | X | January | ||
| COSTA RICA* | X | F S | X | X | X | Year/Spring: April/May (San José) | ||||
| Fall/Spring: October/November (Monteverde) | ||||||||||
| DENMARK | X | F S | X | X | X | X | X | Summer/Fall/Year: January/February | ||
| Spring: April/May | ||||||||||
| EGYPT | X | X | X | X | January/February | |||||
| FRANCE | X | F | X | X | X | X | January | |||
| GERMANY | X | S | X* | X | X | X | Year: January/February | |||
| Spring: October/November | ||||||||||
| GHANA | X | F | X | X | X | X | January/February | |||
| HONG KONG (S.A.R.) | X | F S | X | X | X | Fall/Year: January | ||||
| Spring: January/April/May | ||||||||||
| HUNGARY | X | F | X | X | X | January/February/March | ||||
| INDIA | F | X | X | X | January | |||||
| IRELAND, Republic of | X | X | X | X | October/November/January | |||||
| ISRAEL | X | F S | X | X | X | X | X | January/February/March | ||
| ITALY | X | F S | X | X | X | X | X | X | Summer/Fall/Year: January | |
| Spring: October/November/ April/May | ||||||||||
| Winter: November/April/May | ||||||||||
| JAPAN | X | F S | X | X | X | X | Fall/Year: October/November | |||
| Spring: April/May/October/ November | ||||||||||
| KOREA | X | F | X | X | X | X | X | January/February | ||
| MEXICO | X | F S | X | X | X | X | X | Summer/Fall/Year: January/February | ||
| Spring: April/May | ||||||||||
| NETHERLANDS | X | F S | X | X | X | X | Fall/Year: January/February | |||
| Spring: April/May/June | ||||||||||
| NEW ZEALAND* | X | X | X | X | April/May | |||||
| PHILIPPINES | X | X | X | X | X | X | November | |||
| RUSSIA | F | X | X | X | X | January/February | ||||
| SINGAPORE | X | F | X | X | X | X | January | |||
| SOUTH AFRICA* | X | S | X | X | X | April/May | ||||
| SPAIN | X | F S | X | X | X | X | Fall/Year: January | |||
| Spring: April/May | ||||||||||
| SWEDEN | X | F | X | X | X | X | X | January/February | ||
| TAIWAN | X | F | X | X | X | January/February | ||||
| TURKEY | X | F | X | X | X | January/February | ||||
| UNITED KINGDOM | X | F | X | X | X | X | X | Summer: January/February | ||
| Fall/Year: October/November/ January | ||||||||||
| VIETNAM | F | X | X | X | January/February | |||||
F= Fall Term; S=Spring Term; *The regular academic year begins in January or February rather than during the fall.
For program details visit the Center for International Education or the EAP Web site at http://www.eap.ucop.edu/.
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
UCI's International Opportunities Program (IOP) is the link between UCI students and any international educational experience that occurs outside the boundaries of the U.S. and is not a part of the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP). Any UCI student (undergraduate, graduating senior, or graduate) in good academic standing, regardless of major, class level, or foreign language ability, may participate in IOP.
CIE staff provide information and counseling to assist students in finding an appropriate program to meet their needs and interests. Students may choose from academic study (with transferable credit), paid work, paid or unpaid internships, unpaid or compensated volunteer service, field research, and paid teaching opportunities in nearly every country in the world. This includes all academic programs sponsored by U.S. institutions that occur on foreign soil or water (as in the case of the Semester at Sea program), direct enrollment at foreign institutions, summer session abroad programs through UCI and other UC campuses, and UCI Independent Study (199) done in foreign countries under the supervision of a UCI faculty member.
With careful planning IOP students participating in study programs can make progress toward their UCI degree by fulfilling major, minor, or breadth requirements. Students may apply for transfer credit and UCI financial aid by completing the International Study Advance Contract. Many scholarships are also available.
To acquaint students with opportunities abroad, IOP sponsors the yearly Go Abroad Fair and periodic presentations, orientations, and workshops. It also maintains a library of international resources and publications listing opportunities abroad.
