INTRODUCTION
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Mark G. Yudof, President
The University of California (UC) was chartered as the State's only Land Grant College in 1868. Today, UC is one of the world's largest and most renowned centers of higher education and has a combined enrollment of 220,000 students on 10 campuses—Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. Among the campuses there are five medical schools, a school of veterinary medicine, and professional schools of business administration, education, engineering, law, oceanography, and many others. The collections of the more than 100 UC libraries are surpassed in size on the American continent only by the Library of Congress collection.
The UC faculty is internationally noted for its distinguished academic achievements. UC-affiliated faculty and researchers have won 55 Nobel Prizes and 57 National Medals of Science. National Academy of Sciences membership exceeds 350 and Institute of Medicine membership exceeds 150. UC creates an average of three new inventions every day, and for 14 years in a row, has developed more patents than any other university in the country.
UC maintains a variety of research facilities, agricultural field stations, and extension centers in more than 100 locations throughout California. Public services include medical and dental clinics, information services for agricultural and urban populations, a broad program of continuing education, museums and art galleries, and more. Detailed information about the University of California's teaching, research, and public service mission is available online at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/.
THE IRVINE CAMPUS
Michael V. Drake, M.D., Chancellor
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) opened in 1965 with 116 faculty and 1,589 students. Since then, UCI programs, faculty and graduates have achieved distinction in virtually every discipline.
Two Nobel Prizes in 1995 for founding faculty F. Sherwood Rowland in Chemistry and the late Frederick Reines in Physics helped to secure UCI's position among the leading American research universities. In 2004, Irwin A. Rose, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, became UCI's third Nobel Laureate (chemistry). UCI has been ranked prominently along with much older universities for excellence in the arts and humanities, Earth system science, management, social sciences, technology, and information systems.
For quality of educational experience and caliber of faculty, UCI consistently ranks among the nation's best public universities, and among the top 50 universities overall. Election to the American Association of Universities (AAU), a group of 62 of the most distinguished research institutions, is another indication of UCI's stature in the academic community.
As a research university, UCI challenges students at every level, both academically and personally. While research is critical to graduate education, the research environment also opens up new educational experiences for undergraduates. Students have access to faculty at the forefront of their fields, and they also have opportunities to participate directly in faculty research projects. In addition, to empower students for the future in an information-focused society, UCI has integrated computer technology throughout the curriculum and campus life.
UCI is committed to the discovery and transmission of knowledge. It makes available to its 27,630 students (22,120 undergraduate, 120 post-baccalaureate, 4,280 graduate, and 1,110 heath sciences graduate students, medical students, and residents) the education, skills, and credentials which provide the basis for lifelong personal and professional growth.
UCI's education and research missions are fulfilled in its academic units, which are described briefly below, and in its formal research units, which are described in the Office of Research section later in this Catalogue.
The Claire Trevor School of the Arts teaches the creative as well as the academic and critical dimensions of the arts. It is concerned with the vitality of the arts in society. Faculty energies are directed toward the refinement, enhancement, and encouragement of students' artistic and creative talents and toward the development of the students' understanding of related theory and history. The School offers programs which emphasize extensive studio and workshop experiences, essential theoretical and historical background studies, and exercises in criticism. There are 1,170 students in the School, including 1,010 undergraduate and 160 graduate.
The School of Biological Sciences is one of the campus's larger academic units, with 5,000 students (4,575 undergraduate and 425 graduate). Faculty research areas include neural plasticity and behavior (which in part encompasses the development of the nervous system, memory, response to injury, and degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's); the nature of cell-cell interactions; pattern formation; the elucidation of ecological conditions and evolutionary histories that have been the driving forces in organism design and functional diversity; the organization and expression of genes; biomolecular structure; molecular pathogenesis; human mitochondrial genetics; and cell biology.
The Paul Merage School of Business faculty research and teach in the fields of accounting, economics, finance, health care management, information systems, marketing, operations and decision technologies, organization management, public policy, real estate and strategy. Based on a thematic approach throughout the curriculum, the School focuses on three critical drivers of business growth: strategic innovation, information technology, and analytic decision making. The Merage School enrolls 85 undergraduates, 235 students in the M.B.A. and Ph.D. programs; and 625 in the Fully Employed M.B.A, Executive M.B.A., and Health Care Executive M.B.A. programs.
The Department of Education, with 310 students, offers graduate degree programs and credential programs for current and prospective teachers and administrators in California's public elementary and secondary schools, and an undergraduate minor in Educational Studies, with 280 students. The Department integrates the themes of Learning, Cognition, and Development; Social Context and Educational Policy; and Language, Literacy, and Technology, across its programs. The faculty is multidisciplinary; their scholarly work arises from the common belief that education environments, both in and out of school, are the locus of change in the quality of life and the availability of productive life choices for learners of all ages.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, with 3,045 students (2,350 undergraduate, 695 graduate), focuses on the analysis and design of physical systems applying modern scientific principles to the development of technology for society. The major research disciplines are aerospace, biochemical, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, materials science, and mechanical engineering. Research areas include biochemical and bioreactor engineering, earthquake engineering, water resources, transportation, parallel and distributed computer systems, intelligent systems and neural networks, image and signal processing, opto-electronic devices and materials, high-frequency devices and systems, integrated micro and nanoscale systems, fuel cell technology, fluid mechanics, combustion and jet propulsion, materials processing, robotics, and modern control theory.
The School of Humanities faculty have been repeatedly honored for their teaching and scholarly excellence. Included in the faculty's more than 100 research specialties are literary criticism, film studies, media studies, philosophical analysis, historical inquiry, art history, and East Asian languages and literatures. The faculty also participate in programs that cut across disciplinary boundaries such as African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Latin American Studies, Religious Studies, and Women's Studies. At the core of the educational mission of the humanities is the goal of imparting to students critical tools of analysis, ways of seeing, knowing, explaining, describing, and understanding, that will allow them to comprehend the world around them. The School has 2,535 students, including 2,085 undergraduate and 450 graduate.
The Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) has 1,135 students (805 undergraduate and 330 graduate). Faculty are actively engaged in research and teaching in the design of algorithms and data structures; embedded computer systems; networked and distributed systems; systems software; mobile computing; artificial intelligence; data mining; multimedia; databases and information retrieval; computer graphics and visualization; large-scale data analysis; biomedical informatics and computational biology; urban crisis response; Internet and ubiquitous computing; advanced technology for software and information systems; computer-supported cooperative work and human-computer interaction; digital arts and embodied interaction; managerial and social aspects of computing technology; statistics and statistical theory; and business information management.
Interdisciplinary Studies programs provide students with opportunities to pursue subject areas which derive from the interaction of different disciplines such as Computer Science and Engineering, History and Philosophy of Science, and Transportation Science.
The School of Law, established by the University of California Board of Regents in November 2006, will welcome its founding class of students in fall 2009. The School will offer the J.D. (Juris Doctor) and expects in the future to offer the LL.M. (Master of Laws) and S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science). Students will receive an education that includes traditional areas of legal doctrine but in an innovative context designed to prepare them for practice in the twenty-first century. Planned joint-degree programs will connect legal education with the wide range of academic and professional opportunities of a major research university.
The School of Physical Sciences has a student body of 1,650 (1,150 undergraduate and 500 graduate). Researchers in the School are conducting investigations in atmospheric chemistry (including the discovery of the adverse impact of human-made chlorofluorocarbon compounds on the earth's ozone layer), biogeochemistry and climate, synthetic chemistry, laser spectroscopy, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, plasma physics, and pure and applied mathematics and mathematical physics.
The School of Social Ecology, a multidisciplinary unit established in 1970, is unique to UCI. The School's central objectives are the application of scientific methods to the analysis and resolution of societal problems, and the development of theory and knowledge pertinent to social, behavioral, environmental, and legal phenomena. Among issues of long-standing interest are crime and justice in society, social influences on human development over the life cycle, urban and community planning, and the effects of the physical environment on health and behavior. There are 2,480 students in the School, including 2,180 undergraduate and 300 graduate.
The School of Social Sciences, with 6,775 students (6,415 undergraduate and 360 graduate), is the largest academic unit at UCI. The faculty, many of whom are nationally recognized, have expertise in a wide range of specific social science topics. Research areas include mathematical modeling of perception and cognitive processes; economic analysis of transportation; examination of the impact of society's political system on its economy; study of social structure and values in different cultures through a rigorous scientific methodology; exploration of authority structures and inequality in society; and globalization and international affairs.
The College of Health Sciences has 620 undergraduate students in the Program in Nursing Science, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Program in Public Health; and 440 medical students and 650 residents in the School of Medicine. The School of Medicine is dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and clinical practice through scholarly research, physician education, and high-quality care. The School nurtures the development of medical students, resident physicians, and scholars in the clinical and basic sciences and supports the dissemination of research advances for the benefit of society. The new University Hospital at UC Irvine Medical Center has modern facilities for conducting medical research and training future and practicing physicians, allowing more opportunities for researchers and clinicians to collaborate on patient care.
Academic Goals
UCI offers programs designed to provide students with a foundation on which to continue developing their intellectual, aesthetic, and moral capacities. Programs and curricula are based on the belief that a student's collective University experience should provide understanding and insight which are the basis for an intellectual identity and lifelong learning.
An important aspect of UCI's educational approach is the emphasis placed on student involvement in independent study, research, and the creative process as a complement to classroom study. Independent research in laboratories, field study, participation in writing workshops, and in arts productions are normal elements of the UCI experience. In many departments, special programs and courses which involve students in original research and creative activities are integrated into the curriculum.
UCI provides an atmosphere conducive to creative work and scholarship at all levels, to exploring the accumulated knowledge of humanity, and to developing new knowledge through basic and applied research. Along with these objectives, UCI has a serious commitment to public service. The campus generates research expertise which may be applied to regional and national social issues, and provides humanistic understanding of the problems facing society.
Academic Structure
UCI's instruction and research programs focus on fundamental areas of knowledge, and at the same time provide for interdisciplinary and professional study through the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, School of Biological Sciences, The Paul Merage School of Business, Department of Education, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, School of Humanities, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Law, School of Physical Sciences, School of Social Ecology, School of Social Sciences, and the College of Health Sciences, which includes the School of Medicine.
The Office of Academic Affairs has responsibility for all programs of instruction and research. Along with the Graduate Division and the Division of Undergraduate Education, Academic Affairs reports directly to the Executive Vice Chancellor/Provost. Matters of educational policy, including approval of programs, courses, and grades, are the responsibility of the Irvine Division of the Academic Senate.
UCI Student Affairs supports the University's academic mission from outreach to alumni participation. Student Affairs offers comprehensive programs and services to advance co-curricular learning, foster student leadership, enhance the quality of student life, and promote the general welfare of the campus community.
The Division of Undergraduate Education provides leadership in developing policies and programs for the improvement of undergraduate education in such areas as general education, retention, advising, curricular development, undergraduate scholarship and research activities, international education, academic internship, grant proposals, assessment, improvement of instruction, and improvement of instructional space. Undergraduate Education also administers programs and services affecting undergraduate education which require campus-level attention and coordination and which do not come under the direct authority of the heads of academic units or the Irvine Division of the Academic Senate.
The Graduate Division serves as the campuswide advocate for the advancement of graduate education and oversees all master's and doctoral programs, postdoctoral training programs, and the postbaccalaureate teacher credential program. The Graduate Division has a leadership role with UCI's academic units and provides implementation guidelines and procedures related to University policy as it affects the interconnected aspects of graduate student education, including admissions, student financial support, enrollment and registration, academic standards, requirements for graduate degree programs, student services, and diversity programs.
Accreditation
UCI is a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The campus is fully accredited by the Senior Commission of WASC. This accreditation requires periodic review in accord with WASC policies and standards. Further information is available from WASC, 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501; telephone (510) 748-9001.
In addition, the undergraduate degree program of the Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society; the credential programs of the Department of Education are approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC); the undergraduate majors in Aerospace Engineering (AE), Biomedical Engineering (BME), Chemical Engineering (ChE), Civil Engineering (CE), Computer Engineering (CpE), Electrical Engineering (EE), Environmental Engineering (EnE), Materials Science Engineering (MSE), and Mechanical Engineering (ME) offered by the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Civil and Environmental, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.; the undergraduate major in Biomedical Engineering: Premedical (BMEP) is not designed to be accredited, therefore is not accredited by ABET, Inc.; the M.S. program in Genetic Counseling is accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling; The Paul Merage School of Business is accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; the M.D. program of the UCI School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association; the undergraduate major in Nursing Science is approved by the Board of Registered Nursing; and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program is accredited by the National Planning Accreditation Board.
Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEOD) provides consultation services and training programs to the UCI campus and the medical center on the interpretation and application of both UCI policies and Federal and State laws regarding sexual harassment, equal opportunity, and diversity. It also develops and monitors UCI's Affirmative Action Plan for staff and faculty as required by Federal regulations.
OEOD investigates and provides assistance to UCI students, faculty, and staff in resolving complaints of discrimination and sexual harassment. OEOD also offers a variety of staff and faculty career development programs and workshops on diversity, cross-cultural communication, sexual harassment prevention, and conflict resolution in a diverse workplace to promote awareness, create organizational change, and provide support for the University's commitment to diversity.
OEOD is located in 103 Multipurpose Science and Technology Building; telephone (949) 824-5594 (voice), 824-7593 (TDD). See the Catalogue's Appendix for UCI's Nondiscrimination Policy Statements and Sexual Harassment and Consensual Relationships Policies.
Office of the University Ombudsman
The Office of the University Ombudsman receives complaints, concerns, or problems that students, faculty, staff, and visitors may encounter on the UC Irvine campus. The Office is an informal resource. Users of the Office are provided a confidential place to explore options to make informed decisions. When appropriate, the Office will initiate an informal intervention with the goal of facilitating or negotiating a resolution that is acceptable to all parties involved.
The Ombudsman acts as an independent, impartial, and confidential problem solver. If a matter cannot be resolved through the Office, the appropriate referral will be made. The Office of the Ombudsman does not replace or substitute for formal grievance, investigative, or appeals processes made available by the University. The Office does not have the authority to make decisions or decide policy. However, the Office can elevate legitimate matters or concerns to decision makers when appropriate. In addition, the Ombudsman can make recommendations regarding policy review and change as appropriate.
The Office of the Ombudsman also manages the Campus Mediation Program which provides confidential mediation services to the campus and UC Irvine Medical Center community. The Office is located in University Tower, Suite 640; telephone (949) 824-7256; http://www.ombuds.uci.edu and http://www.mediate.uci.edu.
The Campus Setting
UCI's location combines the cultural and economic resources of an urban area with access to Southern California's spectrum of recreational, scenic, and entertainment venues.
Fifty miles south of Los Angeles, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, and nestled in 1,489 acres of coastal foothills, UCI lies amid rapidly growing residential communities and the dynamic international business environment of Orange County and the surrounding region.
The famed sailing and surfing beaches of Newport, Laguna, and Huntington are a short bike ride from campus, while hiking trails, desert camping, or mountain resorts for snow boarding and skiing are within two-hour's travel distance from Irvine. The campus itself is a natural arboretum of native species, as well as trees and shrubs from all over the world. Adjacent to the campus, the San Joaquin Marsh serves as a natural classroom or peaceful refuge, with trails for viewing the rich diversity of wildlife.
A full roster of intramural sports and recreation events helps to fill the daily fitness needs of students, along with UCI's Anteater Recreation Center. This 115,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility includes a pool, gymnasiums, racquetball courts, weight room, and jogging track. UCI is also an NCAA Division I campus that competes in men's and women's intercollegiate athletics.
Across Campus Drive, and linked by a pedestrian bridge, an area of shops and restaurants also features a movie theatre complex, post office, and other services. Complementing UCI on-campus sports and cultural events throughout the year is the vigorous Orange County arts and entertainment environment. It offers everything from small venues for bands and performers to galleries, museums, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, Orange County Performing Arts Center, and South Coast Repertory. And within a one- to two-hour drive are the metropolitan attractions of Los Angeles and San Diego.
With plenty of land for growth, UCI is building to accommodate greater numbers of students, as well as to provide the most updated classroom and laboratory space. Current projects include Engineering 3, with planned research, office, and lecture hall space; Humanities Gateway, the fifth building in the School of Humanities; and Social and Behavioral Sciences, serving the Schools of Social Sciences and Social Ecology. On the west campus, the 180-acre University Research Park is attracting private companies such as AOL, Broadcom Corporation, and Cisco Systems that agree to collaborate with UCI faculty and students on internships, research, and other programs.
Due to the high caliber of UCI faculty and scholarship, the campus is home to national organizations including the National Fuel Cell Research Center and the Western Center of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a major site for the nationwide cancer genetics research network. For its range of services and research, UCI's Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is the county's only cancer facility designated "comprehensive" by the National Cancer Institute. UCI is noted in fact for its strengths in cancer and neuroscience research, much of which takes place at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Located in the City of Orange, 13 miles to the north, the medical center is the primary teaching and research hospital for the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Bus transportation makes travel convenient between the campus, medical center, and major housing areas, shopping centers, and recreation locales. In addition, the campus and surrounding communities are designed for bicycle traffic with trails connecting UCI with student housing and the coast.
CELEBRATE UCI
UCI's thirty-second annual open house, one of the campus's oldest and most festive traditions, will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Celebrate UCI is a spring event that features an Earth Day celebration, academic information, classic car show, campus tram tours, Wayzgoose Medieval Faire with food booths, demonstrations, rides, games, and much more. General campus offices such as Housing, Admissions and Relations with Schools, and Financial Aid and Scholarships are also open. The event is an excellent opportunity to bring family and friends to see what's new at UCI and join the alumni, staff, faculty, and students to Celebrate UCI! Events and parking are free. For more information, call (949) 824-5182 or visit http://www.uci.edu/celebrate.