John Muir College

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John Muir College is one of the six undergraduate colleges at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The college is named after John Muir, the environmentalist and founder of the Sierra Club. It boasts a humanitarian emphasis focused on the "spirit of self-sufficiency and individual choice". Its general education requirements are more loosely structured than those of the other colleges, with an emphasis on "sequences" and individual study. Each student must complete a year-long sequence in social sciences, a sequence in natural science or math, and must choose two year-long sequences in two different areas chosen from fine arts, a foreign language or humanities. In addition, each student must complete two quarters of the "Muir College Writing Program" (MCWP). The college opened in 1967, at the height of the American environmentalist movement triggered in part by Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring. John Muir College describes itself as the "Heart of UCSD" and boasts a strong and distinct character after forty years of existence. Due to JMC's flexible general education requirements, it is very popular among incoming students and receives the most applications each year. Consequently, it employs the most stringent admissions process among the six colleges. The flexibility of the college often encourages a large number of students to pursue multiple bachelor degrees. Muir College's writing program incorporates college level writing over a two-quarter period, with general critical writing during the first quarter and a themed rhetorical analysis program during the second.

Landmarks

Several of the most notable landmarks on the UCSD campus are located at Muir College. Sun God, the colossal statue designed by late French artist Niki de Saint Phalle, stands herald over the grounds of the campus. The 8- and 11-story twin residence halls Tenaya and Tioga stand as testament to the nature-conserving policies of Muir as well as examples of the prevalent architectural style of the 1960s. Muir's connection to California's Yosemite Valley continues with the Half Dome Lounge and the dining hall Sierra Summit. Every Halloween, Muir students drop a giant pumpkin from the top of the tallest residence hall as part of the Halloween Carnival.

General Education

The college is known for its general education program, in which a variety of major academic areas are explored in a year long sequence manner. Two expository writing courses are also part of the Muir General Education system.

From the John Muir College Website: A sequence is three courses, normally in a single subject or discipline (e.g., three courses of American History). An area is a broad area of study such as the humanities or the social sciences.

Muir's requirements accommodate a wide range of interests and aptitudes and prepare you for a broad array of majors. The openness and flexibility of the curriculum make Muir College particularly attractive to exceptionally able and well-prepared students as well as to students with well-defined academic interests or students still exploring various educational options, alternatives, and opportunities.

Thus students have the responsibility to tailor their general-education to their personal goals, interests, and academic talents in four personally meaningful general–education sequences and two analytical composition courses.

By the time of graduation, Muir students will be required to complete:

one social science sequence one mathematical (calculus) or natural science sequence two sequences selected from two of the following areas: fine arts, humanities, or foreign languages two expository writing courses Overlaps: A maximum of three courses may be used to satisfy both a general education requirement and major requirements. A student majoring in Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry/Pharmacological, Chinese Studies, Cognitive Science, Economics, Human Development, Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, International Studies, Japanese Studies, Literature/English, Literature/Writing, and Management Science or the Joint Major in Mathematics and Economics--each of which requires lower-division courses that could also be used to fulfill two or more of Muir's general education areas--may have to take an additional sequence in order to meet the three-course overlap limit.[1]

Weekly Newspaper

At Muir College, a weekly newspaper, (Muir Words) is distributed via email to all of its undergraduates. This newspaper contains announcements, events, club activities, and other college happenings. [2]

Unique Commencement

Muir College proud itself in an unique commencement ceremony. From the commencement website: "The event begins with a procession of Faculty and Seniors. They are led onto the field by a brace of bagpipers, in honor of John Muir's Scottish origins. The Provost, the Chancellor, and a few members of the graduating class will deliver brief remarks. Awards will be presented to several outstanding Seniors. Each Senior will cross the platform and have his/her name read (or mangled) by the Dean of Student Affairs and will be congratulated by the Provost and a faculty member from their major department. After this, the Provost confers the John Muir College Bachelor degrees en masse." [3]

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