Mathematics in CCS
When choosing the college that is a good "fit" for you, keep
in mind that
research shows that the
most important aspects of college for academic success and
subsequent job satisfaction are:
- Opportunities to deeply engage in learning.
- Mentorship.
- Opportunities to deeply engage in campus community.
Apply to CCS Mathematics
To apply to CCS Mathematics, follow the instructions in the
following link:
Overview of CCS Mathematics
The mission of the College of Creative Studies (CCS) is to
recruit the most talented and imaginative undergraduates,
and provide them with the intellectual environment and
advice that allows them to undergo the transition quickly
from consumers of knowledge to colleagues in the act of
human creativity in the arts and science.
The Math Program at the College of Creative Studies (CCS)
provides a rigorous education in Mathematics to
highly-motivated students. The small class sizes, the close
student-faculty interaction, and the flexibility of the
program create an environment in which students can develop
high-level abilities in mathematics and become well-prepared
for graduate work. The students are encouraged to take
advantage of the many research opportunities available in
the Mathematics Department as well as at other institutions
through Summer Research Programs, and visits to other
universities. The students also enjoy the freedom to create
their own program of study based on their interests once
they have fulfilled some basic requirements.
CCS Mathematics is a joint program between the College of Creative Studies
and the UCSB Mathematics
Department.
The main goals of the Math Program at the College of Creative Studies are the following:
- To identify individuals with special talents in mathematics.
- To create a positive learning environment for highly-motivated and talented students.
- To immerse students more deeply in mathematics than is usual in standard undergraduate programs.
- To provide students with a flexible plan of study, giving them the opportunity to tailor an individualized program according to their interests.
- To promote research among undergraduate students.
- To encourage students to pursue graduate study.
Students take their core first year courses as well as some
second year courses in CCS, and then complete all
upper-division courses within the Mathematics Department.
The CCS sequences give students a thorough introduction to
basic mathematics with an emphasis on problem solving,
communication, and collaboration. As part of the course,
students attend discussion sessions in which they
present their work to each other. They also attend Problem
Solving seminars where the students develop problem solving
skills and get introduced in doing research in
Mathematics. The program is flexible though and adjusts to
the needs of individual students. The students can be placed
in higher level classes if they show proficiency in the
material covered by beginning courses. Many of the CCS math
students take graduate courses in their junior year. Some
start taking graduate courses as early as their sophomore or
even their freshman year depending on their previous
experience.
The skills and abilities learned in CCS courses allow
students who choose to do so to do research in mathematics
and related fields with math faculty and make significant
contributions during their undergraduate careers. Summer
research fellowships are available to help make this
possible. See for example SURF
fellowhips and Math Summer Research
Program. It is also required that CCS
mathematics students prepare a senior thesis prior to
graduation.
As a summary, some of the advantages of doing a Math major
in CCS are:
- Four intensive three quarter sequences of CCS math courses, starting in the fall of the freshman year.
- Joint program CCS and Mathematics Department.
- Small classes/Seminars.
- Early involvement in research.
- Personal faculty advising.
- Personalized curriculum tailored towards your interests.
- Access to courses without taking prerequisites, including graduate level courses.
- No limit on the number of courses or units you can take.
- Simplified and more flexible general education requirements.
- Priority registration for classes.
- Graduate student library privileges.
- CCS students may drop courses up to the last day of instruction in all departments but the writing department.
- 24 hour access to the CCS building.
To find out more about the CCS Mathematics program, please, contact us to arrange a visit.