Geography major GIS minor. UCLA vs UCSB?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>Anyone here have any information or opinion on either one? I'm really undecided on where to attend. </p>

<p>What I like about UCLA is that it's closer to my home in Irvine, they're offering about 5k more in aid than UCSB and the name UCLA is world-famous, but will that help me on the job market as a geography major? What I like about UCSB is that its been my dream school since HS, probably has smaller class sizes, is more social, more diverse, and I will probably have an better chance at getting high grades?</p>

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<p>UCLA is one of the best schools in the country. Go there. I think that name would help you in nearly any field. </p>

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<p>I’ve heard good things about UCLA’s geography department. Not so sure about UCSB’s.</p>

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<p>UCSB has a fabulous Geography Department. I am a JC Geography instructor and I can tell go SB is outstanding. I wouldn’t hesistate to go there for Geography.</p>

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<p>Thank you Music1999, K4201505 and Lab317 for your input. I plan on going to UCLA for the May 10th event and UCSB for a transfer Friday event. Hopefully with the information I get I will feel more confident with my decision. </p>

<p>I also want to find out how big the geography classes are at both universities. And hopefully ill be able to ask some students about the work load and opportunities they have available. </p>

1 Like
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<p>I’m a Geography/Environmental Studies Major at UCLA and I can tell you that we have both large classes and small classes, but class size really isn’t the big deal many people make it out to be. I’ve been to CC’s, LMU and CSUN where you had classes of ~20 and I’ve had classes over 300 and I’ve never noticed a lick of difference in the education I’ve received from either. This isn’t like a philosophy class where you go back and forth with your fellow students, you’re there to take notes, ask questions of the professor, and learn the material. </p>

<p>Most of the upper div GIS classes are capped at 50, the geog lecture classes are usually capped at 80-100, and the lower div can be as high as 300. A popular prof like Gillespie (who helped locate Osama Bin Laden) will have nearly 300 in his upper division courses as well. </p>

<p>You can see what’s offered at <a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/schedule/detmain.aspx?termsel=14S&subareasel=GEOG”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/schedule/detmain.aspx?termsel=14S&subareasel=GEOG&lt;/a&gt;
and then just change 14S to 14W and 13F to see the recent classes.</p>

<p>As for the work load… it’s UCLA, it’s heavy! The GIS7 class is a killer, and the rest really make you earn your grades. My midterm today had about 20 short (HA!) answer questions and 1 essay and we all used up every single second we could of the test time. It’s worth 40% of the grade, and the final is worth 60% . We also have to write an Op-Ed piece, and another project too. You go to UCLA, you’re going to read like crazy and work work work. </p>

<p>As for opportunities, they’re pretty much endless. You want to go into economic, human, cultural, political, or physical geography?? Look around, you’re in LA. Between JPL up the street in Pasadena and all of the non-profits all around, we’re never hurting for work or internships regardless of your focus. </p>

<p>The faculty also has some amazing rockstars with the aforementioned Thomas Gillespie and his research, Michael Shin who focuses on political GIS, Jared Diamond whose books are bestsellers, Glen MacDonald who is one of the head UC system faculty in regards to sustainability and always in documentaries and on the news, and we even have the recent past president of the Association of American Geographers in Eric Sheppard. One of my favorites is the guy teaching tropical climatology is actually a visiting professor from Brazil! The department chair just published a great book called The World in 2050 - 4 forces shaping civilizations northern future which has been pretty interesting to read as well. They’re also going to be hiring some new people, including a new geomorphologist so that should add some extra physical geography options for us as well.</p>

<p>As for UCSB, I’ve got a friend who transferred when I did and ended up there and he’s not unhappy, but if you look at the faculty roster, their most exciting names are in the Emeritus (retired) section, not the actively teaching section. It’s a good department, he enjoys his classes, and he likes the area. Class sizes are about the same too but with fewer offerings each quarter than what you find at UCLA.
<a href=“http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/courses/class-schedule/schedule.php”>http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/courses/class-schedule/schedule.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>UCSB has 8 upper div classes offered this quarter, UCLA has 16. That makes planning your schedule and taking what you want MUCH MUCH easier. </p>

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<p>Nice post. What made you choose the environmental studies option compared to the regular geography option? </p>

<p>I’m considering dual majoring in geography if I end up SIRing to UCLA (currently polisci). Given the heavy work load, would you say this is a wise idea? know of anyone else dual majoring in geography and something else?</p>

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<p>I’ve only met one double major and they were in the process of dropping it because the benefits over just minoring were so minimal. You basically find that unlike at a community college where you dabble in this and that, you really do become heavily invested and involved in your department at UCLA and the benefits, research, internships, and everything else requires time and effort in networking and building relationships with faculty in that one department. </p>

<p>And honestly, I picked ES because my focus is more physical geography and I liked the structure of the program. </p>

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<p>Mountain343 thanks for that very informative post! I like all aspects of geography so far, especially cultural, political and physical. Do you think it’s possible for me to sit in on a lecture class this quarter, just to see what Im getting into? Ive always been a B+ student am conceded that I may be getting in over my head at UCLA. I do plan on putting in the work and study hours to be successful, but I also want to have time to enjoy myself and make friends there.</p>

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<p>UCLA is an open campus, so I don’t see why not. Glen MacDonalds class monday nights would give you a pretty good idea if you could handle UCLA for sure. 3 hrs of intense lecture from 5pm till 8pm on Environmental Change during the Holocene and Pleistocene era with a major focus right now on Milankovitch cycles, plate tectonics, and chemical processes of positive feedback. Previously we covered dendrochronology and radiometric dating with a focus on Carbon-14, Lead-210, and Cesium-137 and various ways of cross dating meromictic lake varves. It’s physical geography at it’s best. </p>

<p>The social aspect is important, and I’ve made a lot of friends and a good core group that is pretty amazing. The thing about UCLA is that yes you do work, and work your ass off, but you also have time for clubs (over 1000 student clubs on campus now), rec activities, sports, music, movies, and everything else. You just have to manage your time well and know that things go by super fast. </p>