<p>Unfortunately, there are not minors available in the College of Creative Studies (CCS). However, courses offered through the College are open to any UCSB student, although CCS students get first priority. On the other hand, you can have two majors in Creative Studies (that is, do a double major; for example, art and literature). It is also easy to major in Creative Studies and do a minor in Letters & Science (a common one is CCS physics with a minor in math). You can also take one major in CCS and one in Letters & Science or Engineering; however, doing so loses you some of the privileges of being in CCS.</p>
<p>I was just accepted to UCSB as an English major and it looks like that's where I'll be going. When I first applied, I was interested in the CCS program in Literature but decided to wait until I was actually accepted/chose SB to officially apply to the college. </p>
<p>Should I have jumped straight into it, and will waiting a year or two hurt me in any way? And is it difficult to transfer into it, if I can at all after the first year (which I'm pretty sure I could, but don't know for sure)? Also, what exactly are the benefits of taking Lit. at CCS as opposed to simply studying plain Literature or English? Any advice/opinions at all would be great :D</p>
<p>In my experience, a fair number of people transfer into the Literature program after their first or second year. I would recommend taking a few CCS Literature classes once you get here for two reasons: you can see if the program actually is what you want, and you can get to know the professors. Once you know the professors and they know your work, you have a much better chance of being accepted to the program. Or, you might decide that CCS isn't for you. Some also use their time in L&S to build up a portfolio of work, which is required for the Lit application. The Lit classes will usually be full by the time you get around to signing up for classes, so you'll probably have to go straight to the professors and ask for an add code.</p>
<p>I can't say too much about the benefits of CCS Lit v. L&S English, but there are a lot of other priviledges associated with being in CCS (ie, the grading policy, few GEs, no unit cap). One of the things people appreciate most is not having to take all of the introductory and core classes associated with the L&S major (although CCS does have its own set of core Lit classes). People start in CCS Lit by taking the same classes as all the seniors--there's no introductory course.</p>
<p>How difficult is it to get accepted into CCS after getting into UCSB?</p>
<p>I don't think it makes it easier (or any harder) to get in if you are already a UCSB student. However, you can take CCS classes once you're here, which will give the faculty a chance to get to know you. Transferring in later could help you build up a portfolio of work, which I believe is required for Art, Literature, and Music. For the sciences, you can start doing research, which might add something to your application. Everything is pretty dependent on your prospective major, however, so I would encourage talking to a faculty member in the major or to one of the staff in our main office. In physics for example, our core series takes place during the first two years so it is very rare (in my experience) for anyone to transfer in later than part-way through the first year, unless they've been taking our series all along.</p>
<p>Well, the portfolio thing isn't a problem--I have endless lit. essays, poems, fiction, etc.--but I can see how taking the classes and getting to know the professors would help. I have no idea how signing up for classes works still ^^' Guess I'll figure things out when I get there. I'll plan to take a couple CCS classes :) Thanks a lot for the info!</p>
<p>You sign up for classes on GOLD (Gaucho On-Line Data, <a href="https://my.sa.ucsb.edu/gold/login.aspx%5B/url%5D">https://my.sa.ucsb.edu/gold/login.aspx</a>). If you've sent in your SIR to UCSB, you can log in and poke about--the username and password will be the same as for the email account you set up at some point. You get a handle on it really fast, but at summer orientation they'll actually help you sign up for some.</p>
<p>Signing up for CCS classes can be kind of tricky though, and the summer orientation staff (as wonderful as they are) probably won't know much about CCS. First off, all the CCS classes will probably be full, so you'll want to email the professor and ask for an "add code", which will get you into the class officially, on GOLD. You might not be able to get into anything fall quarter since incoming freshman are the last to sign up, but just keep trying! Second trick is that CCS classes don't usually show up on GOLD in any meaningful way. Instead, you'll want to go here, to the CCS website: College</a> of Creative Studies, UC Santa Barbara - Current Courses and find the courses you want to take there. The most important piece of information is the enrollment code, eg "EC # 03061". Instead of searching for the class by department, GE, or whatever, you use this number to enroll in the class (go to My Schedule tab, and there's a box at the top that says "Add by Enrollment Code:"). So, all of this is probably useless to you now, but I just wanted to mention it in case you ran into problems later.</p>
<p>Anyone have experience with CCS chem? Is it as great as CCS physics sounds?</p>
<p>And how competitive is it to get into CCS? Is it like on par with UCB/UCLA, or lower?</p>
<p>The reason why there isnât more information available on the UCSB College of Creative Studies is simply because it is such a small and selective school. About 1 in 100 UCSB students make it into CCS. My father attended the Cooper Union Institute in New York, another tiny, extremely selective school with a huge reputation. If you want the straight story on CCS, you probably wonât get it from people who never went there. :-)</p>
<p>I took the CCS âPrize Examâ in Mathematics in the early 1970âs, achieved Distinction, and was invited to a campus tour. Max Weiss, then Associate Provost of CCS and head of the CCS Math department, showed me and others around the campus. He made sure to point out that everything at UCSB was available to CCS students, not just CCS facilities.</p>
<p>35+ years later, I still remember that tour because of how it ended. I said, âThis looks pretty interesting. How do I apply?â and Dr. Weiss responded, âOh, you want to apply? Ok, youâre accepted!â I couldnât believe the contrast between that âGet it doneâ attitude with the bureaucracy of other schools to which I had applied, so I immediately decided to go to CCS.</p>
<p>As for school itself, there was more of the same philosophy of âno red tape.â My CCS math seminars had 5-8 students and were directed by full professors. Find that in any other undergraduate program! The seminars focused on problem solving, proofs, and mathematical discovery. For more numbers-oriented classes such as Differential Equations, I took standard classes in Letters & Science. I was also encouraged to take âbreadthâ classes such as ones in English Literature (at CCS), Political Science (L&S), Electronics theory (Engineering), etc. The only difference I saw between students in those departments and CCS students is that we met with our advisor each quarter to make sure we were fulfilling all CCS and UCSB requirements. We could choose for each class in the other colleges whether to take it for a grade or on the Pass/Not Pass system.</p>
<p>I also had the opportunity to do original research. When I decided I was more interested in computer science than theoretical mathematics, Dr. Weiss encouraged me to create âindependent researchâ classes in which I developed software and studied software design theory. I also had the opportunity to teach a student-conducted seminar. These experiences proved invaluable when I became a computer game programmer and designer a few years later.</p>
<p>I highly recommend CCS - in <em>any</em> of its specialties - to anyone who knows exactly what they want to study, already has strong talent and background in that field, and is willing to work very hard to learn and to make a difference in the world. CCS is not for slackers, despite the emphasis on âpoint gradingâ over âgrade pointsâ.</p>
<p>My understanding is that the CCS program may be more intense/competitive than the L&S college. However, you might want to take into consideration that no other UC has a program like it and itâs not very well known. It doesnât use traditional grades, etc. Which means that if youâre planning to apply to grad school, admissions officers may not understand or even have heard of the CCS program. How are they supposed to evaluate you against other students for entrance? On the other hand, it may provide unique opportunities to become very close to professors and super smart students which = great networking. These professors may be able to write amazing letters of recommendation for you and even work to lobby other schools on your behalf. So, while it may be an amazing opportunityâŠthink about how employers/grad schools may see it.</p>
<p>I think any lack of knowledge of the program will be made up the fact that you have infinitely more research opportunities than people in the College of Letters & Sciences. My roommate was in CCS Computer Science (but obviously had classes in the L&S Computer Science) and said there were many more research opportunities as well as interesting classes in CCS. I donât think grad programs are going to be concerned with grades (although non CCS programs do figure into your GPA) as much as the amount of research experience you can bring to their program.</p>
<p>Just to be totally clear, what are the explicit differences between English in CLS and Literature in CCS? I feel like English in CLS with a specialization in one of their offered specializations (American Cultures, Early Modern Studies, Literature & Culture of Information, Literature & the Environment, and Literature & the Mind), in tandem with a minor in something more along the lines of one of those specializations would be just as âimpressiveâ/ rewarding as Literature in CCS.</p>
<p>Question- If someone chose the english option here, would they be able to take any/all the classes that someone in Literature in CCS would have the opportunity to take?</p>
<p>Also, literature in CCS seems like it is much harder to get into, (not only because of the CCS application requirements, but also because English as UCSB is not a pre-major), and plus it seems so rigorous that you would almost not even have time for a double major or minor in anything else, whichâŠ</p>
<p>Question- I feel like a double major or minor is probably necessary to take in addition to majoring in either english or literature. How many more opportunities are available to someone with just an english or literature degree as opposed to someone with a secondary focus, such as the environment, or the mind? I feel like just english or literature is not enough for a unique and rewarding career, which, or course, is defined differently by everyone. In other wordsâŠ</p>
<p>Question- What career opportunities are available to someone with a degree in english or literature that are only available to someone with a degree in english or literature?</p>
<p>I know this is a lot, and I didnât word everything perfectly, so if you have an have any answers at all it would be so greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>CCS is a safer option where it lets you drop classes up until the last day of the quarter. I donât know anyone in the CCS program for any major with below a 3.50 GPA.</p>
<p>I know this is an old thread, but I had some questions and thought it best to append them here.</p>
<p>If I apply to CCS Biology, can I also double major or minor in physics? </p>
<p>I am specifically interested in biophysics and quantum neuroscience and I think CCS will be exactly the right environment since I am pretty sure that I know what I want to studyâI want to be a biology major while doing a majority of my research in the field physics (applied to neuroscience).</p>
<p>Yes. Although you can only be admitted to one major you can add a major (in CCS or in L&S) later. We have a number of current Biology majors working in Physics labs. </p>
<p>The CCS Physics program however has a fairly rigid (and very rigorous) structure in the first few years and it may be hard to take the required Physics courses for the Physics major in CCS and be a Biology major. Taking a minor in L&S Physics would certainly be possible but youâd have to ask yourself how many of those classes would be relevant to your interests and would you be better off taking the relevant classes to your interests in Physics and Engineering and not worrying about whether they fulfill a minor or not.</p>
<p>@ccsfaculty, thanks for your comments on this thread. My S has been accepted to CCS Biology program as per the UCSB admissions web site. Still awaiting the letter from CCS. Assuming he has been admitted, he is interested in pursuing the Bioengineering concentration with CCS Biology. Do you think there is time and room for him to do a minor in Computer Science.</p>
<p>Take a look at the Bioengineering curriculum. Thereâs barely room in there to swing a cat! I very much doubt this combination would be possible - largely because Bioengineering already IS like trying to do two majors at the same time.</p>
<p>ccsfaculty, is the admissions website a good indicator of who was admitted to CCS? My son applied to CCS as a first choice but the admissions website placed him in L&S. </p>
<p>Iâm afraid I donât know. UCSB admissions is a completely separate process that we obviously coordinate with but I donât know what information they make available and when. It may also depend on when the CCS application was turned in. We do have a pretty fast turnaround but the CCS application is reviewed by several faculty and that does take a little time. So its possible your son was admitted to UCSB before the CCS application was processed. </p>
<p>I will say though that if your son is not admitted but decides to come to UCSB anyway and then checks out CCS and decides that it is still right for him then I encourage him to apply again. We are only human and mistakes are made. Iâm personally quite happy to have a student prove me wrong and say âlook, ccs is perfect for me and Iâm a good student for you!â We have a rolling application so students can apply in their first quarter.</p>
<p>@ccsfaculty, thank you. We are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. Do you have any acceptance statistics in Physics?</p>