Bren School MESM Student Orientation
The Bren School’s MESM Student Orientation is required for all incoming students and will take place Monday, September 16 through Wednesday, September 25, 2024. The first day of Fall Quarter instruction is Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Orientation will introduce you to Bren School staff, campus resources, important MESM program information, degree requirements, UCSB and Bren policies, and, most importantly, your classmates! With multiple team building exercises and activities, this is a great opportunity for you to connect with your cohort before Fall Quarter begins. Additionally, you will be coached in scientific and professional writing, asked to submit a student bio and take a free professional headshot. Please note that orientation is mandatory. Students who must miss orientation, or part of orientation, for any reason, must let the Student Affairs and Admissions team know (admissions@bren.ucsb.edu).
The orientation draft schedule will be published shortly. It will include informational and training sessions to best prepare students to start their program. Please plan on moving to the area before the start of orientation on September 16. Please note that the times are subject to change, but we will try our best to adhere to the published schedule. For your reference, you can see a UCSB campus map here. For information about getting to campus, navigating to Bren Hall, where to park or get off the bus, etc., please see the Transportation section of the Campus Resources page.
New MESM Student Orientation activities include:
Bren School Writing Workshop
New MESM students are required to participate in a multi-part Writing Workshop. Lisa Leombruni, Program Director for Environmental Communication at Bren, will discuss communication training at Bren, and introduce principles of excellent writing.
Bren School Math Workshop
The “math bootcamp,” is designed to help students strengthen their quantitative skills. The Bren School emphasizes quantitative and analytical approaches to environmental problem solving, so it is essential for you to have an adequate mathematical and statistical foundation. The workshop will be held as part of orientation.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop
With an introduction by Sarah Anderson, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the Bren School, you will participate in a workshop led by Holly Roose, Program Director of the Promise Scholars program at UC Santa Barbara.
Required Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
All students are required to complete sexual violence prevention education for every academic year they are registered in classes. Students who fail to complete the training by the end of the spring quarter of their first year will have an enrollment hold placed on their record the following July. This training is also required to TA for every department on campus, if you do not complete the training, you will not be eligible to TA. You will be sent a link to an online educational program offered through Campus Clarity called Think About It: Graduate Students.
Campus-wide Orientation for New Teaching Assistants and Readers
Anyone with first-time Teaching Assistant (TA) or Reader appointments for the upcoming academic year (Fall, Winter, and/or Spring quarters) is required to attend a mandatory TA orientation hosted by UCSB's Graduate Division and Instructional Development (ID). If you haven't yet secured a TA-ship or Reader position but plan to pursue these opportunities in the 2024-2025 academic year, you should attend this training. For more information on TA and Readership positions, see the Financial and Residency Resources page.
UCSB-wide New Graduate Student Orientation
The UCSB Graduate Division expects all new UCSB master's and PhD students to attend their New Graduate Student Orientation. It provides a general overview of UCSB policies and resources related to graduate education on campus. Visit the Graduate Division's New Graduate Student Orientation website for more details.
Lab Safety Training Orientation
If you will be working in a lab, then you must complete the Fundamentals of Laboratory Safety (LS60) course offered through the campus UCSB Learning Center. The course is valid for 3 years. Click here to learn more about the UC policy on laboratory safety training.
Orientation Activities for New International Students
- English Language Placement Exam (ELPE) *Required for ALL International Students
The EMS Program will be administering an online placement process for new international students on Friday, August 16, 2024. Please check their website regularly for updates and registration details. This is free and is taken only once.
The English Language Placement Exam (ELPE) has both written and oral components and is required of all international students whose first language is not English (unless exempted, see below). Students must bring their UCSB Access Card or another photo ID to the exam and be prepared to provide their UCSB Perm ID number. More information is available online at the English for Multilingual Students (ESM) website.
Exemption: Non-native speakers of English are exempted from both the oral and written ELPE if they have completed all of their undergraduate degree (equivalent to a 4-year Bachelor's degree in the U.S.) at an approved English-medium institution as determined by the UCSB Graduate Division. Questions about exemptions to the ELPE (or about the exam itself) can be addressed to the EMS Program (jpatterson@hfa.ucsb.edu).
- CALI Training *Required for ALL International Students
CALI stands for California, and it also stands for Cultural Awareness, Laws, and Immigration — topics that have special importance for international students.
If you are an incoming international student, you are mandated (required) by Federal Immigration Policy to complete OISS CALI training. It will help prepare you for academic, social, and professional success as an international Gaucho at UCSB, a world-class research university.
There are three main components of CALI training: webinars, a video tutorial, and emails. The webinar series starts in summer. More information can be found here: https://oiss.ucsb.edu/programs/cali-training
Please note that these mandatory orientation programs might come with a fee of about $75.00, which will be automatically charged to your BARC account.
- Teaching Assistant Language Evaluations *Required for International Students planning to work as a TA. TA English Language Evaluations are arranged as necessary through the department you are working for as a Teaching Assistant. Visit the EMS TA information website for questions about the exam and contact your hiring department if you are required to take the Teaching Assistant Language Evaluation. The Bren School does not arrange TA language evaluations for MESM students.
INTRODUCTION & TIMELINE
What should you be doing now?
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
MESM curriculum overview, core courses, elective coursework, how and when to register
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
Important information on mandatory Bren School orientation events, including writing and calculus workshops, TA orientation, lab safety training, Graduate Division orientation, activities for international students, and more.
FINANCIAL & RESIDENCY RESOURCES
Cost of attendance, paying your bill, BARC, FAFSA, establishing residency, and employment opportunities.
CAMPUS RESOURCES
Graduate Student Housing, UCSB student ID cards, computing, university email, health insurance, transportation, campus resources, and more.