Incoming PhD Student Orientation

Guide Sections:

Introduction & Timeline
Registration
New Student Orientation
Financial and Residency Resources
Campus Resources

The Bren School’s PhD Orientation activities include: 

Annual PhD Retreat
Save the date! Bren's Annual PhD Retreat for all incoming PhD students, along with current Bren PhD students, faculty, and staff will be held September 20-22! This year's retreat will be held at James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Bren School Bio Writing Presentation
Lisa Leombruni, Program Director for Environmental Communication at Bren, has created online resources for crafting your bio. Students will write their bios, have them peer-reviewed and upload them for use within the Bren community.

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. A training session will be incorporated into the Bren New Student Orientation schedule. 

Orientation Activities for New International Students

• English Language Placement Exam (ELPE) *Required for ALL International Students 
  he 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.

Math Camp for Economics and Environmental Science (EES) Emphasis

PhD students in the Bren School or the Economics Department may choose to supplement their PhD program by establishing an emphasis in Economics and Environmental Science (EES). If you are considering completing the EES Emphasis, we suggest that you consult with your advisor. The EES program suggests the following background prior to entering the program:

• At least one basic or intermediate level course in Microeconomics and Econometrics. A grade of B+ or better is recommended.
• Two courses in college-level calculus, AP test credit does not count. Grade of B+ or better is recommended. Advanced courses in calculus, mathematical statistics, and matrix and linear algebra.
• A proof-based course, usually in real analysis.

The Department of Economics runs a Math Camp for incoming Economics PhD students, and Bren Students who will pursue the EES emphasis. In the first year, students are required to take the Microeconomics and Econometrics core sequence of courses (Econ 241ABC and Econ 210ABC) and two connected preliminary exams at the end of the first year. Bren EES students are required to attend Math Camp prior to the start of these classes. Attending Math Camp ensures students have the math skills required for the EES program, but also helps them forge connections with the first year cohort and the Economics Department.

Mark Patterson (mark@econ.ucsb.edu) from the Econ department will be in touch with details about their Math Bootcamp.