MEDS Curriculum Overview
Bren students are required to complete 52 units of coursework to earn their Master of Environmental Science and Management (MEDS) degree. The curriculum has two components:
During the 11 months, MEDS students develop in-depth skills by completing the immersive core curriculum. During the final two quarters, students take their capstone project courses as part of the curriculum.
How and When to Register for Courses at UCSB
See the Welcome New Students page on the UCSB Office of the Registrar’s website for instructions on how to register for classes with the UCSB Gaucho On-Line Data (GOLD) system. To see important dates for upcoming quarters, including holiday closures and final exam dates, view the UCSB academic calendar for the 2024-2025 year.
Students can see which courses to register for on our MEDS Academic Requirements page.
All incoming MEDS students can register for Summer classes during Pass 2, which begins April 22. MEDS Summer courses are only offered to MEDS students so all students will be able to enroll in these required courses. Consult the "Registration" tab on GOLD for the days/times of your pass periods. Register at the beginning of your designated pass times to take full advantage of your allotted time for registration. All Summer fees are due the first Wednesday of Summer Session B (August 7, 2024). Unpaid fees will result in a $50 late-payment fee.
For Fall quarter, students can register for classes during Pass 2 which begins May (date TBD) and closes September (date TBD). Students registering for classes after September 26 (the first day of classes) are subject to a $50 late registration fee. Please visit UCSB's Office of the Registrar website for more information regarding Fall Quarter registration pass times. Payment of fees is due on the first day of classes. Students pay for courses through their BARC (Billing Accounts Receivable Collections unit) account.
**You must be registered for courses in order for UCSB to pay any of your fees (i.e. if you have a fellowship or if you work as a TA or GSR).**
View the MEDS courses page for more information on summer courses. The Bren course schedules can be found on the Current Student Resources page under Academic Resources.
Summer Attendance Policy
For summer Environmental Data Science (EDS) courses, graduate students are expected to be present in person for every day of class. The intensive nature of the summer session means that missing even a day or two can significantly hinder your progress in the program – each day is equivalent to a week of instruction during which you will be learning crucial fundamentals. There is no online option to attend class remotely. Students should only miss a class if they are experiencing an illness or family emergency. If a student will miss part or all of a class, they must inform the instructor as soon as possible and devise a strategy to complete the coursework or risk not receiving a grade for the course. If you are feeling ill, please do not come to class and contact the instructor to arrange accommodations.
Purchasing Books for Courses
Required textbooks are listed in the course syllabus and/or in Canvas. Students are encouraged to purchase or rent their books online from sources such as Amazon.com or Textbooks.com. Bren School professors generally do not have their books available at the UCSB Bookstore. Students are also encouraged to check course syllabi for any additional course material not listed on the Bren website. Most course syllabi are linked to the Courses page of the Academic Programs section. Just click on the course number (e.g., EDS 212) to view the most recent syllabus for that class.
Students may use the listserv random@lists.bren.ucsb.edu to ask other Bren students about buying or selling books. Click here for instructions on how to subscribe.
Professors may require a course reader (a compilation of related readings not found in the required textbook) that may be purchased in person at either of the following locations:
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SBPrinter.com: UCSB University Center (UCen), Room 2264; Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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UCSB Associated Students (AS) Publications: UCen Room 1531, next to AS Cashiers and Ticket Office windows. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
INTRODUCTION & TIMELINE
What should you be doing now?
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
MEDS curriculum overview, core courses, how and when to register
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION
Computer specifications and software installations for the MEDS program
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
Important information on mandatory Bren School orientation events
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.