University of California, San Diego facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of California, San Diego

Motto	Fiat lux (Latin)
Motto in English	"Let there be light"
Type	Public land-grant research university
Established	November 18, 1960; 64 years ago (1960-11-18)
Parent institution	University of California
Accreditation	WSCUC
Academic affiliations	AAU APRU URA Sea-grant Space-grant
Endowment	$3 billion (2023)
Chancellor	Pradeep Khosla
Academic staff	10,810 (October 2023)
Administrative staff	28,878 (October 2023)
Students	43,381 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	33,792 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates	9,589 (Fall 2023)
Location	La Jolla, San Diego , California , United States 32°52′48″N 117°14′02″W / 32.8801°N 117.234°W / 32.8801; -117.234
Campus	Large city, 2,178 acres (881 ha)
Newspaper	The Guardian
Colors	UC San Diego Navy, Blue, Yellow, and Gold
Nickname	Tritons
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Big West MPSF WWPA WIRA
Mascot	King Triton

The University of California, San Diego (often called UC San Diego or UCSD) is a large public research university. It is located in San Diego, California, in the United States. The university was started in 1960 near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

UC San Diego is the southernmost of the ten campuses that are part of the University of California system. It offers more than 200 different study programs for students. In Fall 2023, over 43,000 students were enrolled there. The university campus covers about 2,178 acres (881 ha) near the Pacific Ocean.

The university has twelve schools for undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies. It also has eight different residential colleges for undergraduate students. UC San Diego is known for its strong research. It works closely with other research centers like the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

UC San Diego is considered a "Public Ivy," meaning it's a public university with a quality similar to the Ivy League schools. It's known for "Very high research activity." Many faculty, researchers, and alumni from UC San Diego have won important awards. These include 27 Nobel Prizes, 3 Fields Medals, and 3 Pulitzer Prizes.

Discovering UC San Diego's Past

The idea for the San Diego campus began in 1956. It was first planned as a place for graduate students and research in science, math, and engineering. Local people supported this idea. They voted to give the university 59 acres (24 ha) of land near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

The university asked for more land, including the former site of Camp Matthews. There were some disagreements about where the new campus would be built. But in 1958, the city agreed to its part of the deal. Construction for the new campus was approved in 1960.

Herbert York, who was the first director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, became the first leader of the campus. He helped design the main campus. Early on, UC San Diego focused heavily on research. This was different from other universities at the time.

Many famous scientists joined the faculty early on. These included Nobel laureate Harold Urey and Maria Goeppert-Mayer. She later became the second woman to win a Nobel Prize in physics. The graduate programs started in 1960. Classes were held at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography before the main campus was ready.

By 1963, new buildings were finished for science and engineering. More buildings for social sciences and humanities were also being built. The first group of 181 undergraduate students started at Revelle College in 1964. The School of Medicine also welcomed its first students in 1966.

During the 1960s and 1970s, students at the university expressed their views on important issues. This was a time of change in the United States.

Early research at UC San Diego led to major discoveries. These include the Keeling Curve, which shows how carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are increasing. This was early evidence for global climate change. Other important work included the Kohn–Sham equations in chemistry and the Miller–Urey experiment on how life might have begun.

Engineering, especially computer science, became very important as the university grew. Researchers helped create UCSD Pascal, an early programming language. They also helped develop the National Science Foundation Network, which was a big step before the Internet.

Under Richard C. Atkinson's leadership from 1980 to 1995, the university grew a lot. It worked closely with San Diego companies, helping the city become a leader in technology. The Jacobs School of Engineering expanded rapidly. During his time, student enrollment doubled to about 18,000 students.

The university continued to grow in the 2000s. New professional schools like the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Rady School of Management were built. UC San Diego also became the first university in the western U.S. to raise over $1 billion in a fundraising campaign in 2007.

In 2017, the university announced that its sports teams would move from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. This change officially happened on July 1, 2020. In 2024, students expressed their views on campus. The university responded to these expressions.

Exploring the UC San Diego Campus

A wide view of the Jacobs School of Engineering area on Earl Warren College mall. You can see Geisel Library and several engineering buildings.

Geisel Library, a famous building named after Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss

UC San Diego is located in La Jolla, a neighborhood in northern San Diego. The main campus has 761 buildings and covers about 1,152 acres (466 ha). There are also natural reserves and other facilities nearby. The San Diego Freeway runs through the campus.

At the center of the university is the famous Geisel Library. It is named after Dr. Seuss because his wife, Audrey Geisel, gave a large donation. Library Walk is a busy path that leads from the library to other important buildings.

The main campus is designed around the library. It is surrounded by eight residential colleges: Revelle, Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. Each college has its own housing for students. The buildings in each college have different architectural styles.

Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute building

Besides academic and housing buildings, the campus has eucalyptus groves and the Birch Aquarium. It also has several important research centers. The Scripps Institution owns a seaport and ships for ocean research. The university also has large shake facilities for earthquake simulations.

UC San Diego works hard to reduce its carbon emissions and save energy. It has received high ratings for its commitment to sustainability. This means it tries to be environmentally friendly in its classes, buildings, and activities.

University Buildings and Facilities

The Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center, part of UC San Diego Health, houses cardiology and emergency medicine departments.

When the campus first opened in 1964, it only had Revelle College and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. As more students joined, especially undergraduates, the campus grew quickly. Muir, Marshall, and Warren Colleges were built from the late 1960s to the 1980s.

The university's engineering departments became the Jacobs School of Engineering in 1982. New buildings have been added as this school expanded. These include the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall. More recently, new professional schools and athletic facilities were built on the northern part of campus.

Art and Performance Spaces

UC San Diego has a special area called the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Theatre District. This area is home to the Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing Arts. It is shared with the La Jolla Playhouse, a professional theater that works with the university. They use four large venues for plays and musicals. Many shows that start here later go to Broadway.

Other art spaces include the Mandeville Auditorium and the Conrad Prebys Music Center for music. There are also buildings for visual arts. In 2022, the Epstein Family Amphitheater opened. It's a large outdoor venue for concerts and events all year round.

Public Art on Campus

The Warren Bear, a unique art piece made of boulders.

More than a dozen public art projects are spread across the campus. They are part of the Stuart Collection. One of the most famous is Sun God, a large winged statue by Niki de Saint Phalle. Other pieces include stone blocks, a house on top of a building, and metallic eucalyptus trees.

The Snake Path, located east of Geisel Library.

The collection also features the Snake Path by Alexis Smith. It's a path shaped like a coiling snake that leads to Geisel Library. A quote from John Milton's Paradise Lost is carved along its length. Another recent addition is Tim Hawkinson's giant teddy bear made of six large boulders.

The Ché Café is a well-known student center. It often hosts underground music and art events. Famous artists like Shepard Fairey have painted murals there. These murals feature important figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Angela Davis.

Getting Around Campus

UC San Diego has many parking spaces. It also offers other ways to get around. The university runs a free shuttle system for students, faculty, and staff. These shuttles connect the main campus to research centers and apartment complexes. Some shuttles now use biodiesel fuel to be more environmentally friendly. Electric shuttles are also being used on some routes.

The San Diego Trolley with its Blue Line Extension, reaching UC San Diego.

Since November 2021, students can also reach the university by the San Diego Trolley. The Blue Line was extended to UC San Diego, adding two new stations on campus. This helps reduce traffic and parking issues. All students can use MTS buses and trolleys, as well as most North County Transit District services, by paying a transportation fee.

New Buildings and Future Plans

Several new buildings are being constructed at UC San Diego. These are called "Living and Learning Neighborhoods." They will include student housing, classrooms, dining areas, and sometimes underground parking.

The first neighborhood, North Torrey Pines, was finished in 2020. It mainly houses students from Sixth College. Three more neighborhoods are currently being built. The Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood will house about 2,000 students and will be home to Eighth College. It is expected to open soon.

The Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood is also under construction. It will house 1,300 transfer and upper-division students. The Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Community will house 2,400 students, mostly from Thurgood Marshall College.

In 2023, the university announced plans for Triton Center. This new facility will offer many student services and an Alumni & Welcome Center. It is expected to open in 2026. The university also plans to build even more student housing in the future.

Learning at UC San Diego

UC San Diego is a large public research university. It offers four-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The university has 125 different bachelor's degree programs. These are organized into five main areas: arts and humanities, biological sciences, engineering, mathematics and physical sciences, and social sciences. Students can also create their own special majors.

Many students study social sciences (38%), biological sciences (25%), or engineering (18%). The university also has many graduate programs and professional schools. These include the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the School of Medicine.

UC San Diego offers 35 master's programs and 47 doctoral programs. It is known for its highly-ranked graduate programs in biological sciences, medicine, economics, physics, and computer engineering.

The university also has a program called the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. This program offers over 100 professional and specialized certificate programs. About 50,000 people take courses through this division each year. Courses are offered on campus, off-campus, and online.

Residential Colleges: Your Campus Home

Warren College, where many engineering buildings are located.

UC San Diego's undergraduate students are part of eight different residential colleges. Each college has its own leader, called a provost. They also have their own general education requirements and advising staff. Students choose a college based on its unique philosophy and environment. Majors are not tied to specific colleges.

The eight colleges, in the order they were founded, are:

• Revelle College (1964): Focuses on a "Renaissance education" with a strong humanities program.
• John Muir College (1967): Emphasizes "self-sufficiency and individual choice" with flexible requirements.
• Thurgood Marshall College (1970): Focuses on "scholarship, social responsibility," and understanding one's role in society.
• Earl Warren College (1974): Encourages students to balance their major with two other "programs of concentration."
• Eleanor Roosevelt College (1988): Has a core program called "Making of the Modern World" and encourages studying abroad.
• Sixth College (2001): Focuses on the connections between culture, art, and technology.
• Seventh College (2020): Its theme is "A Changing Planet," focusing on environmental sustainability.
• Eighth College (2021): Its theme is "Engagement & Community," focusing on solving local and global issues.

How UC San Diego is Managed

UC San Diego is one of the 10 campuses in the University of California system. It is managed by a 26-member Board of Regents. The current president of the University of California is Michael V. Drake. The main leader of UC San Diego is Pradeep Khosla.

Academic rules are set by the school's Academic Senate. This group includes all university faculty members. Nine vice chancellors help manage different areas like academics, research, and student affairs.

Research and Discoveries

The Applied Physics and Mathematics building.

UC San Diego is a top research university. In 2020, it spent over $1.4 billion on research. This makes it one of the highest-spending academic institutions in the U.S. The university has many research units. It also works closely with nearby research centers like Scripps Research and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

In 1977, UC San Diego created the UCSD Pascal programming language. In 1984, it was named one of the first national Alzheimer's disease research centers. In 2018, it received $10.5 million to create a center for studying materials under extreme pressure.

The university founded the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) in 1985. This center helps with high-performance computing for many science fields. In 2000, UC San Diego partnered with UC Irvine to create the Qualcomm Institute. This institute researches areas like photonics and wireless communication.

UC San Diego also runs the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO). SIO is one of the world's largest centers for earth science research. It was even around before the university itself!

University Rankings

UC San Diego is highly ranked among universities around the world. It is often listed among the top public universities in the United States. For example, Academic Ranking of World Universities ranks it 5th among public universities. U.S. News & World Report also ranks it highly.

Globally, UC San Diego is recognized as a leading research institution. It is ranked among the top 20 universities in the world by several different groups. These include the Nature Index and the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Many of its specific departments and graduate programs are also highly ranked. For instance, its biological sciences, bioengineering, and oceanography programs are often ranked among the best in the nation. Its engineering, computer science, and economics programs are also highly regarded globally.

Becoming a Student at UC San Diego

UC San Diego is a very selective university for college admissions. For the Fall 2022 school year, over 150,000 students applied. About 131,000 of these were new freshmen. Only about 23.7% of freshman applicants were admitted.

Graduate admissions are handled by the Office of Graduate Studies. However, some schools like the Rady School of Management have their own admissions process.

Life as a Student at UC San Diego

The university offers many activities for students. There are classical orchestras, sports, and over 550 student clubs. About 20% of students are part of Greek organizations (fraternities and sororities). The school year is divided into three parts called quarters.

Students have their own government called the Associated Students of the University of California, San Diego (ASUCSD). Graduate students have their own group called the Graduate Student Association. Each of the eight residential colleges also has its own student council.

The Price Center, a main student hub on campus.

Price Center, or PC, is the main student gathering place. It's located in the center of campus. The building has restaurants, a bookstore, a movie theater, and offices for student groups. It was expanded in 2008 to be almost twice its original size.

There are also special centers for students. These include the Cross-Cultural Center, the Women's Center, and the LGBT Resource Center. These centers help build a sense of community.

The Ché Café is a unique student-run place. It's famous for being a venue for underground music. It also serves vegan food. Many famous bands have played at the Ché Café. It's a hub for art shows and film screenings too.

Fun Traditions at UC San Diego

The Watermelon Drop in June 2007, a long-standing tradition at Revelle College.

The student government organizes many concerts and events throughout the year. Welcome Week kicks off the fall quarter, helping new students find clubs. The Hullabaloo music festival happens every November. Bear Garden is a carnival held near Price Center each quarter.

The Sun God Festival is one of the biggest annual events. It's named after the statue on campus. This festival takes place in mid-May and features art, dance, and music. Many famous musicians have performed there.

Another popular tradition is the Watermelon Drop. This happens at the end of the spring quarter. It started in 1965 from a physics question about dropping an object. Students drop a watermelon from the top of Revelle's Urey Hall to see how far the pieces fly.

Student Housing Options

The eight undergraduate residential colleges have their own unique housing. First-year students usually live in residence halls. Older students live in college apartments. Transfer students live in a separate area called The Village at Pepper Canyon.

The housing buildings have different designs, but most are modern. Most new freshmen and about 40% of all undergraduates live on campus. Graduate students can live in one of six apartment complexes.

The university also has special housing for students with specific needs. International House, located in Eleanor Roosevelt College, helps American and international students connect. It houses about 350 students from over 30 countries.

Students living on campus have access to dining facilities. These dining halls are known for being very vegan-friendly. Students get "Dining Dollars" to buy meals and groceries on campus. Each college has its own dining hall, and there are also specialty dining places and food trucks.

As of 2022, UC San Diego had over 18,000 student beds. This makes it one of the largest university housing systems in the U.S. The university guarantees housing for two years for new freshmen and transfer students. It plans to offer a four-year housing guarantee in the future.

Greek Life on Campus

UC San Diego has a large Greek community. It supports many fraternities and sororities. These groups belong to different councils. Social fraternities are part of the Interfraternity Council. Social sororities are part of the Panhellenic Council.

There is also a Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) with 8 fraternities and 7 sororities.

Unlike many other universities, Greek organizations at UC San Diego do not have their own chapter houses.

Sports at UC San Diego

On November 27, 2017, UC San Diego announced its plan to move its sports programs from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. This change began in 2020. The university joined the Big West Conference, which includes other UC campuses. Before 2000, the school competed at the Division III level.

The teams play at the university's RIMAC facility, Triton Ballpark, and RIMAC Arena. UC San Diego was ranked #1 among all NCAA Division II schools in 2018 for student-athletes. Its teams also ranked #1 in many sports among Division II schools.

The Tritons softball team playing in 2013.

The Tritons have won a total of 30 national championships in various sports. These include golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, and water polo. The 2006–07 season was their best since moving to Division II. Many teams qualified for post-season competitions that year.

The athletic mascot, the Triton.

Until 2007, UC San Diego was the only Division II school that did not offer athletic scholarships. A student vote in 2007 approved a fee to fund scholarships for athletes. This also helped increase coaches' salaries and hire more trainers.

In 2016, students voted to move the athletics program to NCAA Division I. This vote passed with a good turnout from undergraduate students.

The university also offers 30 sports club teams. These include badminton, baseball, cycling, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, and surfing. The UC San Diego surf team has won the national championship six times. UC San Diego does not have a football team.

Famous People from UC San Diego

• 

  Angela Davis
  A professor and activist known for her work on social justice.

• 

  Kuan Chung-ming
  A Taiwanese former government minister and professor of Finance.

• 

  Mike Judge
  The creator of popular TV shows like Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill.

• 

  Billy Beane
  President of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, known for his story in Moneyball.

• 

  Craig Venter
  A genomics professor famous for his work on the human genome.

• 

  Khaled Hosseini
  A physician and author of novels like The Kite Runner.

• 

  Nick Woodman
  The founder and CEO of GoPro.

• 

  Susumu Tonegawa
  A Nobel Prize winner in Medicine for his work on the immune system.

• 

  David J. Peterson
  A language creator who made languages for Game of Thrones.

• 

  Benicio Del Toro
  An actor known for his roles in many films.

Images for kids

• 

  Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego

• 

  Jacobs Medical Center as seen from the southwest path

• 

  UC San Diego Rady School of Management and a Seventh College dormitory.

• 

  West exterior of the School of Global Policy and Strategy

• 

  San Diego Trolley with Blue Line Extension to UC San Diego

• 

  Pepper Canyon West Living & Learning Neighborhood under construction as viewed from the UC San Diego Central Campus Station.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de California en San Diego para niños

• TRI-D (rocket engine)
• S*, a collaboration between seven universities and the Karolinska Institutet for training in bioinformatics and genomics