For any curriculum questions not addressed below, please contact the Next Gen. SAM program director. 

Where can I find out about the 4+1 program? 

Always refer to the most recent UCSC catalog, which is the 'final word' on the program requirement. 

Where can I find out which courses are offered when?

This webpage contains the curriculum plan for each academic year, including next year.  

Can courses taken as undergraduate count towards the MS? 

Yes, though restrictions apply:

• No more than 3 courses taken as undergraduate can be counted towards the MS (pre-requisite courses do not count towards the MS anyway).
• Students must satisfy the total credit requirement of both their undergraduate program (40 credits) and of the MS program (35 credits). 
• Students must still take a minimum of 35 credits while being enrolled as graduate students. 

Comprehensive vs. thesis track of the MS? 

The comprehensive track requires 3 electives and an exam, while the thesis track requires 1 elective, and a thesis. Students interested in pursuing a PhD beyond the MS are very strongly encouraged to pursue the thesis track, unless they already have had research experience as an undergraduate. Students in the comprehensive track can usually graduate by June of their MS year, while students in the thesis track usually graduate by the end of the summer of their MS year. 

How to find a research advisor (at senior and MS level)? 

Browse the departmental website to learn about the faculty's research interests. Select a few that pique your curiosity. Email the faculty to request an appointment, stating your interest in research. Try to read a few selected papers by the faculty prior to the meeting. Be prepared with questions on what the research project would be about, what courses you would need to take to be well prepared, and  what the timeline of the project would be. You may need to approach several faculty before you can find an advisor. 

UCSC provides a variety of resources to help student with their academic progress

The Learning Support Services provide students with additional tutoring. Several programs exist:  

• Programs offered in conjunction with a particular class (MSI, Small Group Tutoring)
• Drop-in Math advising
• Drop-in or individual writing tutoring

The Disability Resource Center provides a variety of accommodations and services to currently enrolled UCSC students with disabilities to support them in making the most of their educational experience.

Note that many of the deadlines for application to the following internship opportunities are early in the year (sometimes as early as Fall for the following Summer). Be ready to apply! 

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics keeps a repository of many internship opportunities for undergraduates and graduates. See the full list on this page. You will need to click on the various topics to see what each has to offer. 

The National Science Foundation promotes Research Experiences for Undergraduates at many different sites within the US. Please see this page for a list of applied mathematics internships, or more generally this page for any kind of REU (e.g. Physics, Astronomy, Engineering, Computing, etc.)

The Department of Energy National Laboratories offer a wide variety of internships for students at all levels. See here for the full list. 

NASA is a major provider of internships at all levels and in many different subject areas. See here for more information.

Many students wonder how to secure internships in a faculty-led research laboratory at UCSC. There is no official way to do so, but here are the steps you can take to find one. It will take a little courage and preparatory work, but research internships are increasingly important preparation for careers in both academia and industry, and are well-worth the investment. 

Step 1: Gather information about the kind of research that is done in Applied Mathematics and related fields.

• Read the websites of the AM faculty to see what their research is about
• Start talking to other students (undergrads in your class, as well as your TAs) and your professors, and ask them if they do any research, and if they do, what kind of research, and with whom.

Step 2: Identify which of these types of research sounds most interesting to you, and contact the faculty to ask more about potential research opportunities. Contact a few people. Note that: 

• You may not get an answer immediately, so try a few times and don't get discouraged
• You will have a better chance if this is a professor that you have had in class already. 

Step 3: Once you have an appointment to meet a faculty to chat about research:

• Prepare for your meeting: go to their website and look at a few of their recent publications -- inform yourself about their research. It does not matter if you don't understand it, but that will give you an opportunity to ask questions about it.
• In the meeting, tell the faculty you would like to do some research, ask them about opportunities, and what kind of preparation you need. Sometimes they have projects that require little preparation, sometimes they have projects that may require you to take additional courses. 

Step 4: If the faculty and you agree on a project, you can sign up for an independent study to get academic credit for the time spent doing research with them. Ask the faculty about this. If they are happy with your progress after 1 or 2 quarters, they may even offer to pay you ! 

If you are facing serious problems dealing with material needs such as 

• Food insecurity 
• Housing crisis
• Financial insecurity

Slug support is there to help. You can either self-refer to the program, or ask Next Gen. SAM staff to do it for you. The Slug Support team will develop an action plan focusing on helping you back on track through provision of support and resources. The earlier you deal with the crisis, the better the outcome. 

We have on campus food resources such as the the Redwood Free Market, providing free access to healthy food and connecting students to campus and community resources. The Produce Pop-Up, grown on the UCSC farm and gardens by UCSC students, and the Cowell Coffee Shop: For the Peoples, a non-transactional, student-run café committed to making healthy and sustainable food accessible to students facing food insecurity. 

The MESA program has a lounge, a kitchen, snacks, and is available to any student in the Next Gen. SAM program.

You should also always feel free to contact the Next Gen. SAM director, and/or the Next Gen. SAM counselor. 

Between academic stress, financial stress, family-related stress and personal stress, life as a college student can become overwhelming at times. CAPS offers various services to help you navigate through temporary or longer-term difficulties.

If you think you need help, you can either self-refer to CAPS, or speak with one of the Next Gen. SAM staff to get a referral. 

CAPS provides individual or group sessions to help students with issues ranging from 

• General counseling and psychological services (Psychological assessment and therapy; stress management; ADHD)
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• LGBTQ+ counseling and assistance
• Crisis assistance 

and many others. 

CAPS can also help you seek off-campus referrals if on-campus options are not sufficient.

Through its principles of community, UCSC strives to provide an environment where people can learn and work while being safe and healthy, free from violence and harassment. 

If you have been subjected to any kind of violence or harassment, several campus resources are at your disposition to seek the help you need to report it, prevent it from recurring, and heal. 

Sexual harassment and sexual violence

The UCSC Sexual Violence Prevention and Response website provides a comprehensive summary of the various options you have in order to report a problem and seek help, either immediately or later. 

Things to know:

• Faculty, staff and graduate students, as well as some undergraduate students, are legally required to report to the Title IX office any information they receive regarding sexual violence or assault perpetrated against another member of the UCSC community or affiliate.
• If you require confidential advice or help, please contact the CARE office. CARE Advocates can provide a variety of support with reporting, accommodations, case management, and healing.
• If you wish to report sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can either file a complaint with the Title IX office, or report a crime with the UC Police Department.  

Hate/bias-motivated crimes and incidents

Hate or bias-motivated crimes and incidents, and hate speech, that target people or groups based on such characteristics as race, color, socioeconomic class, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity, are not tolerated on campus. 

If you believe you have witnessed, or that you have been a target of, a hate-or-bias motivated incident on campus or while participating in a University-sponsored activity, you may bring the incident to the attention of the Hate/Biais Response Team using this online reporting form. 

UCSC is the home of many identity-based groups and centers that provide support to students, staff and faculty: 

For women: The UCSC Women’s Center affirms the dignity and diversity of all women. The center continues and challenges feminist traditions by creating community space for all women and their allies to achieve individual and social change.

For LGBTQIA+: The Lionel Cantu Queer Resource Center is the nexus of support and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community at UCSC.

For transfer and re-entry students: STARRS provides culturally responsive support to transfer, re-entry, veteran students, as well as students who do not have traditional family support due to experiences in the foster care system, with homelessness, abuse, parents who have been incarcerated, or other factors impacting their family life.

For First Generation students: The Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) aims raise the visibility of first-generation students at UCSC. EOP provides various academic and personal support programs to first-generation to college, low-income students with diverse social and personal identities and from historically marginalized backgrounds, so that they may achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals and become active leaders in their communities. 

For First Generation STEM students: The EOP STEM program serves first-generation and/or low-income students who are proposed/declared in STEM majors, or if you are interested in exploring a STEM major/minor, students are proactively invited to STEM-focused programs, workshops, and counseling services. 

For Latinx / Chicanx students: El Centro serves as a hub of organized activity and resources that support student transition, retention, graduation and academic advancement.

For African American students: The mission of the African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) is to provide support for the students in the African/Black community at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

For American Indian students: The American Indian Resource Center is dedicated to supporting the needs of American Indian students and increasing Native visibility on campus by advocating student centered programs, cultural events, and tools for academic success and well being.

For Asian American and Pacific Islander students: The Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC) provides and enhances opportunities for developing leadership, building a stronger sense of community on campus, and linking students to community service opportunities.