In short, it is about basic mathematical and engineering principles that underlie the designs of Roman structures such as the Colosseum and Pantheon. See the Seminar Description page for more information.

June 25 through July 31, 2010 (summer session one).  Note that you must depart on June 24 (assuming you're departing from the USA) to be sure to arrive in Rome by June 25.  For more info, check the Air Travel guide.

Official program costs are posted at the Programs Abroad Office web site, where you will find the Program Cost (housing and other Rome-related costs) and the Registration Costs & Tuition (UCSD-related costs). In addition, you need to consider airfare and personal expenses (e.g., food, cell phone, personal hygiene, medicine, souvenirs, etc.).

One way to defray these costs is to apply for financial aid and scholarships, for which you can find out more by checking out the PAO web site.

Application information will be available at the Programs Abroad Office web site on October 20, 2009. In the mean time, check out the FAQ on the Programs Abroad Office web site and see the question "How do I get started?" which tells you various steps you can begin immediately.  Finally, you may also contact Jenny Garza at globalseminar@ucsd.edu for any additional questions (but read the FAQ so you are as informed as possible before speaking to her).

Apply early! Your order of application relative to other students is probably the single-most important factor in getting accepted. Most students easily fulfill the eligibility requirements (e.g., prerequisites, good conduct record, etc.), and so acceptance often comes down to, simply, who applied first. Once the maximum enrollment is reached (20 students), no more students will be accepted. So, get your application in as soon as possible!

The seminar is comprised of the following two courses (that are taken together):

• CSE 4GS: Mathematical Beauty in Rome
• CSE 6GS: Mathematical Laboratory in Rome

The first course, CSE 4GS, takes place in a classroom, where we cover theory (e.g., how does an arch work?), and the other course, CSE 6GS, is a "lab" that takes place in-the-field, at the various sites (e.g., the Colosseum, Pantheon, etc.) where we make observations and apply or verify the theory. Note: these are official UCSD courses, they just happen to be taught in Rome.

You get 8 units of credit, 4 units for each class.

These classes may fulfill certain specific UCSD requirements, depending on your college.  Specifically:

No. You will be learning deep and important principles of mathematics and engineering that transcend any specific discipline, including computer science. The majors of students who took the seminar in 2008 and 2009 included structural engineering, mathematics, computer science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, cognitive science, economics, biochemistry, etc. All you need is basic knowledge and interest in mathematics (Math 10A or 20A is a prerequisite). 

Yes! The principles actually relate very much to computer science, even though you may not immediately realize the connection. For example, a geometric construction, such as how to form the oval ground plan of the Colosseum, is simply an algorithm with basic operations that include drawing lines and circles. The complexity of geometric constructions can be analyzed just like algorithms are analyzed in computer science. A more provocative example is the following: one can argue that the ancient Romans invented the fundamental idea behind the design of the Internet. But you'll have to take the seminar to find out why!

Do I need to know how to speak Italian?

No, the classes are in English, just as if they were being taught at UCSD. And since Rome is a city with many American tourists, English is understood by many Roman establishments. Of course, knowing a little Italian can only help. Towards this end, there may be a "survival Italian" class provided as part of our seminar (held concurrently with our other two classes).

You should bring a laptop so that you can prepare the homework and use some software that you will be given. In addition, here is more information on what to bring.

The seminar is open to all students.

This seminar is part of the UCSD Global Seminar program, led by the Programs Abroad Office (PAO). You can find more information at the PAO web site.

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