California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Overview

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a small, private four-year research university with strong emphasis on science and engineering. It offers 24 majors (called "options"), which students declare at the end of their first-year, and six minors across six academic divisions. Caltech has a first-year, “core curriculum" with courses similar to MIT's GIRs. The core curriculum includes three terms of math, three terms of physics, two terms of chemistry, one term of biology, two lab courses, 12 terms of humanities and social sciences classes, one term of scientific communication, three terms of physical education, and one freshman "menu" course (topics like: astrophysics, environmental sciences and engineering, energy and society, or information and logic). Caltech runs on an academic quarter system (vs. semesters).

Location: Pasadena, CA

Number of First-Year Students: 240

Undergrduates: ~1,000 undergraduate students

Graduates: ~1,250

Faculty: 300

First-Year Programs of Note

The following are noteworthy programs that differ from MIT practices. Unless otherwise stated, assumptions should not be made about the effectiveness of these programs.

Bridge Programs

The Freshman Summer Research Institute (FSRI) provides students a 5-week summer research assignment with a Caltech faculty member, postdoctoral scholar, or graduate student. It also helps prepare students for the first-year math course. As with many other bridge programs, it is designed to introduce incoming underrepresented and/or underserved first- year students to the Institute’s research and math curriculum, culture, and academic and student support services.

First-Year Housing

Caltech does not have fraternities, sororities, or dormitories. Caltech has a House System that adopts positive aspects from Greek life and traditional dorm living. Each house has its own culture and personality and operates as a “self-governing living group.” Housing is selected and assigned through a “rotation” process during orientation. Prior to arriving on campus, students are assigned a temporary room and roommate. Over the course of eight nights, students eat dinners and attend events in each of the eight student houses, after which, they rate their house preferences. Housing decisions are made by an Inter House Committee (IHC) composed of professional staff and students. Most students get in to one or two of their preferred houses. Each house has its own way of selecting roommates in cooperation with residence life staff. Houses are co-ed with a mix of students from different classes (years) and with different majors. Only first-years student are required to live on campus, but nearly 80% of all students continue to live in their chosen house through graduation.

First-Year Seminars and Experiences

  • Freshman Seminars are designed to help first-year students develop relationships with faculty on a more personal level. Seminars are limited in size (10-15 students). All freshman humanities courses are limited to 15.
  • During the summer before arriving at Caltech, all students are assigned a common Summer Reading, and asked to consider how it might relate to their experiences at Caltech. After arriving on campus, students meet in small groups during orientation to discuss their thoughts about the reading. The reading assignment for fall 2017 was Lab Girl by Hope Jahren.

Undergraduate Research

First-year students are eligible to participate in The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF). SURF is more structured than UROP at MIT. It is modeled after the grant-writing process so students pair with a faculty mentor to define and develop a project, write a proposal, and then carry out the research over 10 weeks during the summer. Participants in the program also attend weekly faculty seminars, professional development workshops, dinners with faculty, and social and cultural activities.

Other Programs

The following programs are structured and implemented in a manner similar to those at MIT.

Advising

All first-year students are advised by faculty, who are all expected to serve in an advising capacity. After students select an option (major), they are assigned another adviser in their discipline.

Internships

First-year students are eligible for Summer Undergraduate Internships, although there are no opportunities specifically earmarked for first-years.

Learning Communities

Caltech has no formal learning communities due to an already small first year cohort each year.

Orientation

New Student Information and Orientation

Service Learning, Community-Based Learning

There are no programs specifically for first year students, but the Caltech Y coordinates a variety of programs each term that all students are welcome to join.

Undergraduate Research

Academic Year Opportunities: https://sfp.caltech.edu/programs/academic_year_opps

Caltech Student-Faculty Programs Office currently administers two Exchange Programs:

Writing-Intensive Courses

A scientific writing course is required in the curriculum, but not necessarily in the first year.