Academic Life

COSMOS Course Clusters

COSMOS students enroll in one course "cluster" for the duration of the four-week program. Each cluster focuses on a different science, mathematics, or engineering topic. We have 18-24 students per cluster. For detailed cluster topics, and information, please visit our Cluster page.

COSMOS Course Instructors

Each COSMOS cluster is taught by a distinguished instructor drawn from the rich and diverse pool of scientists and researchers throughout the UC San Diego teaching community. For detailed information on each COSMOS instructor, please visit our Instructors page.

Final Research Project

For the duration of the 4-week program, with the help of their course cluster faculty, each student will identify and develop a research topic specific to their area of study. Students will have access to university resources including teaching laboratories and libraries to perform the research necessary to complete their project. As a requirement to receive their COSMOS Completion Certificate, each student is required to present their final project to their COSMOS peers on the last day of the program.

COSMOS Cluster 1 Students Featured on UCTV Computer Science Channel

COSMOS students participating in Cluster 1: Computers in Everyday Life were interviewed for this video, which highlights projects they were working on. This is a great snapshot into the academic side of COSMOS and offers a glimpse of the amazing opportunities offered in our program: "High school students from around the country spent part of their summer learning and living at UC San Diego. During the COSMOS program, they learn from professors in the Computer Science and Engineering department. Students get to create apps, robots and lifelong memories. Some even turned bananas into a piano." Link to video: https://www.uctv.tv/computer-science/search-details.aspx?showID=33917