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SPLASH

Summer Philosophy Launch and Social Hub


SPLASH is a summer program for all UC San Diego students with an interest in philosophy.  The program will specifically help students adjust to upper-division courses in philosophy at UC San Diego. As part of the SPLASH program, students will enroll in two philosophy summer courses (6 units total) specifically designed to help the transition into the philosophy minor or major at UC San Diego. Participants will get a chance to attend the following:

  • A meet and greet with world-famous philosophy professors to discuss philosophy life at UC San Diego 
  • A workshop with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to learn about course requirements for the philosophy major or minor, including how to petition community college courses to satisfy philosophy requirements and how to create a viable 2-yr or 4-yr course plan
  • Special office hours to receive personalized writing assistance with a philosophy Teaching Assistant
  • Social Hour with current graduate and undergraduate philosophy students
  • A kayak trip in La Jolla Cove led by award-winning local waterman and philosopher Craig Callender
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Credit: Nathan Rupert

 
Together, all of these activities will provide a smooth and fun transition to UC San Diego Philosophy, preparing students for successfully completing the degree and developing relationships that will last beyond graduation!

SPLASH is made possible by the Philosophy Department At UC San Diego. 

Dr. Reuven Brandt and Craig Callender serve as faculty co-directors.

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Course

This year’s SPLASH program main summer course is PHIL 163: Biomedical Ethics (4 units), taught by Prof. Reuven Brandt. Under the guidance of Dr. Brandt, students will develop and hone core philosophical and writing skills. This course also satisfies requirements for the philosophy major and minor. It also satisfies General Education requirements in many UC San Diego Colleges for transfer students and first-year students.

In this course, students learn about moral issues in medicine and the biological sciences, such as patient’s rights and physician’s responsibilities, abortion and euthanasia, the distribution of health care, experimentation, and genetic intervention.

Students will also sign up for PHIL 199: Directed Individual Study (2 units) with a faculty member in the philosophy department.

Dates of Program

SPLASH runs during Summer Session 2, August 4 to September 6, 2025.

Application Information

Applications due July 1st. Applications submitted after this date may still be considered if spots are available.

Apply through this Google Form: SPLASH 2025 Application

Students are required to apply to participate in the program and must also enroll for a letter grade in PHIL 163 and for P/NP in PHIL 199 through UC San Diego's Summer Session II.  All students will receive 6 credit units upon successful completion of the course requirements.  Spots in these courses are reserved especially for SPLASH participants.

All eligible students are encouraged to apply. SPLASH does not consider race, color, national origin, gender, or any other protected status as part of the application and selection process.

Financial Information

Students who enroll and participate in the SPLASH program will receive a stipend of $200.

For information about Summer Session tuition costs at UCSD, please visit the UCSD Summer Session Tuition and Fees page.

For information about financial aid for tuition costs, please visit the UCSD Summer Session Financial Aid page.

Contact

For any questions regarding the SPLASH program, please contact us at SPLASH@ucsd.edu.