• Undergraduate Student Initiated Education (USIE)

    Empowering Students to Facilitate, Learn, and Lead

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Undergraduate Student Initiated Education (USIE) empowers juniors and seniors to design and lead lower-division seminars for their peers under faculty mentorship. Founded in 2005-06 through student initiative, USIE allows undergraduates to shape academic inquiry and foster peer-driven learning at UCLA.

As of Spring 2024, over 140 student facilitators have led seminars enrolling more than 3,100 undergraduates, creating a dynamic space for intellectual exploration and collaborative discovery.

Through the independent study courses and pedagogy seminars, Student Facilitators develop a formal syllabus for their Spring seminars for review and approval by the USIE Faculty-Student Advisory Committee and the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC).

Applications 2026-2027 are now LIVE! Register for an upcoming workshop for application tips, and advice from previous facilitators. Click the Eligibility & Application tab -> Workshops

Why USIE?Curriculum & RequirementsEligibility & ApplicationPrevious USIE SeminarsFAQFaculty Advisory CommitteeContact
Why USIE? 

Student Driven Experience

USIE is one of the only programs that allows undergraduates to design and facilitate their own courses

Faculty Mentorship

Every student facilitator works closely with a faculty mentor to ensure academic quality and rigor

Interdisciplinary Learning

Students create seminars that explore diverse and innovative topics, often ones that are in line with today’s most current issues and topics

Program Requirements

Enrollment into USIE is a year-long commitment.  Applications are due in Spring, for completion in the following year.

Year Overview

SPRING (application)
Applicants work with their faculty mentors to select a topic and develop a course proposal. Student applications are reviewed by the Faculty-Student Advisory Committee. Selection decisions are relayed to students by the end of the Spring Quarter.

Fall & Winter
Working closely with their pedagogy seminar instructors and faculty mentors, students complete a syllabus development seminar (Fall) to create a formal syllabus and a pedagogy seminar (Winter) to develop lesson plans and facilitation skills.

Spring
Facilitators offer their spring USIE seminars under the close supervision of their faculty mentor.

Required Coursework

Fall
Pedagogy Seminar (Honors 101E, 1 unit)
Contract Course (188 SA, 1 unit)

Winter
Pedagogy Seminar (Honors 101E, 1 unit)
Contract Course (188 SB, 1 unit)

Spring
Contract Course (188SC, 2 units)

Total Units: 6

Eligibility & Application

Applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration into USIE:

  • At least 90 units completed by the end of Spring quarter 2026;
  • Good academic standing;
  • Prepared to enroll in a two-quarter pedagogy seminar:
    • Honors Collegium 101E (1 unit, P/NP) during Fall
    • Honors Collegium 101E (1 unit, P/NP) during Winter
  • Prepared to enroll in a three-quarter contract course: [Faculty Mentor’s Dept] 188SA for Fall (1 unit, letter grade)
    • [Faculty Mentor’s Dept] 188SB for Winter (1 unit, letter grade)
    • [Faculty Mentor’s Dept] 188SC for Spring (2 unit, letter grade)
  • Applicants seeking to co-facilitate a seminar must speak with the USIE Coordinator prior to submitting their application. Please request a meeting via email at usie@college.ucla.edu.

NEW for 2026–27: Online Submission via JotForm
We are now using a JotForm submission portal for all USIE applications. The application for the 2026-27 year is available!

Application Deadline: Monday, March 30, 5:00 pm PST.

Note: Students proposing a seminar in the School of Public Health must obtain department approval before submitting a USIE proposal.

Full Application Packet (Reference materials)
These documents are provided to help you understand the structure of a complete proposal.
They are samples only and are not used for submission.

Individual Reference Forms
If you prefer to view materials separately:

How to Submit

  1. Complete the online USIE Application Form.
  2. Upload all required documents directly within the form
    • Resume
    • Tentative 10-week plan
  3. Important: Your faculty sponsor must email the signed Faculty Sponsor Agreement Form directly to Kara Brown, at usie@college.ucla.edu

Receive guidance from past facilitators, ask questions, and learn what makes a strong seminar proposal.  Join us for one–or both–of our upcoming sessions:

USIE Workshop
January 21 at 5:00pm (Zoom)
Register here

USIE Workshop
February 26 at 5:00pm (Zoom)
Register here

These workshops are a great way to hear directly from former facilitators and get your questions answered as you prepare your application.

Select the Right Faculty Mentor

  • Choose a faculty mentor with expertise in your seminar topic or a closely related field.
  • Reach out at least 2–4 weeks before the application deadline—developing a strong syllabus takes time

Design a Unique Seminar

  • Avoid duplicating existing UCLA courses—USIE seminars should explore new, interdisciplinary, or emerging topics
  • Consider whether your topic will generate student interest and encourage active discussion.

Refine Your Course Scope

  • Keep the topic focused—broad subjects can create workloads too large for a one-unit seminar
  • Work closely with your faculty mentor to adjust scope, readings, and assignments for a manageable course load.

Pro Tip: Look at past USIE seminars for inspiration!

More questions?  Check out the informational USIE workshop.

Previous USIE Seminars
Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants must have 90+ units upon completion of the current Spring quarter, and be in good academic standing.

The USIE program is ideally designed for a single student to create and facilitate his/her own spring seminar.  While co-facilitation is not encouraged, those interested will have to complete the following:

  • Schedule a meeting with the USIE coordinator (Kara Brown)
  • Provide a statement that justifies why yo wish to co-facilitate an how it will enhance your spring seminar
  • Provide a letter of support from your faculty mentor in which the faculty mentor agrees to mentor both facilitators and provide further support
  • Complete and submit separate USIE applications

Students may only offer a USIE seminar once during their undergraduate career.

Faculty Advisory Committee
Jessica Lynch

Jessica Lynch

Professor

Society & Genetics

Christopher Mott

Christopher Mott

Lecturer, USIE Pedagogy Instructor

English

Michelle Rensel

Michelle Rensel

Associate Teaching Professor, Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education

Institute for Society & Genetics

Hannah Whang-Sayson

Hannah Whang-Sayson

Assistant Director of Data Analytics

Teaching and Learning Center

Jennifer Lindhom, ex-oficio

Jennifer Lindhom, ex-oficio

Director, Honors Programs

Honors Programs

Meet the USIE Coordinator

Kara Brown is responsible for the administration of USIE.  Contact Kara at usie@college.ucla.edu for questions or concerns.

USIE IN THE NEWS

 

UCLA Undergraduate Education: Empowering Young People to Advocate for Social Change

Daily Bruin: From Pipettes to Policy, Science Educators Advocate for Change via Communication

Daily Bruin: UCLA Program Offers Seminars Developed, Facilitated by Undergraduate Students

Daily Bruin: Student Channels Fascination into Conducting Seminar on Franz Liszt

Newsroom: Army Veteran, a UCLA student, Teaches Class on Combat and Military Life

Daily Bruin: Student Facilitates Seminar on “˜The Lord of the Rings’ through USIE program at UCLA

Daily Bruin: Undergraduate Students to Lead Spring Seminars

Student Voices

USIE

“USIE did a great job affirming my professional aspirations. I’m going to graduate school next year. I think that this experience really emphasized my desire to take students under my wing in graduate school and really spread science more. It also helped make me more confident in my speaking abilities. I also had to do a lot of reading to prep for these classes so that was helpful in developing my knowledge on the topic I was presenting on.”