Sample Courses

Summer courses give students a head start in the areas of math, English, chemistry, and social science. Based on student Subject A and Math Placement Exam results, as well as career interests, Summer Bridge staff will place students in classes that best meet their academic needs. Students who feel they were placed in the wrong course will have an opportunity to appeal during the first three days of class.

• African American Studies R1A (4 units)
  Using themes and issues in African American Life and culture, this course introduces students to expository writing in conjunction with reading literature. Additionally, the course emphasizes close textual analysis, fosters critical thinking, and reinforces academic writing strategies. The course satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.
  Prerequisites: Passing score on the Subject A Exam
• Chemistry P (0 units)
  This course is designed to prepare students for Chemistry 1A, Cal's introductory chemistry course. Students will learn about atoms and molecules, moles, stoichiometry, limiting reagents, Lewis formulas, aqueous solutions, ideal gases, chemical equilibrium, and acids and bases. In addition, a weekly laboratory is required.
  Prerequisites: Score of 30 or better on the Math Diagnostic Exam
• College Writing N2 (2 units, pass/not pass)
  This course is designed to help students hone their critical strategies for reading, writing, and participation in college level discussions. The goals of the course are to explore, analyze, and practice ways in which language and writing are used in the university setting. This course fulfills the Arts & Literature requirement in the College of Letters & Science.
  Prerequisites: None
• Education 98/Introduction to Literature (3 units, pass/not pass)
  This course introduces students to a diverse sample of literary texts. Interpretation of texts as an act of reading rather than as an act of writing will be emphasized. By examining a broad range of texts, students will focus on understanding and developing their own style and process of reading.
  Prerequisite: None
• Math 96/College Algebra (1 unit)
  This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of pre-calculus. Students will learn to integrate algebraic concepts and to develop problem-solving strategies. This course is designed for students who do not meet the prerequisites for Math 32.
  Prerequisites: Score of 29 or less on the Math Diagnostic Exam
• Math 32/Pre-Calculus (4 units)
  This course is designed to prepare students for calculus. Students will be introduced to exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry, complex numbers, binomial theorem, conics, and analytic geometry. This course fulfills the prerequisites for Math 1A and Math 16A.
  Prerequisites: Score of 30 or better on the Math Diagnostic Exam
• Statistics P (1 unit, pass/not pass)
  This course is designed to introduce students to statistical theory and concepts. Students will learn standard measures of location, spread, association, and normal approximation. This course prepares students for Statistics 2, which fulfills the quantitative reasoning requirement.
  Prerequisites: None