UCSD’s second college, John Muir College, admitted its first students in 1967.

The remarkable life of the nineteenth-century environmentalist, nature writer, and founder of the Sierra Club continues to inspire and inform the vision and core values of the college.  The college’s motto, “Celebrating the Independent Spirit,” expresses our wish for all our students to lead varied, successful, committed, and self-directed lives.

In this spirit, Muir College’s general education requirements are the most flexible of all the colleges, offering students from every major maximum freedom to choose courses that meet individual goals and interests within a framework that insures breadth and depth of knowledge across three major disciplinary areas.  These requirements combine individual choice and responsibility.  Our college encourages experiential learning programs such as education abroad and UC-DC.

John Muir College is a special place that is known for its welcoming, supportive community.  Muir students are recognized and respected for their individuality, fostering their Independent Spirit.