What distinguishes TMC?
In keeping with its motto of "The student as scholar and citizen", Thurgood Marshall College believes that social responsibility and academic excellence go hand in hand. A hallmark of TMC is its spirit of community, as captured in its logo of three joined hands. The general education requirements of the college offer students a variety of choices in natural sciences, quantitative/formal skills, social sciences, humanities, fine arts, and public service. There is an additional "disciplinary breadth" requirement in any of these disciplinary areas, but outside the major field of study.
Unique to Marshall College is the Dimensions of Culture (DOC) Program, a core interdisciplinary sequence that has Diversity, Justice, and Imagination as its main themes. In this course, which includes intensive instruction in university-level writing, first-year students study American social issues and gain an awareness of American cultural perspectives. The TMC Honors Seminar, taught by UCSD faculty and distinguished community leaders, consists of weekly seminars on topics related to the themes of DOC.
The college sponsors a Public Service minor for all UCSD students, as well as a Public Service option with which TMC students can satisfy general education requirements. This course of study prepares students to serve as tutors and mentors at selected public schools in the area, including the Preuss School on the UCSD campus and the Gompers Charter Middle School in Southeast San Diego.
TMC has a strong two-year leadership program designed to make students a vital part of college governance. All students at Thurgood Marshall College are encouraged to become active members of the college, campus, and outside local communities.
