Integrated Core

A false color image of the South Polar region of the Moon indicating temperature variations

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner observations of surface temperature in the South Polar region of the Moon

Credit: Paige, D. A., Siegler, M. A., Zhang, J. A., Hayne, P. O., Foote, E. J., Bennett, K. A., ... & Lucey, P. G. (2010). Diviner lunar radiometer observations of cold traps in the Moon's south polar region. science, 330(6003), 479-482.

Anabaena flos-aquae cells floating buoyantly at the top of separatory funnels due to their expression of gas vesicles. Some pink haloarchaea are also in view.

Credit: Mikhail Shapiro

A photograph of Anabaena flos-aquae cells undergoing photosynthetic culture.

Credit: Mikhail Shapiro

A mouse gut imaged by a technique that renders it transparent together with fluorescent tagging of selected RNA strands

Credit: Dianne Newman

Global chorophyll activity from solar-induced fluorescence

Solar-induced fluorescence is emitted by photosynthetic plants and algae at a particular wavelength that can be observed from satellites, enabling global maps of the primary productivity of the biosphere.

Credit: Christian Frankenberg

Cell cultures expressing different concentrations of phenazine

Redox cycling of pyocyanin in cell cultures

Credit: Dianne Newman

The requirements of the core can be satisfied either by taking courses separated by discipline (i.e., introductory courses in math, physics, chemistry, biology, and humanities) or by taking the (new in 2025-26) Integrated Core, which teaches these same disciplines with a focus on the ways that these disciplines interact. A recent new story in Caltech Magazine describes the ideas behind Integrated Core.

Motivated by the observation that many critical problems in 21st century science and engineering demand cross-disciplinary solutions, the Integrated Core is designed to train a cohort of intellectually adventurous students to approach science holistically. While the course will begin with a focus on learning to solve problems that require tools from traditionally separated disciplines, a deeper underlying ambition is to build together towards a richer understanding of the natural whole from which these disciplines were historically carved. We believe that this training will prepare students well for any option that they may choose to study at Caltech and for whatever avenue they choose to pursue after graduation.

As an Integrated Core student, you will be taught by faculty who are passionate about research and teaching. This year, the problems you will be exposed to will have energy as their theme, spanning the challenges of space travel, sustainable energy production and consumption, and climate change. You will learn how abiotic and biotic factors contribute to these problems and their potential solutions, and you will come to realize that the deductive and inductive logic used across fields is very similar. While intense, this class will have many non-standard benefits, including field-trips (both on and off campus), laboratory experiments that integrate lecture concepts by way of hands-on problem-solving, training in humanistic considerations of how science and society are intertwined, and the chance to learn how to compose a hypothesis-oriented research proposal that could pave the way to a SURF project.

Unfortunately, we can only accept 24 students into the Integrated Core as our teaching program will best be accomplished with an intimate cohort. Enrollment in any component of the Integrated Core requires enrollment in all components of the Integrated Core and is available by application only. Portions of the core that are not included in the Integrated Core framework (e.g., Ma 1a and CS 1/1x) are intended to be taken concurrently with the Integrated Core (see Integrated Core First-year Schedule below).

Integrated Core consists of the following sequence of classes:

IC/Ph 1 abc. Integrated Core: Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism. 9 units (3-1-5); first, second, and third terms. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. An introduction to classical and modern physics. Topics included will be Newtonian physics, electromagnetism and light, special relativity, topics in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. The material will be introduced from the perspective of its application to space travel and sustainable energy production. Instructors: Refael, George.

IC/Ch 1 abc. Integrated Core: General Chemistry with Lab. 6 units (3-1-2) first term, 9 units (4-2-3) second term, 6 units (1-3-2) third term. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. An introduction to general chemistry focusing on the molecular level understanding of the structures, properties and reactivities of matter. The course introduces the physical and electronic structures of atoms and molecules, periodic properties, chemical bonding, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, equilibrium thermodynamics, acid-base chemistry, electrochemistry, kinetics, and fundamental reactions of organic and biochemistry. This material provides the foundation to develop the molecular basis of energy production, conversion, storage and transmission in both society and the biosphere, with carbon dioxide used as a reference system in the lectures and the lab to exemplify underlying chemical concepts. Satisfies the core requirements for Ch 1ab and Ch 3a/3x. Instructors: Rees, Blake.

IC 3. Integrated Core: Additional Introductory Laboratory. 3 units (0-2-1); third term. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. This introductory lab will allow the student to investigate many of the concepts discussed in the Integrated Core lectures in a laboratory setting. The labs will cover topics such as kinematics, angular momentum, electric motor principles, and electromechanical power conversion. Students will also have the opportunity to become familiar with basic electronic circuits and test equipment such as power supplies, multimeters, and oscilloscopes. The student will be expected to do data analysis and comprehensive lab write-ups. Instructor: George.

IC/Ma 1 abc. Integrated Core: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus. 6 units (3-0-3) first term, 9 units (4-0-5) second term, 3 units (2-0-1) third term. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. Linear algebra and multivariable calculus, including derivatives of vector functions, multiple integrals, line and surface integrals, theorems of Green and Stokes. Sequence of topics will be aligned with the applications of mathematics as they arise in the Integrated Core. Instructors: Graber, Gherman.

IC/Bi 1 abc. Integrated Core: Energy in Biology. 2 units (1-1-0) first term, 4 units (2-1-1) second term, 3 units (1-1-1) third term. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. A classroom- and laboratory-based introduction to fundamental principles in biology with a focus on bioenergetics. Topics include diverse modes of energy conservation, the relationship between catabolism and anabolism, free energy of the processes of life, and how microbial metabolic diversity has shaped the Earth and can be harnessed for energy and sustainability applications. Instructors: Newman, Bois.

IC/Ge 1 abc. Integrated Core: Energy, Climate, and Carbon. 1 unit (1-0-0) first term, 2 units (1-1-0) second term, 6 units (2-3-1) third term. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. Introduction to energy in the Earth system, with emphasis on the Earth as an interacting set of dynamical systems, energy balance in the climate, the role of greenhouse gases, and strategies to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Includes a 3-day field trip before the start of new student orientation in the Fall. Instructor: Asimow.

IC/Hum 55 abc. Integrated Core: Introduction to Energy Humanities. 3 units (1-0-2); first, second, third terms. Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in other integrated core classes and instructor's permission. This sequence of humanities courses will introduce students to political philosophy and ethics, historical research, and literary analysis, in conjunction with themes treated in other parts of the integrated core. Key topics will include the ethics of space travel, the history of Caltech energy research, and contemporary climate fiction. All three terms together count as the equivalent of a single 9-unit first-year humanities class; students may choose their other first-year humanities class from any area of humanities instruction. Instructor: Jahner.

Students enrolled in Integrated Core should expect their first-year schedule to resemble this model:

Integrated Core First-Year Schedule
Course number	1st term (Fall)	2nd term (Winter)	3rd term (Spring)
IC/Ph 1 abc Integrated Core: Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism	9	9	9
IC/Ch 1 abc Integrated Core: General Chemistry with Lab	6	9	6
IC 3 Integrated Core Additional Introductory Lab	-	-	3
IC/Ma 1 abc Integrated Core: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus	6	9	3
IC/Bi 1 abc Integrated Core: Energy in Biology	2	4	3
IC/Ge 1 abc Integrated Core: Energy, Climate, and Carbon	1	2	6
IC/Hum 55 abc Integrated Core: Introduction to Energy Humanities	3	3	3
Ma 1 a Calculus of One Variable	9	-	-
CS 1 or 1x Introduction to or Intermediate Computer Programming	9 or 6	-	-
Any first-year humanities course	-	-	9
Electives (Frontiers classes, Physical Education, Performing and Visual Arts, etc.)	up to 6 (or 9 if enrolled in CS 1x)	up to 9 academic and 15 total	up to 9

Frequently Anticipated Questions

What type of student should apply for Integrated Core?

Do you savor a challenge? Do you like connecting the dots? Does out-of-the-box thinking appeal to you? If so, you're the type of student that is ideal for Integrated Core. We're looking for students that are eager to understand the connections between disciplines. We hope for a cohort of students with a diverse range of likely major options that will each contribute a unique perspective to the experience. Integrated Core students are those seeking maximum exposure to faculty in a small-group setting and interested in helping us pioneer a new approach to learning.

I'm interested! How do I apply core for Integrated Core?

Submit the Application for Integrated Core (due June 23), which will ask why you think Integrated Core seems right for you and a little bit about your academic interests and preparation. Please note that applying for Integrated Core is a commitment to join if you are selected.

How will Integrated Core students be chosen?

The goal is to recruit a cohort of 24 students that are enthusiastic about embarking on this learning journey together with us. We seek a range of intellectual interests so that multiple perspectives on problem solving will be represented in the group. We will use the information you provide in the application form as well as information from your Caltech application and your Foundations Diagnostic results to select a cohort of 24 students.

When will I find out if I've been selected for Integrated Core?

We expect to send acceptances to selected students around July 1.

What happens if I place out of some of the core classes?

Because Integrated Core is integrated, students take all of it or none of it; you can't place out of of some of it. So, applying for Integrated Core and being selected does mean giving up the possibility of advanced placement (which is not determined until later in the Summer, and typically affects only a small number of incoming students, since relatively few place out of Core classes). However, Integrated Core will be a stimulating small-class experience that can meet advanced students at the level for which they are prepared.

How is Integrated Core different from standard Core?

Integrated Core takes a deliberately interdisciplinary approach to uncover the deep connections among all the areas of learning at Caltech, whereas the standard Core separates them. While the Integrated Core aims to cover the same foundational materials and prepare you for further study in any option, it will do so by applying this knowledge to some of today's socially and technologically important problems.

Will Integrated Core be harder or easier than standard Core?

It will be different. The work of integrating topics that you have so far studied independently will be challenging. It will cause you to think deeply and acquire essential skills. This will not be an easy way to avoid the challenges for which standard Core classes are well-known, but neither will we ask more than we believe our students can accomplish.

Will choosing Integrated Core affect my ability to continue into my chosen major?

Integrated Core is intended to be excellent preparation for every major option at Caltech. Students interested in biology will have space to take Bi 8 and Bi 9 alongside Integrated Core. Students interested in Computer Science will have space to take CS 2 and CS 3 alongside Integrated Core. The physics component of Integrated Core is pitched at a level similar to the analytical track of Ph 1 bc, and while the mathematics component of Integrated Core is not a perfect duplicate of analytical track Ma 1 bc, math majors will be sufficiently prepared as well.

What exactly does Integrated Core encompass?

See the course list above. Integrated Core covers physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, geological science, laboratory technique, scientific writing, and humanities. It satisfies that same graduate requirements as Ph 1 abc, Ch 1 ab, Ch 3a or 3x, Ma 1 bc, any Bi 1, any menu class, an additional introductory lab, and one first-year humanities class. It does not include (and Integrated Core students must also take) Ma 1a, CS 1, or an additional first-year humanities class.

What will I miss that my friends in standard Core will get?

The essential skills and knowledge covered by Integrated Core and standard Core will be similar. The main differences will be the order of presentation, the student-faculty ratio, and the experience of group work. Instead of self-organized study groups drawn from across the whole first-year class or from within your House, you'll be working with study partners drawn from the 24 students taking Integrated Core.As a result, we don't think that you will miss much, but the experiences will be different. The traditional core employs big lectures in big lecture halls; the Integrated Core will be a small-cohort experience. This means that the Integrated Core will be more interactive but will not reproduce, for example, some of the famous big lecture demos from Ph 1a. Both Math and Physics are split into analytical and practical tracks in the winter and spring term; the Integrated Core is not identical to either of these tracks and will cover much but not all of the material from the last few weeks of analytical Ma 1 c.

I hear there is a Field Trip. How does that work?

This is true! The Integrated Core experience begins with a three-day field trip aimed at seeing renewable energy installations in the real world as well as a sampling of the geological wonders of California. We will stay at a base camp with actual beds (no camping). Integrated Core students should plan to arrive at Caltech on Sunday 9/14/25 and be prepared to leave on the Field Trip in the morning on Monday 9/15/25. We will return to campus in the evening on Wednesday 9/17/25. This will not conflict with either International Student Orientation or First-Year Orientation. There may be some conflicts with Fall sports events, but we are trying to minimize these.

Why is energy the theme?

Energy is both a unifying principle across all of science and engineering and an umbrella for numerous critical social and economic challenges. Conservation of energy is the foundation for analysis of phenomena across physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth science. Generation, conversion, storage, and dissipation of energy underlie the functioning of everything from cells to organisms to ecosystems to nation-states and planets. If you're looking for connections between disciplines and a series of urgent scientific and technical challenges, energy seems to be the ideal lens through which to focus your thinking.

Will there be opportunities to tailor projects or labs to personal interests within the theme of energy?

Yes! Integrated Core is flexible and experimental by design. There are many ways that we can learn and apply the foundational content while exploring areas of special interest. We value student input and ideas and will be excited for you to help shape the path that we follow.

Can I switch out of Integrated Core?

We hope you won't! However, it is possible to do the first term of Integrated Core and then switch to standard Core. IC/Ph 1 a and IC/Ch 1 a cover the same foundational material as Ph 1 a and Ch 1 a. You will be ahead in math, as Integrated Core students take Ma 1 a and also get some of the material from Ma 1 b in IC/Ma 1 a. However, you will in this case still have to take two first-year humanities classes, a Bi 1 course, a menu course, Ch 3a/x, and an additional introductory laboratory.

Will this show up on my transcript as something distinct?

Yes. Instead of the standard Core classes (Ph 1 abc, Ch 1 ab, Ma 1 bc, etc.), your transcript will show IC/Ph 1 abc, IC/Ch 1 abc, IC/Ma 1 abc, etc. However, the course titles will make it clear to anybody reviewing your transcript that you have mastered the essential Core material (linear algebra, multivariable calculus, classical mechanics, electromagnetism, general chemistry with lab) that is required for a BS degree from Caltech. Your transcript will be both special (you will be able to brag that you completed this competitive, innovative program) and universally recognized.

How will it work in practice? What's the lecture schedule, what will homework be like, will there be more labs than standard core, is it more analytical or practical?

All good questions. The schedule will be a little different every term because we are avoiding conflicts with different existing classes. But we won't ever start before 9 AM, almost never conflict with lunch, and won't ever conflict with sports practices from 4-6 PM. 1st term Integrated Core is 27 units (the equivalent of three 9-unit classes), divided into 12 lecture hours, 3 lab hours, and 12 homework hours. 2nd term Integrated Core is 36 units (the equivalent of four 9-unit classes), divided into 15 lecture hours, 5 lab hours, 16 homework hours. 3rd term Integrated Core is 33 units, divided into 10 lecture hours, 10 lab hours, and 13 homework hours. If we add that all up, over the year is it 96 total units (37 lecture hours, 18 lab hours, and 41 homework hours). Compare that to the standard Core classes it replaces, which add up to a total of 99-102 units (37-40 lecture hours, 5-11 lab hours, 49-58 homework hours). The main difference that shows up is that Integrated Core is indeed notably more lab-oriented than standard core, by design. It trades off more hours working together in the lab for fewer hours working at home or in study groups on problem sets. Finally, we expect that the physics will be closer to analytical and the math will be closer to practical.

Will it be accurately unit-ed?

Yes. We take the unit count of our classes seriously. We will make every effort to ensure that the majority of students are spending the number of hours allotted to these courses, neither more nor less. Of course, there are natural variations in the pace at which students work, so inevitably some students will finish faster and some will need extra time. Needing extra time is a good sign that a student might need some extra support, and that support will be available.

Will there be teaching assistants, peer tutors, and office hours available?

Yes! We are recruiting a cohort of outstanding TAs that are interested in the philosophy and approach of Integrated Core and are qualified to teach the material. Because the material is pitched at the level of standard Core, the peer tutors recruited by the Deans' office to help with standard Core classes will also be well-positioned to offer help with Integrated Core. All the instructors will offer office hours as appropriate when they are leading the lectures and labs, and the other instructors will often be around to offer additional support.

How much programming and computation will be included?

We intend that nearly all the students taking Integrated Core will take CS 1 or 1x in the 1st term, which will provide adequate background for us to assign problem sets and lab data interpretation exercises that require some coding in Python. Computation is an essential part of every field of science and engineering, so Integrated Core will not shy away from demonstrating how and when actual research scientists incorporate such methods into their work.

What if I get placed into Wr 2?

It is possible to take Wr 2 and Integrated Core. Wr 2 students would take CS 1 in 3rd term instead of 1st term to avoid an overload in 1st term. Ideally students that need to take Wr 2 will have some prior programming experience so that, with support, they can participate fully in computational exercises that might arise during 2nd term.

What if I get placed into Ma 1a section 1 and Ma 1d?

Unfortunately, this is too many additional units to fit in with our planned schedule. We will not select for Integrated Core any incoming students whose Mathematics diagnostic results indicate the need for this additional support in math.

How will grades work?

The first two terms will be graded Pass/Fail, like all classes intended for new students in the first two terms. The third term will be on grades, like other third term classes, with the exception that IC/Hum 55 c will be graded P/F.

Who can I ask if I have more questions?

Please e-mail [email protected]