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Santa Barbara: Departments
Geography
Geography courses were first offered at Santa
Barbara when it became a campus of the University in 1944. Faculty
members of various departments taught these courses, notably J.
Fred Halterman, professor of economics, and Robert W. Webb, professor
of geology. In 1961, Robert B. Johnson was named lecturer in geography
and began to expand the curriculum. Johnson was joined by Patrick
J. Tyson in 1962. Five courses in geography were offered that year
and five in 1963.
The geography program, which had been administered
by the Department of Social Sciences, was included in the Department
of Sociology-Anthropology in 1961, when the former department was
split up. In 1963, anthropology and sociology became separate academic
departments and geography was put under the direct charge of the
dean of the College of Letters and Science. In July, 1963, Berl
Golomb and Robert W. McColl, then Ph.D. candidates at the Los Angeles
campus and the University of Washington, respectively, were named
lecturers in geography. In January, 1965, Golomb and McColl were
appointed assistant professors. Ronald J. Horvath was named acting
assistant professor of geography in July, 1965. He became assistant
professor in July, 1966.
A minor in geography was established in 1965.
In February, 1966, the A.B. program in geography was instituted.
Twenty-three majors were enrolled at the end of spring semester,
1966. The program remained under the chairmanship of the dean of
the College of Letters and Science, pending formal organization
of the department. source
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Geological Sciences
The first course in geology at Santa Barbara
State College was taught in 1939 by Ernest L. Bickerdike, professor
of chemistry in the science department. In 1940, courses in mineralogy,
petrography, and ore deposits became available following the appointment
of C. Douglas Woodhouse. Woodhouse contributed to the college, both
through his teaching and by the excellent research collection of
minerals that he gave to the University. Woodhouse also established
an annual senior award for outstanding geology majors.
In 1948, after Santa Barbara State College became
a part of the University (1944), a separate Department of Physical
Sciences was established, and Professor Robert W. Webb transferred
from the Los Angeles campus to develop additional work in geology.
Webb served as chairman of the physical sciences department from
1953 to 1959; under his leadership a geology major was introduced,
three additional geologists were added to the faculty, and the number
of courses increased to 15.
In 1960, the physical sciences department separated
into the present Departments of Chemistry, Geology, and Physics.
Geology, under the chairmanship (1960-63) of Robert M. Norris, offered
20 separate courses, had 22 undergraduate majors, and enrolled over
300 students in elementary geology.
Aaron C. Waters joined the faculty in 1963 and
under his chairmanship, a period of rapid growth ensued. Graduate
study leading to the doctorate was approved in 1964; ten graduate
students enrolled for advanced degrees in this first year. Excellent
laboratories equipped in part by extramural grants became available
in 1965. By 1966, there were more than 800 students enrolled in
undergraduate courses. source
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German, Slavic, and Semitic Studies
There is no history currently available
for this department.
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