Math 197 internship program

At UC San Diego, Math 197 is the Department of Mathematics version of AIP 197, the course corresponding to external internships; it is loosely modeled on CSE 197. Math 197 is available for enrollment during all three academic-year terms (fall, winter, spring) and summer special session.

Math 197 does not count for elective credit towards any major or minor offered by the Department of Mathematics. It can be used to meet CPT (curricular practical training) requirements for international students; however, please consult the ISEO for guidance about CPT.

I am currently the department's Math 197 coordinator; as such, all inquiries about Math 197 should be directed to me. The department does not offer AIP 197 supervision for AIP 197 except by special arrangement, nor for 197-numbered courses offered in other departments.

Requirements for enrolling in Math 197

• You must be a declared math major or minor. This includes all degree programs offered by the Department of Mathematics; I will also consider requests from students in degree programs with "math" in the name but operated by other departments (e.g., EN28).
• You must not have enrolled in Math 197 more than three times previously. (Contact me directly if this affects you.)
• You must find your own internship. I cannot help with placements; the department has a resources page that might be useful.
• You must have, or be in the process of obtaining, all necessary work authorization for your internship (see above about CPT).
• You must have an offer letter confirming that your internship meets the following requirements.
  • Summer internships should be of at least 8 weeks in duration, for full-time work (at least 30 hours per week). Academic-year internships should consist of at least 80 hours of total work.
  • Internship dates do not need to align to the UCSD academic calendar; however, at least two weeks of your internship should fall during the term for which you are registered. If this applies to multiple terms, you may enroll for any or all of them. Exception: for a summer internship, you may enroll in Math 197 during the following fall term instead of summer even if your internship does not extend into the fall; but for this you must arrange with me before the summer to complete most of the course activity during your internship.
  • The offer should specify on-site, hybrid, or remote work. Your position may be paid or unpaid.
  • You must be assigned a named mentor/supervisor who works full-time for your employer. (If the identity of your supervisor is not indicated by the offer letter, you can also put it in the EASy request or just email me that information.)
• You must establish some boundaries with your mentor/supervisor around what information you are allowed to share when participating in Math 197.
• You do not need to contact me beforehand unless you are requesting a variance from any of the listed requirements. However, you are free to email me any questions about Math 197 at any time.

How to enroll in Math 197

You will need to submit an EASy (Enrollment Authorization System) request for "special studies". Further instructions:

• Indicate me (Kiran Kedlaya) as the instructor.
• For summer, please register for the special session (not session 1 or 2).
• Register for up to 4 units of credit. If you need more than 4 units, contact me for guidance.
• Select the pass/not pass grading option. If you sign up for a letter grade, I will assign a B upon successful completion.
• Attach an offer letter from your employer meeting the listed requirements.
• Under "proposed plan", please give a brief explanation of your project and how you expect it to relate to your major. If possible, make connections with courses that you either have taken or plan to take at UCSD. Also, if you did not contact me previously, please indicate that you have read this page.
• Consult the math advising office if you are having trouble with EASy.

After your enrollment is confirmed, you will receive (via your UCSD email address) an invitation link to join the Math 197 Zulip discussion server. Please do this as soon as possible so that I can provide you with updates as needed.

What to do during your internship

• Let me know if any of the basic parameters of your internship change. These include the duration of your employment, the nature of your project, the identity of your supervisor, etc.
• Establish some boundaries with your mentor/supervisor concerning what information your employer considers to be proprietary.
• Submit weekly assignments as indicated on Zulip. Please also keep an eye on Zulip for other announcements.
• UCSD holds me responsible for "assuring that the student receives proper safety training and works in a safe environment." If this safety is ever at issue, please contact me immediately.
• Start thinking about how you will document your work (see below).
• Use Zulip to contact me with any questions!

How to receive credit for Math 197

• Maintain professionalism both at your workplace (including any nondisclosure obligations) and in the academic environment (including the UC San Diego policy on academic integrity).
• Submit required assignments on schedule.
• Prepare some documentation of what you did. This can take one of various formats, including a short writeup (1-2 pages), a poster, or a GitHub repository that I can access via my account. If you plan to present at the CSE Internship Symposium (see below), I recommend submitting a draft poster.
• Again, do not include any material that your employer considers proprietary.
• Show your documentation to your supervisor before sending it to me.
• Submit your documentation to me via Zulip (preferred) or email, by the Friday of exam week (for fall/winter/spring) or the last day of the special session (for summer).

The CSE Internship Symposium

Every fall quarter, CSE (the Department of Computer Science and Engineering) holds an Internship Symposium at which CSE 197 students have the opportunity to meet each other and present their work in a poster session. By special arrangement, Math 197 students who will be in San Diego in the fall (enrolled or not) are also eligible and strongly encouraged to present a poster; I will provide signup information when I receive it.

Attendance at the symposium is open to all students, alumni, and faculty. In particular, if you are a student considering doing a Math 197 internship, you may find it useful to attend the symposium to learn about what projects other students have done, how they arranged their internships, and so on.