UC Merced is the newest campus within the UC system. The primary campus is located around five miles north of Merced and sits adjacent to Lake Yosemite. The main campus is around 1,026 acres (415 hectares) in size. Large swaths of protected natural grasslands surround the university.
Statewide, we offer a variety of academic clusters at four University of California campuses. Each cluster consists of two science and/or math courses and a science communication course. Courses are taught by active UC faculty and researchers. Students participate in hands-on labs, field activities, lectures, and discussions. Students also work on a related research project. Cluster sizes vary but typically range from 20-25 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is commonly 5:1.
COSMOS students participate in a selected “cluster,” with each cluster addressing advanced topics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, ranging from a variety of engineering disciplines, biomedical sciences, computer science, ecology, marine science, materials science, mathematics, physics and astronomy, robotics, game theory, & more.
Below is an overview of clusters offered in 2025. For more information about currently offered clusters and their focus, refer to the websites of the specific campuses.