Applicable only to students admitted during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Chemistry and Biochemistry

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Chemistry, and the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology.

Chemistry

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Initial academic advising is handled by the appropriate faculty area adviser. Students continue to consult with this adviser each quarter until completion of their course requirements. During this period, students also choose a Research Director to supervise their thesis research. The Graduate Study Committee, consisting of the graduate advisers and faculty area advisers, reviews each student’s progress quarterly. Notification in writing is given to students who are performing at a very high level and to those who are not making adequate progress. The faculty graduate adviser, faculty area advisers, and Director of Graduate Student Services are available for personal consultation.

Areas of Study

Inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials chemistry, biophysics, theory/computation, and analytical chemistry/measurement science and technology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

At least nine quarter courses (36 units) are required, of which at least five (20 units) must be graduate courses and the remainder upper division courses. Students must take a minimum of two courses in their major area and one course in an outside area. Choices may be made from the major areas as described under Doctoral Degree.

Substitutions may be made with consent of the faculty area adviser. With the consent of the faculty graduate adviser, courses of directed individual study, but not research courses, may replace any of the courses listed above.

Up to 24 units of Chemistry and Biochemistry 596 or 598 may be applied toward the total course requirement; up to 20 units may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement.

Teaching Experience

Not Required. Students who serve as teaching assistants must enroll in and receive a grade of S for Chemistry and Biochemistry 375 for each quarter they teach in order to continue teaching.

Field Experience

Not Required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

In exceptional cases, the comprehensive examination plan is used in lieu of a thesis. The comprehensive examination plan requires the satisfactory completion of four cumulative examinations.

Thesis Plan

Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to completion of courses: Three academic quarters (one calendar year).

From admission to award of degree: Three to six academic quarters (one to two calendar years).

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Initial academic advising is handled by the appropriate faculty area adviser. Students continue to consult with this adviser each quarter until completion of their course requirements. During this period, students also choose a research director to supervise the dissertation research. The Graduate Study Committee, consisting of the faculty and staff graduate advisers and faculty area advisers, reviews each student’s progress quarterly. Notification in writing is given to students who are performing at a very high level and to those who are not making adequate progress. The faculty graduate adviser, faculty area advisers, and Director of Graduate Student Services are available for personal consultation.

Minimum Progress. At the end of the first and second year, the overall progress of each student is evaluated by the Graduate Study Committee, taking into account performance in courses, written examinations, teaching, and research. The committee may recommend that students (1) proceed to the oral examination, (2) be redirected to the M.S. program, or (3) be terminated.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials chemistry, biophysics, theory/computation, and analytical chemistry/measurement science and technology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Candidates in each area of specialization should normally complete as a minimum the coursework indicated below. Some of these requirements can be met on the basis of orientation examinations and courses taken prior to entry into the graduate program. If the projected research falls in an area which differs appreciably from that anticipated by the field requirements listed below, students may be permitted appropriate modifications.

Inorganic Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry C172 or its equivalent, and satisfactory performance on the inorganic chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 207, C275, C276A,and C280; (3) one elective course from the following: Chemistry and Biochemistry CM205A, C213B, C215B, 215D, C223A, 232, 236, 241A through 241Z, 242, C243A, C243B, 244A, 244B, C245, 271, C274, 277, or other graduate courses with the approval of the inorganic chemistry area adviser. If the C274 requirement is waived, two electives should be selected from this list; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 278 and one quarter of Chemistry and Biochemistry 282; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Organic Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 30A, 30B, 30BL, 30C, 30CL, 136, and satisfactory performance on the organic chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 236, C243A, 244A; (3) three courses from Chemistry and Biochemistry 205A, 207, C243B, 244B, C245, C281, and 241B through 241Z, or other courses with approval of the organic chemistry area adviser; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 248 (minimum three quarters); (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 249B (one quarter); (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400; (7) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Physical Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 110B, 113A, and satisfactory performance on the physical chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C215A-C215B, C223A-C223B, or equivalent; (3) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228 each quarter; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 218 (one quarter). Substitutions may be made with consent of the physical chemistry area adviser; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Materials Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 113A, and either 136 or 172, or their equivalents, and satisfactory performance on the physical, inorganic, or organic chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C280 and C285; (3) two classes from the following: Chemistry and Biochemistry 207, C215A, C215B, C223A, C223B, 236, C243A, C243B, 244A, 244B, C276A, C276B; (4) one from: Chemistry and Biochemistry C240, C281, 267, 277, or any class from the preceding group not already taken.  Other graduate courses from outside of Chemistry and Biochemistry may also be used with approval of the materials chemistry area adviser; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228, or 248, or 278, every quarter; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Biophysics: Track A: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 110B and 113A or its equivalent, and satisfactory performance on the physical chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C215A, and C223 A, B; (3) 8 units from: Chemistry and Biochemistry M230B, 257, 269A, B, C, Physics 220, Physics 241A, B, C; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228 or 268, every quarter; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209. Track B: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 153A and 153B or its equivalent; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 269A, B, C, M230B or 257, C200 or CM260A, and one quarter of 258; (3) 8 units of additional graduate courses from: Chemistry and Biochemistry M230B, 257, M230D, CM260A, CM260B, Physics 220, and Chemistry and Biochemistry C223A, B; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 268 or 228, every quarter; (5) three lab rotations; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Theory/Computation: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 110B and 113A or its equivalent, and satisfactory performance on the physical chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C215A, B, C223A, B, and C226A, or C215A, C223A, and either C215B or C223B and 2 courses from the following: Chemistry and Biochemistry C245, C215C, C226A, CM260A, 269A, 269B, C276A; (3) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228, every quarter; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

Analytical Chemistry/Measurement Science and Engineering: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 110B and 113A, or 172, or 136, or their equivalents, and satisfactory performance on the analytical chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C243A and 244A, or C215A and C223A , or 207 and C276A, or C279 and CM205A; (3) Chemistry and Biochemistry C285 or 257; (4) 8 units from: Chemistry and Biochemistry C208, 236, C240, 266, 276B, Bioengineering C204, C231, M225, M248, or other engineering or medical school graduate level courses approved by the area advisor; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228, or 247, or 278, every quarter; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 203B and 209.

First Year Report for Students in Organic Chemistry

Students in organic chemistry must write a report for their adviser and one other organic chemist covering their progress and accomplishments in the laboratory. The report is due on November 1 of the second year in residence.

Teaching Experience

One year (three quarters) of teaching experience is generally required. Students who serve as teaching assistants must enroll in and receive a grade of S for Chemistry and Biochemistry 375 for each quarter they teach in order to continue teaching and maintain their standing in the PhD program.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations the University oral qualifying examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to University requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All Ph.D. candidates in Chemistry take a series of written tests called cumulative examinations. These are designed to encourage and evaluate the continued growth of professional competency through coursework, study of the literature, departmental seminars, and informal discussions with colleagues.

Three examinations are given per quarter at approximately monthly intervals. Students must begin writing the examinations in their second quarter of residence and must continue until they have passed four examinations. A maximum of twelve attempts are allowed. To remain in good standing, students must pass at least one of the first five examinations attempted. Students with a master’s degree from a U.S. university are required to pass three examinations out of nine attempts.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination consists of an original research proposal in an area distinct from the student’s dissertation research and done without assistance from the research adviser. The proposal is presented orally to the committee, and the committee questions the candidate on the proposal, general knowledge of the area, and dissertation research progress. The proposal represents independent work and offers the doctoral committee the opportunity to judge the student’s ability to think creatively and to formulate significant ideas for research.

All students are required to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination by June 30 of their second year. The committee’s decision to advance a student to candidacy, to allow the student to repeat all or part of the oral, or to disqualify the student, is based on the student’s overall record at UCLA as reflected in coursework and examinations, and the student’s research ability and productivity.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations. The Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree is awarded for the quarter in which students are advanced to candidacy.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Not required. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

The following are normal times to complete the requirements of the program:

From admission to completion of written qualifying examinations (see above for definition/description of these for each major): three to five academic quarters (one to one and two-thirds calendar years).

From admission to advancement to candidacy: six academic quarters (two calendar years).

From admission to award of degree: 12 to 18 academic quarters (four to six calendar years).

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A student may be recommended for termination by the Graduate Study Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the departmental chair.