Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology

College of Letters and Science
Interdepartmental Program

Graduate Degrees

The Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP).

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

First year students are advised by the Faculty Administrative Committee (FAC) and MCIP IDP Chair. Throughout the first term, students are expected to consult with the MCIP IDP Chair or other members of the FAC to identify faculty whose research is closest to their own interests and who would be most appropriate for laboratory rotations. In subsequent quarters, students’ enrollment and performance in course work and laboratory rotations are closely monitored by the MCIP Student Affairs Officer. At the end of spring quarter of the first year, students are required to submit a Faculty Mentor Approval form, co-signed by the proposed mentor, to the FAC, which considers the choice of mentor and the ability of the faculty to serve in this capacity.

By the end of spring quarter of the second year, students are expected to form a doctoral committee. A formal doctoral committee form must be submitted and approved by the Graduate Division.  The student shall consult with the MCIP Student Affairs Officer for submission of this form. The duties of the doctoral committee are to evaluate the feasibility and adequacy of the planned dissertation project for satisfying the requirements for the doctoral degree. The doctoral committee should also be attentive to the professional development of the student, and be available to serve a professional advisory role throughout the student’s training.

The faculty evaluators from the student’s Written Qualifying Exam frequently become members of the doctoral committee, although the student or committee members may elect to change the committee composition to best reflect the expertise required for advising and analysis of the dissertation. In addition to the general advisory role of the doctoral committee, its duty is to administer the University Oral Qualifying Examination and the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation), as well as to read, approve, and certify the dissertation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete approved graduate course work in molecular biology, cellular biology, research ethics, and physiology during their first year. Students who have completed professional or graduate degrees (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., M.S.) prior to admission to the program may be exempted from required first-year course work if they have completed substantially similar courses elsewhere.

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter throughout graduate study. A student must successfully complete all graduate courses required for the program with a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

During the first year of graduate study, students are required to complete all of the following: MCIP 252; MCIP 262; MCIP 214 (research grant writing course); MIMG C234 (research ethics course); MCIP 296 (journal club) taken each quarter; and MCIP 596 (research training) taken each quarter. Students also are required to complete one graduate seminar each quarter of their first year of enrollment. The graduate seminar must be in the field of bioscience, physical science, mathematical science, or community health.

During the second year, students are required to complete one didactic course in their research area taken in fall quarter which is MCIP 290A, B, or C. The second-year course must be related to the student’s research interest and must be approved by the student’s mentor and the FAC. In addition, each student must take a total of three seminar courses during the second and third years. At least one of these three seminars must be taken during the second year. Students are required to complete the 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter in which they will serve as a teaching assistant. Students must enroll in the 375 Teaching Practicum each quarter they TA. The remaining units necessary for completion of the degree are fulfilled through MCIP journal club (296), research training (596), preparation for qualifying examinations (597), and dissertation research (599).

Program Participation:
Once in the fourth year, students are required to give a 1-hour presentation of their research project at the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology IDP student seminar series, held on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. MSTP and STAR Program students may give this 1-hour presentation earlier than their fourth year.

Teaching Experience

Students are expected to complete a minimum of two quarters as a teaching assistant, one quarter in the second year and one quarter in the third year for course work–courses approved by the FAC. Advanced students, such as participants in the MSTP program or students who already hold the M.S. degree may be exempted from the teaching requirement. These advanced students must obtain approval from their faculty mentor and the FAC. Students from the STAR program may teach but teaching is not a degree requirement.  The teaching requirement is completed in the second and third years of graduate study. Students must enroll in the 495 TA Training course before or concurrently the quarter they will serve as a teaching assistant and receive a grade of ‘S’.  Additionally, students must enroll in the 375 Teaching Practicum in the two quarters they serve as a teaching assistant and receive a grade of ‘S’.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The written qualifying examination must be completed by the end of winter quarter of the second year. Students are required to write a National Institute of Health (NIH)-style grant proposal that is the length of an NIH predoctoral (F31) fellowship (6-page research description, plus abstract/aims page, two year project scope). Each student independently selects the topic of the research proposal, designs the hypotheses to be tested and formulates the experimental approach. By the end of the second week of winter quarter, the topic (abstract) of the proposal requires approval in advance by the student’s chosen faculty evaluators and the MCIP IDP Chair. The student will prepare an abstract and should obtain the advice of their faculty mentor to nominate two appropriate faculty members to provide written critiques of their written qualifying exam. These written qualifying exam evaluation committee members do not necessarily become members of the formal doctoral committee, which is formed later. Although the topic and hypotheses are to be selected by the student, the student is free to consult with other individuals in formulating the experimental approach. The topic for the proposal may not be the anticipated dissertation research topic, nor may the topic be part of the active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s faculty mentor. The examination is graded pass/fail by the FAC based in part on recommendations from the faculty evaluators. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one re-examination by the same committee in the same examination format on a date no later than the end of spring quarter of the second year.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed before the end of fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of the dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, a description of preliminary findings and an experimental plan for addressing the specific aims. The dissertation proposal is then submitted to the student’s formal doctoral committee at least three weeks in advance of the examination. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the dissertation proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the technical applications to be employed in the dissertation; and (4) an understanding of potential experimental outcomes and their interpretation.

Students who fail may be permitted re-examination by the same committee in the same exam format on a date no later than the end of the following quarter. These students will have their standing in the graduate program reviewed by the FAC, in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor. Following that review, recommendation for or against continuation in the program will be made. Recommendations for continuation will be accompanied by specific requirements to be met by the student for preparation for retaking the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Doctoral Committee Meeting:

No later than 12 months following the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students are required to give a midstream oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their doctoral committee. The purpose of the presentation is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur in progressing toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, to approve changes in the dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination. The student’s dissertation adviser is required to summarize the committee recommendation in writing for inclusion in the student’s file.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

The 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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is specified as five years (15 quarters) for those students entering with a bachelor’s degree only. Students who enter with an M.D. or M.S. degree in a relevant discipline are expected to complete the degree in three years (9 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	24

Program Participation:

Once in the fourth year, students are required to give a 1-hour presentation of their research project at the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology IDP student seminar series, held on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. MSTP and STAR Program students may give this 1-hour presentation earlier than their fourth year.

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

 

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

African American Studies

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of African American Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in African American Studies.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The M.A. program is supervised by an interdepartmental faculty committee. Upon admission, students work with the staff graduate adviser and faculty adviser, who assist them with the formulation of their program of study for the first year. Students are expected to meet at least quarterly with the staff graduate adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. Students are encouraged to remain in continuous contact with both advisers regarding their program and academic success.

Areas of Study

The M.A. in African American Studies offers a wide-range of courses that provide historical, conceptual, and theoretical foundations for understanding global Black experiences. The department has formal linkages to various disciplines including anthropology, English, gender studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. Related courses are also offered in the following schools, departments, and programs: African studies, art, education, ethnomusicology, geography, information studies, Latin American studies, management, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, society and genetics, public health, social welfare, theater, and world arts and cultures. Topics covered in African American Studies will span a wide-ranging set of issues and geographical areas, theoretical frameworks, as well as analytical concepts and categories of identity, such as, race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and nation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

A total of 12 courses (48 units) are required for the M.A. degree: (1) Three of the 12 courses are required and are offered in the first year of the MA program: 201A. Survey of Black Studies: Themes, Issues and Concepts; and 201B. Survey of Black Studies Research Methods and 201 C. Research Proposal Writing Seminar; 2) Five courses (20 units) may be those related to the student’s research interest, all of which should be taken in the department; 3) Three elective courses (12 units) that could be upper division undergraduate courses and/or graduate courses taken within or outside the department (can include 400-level Education courses when taught by African American Studies faculty); and 4) Four units of African American Studies 596 (Directed Individual Studies or Research), 597 (Preparation for MA Comprehensive Exam) or 598 (Research for the Preparation of MA Thesis).

For this curriculum, 12 courses are required for the degree, of which eight (32 quarter units) must be at the graduate level. Only 12 units of Law courses are allowed to be double-counted toward the M.A. degree by petition to the Graduate Division.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Option A: (Comprehensive Examination) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the capstone plan. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. The examination is administered by a committee consisting of faculty members appointed by the department and is offered in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for the examination is given via African American Studies 597. The requirement for the exam option includes completing the written examination that is given during the final quarter of residency. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

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.

Option B: (Thesis) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the thesis plan. Before beginning work on the thesis, students should consult first with their academic adviser. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. In the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year in residence, students are required to officially nominate a master’s committee of three faculty members through the Graduate Division and are expected to submit a prospectus of their thesis. The thesis committee will consist of the student’s faculty adviser and two ladder-ranked faculty, one of which should be from the list of core or jointly-appointed faculty in the department, and the other may be from outside the department. After approval and completion of the thesis, the committee conducts an oral examination on its subject, usually in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for thesis research and preparation is given through African American Studies 598. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

Time-to-Degree

Approximately six quarters in residence are required from the time of admission to award of the degree. This presumes full-time student status and normal progression through course work. Students may view more detailed first and second year timelines on the program’s website.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	8

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology

College of Letters and Science
Interdepartmental Program

Graduate Degrees

The Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP).

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

First year students are advised by the Faculty Administrative Committee (FAC) and MCIP IDP Chair. Throughout the first term, students are expected to consult with the MCIP IDP Chair or other members of the FAC to identify faculty whose research is closest to their own interests and who would be most appropriate for laboratory rotations. In subsequent quarters, students’ enrollment and performance in course work and laboratory rotations are closely monitored by the MCIP Student Affairs Officer. At the end of spring quarter of the first year, students are required to submit a Faculty Mentor Approval form, co-signed by the proposed mentor, to the FAC, which considers the choice of mentor and the ability of the faculty to serve in this capacity.

By the end of spring quarter of the second year, students are expected to form a doctoral committee. A formal doctoral committee form must be submitted and approved by the Division of Graduate Education. The student shall consult with the MCIP Student Affairs Officer for submission of this form. The duties of the doctoral committee are to evaluate the feasibility and adequacy of the planned dissertation project for satisfying the requirements for the doctoral degree. The doctoral committee should also be attentive to the professional development of the student, and be available to serve a professional advisory role throughout the student’s training.

The faculty evaluators from the student’s Written Qualifying Exam frequently become members of the doctoral committee, although the student or committee members may elect to change the committee composition to best reflect the expertise required for advising and analysis of the dissertation. In addition to the general advisory role of the doctoral committee, its duty is to administer the University Oral Qualifying Examination and the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation), as well as to read, approve, and certify the dissertation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete approved graduate course work in molecular biology, cellular biology, research ethics, and physiology during their first year. Students who have completed professional or graduate degrees (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., M.S.) prior to admission to the program may be exempted from required first-year course work if they have completed substantially similar courses elsewhere.

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter throughout graduate study. A student must successfully complete all graduate courses required for the program with a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

During the first year of graduate study, students are required to complete all of the following: MCIP 252; MCIP 262; MCIP 214 (research grant writing course); MIMG C234 (research ethics course); MCIP 296 (journal club) taken each quarter; and MCIP 596 (research training) taken each quarter. Students also are required to complete one graduate seminar each quarter of their first year of enrollment. The graduate seminar must be in the field of bioscience, physical science, mathematical science, or community health.

During the second year, students are required to complete one didactic course in their research area taken in fall quarter which is MCIP 290A, B, or C. The second-year course must be related to the student’s research interest and must be approved by the student’s mentor and the FAC. In addition, each student must take a total of three seminar courses during the second and third years. At least one of these three seminars must be taken during the second year. Students are required to enroll 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment. Students must enroll in the 375 Teaching Practicum each quarter they TA. The remaining units necessary for completion of the degree are fulfilled through MCIP journal club (296), research training (596), preparation for qualifying examinations (597), and dissertation research (599).

Program Participation:
Once in the fourth year, students are required to give a 1-hour presentation of their research project at the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology IDP student seminar series, held on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. MSTP and STAR Program students may give this 1-hour presentation earlier than their fourth year.

Teaching Experience

Students are expected to complete a minimum of one quarter of teaching experience as a teaching assistant, either one quarter in the second year or one quarter in the third year for course work. Advanced students, such as participants in the MSTP program or students who already hold the M.S. degree, may be exempted from the teaching requirement. These advanced students must obtain approval from their faculty mentor and the FAC. Students from the STAR program may teach, but teaching is not a degree requirement. The teaching requirement is completed in the second or third year of graduate study. New teaching assistants must enroll in the Life Sciences 495 TA Training course before or during during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment and receive a grade of ‘S’. Additionally, students must enroll in the 375 Teaching Practicum in the quarter they serve as a teaching assistant and receive a grade of ‘S’.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The written qualifying examination must be completed by the end of winter quarter of the second year. Students are required to write a National Institute of Health (NIH)-style grant proposal that is the length of an NIH predoctoral (F31) fellowship (6-page research description, plus abstract/aims page, two year project scope). Each student independently selects the topic of the research proposal, designs the hypotheses to be tested and formulates the experimental approach. By the end of the second week of winter quarter, the topic (abstract) of the proposal requires approval in advance by the student’s chosen faculty evaluators and the MCIP IDP Chair. The student will prepare an abstract and should obtain the advice of their faculty mentor to nominate two appropriate faculty members to provide written critiques of their written qualifying exam. These written qualifying exam evaluation committee members do not necessarily become members of the formal doctoral committee, which is formed later. Although the topic and hypotheses are to be selected by the student, the student is free to consult with other individuals in formulating the experimental approach. The topic for the proposal may not be the anticipated dissertation research topic, nor may the topic be part of the active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s faculty mentor. The examination is graded pass/fail by the FAC based in part on recommendations from the faculty evaluators. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one re-examination by the same committee in the same examination format on a date no later than the end of spring quarter of the second year.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed before the end of fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of the dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, a description of preliminary findings and an experimental plan for addressing the specific aims. The dissertation proposal is then submitted to the student’s formal doctoral committee at least three weeks in advance of the examination. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the dissertation proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the technical applications to be employed in the dissertation; and (4) an understanding of potential experimental outcomes and their interpretation.

Students who fail may be permitted re-examination by the same committee in the same exam format on a date no later than the end of the following quarter. These students will have their standing in the graduate program reviewed by the FAC, in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor. Following that review, recommendation for or against continuation in the program will be made. Recommendations for continuation will be accompanied by specific requirements to be met by the student for preparation for retaking the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Doctoral Committee Meeting:

No later than 12 months following the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students are required to give a midstream oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their doctoral committee. The purpose of the presentation is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur in progressing toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, to approve changes in the dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination. The student’s dissertation adviser is required to summarize the committee recommendation in writing for inclusion in the student’s file.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

The 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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is specified as five years (15 quarters) for those students entering with a bachelor’s degree only. Students who enter with an M.D. or M.S. degree in a relevant discipline are expected to complete the degree in three years (9 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

 

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2023-2024 academic year.

African American Studies

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of African American Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in African American Studies.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The M.A. program is supervised by an interdepartmental faculty committee. Upon admission, students work with the staff graduate adviser and faculty adviser, who assist them with the formulation of their program of study for the first year. Students are expected to meet at least quarterly with the staff graduate adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. Students are encouraged to remain in continuous contact with both advisers regarding their program and academic success.

Areas of Study

The M.A. in African American Studies offers a wide-range of courses that provide historical, conceptual, and theoretical foundations for understanding global Black experiences. The department has formal linkages to various disciplines including anthropology, English, gender studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. Related courses are also offered in the following schools, departments, and programs: African studies, art, education, ethnomusicology, geography, information studies, Latin American studies, management, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, society and genetics, public health, social welfare, theater, and world arts and cultures. Topics covered in African American Studies will span a wide-ranging set of issues and geographical areas, theoretical frameworks, as well as analytical concepts and categories of identity, such as, race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and nation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

A total of 12 courses (48 units) are required for the M.A. degree: (1) Three of the 12 courses are required and are offered in the first year of the MA program: 201A. Survey of Black Studies: Themes, Issues and Concepts; and 201B. Survey of Black Studies Research Methods and 201 C. Research Proposal Writing Seminar; 2) Five courses (20 units) may be those related to the student’s research interest, all of which should be taken in the department; 3) Three elective courses (12 units) that could be upper division undergraduate courses and/or graduate courses taken within or outside the department (can include 400-level Education courses when taught by African American Studies faculty); and 4) Four units of African American Studies 596 (Directed Individual Studies or Research), 597 (Preparation for MA Comprehensive Exam) or 598 (Research for the Preparation of MA Thesis).

For this curriculum, 12 courses are required for the degree, of which eight (32 quarter units) must be at the graduate level. Only 12 units of Law courses are allowed to be double-counted toward the M.A. degree by petition to the Graduate Division.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Option A: (Comprehensive Examination) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the capstone plan. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. The examination is administered by a committee consisting of faculty members appointed by the department and is offered in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for the examination is given via African American Studies 597. The requirement for the exam option includes completing the written examination that is given during the final quarter of residency. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

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.

Option B: (Thesis) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the thesis plan. Before beginning work on the thesis, students should consult first with their academic adviser. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. In the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year in residence, students are required to officially nominate a master’s committee of three faculty members through the Graduate Division and are expected to submit a prospectus of their thesis. The thesis committee will consist of the student’s faculty adviser and two ladder-ranked faculty, one of which should be from the list of core or jointly-appointed faculty in the department, and the other may be from outside the department. After approval and completion of the thesis, the committee conducts an oral examination on its subject, usually in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for thesis research and preparation is given through African American Studies 598. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

Time-to-Degree

Approximately six quarters in residence are required from the time of admission to award of the degree. This presumes full-time student status and normal progression through course work. Students may view more detailed first and second year timelines on the program’s website.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	8

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology

College of Letters and Science
Interdepartmental Program

Graduate Degrees

The Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP).

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

First year students are advised by the Faculty Administrative Committee (FAC) and MCIP IDP Chair. Throughout the first term, students are expected to consult with the MCIP IDP Chair or other members of the FAC to identify faculty whose research is closest to their own interests and who would be most appropriate for laboratory rotations. In subsequent quarters, students’ enrollment and performance in course work and laboratory rotations are closely monitored by the MCIP Graduate Student Services Advisor. At the end of spring quarter of the first year, students are required to submit a Faculty Mentor Approval form, co-signed by the proposed mentor, to the FAC, which considers the choice of mentor and the ability of the faculty to serve in this capacity.

By the end of spring quarter of the second year, students are expected to form a doctoral committee. A formal doctoral committee form must be submitted and approved by the Division of Graduate Education. The student shall consult with the MCIP Graduate Student Services Advisor for submission of this form. The duties of the doctoral committee are to evaluate the feasibility and adequacy of the planned dissertation project for satisfying the requirements for the doctoral degree. The doctoral committee should also be attentive to the professional development of the student, and be available to serve a professional advisory role throughout the student’s training.

The faculty evaluators from the student’s Written Qualifying Exam frequently become members of the doctoral committee, although the student or committee members may elect to change the committee composition to best reflect the expertise required for advising and analysis of the dissertation. In addition to the general advisory role of the doctoral committee, its duty is to administer the University Oral Qualifying Examination and the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation), as well as to read, approve, and certify the dissertation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete approved graduate course work in molecular biology, cellular biology, research ethics, and physiology during their first year. Students who have completed professional or graduate degrees (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., M.S.) prior to admission to the program may be exempted from required first-year course work if they have completed substantially similar courses elsewhere.

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter throughout graduate study. A student must successfully complete all graduate courses required for the program with a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

During the first year of graduate study, students are required to complete all of the following: MCIP 252; MCIP 262; MCIP 214 (research grant writing course); MIMG C234 (research ethics course); MCIP 296 (journal club) taken each quarter; and MCIP 596 (research training) taken each quarter. Students also are required to complete one graduate seminar each quarter of their first year of enrollment. The graduate seminar must be in the field of bioscience, physical science, mathematical science, or community health.

During the second year, students are required to complete one didactic course in their research area taken in fall quarter which is MCIP 290A, B, or C. The second-year course must be related to the student’s research interest and must be approved by the student’s mentor and the FAC. In addition, each student must take a total of three seminar courses during the second and third years. At least one of these three seminars must be taken during the second year. Students are required to enroll 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment. The remaining units necessary for completion of the degree are fulfilled through MCIP journal club (296), research training (596), preparation for qualifying examinations (597), and dissertation research (599).

Program Participation:
Once in the fourth year, students are required to give a 1-hour presentation of their research project at the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology IDP student seminar series, held on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. MSTP and STAR Program students may give this 1-hour presentation earlier than their fourth year.

Teaching Experience

Students are expected to complete a minimum of one quarter of teaching experience as a teaching assistant, either one quarter in the second year or one quarter in the third year for course work. Advanced students, such as participants in the MSTP program or students who already hold the M.S. degree, may be exempted from the teaching requirement. These advanced students must obtain approval from their faculty mentor and the FAC. Students from the STAR program may teach, but teaching is not a degree requirement. The teaching requirement is completed in the second or third year of graduate study. New teaching assistants must enroll in the Life Sciences 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment and receive a grade of ‘S’.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The written qualifying examination must be completed by the end of winter quarter of the second year. Students are required to write a National Institute of Health (NIH)-style grant proposal that is the length of an NIH predoctoral (F31) fellowship (1-page specific aims, 6-page research description, plus references, two-year project scope). Each student independently selects the topic of the research proposal, designs the hypotheses to be tested and formulates the experimental approach. By the end of the second week of winter quarter, the topic (abstract) of the proposal requires approval in advance by the student’s chosen faculty evaluators and the MCIP IDP Chair. The student will prepare an abstract and should obtain the advice of their faculty mentor to nominate two appropriate faculty members to provide written critiques of their written qualifying exam. These written qualifying exam evaluation committee members do not necessarily become members of the formal doctoral committee, which is formed later. Although the topic and hypotheses are to be selected by the student, the student is free to consult with other individuals in formulating the experimental approach. The topic for the proposal may not be the anticipated dissertation research topic, nor may the topic be part of the active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s faculty mentor. The examination is graded pass/fail by the FAC based in part on recommendations from the faculty evaluators. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one re-examination by the same committee in the same examination format on a date no later than the end of spring quarter of the second year.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed before the end of fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of the dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, a description of preliminary findings and an experimental plan for addressing the specific aims. The dissertation proposal is then submitted to the student’s formal doctoral committee at least three weeks in advance of the examination. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the dissertation proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the technical applications to be employed in the dissertation; and (4) an understanding of potential experimental outcomes and their interpretation.

Students who fail may be permitted re-examination by the same committee in the same exam format on a date no later than the end of the following quarter. These students will have their standing in the graduate program reviewed by the FAC, in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor. Following that review, recommendation for or against continuation in the program will be made. Recommendations for continuation will be accompanied by specific requirements to be met by the student for preparation for retaking the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Doctoral Committee Meeting:

No later than 12 months following the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students are required to give a midstream oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their doctoral committee. The purpose of the presentation is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur in progressing toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, to approve changes in the dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination. The student’s dissertation adviser is required to summarize the committee recommendations in writing for inclusion in the student’s file.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

The 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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is specified as five years (15 quarters) for those students entering with a bachelor’s degree only. Students who enter with an M.D. or M.S. degree in a relevant discipline are expected to complete the degree in three years (9 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

 

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.

African American Studies

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of African American Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in African American Studies.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The M.A. program is supervised by an interdepartmental faculty committee. Upon admission, students work with the staff graduate adviser and faculty adviser, who assist them with the formulation of their program of study for the first year. Students are expected to meet at least quarterly with the staff graduate adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. Students are encouraged to remain in continuous contact with both advisers regarding their program and academic success.

Areas of Study

The M.A. in African American Studies offers a wide-range of courses that provide historical, conceptual, and theoretical foundations for understanding global Black experiences. The department has formal linkages to various disciplines including anthropology, English, gender studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. Related courses are also offered in the following schools, departments, and programs: African studies, art, education, ethnomusicology, geography, information studies, Latin American studies, management, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, society and genetics, public health, social welfare, theater, and world arts and cultures. Topics covered in African American Studies will span a wide-ranging set of issues and geographical areas, theoretical frameworks, as well as analytical concepts and categories of identity, such as, race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and nation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

A total of 12 courses (48 units) are required for the M.A. degree: (1) Three of the 12 courses are required and are offered in the first year of the MA program: 201A. Survey of Black Studies: Themes, Issues and Concepts; and 201B. Survey of Black Studies Research Methods and 201 C. Research Proposal Writing Seminar; 2) Five courses (20 units) may be those related to the student’s research interest, all of which should be taken in the department; 3) Three elective courses (12 units) that could be upper division undergraduate courses and/or graduate courses taken within or outside the department (can include 400-level Education courses when taught by African American Studies faculty); and 4) Four units of African American Studies 596 (Directed Individual Studies or Research), 597 (Preparation for MA Comprehensive Exam) or 598 (Research for the Preparation of MA Thesis).

For this curriculum, 12 courses are required for the degree, of which eight (32 quarter units) must be at the graduate level. Only 12 units of Law courses are allowed to be double-counted toward the M.A. degree by petition to the Graduate Division.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Option A: (Comprehensive Examination) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the capstone plan. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. The examination is administered by a committee consisting of faculty members appointed by the department and is offered in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for the examination is given via African American Studies 597. The requirement for the exam option includes completing the written examination that is given during the final quarter of residency. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

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.

Option B: (Thesis) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the thesis plan. Before beginning work on the thesis, students should consult first with their academic adviser. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. In the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year in residence, students are required to officially nominate a master’s committee of three faculty members through the Graduate Division and are expected to submit a prospectus of their thesis. The thesis committee will consist of the student’s faculty adviser and two ladder-ranked faculty, one of which should be from the list of core or jointly-appointed faculty in the department, and the other may be from outside the department. After approval and completion of the thesis, the committee conducts an oral examination on its subject, usually in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for thesis research and preparation is given through African American Studies 598. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

Time-to-Degree

Approximately six quarters in residence are required from the time of admission to award of the degree. This presumes full-time student status and normal progression through course work. Students may view more detailed first and second year timelines on the program’s website.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	8

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology

College of Letters and Science
Interdepartmental Program

Graduate Degrees

The Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP).

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

First year students are advised by the Faculty Administrative Committee (FAC) and MCIP IDP Chair. Throughout the first term, students are expected to consult with the MCIP IDP Chair or other members of the FAC to identify faculty whose research is closest to their own interests and who would be most appropriate for laboratory rotations. In subsequent quarters, students’ enrollment and performance in course work and laboratory rotations are closely monitored by the MCIP Graduate Student Services Advisor. At the end of spring quarter of the first year, students are required to submit a Faculty Mentor Approval form, co-signed by the proposed mentor, to the FAC, which considers the choice of mentor and the ability of the faculty to serve in this capacity.

By the end of spring quarter of the second year, students are expected to form a doctoral committee. A formal doctoral committee form must be submitted and approved by the Division of Graduate Education. The student shall consult with the MCIP Graduate Student Services Advisor for submission of this form. The duties of the doctoral committee are to evaluate the feasibility and adequacy of the planned dissertation project for satisfying the requirements for the doctoral degree. The doctoral committee should also be attentive to the professional development of the student, and be available to serve a professional advisory role throughout the student’s training.

The faculty evaluators from the student’s Written Qualifying Exam frequently become members of the doctoral committee, although the student or committee members may elect to change the committee composition to best reflect the expertise required for advising and analysis of the dissertation. In addition to the general advisory role of the doctoral committee, its duty is to administer the University Oral Qualifying Examination and the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation), as well as to read, approve, and certify the dissertation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete approved graduate course work in molecular biology, cellular biology, research ethics, and physiology during their first year. Students who have completed professional or graduate degrees (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., M.S.) prior to admission to the program may be exempted from required first-year course work if they have completed substantially similar courses elsewhere.

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter throughout graduate study. A student must successfully complete all graduate courses required for the program with a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

During the first year of graduate study, students are required to complete all of the following: MCIP 252; MCIP 262; MCIP 214 (research grant writing course); MIMG C234 (research ethics course); MCIP 296 (journal club) taken each quarter; and MCIP 596 (research training) taken each quarter. Students also are required to complete one graduate seminar each quarter of their first year of enrollment. The graduate seminar must be in the field of bioscience, physical science, mathematical science, or community health.

During the second year, students are required to complete one didactic course in their research area taken in fall quarter which is MCIP 290A, B, or C. The second-year course must be related to the student’s research interest and must be approved by the student’s mentor and the FAC. In addition, each student must take a total of three seminar courses during the second and third years. At least one of these three seminars must be taken during the second year. Students are required to enroll 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment. The remaining units necessary for completion of the degree are fulfilled through MCIP journal club (296), research training (596), preparation for qualifying examinations (597), and dissertation research (599).

Program Participation:
Once in the fourth year, students are required to give a 1-hour presentation of their research project at the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology IDP student seminar series, held on the second Tuesday of each month throughout the year. MSTP and STAR Program students may give this 1-hour presentation earlier than their fourth year.

Teaching Experience

Students are expected to complete a minimum of one quarter of teaching experience as a teaching assistant, either one quarter in the second year or one quarter in the third year for course work. Advanced students, such as participants in the MSTP program or students who already hold the M.S. degree, may be exempted from the teaching requirement. These advanced students must obtain approval from their faculty mentor and the FAC. Students from the STAR program may teach, but teaching is not a degree requirement. The teaching requirement is completed in the second or third year of graduate study. New teaching assistants must enroll in the Life Sciences 495 TA Training course before or during the quarter they receive their first teaching appointment and receive a grade of ‘S’.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The written qualifying examination must be completed by the end of winter quarter of the second year. Students are required to write a National Institute of Health (NIH)-style grant proposal that is the length of an NIH predoctoral (F31) fellowship (1-page specific aims, 6-page research description, plus references, two-year project scope). Each student independently selects the topic of the research proposal, designs the hypotheses to be tested and formulates the experimental approach. By the end of the second week of winter quarter, the topic (abstract) of the proposal requires approval in advance by the student’s chosen faculty evaluators and the MCIP IDP Chair. The student will prepare an abstract and should obtain the advice of their faculty mentor to nominate two appropriate faculty members to provide written critiques of their written qualifying exam. These written qualifying exam evaluation committee members do not necessarily become members of the formal doctoral committee, which is formed later. Although the topic and hypotheses are to be selected by the student, the student is free to consult with other individuals in formulating the experimental approach. The topic for the proposal may not be the anticipated dissertation research topic, nor may the topic be part of the active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s faculty mentor. The examination is graded pass/fail by the FAC based in part on recommendations from the faculty evaluators. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one re-examination by the same committee in the same examination format on a date no later than the end of spring quarter of the second year.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed before the end of fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of the dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, a description of preliminary findings and an experimental plan for addressing the specific aims. The dissertation proposal is then submitted to the student’s formal doctoral committee at least three weeks in advance of the examination. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the dissertation proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the technical applications to be employed in the dissertation; and (4) an understanding of potential experimental outcomes and their interpretation.

Students who fail may be permitted re-examination by the same committee in the same exam format on a date no later than the end of the following quarter. These students will have their standing in the graduate program reviewed by the FAC, in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor. Following that review, recommendation for or against continuation in the program will be made. Recommendations for continuation will be accompanied by specific requirements to be met by the student for preparation for retaking the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Doctoral Committee Meeting:

No later than 12 months following the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students are required to give a midstream oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their doctoral committee. The purpose of the presentation is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur in progressing toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, to approve changes in the dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination. The student’s dissertation adviser is required to summarize the committee recommendations in writing for inclusion in the student’s file.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

The 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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is specified as five years (15 quarters) for those students entering with a bachelor’s degree only. Students who enter with an M.D. or M.S. degree in a relevant discipline are expected to complete the degree in three years (9 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

 

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

African American Studies

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of African American Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in African American Studies.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

The M.A. program is supervised by an interdepartmental faculty committee. Upon admission, students work with the staff graduate adviser and faculty adviser, who assist them with the formulation of their program of study for the first year. Students are expected to meet at least quarterly with the staff graduate adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. Students are encouraged to remain in continuous contact with both advisers regarding their program and academic success.

Areas of Study

The M.A. in African American Studies offers a wide-range of courses that provide historical, conceptual, and theoretical foundations for understanding global Black experiences. The department has formal linkages to various disciplines including anthropology, English, gender studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. Related courses are also offered in the following schools, departments, and programs: African studies, art, education, ethnomusicology, geography, information studies, Latin American studies, management, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, society and genetics, public health, social welfare, theater, and world arts and cultures. Topics covered in African American Studies will span a wide-ranging set of issues and geographical areas, theoretical frameworks, as well as analytical concepts and categories of identity, such as, race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and nation.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

A total of 12 courses (48 units) are required for the M.A. degree: (1) Three of the 12 courses are required and are offered in the first year of the MA program: 201A. Survey of Black Studies: Themes, Issues and Concepts; and 201B. Survey of Black Studies Research Methods and 201 C. Research Proposal Writing Seminar; 2) Five courses (20 units) may be those related to the student’s research interest, all of which should be taken in the department; 3) Three elective courses (12 units) that could be upper division undergraduate courses and/or graduate courses taken within or outside the department (can include 400-level Education courses when taught by African American Studies faculty); and 4) Four units of African American Studies 596 (Directed Individual Studies or Research), 597 (Preparation for MA Comprehensive Exam) or 598 (Research for the Preparation of MA Thesis).

For this curriculum, 12 courses are required for the degree, of which eight (32 quarter units) must be at the graduate level. Only 12 units of Law courses are allowed to be double-counted toward the M.A. degree by petition to the Graduate Division.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Option A: (Comprehensive Examination) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the capstone plan. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. The examination is administered by a committee consisting of faculty members appointed by the department and is offered in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for the examination is given via African American Studies 597. The requirement for the exam option includes completing the written examination that is given during the final quarter of residency. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

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.

Option B: (Thesis) Students may elect to complete the M.A. degree through the thesis plan. Before beginning work on the thesis, students should consult first with their academic adviser. During the fourth week of the fall quarter in the second year, students are required to choose which option they wish to pursue. In the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year in residence, students are required to officially nominate a master’s committee of three faculty members through the Graduate Division and are expected to submit a prospectus of their thesis. The thesis committee will consist of the student’s faculty adviser and two ladder-ranked faculty, one of which should be from the list of core or jointly-appointed faculty in the department, and the other may be from outside the department. After approval and completion of the thesis, the committee conducts an oral examination on its subject, usually in the spring quarter of the second year. Academic credit for thesis research and preparation is given through African American Studies 598. (Refer to the department’s Graduate Handbook for further information).

Time-to-Degree

Approximately six quarters in residence are required from the time of admission to award of the degree. This presumes full-time student status and normal progression through course work. Students may view more detailed first and second year timelines on the program’s website.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	8

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. It also offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Islamic Studies.

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

When applying, students indicate their preferred specialization, and once admitted the student will be formally assigned a graduate faculty adviser(s) in their given field. If a student wishes to make changes to a faculty adviser prior to their MA exams, they will identify a new faculty member within the department, and submit a formal petition explaining the basis for the change to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGUS), along with the signed consent of the new faculty adviser. Once approved, the petition will be filed with the Student Affairs Officer.

New students should make an advising appointment at the beginning of their first quarter with their faculty adviser(s). During this appointment, students and their adviser(s) agree on a coursework schedule, their future program, and reading lists for their comprehensive exams. Prior to each quarter, the student will discuss and seek the approval of their plans for the next quarter with their adviser(s). If a student wishes to make changes after these plans have been approved by their adviser(s), the changes must be approved by both their adviser(s) and the DGUS before the change is made online.
Approval of all petitions concerning program requirements will require the signatures of the adviser(s) and the DGUS.

Student progress is reviewed annually. At the beginning of spring quarter, all students meet with their faculty adviser(s)and provide them with a written summary of their progress toward the degree and their goals for the coming year. Faculty advisers report to the student review committee, which meets to review student progress and advises each student in writing by the end of Spring Quarter as to whether their progress is sufficient to warrant continuation in the program.

Areas of Study

Major fields of specialization include Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Arabic, Armenian, Assyriology, Egyptology, Hebrew Bible, Iranian Studies, Jewish Studies, Near Eastern Archaeology, Semitics, and Turkic. Students may concentrate on language, literature, or archaeology in their selected field, but are expected to engage broadly with these fields of study as part of their individual program.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to pass an examination in one major modern research language other than English by the beginning of their fourth quarter in residence. The choice of the language is determined in consultation with their faculty adviser. Students in the master’s degree program specializing in Arabic may study an Arabic dialect rather than a major modern research language.

Students may satisfy the modern language requirement by one of the following methods: (1) a departmentally-administered examination that earns a grade of Pass; or (2) two years of language instruction at a UC campus or equivalent 4 year accredited institution, with a grade of B or better. Students are able to repeat an individual failed exam up to three times in subsequent quarters over a span of two years. Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the written final comprehensive exam for the master’s degree.

If students intend to continue toward the Ph.D. degree, it is strongly recommended that they acquire knowledge of a second major research language other than English while still a candidate for the M.A. degree.

Course Requirements

A minimum of nine upper division (100 series) and graduate courses (200 series) (36 units) is required, of which at least six (24 units) must be at the graduate level for a letter grade. Students are expected to continue to take graduate seminars for a letter grade before advancing to candidacy.

All students are required to study at least one Near Eastern language, although most programs will require both a primary and a secondary language. In Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, two languages are required. For the primary language, either Ancient Egyptian (including Coptic), Akkadian, Aramaic (including Syriac), Hebrew (with Ugaritic and Phoenician), or Old and Middle Iranian (including Old Persian and Middle Persian) may be chosen. For the second language, any of the above or Hittite or Sumerian may be chosen.

For Hebrew Bible, Hebrew (with Ugaritic and Phoenician) and a second Semitic language (e.g., Aramaic/Syriac, Akkadian) are required.

For Turkic, either two Turkic languages or Turkish and a second culturally related language are required.

In Arabic, Armenian and Iranian Studies (modern), a primary language and a second culturally related language are required.

For Semitics, three Near Eastern languages are required, at least two of which should be Semitic; the third may be Hittite or Sumerian.

For Iranian Studies (Old Iranian), students are required to study three Old and Middle Iranian languages (e.g. Avestan, Old Persian, Parthian, Middle Persian, Khotanese, Sogdian, and Bactrian).

Only eight units (usually two courses of four credits each) of a 596 course may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement.

Teaching Experience

Not required. In order to teach Arabic, graduate students from any discipline are required to complete Arabic 496 (Arabic Language Pedagogy) or the equivalent as determined by the Arabic faculty.

Field Experience

There are no field requirements for the MA for most programs. Archaeology students will participate in fieldwork during at least one term in connection with their program. If necessary, they may petition to count fieldwork during the 12 months preceding their matriculation or, in consultation with their adviser, construct an alternative summer program to meet the objectives of this requirement.

Capstone Plan

Final comprehensive examinations are required in the program’s major and minor languages, in addition to the history, literature, or archaeology of their major field.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Normative progress from graduate admission to conferral of the master’s degree is eight academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	8	8	16

Doctoral Degree

Advising

When applying, students indicate their preferred specialization, and once admitted the student will be formally assigned a graduate faculty adviser(s) in their given field. If a student wishes to make changes to a faculty adviser prior to advancement to doctoral candidacy, they will identify a new faculty member within the department, and submit a formal petition explaining the basis for the change to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGUS), along with the signed consent of the new faculty adviser. After advancement to candidacy, a student must get their committee and department chair approval to change any faculty on their committee. Once approved, the petition will be filed with the Student Affairs Officer.

New students should make an advising appointment at the beginning of their first quarter. During this appointment, students and their advisers agree on a coursework schedule, their future program, and reading lists for their comprehensive exams. In each subsequent quarter, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss their plans for that quarter with their adviser and obtain approval for their study list. If a student wishes to make changes in the study list after it is approved by the graduate advisor, the changes must be approved by the department chair or the graduate advisor before the student accesses the online enrollment system. Departmental policy requires the signature of the chair or the graduate advisor for approval of all petitions.

Student progress is reviewed annually. At the beginning of spring quarter, all students meet with their faculty adviser(s)and provide them with a written summary of their progress toward the degree and their goals for the coming year. Faculty advisers report to the student review committee which meets to review student progress and advises each student in writing by the end of Spring Quarter as to whether their progress is sufficient to warrant continuation in the program.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Major fields of specialization are Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Arabic, Armenian, Assyriology, Egyptology, Hebrew Bible, Iranian, Jewish Studies, Near Eastern Archeology, Semitics, and Turkic. Students may concentrate on either language or literature in their selected field but are required to do work in both.

Foreign Language Requirement

Two modern major research languages other than English are required. The choice of languages must be approved by the advisor, who may also require additional language skills in modern and/or ancient languages if such skills are needed for scholarly work in the area of the student’s interest. The requirement is fulfilled by one of the following options: (1) a departmentally-administered examination with a Pass; or (2) two years of language instruction at a UC campus, or equivalent 4 year accredited institution, with a grade of B or better. For modern language exams only, students are able to repeat a failed individual exam up to three times in subsequent quarters over a span of two years. Language proficiency must be demonstrated at the time of the scheduling of the Written Qualifying Examination for the doctoral degree.

Course Requirements

Students are required to achieve high competence in two languages and to familiarize themselves with the cultural backgrounds of each of the languages chosen. Students who study Arabic may request to use an Arabic dialect as their second language per faculty adviser approval given the dissertation topic. Students are required to familiarize themselves, through appropriate course work, with the history of the cultural area, and the methods of literary research and the history of literary criticism.

If the archaeology emphasis in the Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations specialization is chosen, students are required to achieve high competence in two ancient Near Eastern languages and must be well-versed both in the history of the cultural area and in archaeological methodologies.

Students who choose a language emphasis for the Ph.D. degree are required to add a third Near Eastern language to the two that are required for the MA degree.

Students in the Near Eastern Languages and Cultures Ph.D. program are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 annually to remain in good standing in the program.

Teaching Experience

Not required. In order to teach Arabic, graduate students from any discipline are required to complete Arabic 496 (Arabic Language Pedagogy) or the equivalent as determined by the Arabic faculty.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Written qualifying examinations must be passed before the formation of a doctoral committee. Candidates in languages are examined in three Near Eastern languages and the literary and historical background of at least two of them. Candidates in literature are examined in the literatures written in two languages within the cultural area of concentration and the historical and cultural background of these languages, with emphasis on one of them. Candidates in Arabic literature are also examined in one outside field to be determined in consultation with the advisor. Candidates in Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations are examined in two ancient languages and in the history and archaeology of the major areas of the ancient Near East.

Following successful completion of the course and language requirements and the written qualifying examinations, students are required to form a doctoral committee and take the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

To formally nominate a doctoral committee a student must email the Student Affairs Officer the committee, which is formed with email approval from all faculty committee members. The department chair or graduate advisor will sign off on the final committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

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 for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

Ph.D. students are expected to respect the following normative guidelines in carrying out their program. From admission to the Ph.D. program (i.e., after obtaining the M.A. degree) to:

(1)  the written qualifying examinations – six academic quarters.

(2) the oral qualifying examination and approval of the dissertation prospectus – twelve academic quarters (and four summer terms).

(3) the conferral of the Ph.D. degree – eighteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	12	18	28

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standards reasons outlined above, a student may specifically be recommended for academic disqualification because of: (1) a terminal master’s degree recommendation from the student’s master’s committee; (2) inadequate scholarship as recommended by the Graduate Committee; or (3) inadequate progress toward the degree as recommended by the departmental section in the student’s specialization.

In all cases, the student’s academic progress is discussed in depth by the departmental section that made the recommendation. A recommendation for academic disqualification is forwarded to the departmental chair for review and decision. The student is notified of a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification by stating the reasons in writing to the departmental chair. The chair transmits the appeal to the student’s departmental section for consideration.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Molecular and Medical Pharmacology

School of Medicine

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Molecular and Medical Pharmacology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

A graduate adviser is assigned for new entering graduate students or students in their first year of study. Students must obtain approval from this adviser for enrollment in courses each quarter. The adviser also is available to discuss overall academic progress. By the beginning of the second year, students choose a faculty member to serve as adviser for their thesis research.

Areas of Study

Consult the department.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.S. degree requires satisfactory completion of the required courses as listed under Course Requirements for the Doctoral Degree.

Required: Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 200 (three quarters), 237 (two quarters), 251 (must be taken every quarter during the first and second year) 291, and 292. MIMG C234 must be taken during spring quarter of first year. After rotations are completed, M Pharm 596 or 599 must be taken until program completion.

Recommended Electives: Molecular and Medical Pharmacology M248, 288; Molecular Biology 298; a course in biostatistics.

M Pharm 596 and 599 may be applied toward the degree. Up to eight units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the total course requirements, four units toward the minimum graduate course requirement.

Required Courses
3 x M Pharm 200	24
2 x M Pharm 237	6
6 x M Pharm 251	12
M Pharm 291	4
M Pharm 292	6
MIMG C234	2
1 500-series	Varies (1-8)
Total Required Units	54

Teaching Experience

Seminar presentations are required of all students in the graduate program. Students may participate as teaching assistants in undergraduate, medical, or graduate courses.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

None.

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.

The M.S. degree requires satisfactory completion of a thesis.

To obtain the M.S. degree, the student must formally request approval by the graduate training committee. If approved, a guidance committee, proposed by the student and approved by the graduate training committee, reviews the thesis. None of the research conducted for the M.S. thesis may be applied to a Ph.D. degree at a later time.

Time-to-Degree

The time to final completion of the graduate program is expected to be six to nine quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Pre-Advancement to Candidacy (ATC): A graduate adviser is assigned for new entering graduate students or students in their first year of study. Students must obtain approval from this adviser for enrollment in courses each quarter. The adviser also is available to discuss overall academic progress. By the start of the fall quarter of the second year, students choose a faculty member to serve as adviser for their dissertation research.

Doctoral Committee:  Student will form their Doctoral Committee during Spring quarter of their second year.  The committee must include one Graduate Training Committee (GTC) member.  The Doctoral Committee must have a minimum of four members, including one faculty member who does not have an appointment in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology.

The GTC member will chair the ATC oral examination administered by the student’s doctoral committee.  The faculty mentor is present only to provide answers to questions asked of him/her by the other committee members, for clarification of student comments when asked by the other committee members, and to address other concerns of the committee members.

Post-Advancement to Candidacy (ATC): After ATC and before the final oral examination, students are required to meet at least once annually with their doctoral committee. For this annual progress meeting, students are expected to give a presentation on their dissertation research. Students should be prepared to engage in a discussion with the committee members who will offer guidance on the progress and direction of the research project. The annual committee meeting is chaired by the student’s faculty mentor, who is an active, engaged participant at these meetings.  At the end of the annual meeting, each committee member must complete an evaluation form and return it to the faculty mentor.  The faculty mentor will discuss the evaluation and provide feedback to the student, and submit the evaluations forms and a committee meeting report to the Student Affairs Officer.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Animal models of disease; biochemistry; cardiovascular pharmacology; cell biology; chemical pharmacology; drug discovery; functional genomics; gene and cell-based therapy; immunology; medical pharmacology; molecular imaging; molecular pharmacology; immuno-pharmacology; neuroendocrine pharmacology; neuropharmacology; psychopharmacology; nuclear medicine (positron emission tomography); pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics; signal transduction; structural biology; systems biology; theranostics; toxicology; and virology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Required: Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 200 (three quarters), 237, 251 (must be taken every quarter during first and second year), 291, 292. MIMG C234 must be taken during spring quarter of first year.  After rotations are completed, M Pharm 596 or 599 must be taken until program completion.

Recommended Electives: Molecular and Medical Pharmacology M248, 288; Molecular Biology 298; a course in biostatistics.

Students are required to maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 in all course work and achieve grades of B or better in all Molecular and Medical Pharmacology courses. One grade of less than B in a required Molecular and Medical Pharmacology course results in probationary status; the course must be repeated with a grade of B or better. Students are required to earn a B or better in M Pharm 292. Students who do not earn a passing grade in M Pharm 292 will be recommended for academic disqualification.

All required course work, excluding M Pharm 596/599,  should be completed by the end of the sixth quarter.

Laboratory Rotations: The department requires students to participate in three laboratory rotations (Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 200), one per quarter, during the first year to become familiar with a variety biomedical and of pharmacological research areas and techniques. During the first year in the department, students participate in projects of the laboratories of their and the faculty’s choosing. Students also become familiar with the literature relevant to the various research projects and thus establish a basis for the selection of their own research areas. At the end of the third rotation, students are required to join a laboratory, where they will conduct their dissertation research. If students are unable to secure a position in one of the three rotation laboratories, with written petition to and approval by the Graduate Training Committee, a student may be permitted to participate in a fourth rotation which will be completed during the summer before their second academic year starts. Fourth rotations usually provide the place for students to conduct their dissertation and should be approached by both faculty and student with this in mind. If a student fails to identify a Dissertation Adviser in a fourth rotation, the student is considered not to make adequate progress towards the degree and will be recommended for academic disqualification.

Examinations are given in all courses except seminars and research. These are in the form of written examinations, oral examinations, term papers, and/or laboratory practicals.

Teaching Experience

Seminar presentations to department faculty and students are required of all students in the graduate program at least once a year. One quarter as a teaching assistant is required and should be completed by the end of the third year. Students in the Medical Scientist Training Program are not subjected to the teaching assistant requirement.

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 committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The written and oral qualifying examinations are a two-step process:

The first step will be the M Pharm 292 course in proposal writing.  All first year Pharmacology Home Area students matriculating towards a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Pharmacology are required to enroll in M Pharm 292 in their first year.  Students will learn to write and orally defend a proposal.  The proposal shall be on a topic unrelated to any of their rotation projects.  Specific instructions for preparation of the proposal, evaluation of the written documents, and structure of the oral defense will be discussed during the M Pharm 292 course.  Students who do not earn a passing grade in M Pharm 292 will be recommended for academic disqualification.

The second step of the qualifying exam will be on the thesis topic.  Students will prepare a written proposal and defend the proposal in an oral examination.  The written examination consists of submitting a written research proposal to the student’s doctoral committee at least one week before the proposed date of the University Oral Qualifying Examination.  The research proposal must be written according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant application format (a copy of the ATC Guidelines can be obtained from the Student Affairs Officer). The University Oral Qualifying Examination consists of defending the proposal to the doctoral committee. Students must pass this examination by December 1st of their third year or be subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification unless special circumstances, which will be considered and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

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 Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

(1) Students must select a thesis adviser by the beginning of the second academic year.

(2) Students must complete all course requirements by December 20th of the third academic year.

(3) Students must take the written and oral qualifying examinations and pass by December 1st of the third academic year.

(4) The time to final completion of the graduate program is expected to be 18 quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	18	21

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification 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’s progress is evaluated on performance in course work and on the qualifying examinations. A grade below B in M Pharm 292 or a total of three grades below B in any of the other required courses results in recommendation to the graduate dean for academic disqualification. Failure to identify a Dissertation Adviser after three laboratory rotations or after approval of a fourth rotation also results in recommendation for academic disqualification. Performance on the ATC is graded Pass, Fail and Deferral. Deferral means that a student is asked to repeat some part or all of the examination. All deferrals must be completed by December 20th of the third academic year. If a student receives a Fail or is unable to complete the ATC by December 1st of the third academic year, the student may appeal the decision or extension in writing to either the Graduate Training Committee or the departmental chair. The written appeal is reviewed by either the Graduate Training Committee or an ad hoc committee within the department. Failure to follow the ATC policy may result in a recommendation for academic disqualification.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University’s accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.