Program Requirements for Spanish and Portuguese (Portuguese)

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

Spanish and Portuguese

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Spanish, the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Portuguese, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Hispanic Languages and Literatures.

Portuguese

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

New M.A. students are advised by the graduate adviser for the master’s program. During the first two quarters of study, the student’s choice of concentration is provisional. During the third quarter of study the choice of concentration is confirmed and a personal graduate adviser is selected. The graduate adviser is responsible for planning, in consultation with the student, a study program and for a periodic review of the student’s progress.

Areas of Study

The department offers two areas of concentration for an M.A. degree in Portuguese: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Portuguese are required to study a language other than English or Portuguese. The requirement may be fulfilled by (1) passing a University reading examination in the language; or (2) passing a University course of at least level 3.

Course Requirements

Eleven courses, eight of which must be graduate level, are required for the M.A. degree. Spanish 495 may count as one of the eleven courses but may not replace one of the graduate courses. Up to two graduate courses may be taken in Spanish or another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Portuguese 596 may be taken only once. Portuguese 597 and 598 do not count toward the degree.

Students choose a concentration from the following options: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Portuguese M201A or an equivalent theory course and one upper division or graduate course in Portuguese linguistics. The remaining courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interest as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Option B Linguistics: Students who choose the linguistics concentration are required to take one upper division or graduate course in literature and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the adviser, who considers the student’s interest as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Brazilian literature (Colonial and 19th Century); (2) Brazilian literature (20th Century); (3) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century); (4) Portuguese and Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (5) Spanish or Spanish American literature; (6) Portuguese linguistics. Students must take at least three of their examinations in different areas of Luso-Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists provided by the department when the student enters the program.

B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Portuguese syntax; (2) Spanish syntax; (3) Portuguese phonetics and morphology; (4) Portuguese diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century) or Portuguese Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (6) Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by the appropriate departmental faculty members when examination areas are chosen.

The comprehensive examinations in literature and linguistics are administered only in Spring Quarter.

The M.A. program in Portuguese is the first phase of the doctoral program in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. When the student has completed all requirements for the M.A. degree, the student’s examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Portuguese; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) coursework.

A recommendation is made by the student’s committee at a general department meeting. The department decides whether: (a) the student has earned a terminal M.A. degree (that is, the student may not proceed to the doctoral program); (b) the student has earned the M.A. degree and may proceed to the second phase of the Ph.D.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Portuguese must take the comprehensive examination and present a writing sample to their committee. Students may petition for up to eight graduate courses used for the master’s degree to count toward the Ph.D. degree.

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.

In lieu of taking the comprehensive examination, students may seek permission to present a thesis for the M.A. degree. Students must first complete five graduate courses, one of which must be a seminar. In order to endorse the petition, the graduate adviser and the guidance committee need to find evidence of exceptional ability and promise in term papers and coursework.

Time-to-Degree

Full-time students (three courses per quarter) with no deficiencies upon entrance should complete the coursework and the comprehensive examination within four quarters of admission. Teaching assistants and students with deficiencies at entrance require longer. Students who are not appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete seven courses for each three-quarter period; students appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete five courses for each three-quarter period.

Program Requirements for Management (MBA)

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

Management

John E. Anderson School of Management

Graduate Degrees

The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctoral of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, and the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree. The school also offers the Executive M.B.A. Program (EMBA) and the M.B.A. for the Fully Employed (FEMBA).

Master of Business Administration

Master’s Degree

Admissions Requirements

Advising

Small group information sessions are offered by the M.B.A. Admissions Office several days a week, year-round, on an appointment basis. To arrange attendance, students should sign up online at the school’s website. Outside of the management core, which provides a broad general management perspective, students may emphasize one or more area(s) of study to coincide with their academic and career interests. Academic advisers assist students in planning appropriate programs.

Areas of Study

Accounting; Consulting; Corporate Finance; Entertainment, Entrepreneurship; Finance; Global Management; Health Care; Hi-Tech; Investment Management; Marketing; Sustainability; Real Estate. For additional information, students should consult the school’s website.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The five required elements of the M.B.A. program are the management core, Leadership Foundations, the advanced electives, the international requirement and the Applied Management Research project. The management core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of management. Advanced electives provide specialized knowledge and skills for one or more fields of management work. The international requirement recognizes the importance of a global perspective. The Applied Management Research project allows an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to strategic issues in real organizations. A total of 90 units of coursework is required for the degree.

Management Core. The management core consists of nine courses (Management 402, 403, 405, 408, 409, 410, 411, 420, and 421A/B) on subjects basic to the practice of management. Students must maintain a 3.0 (B) overall average in the management core courses.

Advanced Electives. These courses are chosen by students from the management curriculum area or interdisciplinary studies courses to focus on one or more fields of specialization. Up to twelve units of free electives may be selected from any University department, subject only to general University regulations. A maximum of eight units of Management 596 courses may be applied toward the 90-unit requirement for the degree. These courses count as free electives. Fieldwork courses (Management 451, 452, 453, and 454) are offered for unit credit, but these courses will not be applied toward the 90-unit requirement.

International Requirement. Students fulfill the international requirement in one of three ways: (1) take at least one course from a list of approved Management international electives (including, but not restricted to, Management 205A, 234A, 234B, 240F, 240G, 253, 261B, 296A, 297A, 297B, 297C, 297D, 297E, 406, or 458), (2) spend a term abroad through an approved international exchange, or (3) complete an approved international Applied Management Research project (approval required prior to the start of the project).

Applied Management Research Project. A two-term project in the second year, Applied Management Research is the final, professional requirement of the M.B.A. program. Teams of M.B.A. students complete an original applied research project that integrates and expands students’ capacity to solve complex business problems. Each team chooses a project from among three options: (1) Management Field Study, (2) Business Creation, or (3) Special Project.

At least 90 units of work toward the degree must be completed in residence in the full time MBA program at UCLA. In special cases, up to 8 units of graduate work taken elsewhere and not used toward another degree may, via petition, be counted toward the free electives component of the 90-unit total.

Teaching Experience

Not Required.

Field Experience

Candidates for the M.B.A. program are required to do a minimum one-quarter internship with a company in their proposed area of study (e.g. finance, marketing, consulting). The summer between the first and second years is the preferred time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the Fall, Winter or Spring terms. Candidates should wait until their second quarter in the M.B.A. program to begin satisfying this requirement. Candidates should expect to devote at least 80 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Candidates will have their fieldwork experiences evaluated by their faculty advisor through enrollment in Management 454. Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations. Candidates considering entrepreneurial ventures may also discuss their plans with the M.B.A. Program Associate Dean in order to develop alternative fieldwork opportunities.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

The comprehensive examination requirement is fulfilled by completing the two-quarter Applied Management Research Project.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The full-time M.B.A. must be completed within two calendar years of admission. The minimum time required to complete the M.B.A. program is six quarters.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Regular M.B.A. Program

At the end of the first year, a student who has a grade point average below 3.00 or who has completed fewer than 48 units is subject to a recommendation for termination. The student’s records are reviewed by the assistant dean of the program, who makes a recommendation for termination. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the dean of the school.

Program Requirements for Education (Educational Leadership Program)

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

Education

Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Education offers the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree, the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree, the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Education, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Special Education (with California State University, Los Angeles).

Education Leadership Program

Admissions Requirements

Doctor of Education

Advising

Students in the Educational Leadership Program are assigned an adviser during the second year.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Educational leadership emphases are kindergarten through postsecondary educational reform and systemic change.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

A program of study for an Ed.D. student is determined by the student and faculty adviser, and must meet division or program and department requirements. A minimum of 20 courses is required.

(1) Three research methods courses, with no more than two introductory (first tier) courses and at least one intermediate/advanced (second tier) course, selected from the departmental list approved for the Ed.D. degree.

(2) Eleven education courses are selected by the program of which at least six are from the Education 400 series.

(3) Two leadership capacity-building courses.

(4) A sequential three-quarter field practicum (Education 499A-499B-499C). Course requirements may be waived, under exceptional circumstances, by the program. Students submit a petition, endorsed by their adviser, to the division or program head. Whenever additional academic background is needed, the program head may require other coursework.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

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.

Doctoral Screening Examination. All students are required to take a written examination after the completion of appropriate coursework determined by the division or the program. This examination is concerned with central topics in the selected division and field of emphasis or program. Questions are comprehensive in nature and are designed to measure the breadth and depth of knowledge, as well as to focus that knowledge on specific problems.

Students who take the doctoral screening examination ordinarily are not allowed to take more than nine courses before taking the examination. This limit is intended to ensure that students demonstrate basic competencies as early as possible in their doctoral training.

In a first sitting for this examination, students may pass with honors, pass, or fail. Students who fail are given one additional opportunity to pass the examination.

Students who have been allowed to retake the examination must do so at the beginning of Fall Quarter of the same year that the examination was initially attempted. They are permitted to enroll in Fall courses with their cohort.

Doctoral Written Qualifying Examination. Students are required to take the doctoral written qualifying examination in June of their second year if they have met the following criteria: a B- or better in all required Educational Leadership Program courses; a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better; and no grades of “Incomplete” or “F” on their record. The take-home examination consists of two parts that reflect what students learned in years one and two.

Students who do not meet the grade criteria by the May examination period of the third year may be recommended for termination from the program or may petition to improve their record to sit for the examination. The examination is offered twice a year in the Fall and Spring terms.

Students may receive a grade of Pass or Fail. Students who fail the examination in June of the second year will be given a second opportunity to take the examination the following October (in the beginning of the third year). Students who re-take the examination will be assigned a faculty mentor to help them prepare for it.

Students who fail to successfully complete the examination a second time will be given the opportunity to take the examination a third time upon a two-thirds vote of the program faculty. With faculty approval students will be a assigned a faculty mentor to help them prepare to take the examination the following June. Students who do not receive faculty approval to take the examination a third time or who receive approval and fail the examination a third time will be recommended for termination of graduate study to the Graduate Division.

University Oral Qualifying Examination. The oral examination is conducted by the student’s doctoral committee, which selects topics from education that are related to the student’s written dissertation proposal. On majority vote of the doctoral committee, the University Oral Qualifying Examination may be repeated once.

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

From admission to the doctoral program to the written and oral qualifying examinations: two years to two and one-half years (six to eight quarters).

From admission to the doctoral program to the approval of the dissertation prospectus: two years to two and one-half years (six to eight quarters).

From approval of dissertation prospectus to the university oral qualifying examination: same quarter.

For students in the Educational Leadership Program, a maximum of 15 quarters is permitted for completion of a doctoral degree.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A student may be recommended for termination either by the Committee on Degrees, Admissions and Standards, or by the faculty of a division or program. The student’s adviser or the program head is given the opportunity to review and respond to a recommendation for termination from the Committee. In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination who fails a master’s performance or doctoral screening examination. A student may appeal a decision by the Committee to the dean of the school.

Program Requirements for Human Genetics

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

Human Genetics

School of Medicine

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Human Genetics offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Human Genetics.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Students entering the master’s program are expected to identify a faculty mentor to serve as their adviser. For as long as no faculty mentor is identified, the departmental Faculty Graduate Adviser (appointed by the Chair) will serve as the adviser.

Areas of Study

The field of human genetics genetics incorporates multiple areas of modern experimental biology (including but not limited to molecular and behavioral genetics, epigenetics, biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, imaging, and large-scale omics approaches such as genomics, transcriptomics and functional genomics) and of computational biology (including bioinformatics and biostatistics).

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

During the first year, students take the course series Molecular Biology 254A through 254D, and must complete a course on ethics in research. During the second year, students are required to take a minimum of one course of the series Human Genetics 236A-236C. Elective courses must be taken to complete the minimum of nine courses (36) units required for the master’s degree, with at least five of them (20 units) being at graduate level. No more than two independent study courses (eight units) in the 500 series may be applied toward the minimum course requirement of 36 units for the master’s degree, and only one of these (four units) may be applied toward the minimum requirement of 20 units in graduate courses.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination 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.

A written thesis is required for master’s degree students. A thesis committee composed of at least three faculty members helps the student to plan the thesis research and makes a recommendation on granting the terminal degree.

Time-to-Degree

The time from entry into the program to completion of the master’s degree is expected to be approximately two years.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The departmental Faculty Graduate Adviser (appointed by the Chair) will serve as adviser of students who have not yet selected a laboratory for their doctoral studies. Once students select a faculty mentor, typically at the end of the first year, the faculty mentor automatically becomes the student’s adviser. A doctoral committee is constituted by the end of the second year, and its members act as additional advisers. Students are expected to meet with that committee at least once a year until graduation.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Teaching Experience

Students teach for two quarters as a teaching assistant in a department of the College of Letters and Science. The teaching is to be performed preferably in years two and three. Students are encouraged to teach in Life Sciences 4 (the genetics component of the Life Sciences Core Curriculum) as teaching a general course in genetics reinforces understanding of fundamental aspects of the field.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

The Departmental Written Qualifying Examination (also known as the ‘First Exam) and the University Oral Qualifying Examination (also known as the ‘Second Exam’) must be passed before students are advanced to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The two examinations are distinct and cannot be combined into a single examination. Prior to the examinations, students nominate a doctoral committee composed of at least four faculty members following university guidelines which must be approved by the Graduate Division. The faculty mentor is excused from participating in the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination, which is administered by the remaining members of the doctoral committee. All members of the doctoral committee, including the faculty mentor, administer the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

The Departmental Written Qualifying Examination takes place during early stages of the student’s dissertation research project, preferably during the second year, and must be passed by the end of the fourth year in order to avoid a recommendation for termination from the program. The goal of the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination is to evaluate the student’s ability to think as a scientist, i.e., to propose and critically evaluate experiments or method developments that would potentially expand knowledge in the principal field of study. To this end, the student writes a proposal following the style of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award (NRSA) applications, and, one or two weeks after submission of the written proposal to the doctoral committee, defends the proposal in an oral presentation. The topic of the proposal is related to the ongoing research project of the student in the laboratory of the faculty mentor. However, in the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination the project itself is not under evaluation, as it is expected to be in its early stages. The oral part of the examination consists of a discussion of the proposal and of any additional questions posed by the committee to probe the student’s general knowledge and understanding of human genetics.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination should take place before the end of the fourth year in the graduate program, preferably one year earlier. The goal of this examination is to evaluate the dissertation research project, i.e., whether it represents original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study, as well as whether it is feasible for the students to complete the project within the expected time-to-degree. To this end, the student submits a written proposal that clearly states the title and specific aims of the doctoral dissertation and explains the significance, progress to date, and the approach(es) and time line to bring the project to completion. One or two weeks after submission of the written component, the student defends the proposal in an oral presentation before the doctoral committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

The time from entry into the program to completion of the doctorate is expected to be approximately five years.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Doctoral students must complete and pass the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination (also known as the ‘First Exam’) by the end of their fourth year in the program. Students will be allowed two opportunities to pass the examination within the above time frame and if the examination is not passed, the student will be recommended for termination of graduate study.

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

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering offers the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Manufacturing Engineering, the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Mechanical Engineering, and the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Aerospace Engineering.

Aerospace Engineering

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty adviser upon admission to the School. Advisers may be changed upon written request from the student. All HSSEAS faculty serve as advisers.

New students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with the faculty adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with the adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental student services office staff and/or the School’s Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. written and oral examinations, if the Ph.D. degree is the ultimate degree objective, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Dynamics; fluid mechanics; heat and mass transfer; micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS); structural and solid mechanics; systems and control.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

At least nine courses are required, of which at least five must be graduate courses. For the thesis plan, seven of the nine must be formal courses, including at least four from the 200 series. The remaining two may be 598 courses involving work on the thesis. For the comprehensive examination plan, no units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the minimum course requirement. The courses should be chosen so that the breadth requirements and the requirements at the graduate level are met. The breadth requirements are only applicable to students who do not have a B.S. degree from an ABET-accredited aerospace or mechanical engineering program.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, 152B, M171L, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L, 199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 140, 141L, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 101, 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 107, 188, 194, 199.

Breadth Requirements. Students are required to take at least three courses from the following four categories: (1) Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 154A or 154B or 154S; (2) 150B or 150P; (3) 155 or 166A or 169A; (4) 161A or 171A.

Graduate-Level Requirement. Students are required to take at least one course from the following: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 250D, 253B, 254A, 255B, 256F, 263B, 269D, 250C or 250F. The remaining courses can be taken to gain depth in one or more of the several specialty areas covering the existing major fields in the department.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

The comprehensive examination is offered in either written or oral format. A committee to administer the examination consists of the academic adviser as chair and two other faculty members; at least two members must be from within the department. Students may, in consultation with their adviser and the master’s committee, select one of the following options for the examination: (1) take and pass the first part of the doctoral written qualifying examination as the master’s comprehensive examination; (2) conduct research or design a project and submit a final report to the master’s committee; (3) take and pass three extra examination questions offered separately from each of the final examinations of three graduate courses, to be selected by the committee from a set of common department courses; or (4) take and pass an oral examination administered by the M.S. committee. In case of failure, students may be reexamined once with the consent of the graduate adviser.

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 thesis must describe some original piece of research that has been done under the supervision of the thesis committee. Students would normally start to plan the thesis at least one year before the award of the M.S. degree is expected. There is no examination under the thesis plan.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is five quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Students are assigned a faculty adviser upon admission to the School. Advisers may be changed upon written request from the student. All HSSEAS faculty serve as advisers.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental student services office staff and/or the School’s Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements and on the implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. written and oral examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Dynamics; fluid mechanics; heat and mass transfer; manufacturing and design (Mechanical Engineering only); micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS); structural and solid mechanics; systems and control.

Ph.D. students may propose ad hoc major fields. An ad hoc major field must differ substantially from established major fields and satisfy one of the following two conditions:

(1) the field is interdisciplinary in nature;

(2) the field represents an important research area for which there is no established major field in the department. This condition most often applies to recently evolving research areas or to areas for which there are too few faculty to maintain an established major field.

Students in an ad hoc major field must be sponsored by at least three faculty members, at least two of whom must be from the department.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The basic program of study for the Ph.D. degree is built around major and minor fields. The established major fields are listed above, and a detailed syllabus describing each Ph.D. major field can be obtained at the Student Affairs Office.

The program of study for the Ph.D. degree requires the student to perform original research leading to a doctoral dissertation and to master a body of knowledge that encompasses material from the student’s major field and breadth material from outside the major field. The body of knowledge should include (1) six major-field courses, at least four of which must be graduate courses; (2) one minor field; (3) any three additional courses, at least two of which must be graduate courses that enhance the study of the major or minor field.

The major field syllabus advises the student as to which courses contain the required knowledge, and a student usually prepares for the written qualifying examination (formerly referred to as the preliminary examination) by taking these courses. However, a student can acquire such knowledge by taking similar courses at other universities or even by self-study.

A minor field embraces a body of knowledge equivalent to three courses, at least two of which must be graduate courses. Minor fields are often subsets of major fields, and minor field requirements are then described in the syllabus of the appropriate major field. Established minor fields with no corresponding major field can also be used such as applied mathematics, and applied plasma physics and fusion engineering. Also, an ad hoc field can be used in exceptional circumstances, such as when certain knowledge is desirable for a student’s program of study that is not available in established minor fields.

Grades of B- or better, with a grade-point average of at least 3.33 in all courses included in the minor field, and the three additional courses mentioned above are required. If the student fails to satisfy the minor field requirements through coursework, a minor field examination may be taken (once only).

For information on completing the Engineering degree, see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

After mastering the body of knowledge defined in the major field, the student takes a written qualifying (preliminary) examination covering this knowledge. The student must have been formally admitted to the Ph.D. program or admitted subject to completing the M.S. degree by the end of the quarter following the quarter in which the examination is given. This examination must be taken within the first two calendar years from the time of admission to the Ph.D. program. The student must be registered during the quarter in which the examination is given and be in good academic standing (minimum grade-point average of 3.25). The student’s major field proposal must be completed prior to taking the examination. Students may not take an examination more than twice. Students in an ad hoc major field must pass a written qualifying examination that is approximately equivalent in scope, length, and level to the written qualifying examination for an established major field.

After passing the written qualifying examination, the student must take the University Oral Qualifying Examination within four calendar years from the time of admission to the Ph.D. program. The nature and content of the University Oral Qualifying Examination are at the discretion of the doctoral committee, but include a review of the prospectus of the dissertation. The examination may include a broad inquiry into the student’s preparation for research. A doctoral committee consists of a minimum of four members. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold appointments at UCLA in Aerospace Engineering. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member who does not hold an appointment in the student’s department.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

From admission to graduate status (includes M.S. degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 18 quarters (normative time to degree).

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for termination is reviewed by the School’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for termination for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure of the comprehensive examination.

(4) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(5) Failure to satisfy the breadth and graduate-level requirements.

(6) Failure to complete the requirements for the M.S. degree within the three-year time limit.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for termination for:

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.25 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure in the major field written qualifying examination, or failure to take the major field written examination within two calendar years from the time of admission to the Ph.D. program.

(3) Failure in a written minor field examination after failure to attain a grade point average of 3.33 in the minor field course work.

(4) Failure of the University Oral Qualifying Examination, or failure to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination within four calendar years from the time of admission to the Ph.D. program.

(5) Failure to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. within four calendar years after passing the University Oral Qualifying Examination and failure to take this examination again.

(6) Failure in the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(7) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

*Requirement*	*Standard Time to Completion*
Coursework	During the 13th quarter in residence
Master’s Comprehensive Examination	By the 6th quarter in residence
Selection of Faculty Advisor	By the 7th quarter in residence
Oral Qualifying Examination (Advancement to Candidacy)	No later than the 13th quarter
Dissertation Filed	End of the 18th quarter

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