Program Requirements | UCLA Graduate Programs

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

Materials Science and Engineering

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Provisionally admitted students meet with the program adviser upon matriculation to plan a course of study to remove any deficiencies.

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 were admitted provisionally or 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 office staff and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements and on 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, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

There are three main areas in the M.S. program: ceramics and ceramic processing; electronic and optical materials; and structural materials. Students may specialize in any one of the three areas, although most students are more interested in a broader education and select a variety of courses. Basically, students select courses which serve their interests best in regard to thesis research and job prospects.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Thesis Plan. Nine courses are required, of which six must be graduate courses. These courses are to be selected from the following lists, although suitable substitutions can be made from other engineering disciplines or from chemistry and physics with the approval of the departmental graduate adviser. Two of the six graduate courses may be Materials Science and Engineering 598 (thesis research). The remaining three courses in the total course requirement may be upper division courses.

Comprehensive Examination Plan. Nine courses, six of which must be graduate courses, selected from the following lists with the same provisions listed under the thesis plan. Three of the nine courses may be upper division courses.

Ceramics and ceramic processing: Materials Science and Engineering 121, 122, 143A, 151, 161, 162, 200, 201, 210, C211, 246D, 298.

Electronic and optical materials: Materials Science and Engineering 121, 122, 143A, 151, 161, 162, 200, 201, 210, C211, 221, 222, 223, 298.

Structural materials: Materials Science and Engineering 121, 122, 143A, 151, 161, 162, 200, 201, 210, C211, 243A, 243C, 250B, 298.

As long as a majority of the courses taken are offered by the department, substitutions may be made with the consent of the departmental graduate adviser.

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 M102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, M171L, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L, M171L, 199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 140, 141L, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Consult the graduate adviser for details. If the comprehensive examination is failed, the student 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.

In addition to the course requirements, under this plan students are required to write a thesis on a research topic in material science and engineering supervised by the thesis adviser. An M.S. thesis committee reviews and approves the thesis.

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.

Provisionally admitted students meet with the program adviser upon matriculation to plan a course of study to remedy any deficiencies.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental student office staff and/or the 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

Ceramics and ceramic processing; electronic and optical materials; structural materials.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

There is no formal course requirement for the Ph.D. degree, and one may substitute coursework by examinations. Normally, however, the student takes courses to acquire the knowledge needed for the written and oral preliminary examinations. The basic program of study for the Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering is built around one major field and one minor field. The major field has a scope corresponding to a body of knowledge contained in nine courses, at least six of which are graduate courses, plus the current literature in the area of specialization. The major fields named above are described in a Ph.D. major field syllabus, each of which can be obtained in the department office. The minor field normally embraces a body of knowledge equivalent to three courses, at least two of which are graduate courses. Grades of B- or better, with a grade-point average of at least 3.33 in all courses included in the minor field, are required. If the student fails to satisfy the minor field requirements through coursework, a minor field examination may be taken (once only). The minor field is chosen to support the major field and is usually a subset of the major field.

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

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.

During the first year of full-time enrollment in the Ph.D. program, the student needs to take the oral preliminary examination, which encompasses the body of knowledge in materials science. After all the coursework is completed in the major and minor fields, the student takes a written preliminary examination in the major field. Students may not take an examination more than twice.

After passing both preliminary examinations, the student is ready to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination. The nature and content of the examination are at the discretion of the doctoral committee but ordinarily include a broad inquiry into the student’s preparation for research. The doctoral committee also reviews the prospectus of the dissertation at the oral qualifying examination.

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 the student’s major department in the School. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member outside the student’s major department.

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)

Required for all students in the program.

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 maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

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 any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the major field written examination.

(3) Failure of the oral preliminary examination.

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

(5) Failure of the oral qualifying examination.

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

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

(8) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Electrical Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samuel 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. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with the adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter to keep track of progress towards the degree and, when necessary, to modify/refine the study list.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs review student records at the end of each quarter. Special attention is given to students who were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental student office staff and/or the 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, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Student can pursue specialization across three major areas of study: circuits and embedded systems, physical and wave electronics, and signals and systems. Student must select a number of formal graduate courses to serve as their major and minor fields of study according to requirements listed under Course Requirements for the master’s comprehensive plan (eight courses) and thesis plan (seven courses). A formal graduate course is defined as any 200-level course, excluding seminar or tutorial courses. The selection of the major and minor course sequences must be from different established tracks, or according to ad hoc tracks, or combinations of the two. The selected courses must be approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

A track is a coherent set of courses in some general field of study. The department suggests lists of established tracks as a means to assist students in selecting their courses. Suggested tracks are described under Course Requirements. Students are not required to adhere to the suggested courses in any specific track. Students can select graduate courses from across established tracks, from across areas, and from outside electrical engineering and tailor these selections to their professional objectives. In consultation with their faculty advisers and subject to the approval of the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs, students also can propose an ad hoc track.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The selection of courses for the master’s degree program is tailored to the student’s professional objectives and must meet the requirements outlined below. The courses should be selected and approved in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Changes from the stated requirements are considered only in exceptional cases and must be approved by the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs.

The minimum standards and course requirements for the master’s degree program are:

Prerequisite. B.S. degree in engineering or a related field.

Time-to degree. All master’s degree course requirements must be completed within two academic years from admission into the program.

Academic standards. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 each quarter and a grade of B or better in all graduate courses.

Comprehensive Examination Plan:

Six formal graduate courses to fulfill the student’s major field of study
Two formal courses to fulfill the student’s minor field of study
Five of the formal graduate courses must be in Electrical Engineering
One graduate seminar series course (Electrical Engineering 297)
One individual study course (Electrical Engineering 299) to cover the comprehensive examination or one additional formal graduate course
Electrical Engineering 296, 375, and 500-series courses may not be applied to course requirements.

Thesis Plan:

Five formal graduate courses to fulfill the student’s major field of study
Two formal graduate courses to fulfill the student’s minor field of study
Four of the formal graduate courses must be in Electrical Engineering
One graduate seminar series course (Electrical Engineering 297)
Two (8 units) Electrical Engineering 598 courses to cover thesis work

Both plans:

Student must select a number of formal graduate courses to serve as their major and minor fields of study according to requirements for the master’s comprehensive plan (eight courses) and thesis plan (seven courses). The selection of the major and minor course sequences must be from different established tracks, or according to ad hoc tracks, or combinations of the two. The selected courses must be approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

A formal graduate course is defined as any 200-level course, excluding seminar or tutorial courses.

A maximum of one upper division courses may replace one of the formal graduate courses covering the student’s major and minor fields of study provided that (1) the undergraduate course is not required of undergraduate students in the department, and (2) the undergraduate course is approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

A track is a coherent set of courses in some general field of study. The department suggests list of established tracks as a means to assist students in selecting their courses. Students are not required to adhere to the suggested courses in any specific track. Students can select graduate courses from across established tracks, from across areas, and from outside electrical engineering and tailor these selections to their professional objectives. In consultation with their faculty advisers and subject to the approval of the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs, students also can proposal an ad hoc track.

Established Tracks

Circuits and Embedded Systems Area Tracks

Embedded Computing. Courses in this track deal with the engineering of computer systems, as may be applied to embedded devices used for communications, multimedia, or other such restricted purposes. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 201A, 201C, M202A, M202B, 204A, 213A, 216A, Computer Science 251A.

Integrated Circuits. Courses in this track deal with the analysis and design of analog and digital integrated circuits; architecture and IC implementations of large-scale digital processors for communications and signal processing; hardware-software co-design; and computer-aided design methodologies. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 213A, 215A, 215C, 215D, 215E, M216A, 221A, 221B, Computer Science 251A, 252A.

Physical and Wave Electronics Area Tracks

Electromagnetics. Courses in this track deal with electromagnetic theory; propagation and scattering; antenna theory and design; microwave and millimeter wave circuits; printed circuit antennas; integrated and fiber optics; microwave-optical interaction; antenna measurement and diagnostics; numerical and asymptotic techniques; satellite and personal communication antennas; periodic structures; genetic algorithms; and optimization techniques. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 221C, 260A, 260B, 261, 262, 263, 266, 270.

Photonics and Plasma Electronics. Courses in this track deal with laser physics; optical amplification; electro-optics; acousto-optics; magneto-optics; nonlinear optics; photonic switching and modulation; ultrafast phenomena, optical fibers, integrated waveguides; photodetection; optoelectronic integrated circuits; optical MEMS; analog and digital signal transmission; photonics sensors; lasers in biomedicine; fundamental plasma waves and instability; interaction of microwaves and laser radiation with plasmas; plasma diagnostics; and controlled nuclear fusion. Courses related to this track are Electrical Engineering 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 285A, 285B, M287.

Solid-State and MEMS Devices. Courses in this track deal with solid-state physical electronics; semiconductor device physics and design; and microelectromechanical systems design and fabrication. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 221A, 221B, 221C, 222, 223, 224, 225, CM250A, M250B, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 281, 284, C287L

Signals and Systems Area Tracks

Communications Systems.. Courses in this track deal with communication and telecommunication principles and engineering applications; channel and source coding; spread spectrum communication; cryptography; estimation and detection; algorithms and processing in communication and radar; satellite communication systems; stochastic modeling in telecommunication engineering; mobile radio engineering; telecommunication switching; queuing system; communication networks; and local-area, metropolitan-area, and wide-area computer communication networks. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 205A, 210A, 230A 230B, 230C, 230D, 231A, 231E, 232A, 232B, 232C, 232D, 232E, 233A, 233B, 238, 241A.

Control Systems and Optimization. Courses in this track deal with state-space theory of linear system; optimal control of deterministic linear and nonlinear systems; stochastic control; Kalman filtering; stability theory of linear and nonlinear feedback control systems; computer-aided design of control systems; optimization theory, including linear and nonlinear programming; convex optimization and engineering application; numerical methods; nonconvex programming; associated network flow and graph problems; renewal theory; Markov chains; stochastic dynamic programming; and queuing theory. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 205A, 208A, M208B, M208C, 210B, 236A, 236B, 236C, M237, M240A, 240B, M240C, 241A, 241B, 241C, M242A, 243.

Signal Processing. Courses in this track deal with digital signal processing theory; statistical signal processing; analysis and design of digital filters; digital speech processing; digital image processing; multirate digital signal processing; adaptive filtering; estimation theory; neural networks; and communications signal processing. Courses related to this track are: Electrical Engineering 205A, 210A, 210B, 211A, 211B, 212A, 212B, 213A, M214A, 214B, M217, 238.

Ad Hoc Track

In consultation with their faculty advisers, students can petition for an ad hoc track tailored to their professional objectives. This track may comprise graduate courses from across established tracks, from across areas, and even from outside electrical engineering. The petition must justify how the selection of courses forms a coherent set of courses, and how the proposed track serves the student’s professional objectives. The petition must be approved by the student’s faculty adviser and the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

The MS comprehensive examination requirement is satisfied by one of the following two options:

1. Through completion of an individual study (Electrical Engineering 299) under the direction of a faculty member. The student is assigned a topic of individual study by the faculty member and the study culminates with a written report and an oral presentation. The master’s individual study program is administered for each student by the faculty member directing the course, the director of the area to which the student belongs, and the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs. Students who fail the examination may be re-examined once with the consent of the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs.

2. By solving a comprehensive examination problem in the final, project, or equivalent, of every formal graduate course in Electrical Engineering taken by the student. An average of at least 3.0 in the comprehensive examination problems is required for graduation. The master’s individual study program is administered for each student by the student’s academic advisor, the director of the area to which the student belongs, and the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs.

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 master’s thesis requirement is satisfied through completion of a thesis that is under the direction of the student’s faculty adviser and meets the approval of a thesis committee comprised of the adviser and two other faculty members. Thesis research must be conducted concurrently with the required coursework.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the master’s degree program is five quarters. The maximum time allowed for completion of the degree is two academic years from the time of admission to the master’s degree program.

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.

New students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with the faculty adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the 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.

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

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Student can pursue specialization across three major areas of study: circuits and embedded systems, physical and wave electronics, and signals and systems.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The selection of courses for the doctoral degree program is tailored to the student’s professional objectives and must meet the requirements outlined below. The courses should be selected and approved in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser. Changes from the stated requirements are considered only in exceptional cases and must be approved by the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs.

The minimum standards and course requirements for the doctoral degree program are:

Prerequisite. A UCLA master’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field, or a comparable master’s degree from an accredited institution.

Time-to degree. All doctoral degree course requirements must be completed within five academic years from admission into the doctoral program.

Academic standards. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 during each quarter of registration in the doctoral program.

Courses:

Four formal graduate courses chosen in consultation with the faculty adviser
Two of the formal graduate courses must be in electrical engineering
One graduate seminar series course (Electrical Engineering 297)
One technical communications course such as Electrical Engineering 295
Electrical Engineering 296, 375, and 500-series courses may not be applied to course requirements

A formal graduate course is defined as any 200-level course, excluding seminar or tutorial courses. Formal graduate courses taken by the student to meet the master’s degree course requirements cannot be applied toward the doctoral degree course requirements.

At least two of the formal graduate courses must be in electrical engineering.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

The written qualifying examination is known as the Ph.D. preliminary examination in the School. The purpose of the examination is to assess the student’s competency in the discipline, knowledge of the fundamentals, and potential for independent research. Students admitted first to the master’s program in this department must complete all of the master’s degree program requirements with a grade-point average of 3.5 in order to be considered for admission into the doctoral program. Students can take the Ph.D. preliminary examination only after admission into the doctoral program. The examination is held once each year. Students are examined independently by a group of faculty members in the student’s general area of study. The examination by each faculty member typically includes oral and written components. The student is required to pass all components of the examination at one time. A student who fails the examination may repeat it once, subject to the approval of the Vice-Chair of Graduate Affairs. The preliminary examination, together with the doctoral course requirements, should be completed within two academic years after matriculation into the doctoral program. The department strongly recommends that students take this examination during their first year in the doctoral program.

After passing the written qualifying examination described above, the student is ready to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Students are required to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination when all courses have been completed and within one year after the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination is passed. The nature and content of the examination are at the discretion of the doctoral committee, but ordinarily include a broad inquiry into the student’s preparation for research. The doctoral committee also reviews the prospectus of the dissertation at the oral qualifying examination.

Students nominate a doctoral committee prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination. The doctoral committee consists of a minimum of four members. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold appointments at UCLA in the student’s major department in the School. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member outside the student’s major department. Students should consult Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA regarding petitions for exceptions to this policy.

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 the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

All doctoral degree requirements must be completed within five academic years from matriculation into the doctoral program.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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 maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

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 3.5 in all courses and in any two consecutive quarters prior to the successful completion of the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

(2) Failure of the Ph.D. preliminary examination.

(3) Failure of the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

(4) Failure of the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to make satisfactory progress toward the degree within the department’s specified time limits.

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

Public Policy

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Public Policy offers the Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Upon entering the program, students are assigned a faculty adviser to counsel them regarding their program of study. As the student becomes more familiar with the department’s faculty, the adviser initially assigned by the department may be replaced by a faculty member in the student’s area of interest or concentration. Students also have a department graduate adviser who counsels them on their progress toward fulfillment of the degree requirements. The department graduate adviser is also the fieldwork and career services coordinator.

Areas of Study

In the second year, students select either elective or concentration courses. Concentrations may include courses from the following areas: drug and crime policy, education and human capital, employment and labor policy, environmental and natural resources policy, health policy, international policy and economics development, nonprofit management, regional development policy, social welfare policy, transportation policy, and urban poverty.

Students also have the option, with their faculty adviser’s approval, of designing their own concentrations from other courses offered in the School of Public Affairs or in other schools or departments at UCLA.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students take a minimum of three four-unit courses per quarter for a total of 80 units, including eight core courses, nine concentration or elective courses, and a three-quarter seminar in applied policy analysis. Normally all 80 units must be graduate and professional courses (200 and 400 series). However, students also may take a maximum of two 596 courses (eight units total) and/or one upper division course (four units total) when similar course content is not offered at the graduate level. In such instances the 596 units may apply toward the entire graduate course requirement for the degree and the one upper division course reduces the amount of graduate coursework required to 76 units.

A field internship is also required, generally between the first and second years.

All students are required to take the core curriculum, which provides a broadly based foundation in social/policy analysis together with relevant quantitative, analytical, managerial, and organizational methods. The first six of the core courses are normally taken in the first year.

Public Policy, M.P.P./Law, J.D.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the School of Law complete the eight core courses, concentration or elective courses, and the three-quarter seminar in applied policy analysis for total of 68 units. The remaining 12 units of course requirements are fulfilled through law courses taken for the J.D. program and are applied toward the M.P.P. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

During the first year, students follow the required law curriculum, taking 33 units. The second year is spent in the M.P.P. program taking 36 units toward the M.P.P. degree. During the third and fourth years students take the remaining 32 units of the M.P.P. curriculum and 40 units of law courses to complete the J.D. degree.

Public Policy, M.P.P./M.B.A.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the John E. Anderson School of Management complete the eight core courses, concentration or elective courses, and the three-quarter seminar in applied policy analysis for a total of 68 units. The remaining 12 units of course requirements are fulfilled through Management courses taken for the M.B.A. program and are applied toward the M.P.P. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

Public Policy, M.P.P./M.D.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the School of Medicine complete the eight core courses, concentration or elective courses, and the two-course seminar for the Applied Policy Project for a total of 68 units. The remaining 12 units of course requirements are fulfilled through courses taken for their M.D. program and are applied toward the M.P.P. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

Public Policy, M.P.P./M.P.H.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the School of Public Health (Department of Health Policy and Management) complete the eight core courses, concentration or elective courses, and the three-quarter seminar in applied policy analysis for a total of 68 units in Public Policy and 56 units in Health Policy and Management. The remaining 12 units of course requirements are fulfilled through Public Health courses taken for the M.P.H. program and are applied toward the M.P.P. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

Public Policy, M.P.P./M.S.W.

Students who pursue the concurrent degree program with the Department of Social Welfare complete the eight core courses, concentration or elective courses, and the three-quarter seminar in applied policy analysis for a total of 68 units. The remaining 12 units of course requirements are fulfilled through Social Welfare courses taken for the M.S.W. program and are applied toward the M.P.P. degree through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Candidates for the M.P.P. degree are required to participate in a field internship, ideally during the summer between their first and second years of course work. The internship consists of approximately 400 hours of work for an agency, firm, or organization which is on an approved list of fieldwork placements. Students can also complete part of the 400 hours of fieldwork during the academic year, but summer is the preferred time frame for the internship. The rigorous coursework throughout the academic year leaves little time for field experience and may impede a student’s ability to maintain the required time lines for progress to degree.

During the first year of the M.P.P. program students are invited to attend several informal non-credit sessions designed to prepare them for the field experience. These seminars include attention to skills such as resume writing and interviewing, and will also present the goals and objectives of the field internship program. Through these sessions and individual meetings with the fieldwork coordinator, students participate in the selection of internship assignments.

During the fall quarter of the second year of the M.P.P. program, students who have completed their internships are required to attend several informal non-credit colloquia organized by the fieldwork coordinator. These informal sessions include presentations by the students based on their previous summer’s fieldwork experience and efforts to generalize regarding lessons for public policy making based on the fieldwork experience. To the extent possible, it is also expected that many students will build upon their field internships in the preparation of their applied policy project.

Fieldwork is required of all M.P.P. students, although students may petition the fieldwork coordinator to waive the requirement if they have had substantial experience working in policy making prior to joining the M.P.P. program.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

This requirement is met by completion of an applied policy project during the three-quarter policy seminar, which builds on the core courses, internship experience, and the concentration courses. The final applied policy project presented individually by the student or by the project team of which the student is a member must be certified as complete by the comprehensive examination committee.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to be in full-time attendance and to complete the program in two years, including the summer internship. In rare cases, when the internship cannot be completed in the summer, up to one additional year is allowed to complete all program requirements.

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 faculty counseling board is established for every student whose grade point average is below 3.00 for any quarter or who fails to make satisfactory progress toward the degree. The board is responsible for reviewing the student’s record, aiding the student in raising academic performance to meet minimum standards, and recommending termination if minimum standards are not met. Recommendation for termination may also be made, even if the academic work is satisfactory, if the student fails to demonstrate in coursework, internship, or professional relations the standards essential to responsible practice of public policy analysis.

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

Public Health Schoolwide Programs

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The School of Public Health offers the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) degrees.

Certain degrees within the School of Public Health are not offered by the individual departments but are administered on a schoolwide level: the Master of Public Health; the Doctor of Public Health; eight concurrent degree programs, the J.D./M.P.H. with the School of Law, the M.B.A./M.P.H. with the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management, the M.S.W./M.P.H. with Social Welfare, the M.A./M.P.H. with African Studies, with Asian American Studies, and with Islamic Studies; the M.P.P./M.P.H and the M.U.R.P./M.P.H. with the Luskin School of Public Affairs; and two articulated degree programs, M.D./M.P.H. with the School of Medicine and the M.A./M.P.H. with Latin American Studies.

The M.P.H. is a professional degree in the field of public health. Students are expected to focus on public health practice and to acquire a broad knowledge related to professional skills.

For information on the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, or the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Public Health within the Department of Community Health Sciences, applicants should see the listings for those departments. For information on the interdepartmental Ph.D. degree program housed in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, applicants should see the listing for Molecular Toxicology.

For information on the M.S. program in Preventive Medicine, applicants should contact the Student Affairs Office in the School of Public Health.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the head of the respective department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and both the adviser and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs must approve any subsequent alterations. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter. A departmental guidance committee is established when the student has completed approximately half of the program for the master’s degree. The department chair nominates the departmental guidance committee after consultation with the student and the student’s adviser.

An adviser is responsible for the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean for Academic Programs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs for continuance or dismissal. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.

Areas of Study

Areas of specialization and typical course plans, in addition to mandatory courses, are listed below.

Biostatistics

Required department courses include Biostatistics 110A, 110B, (100A and 100B may be substituted with departmental permission); Biostatistics 201A, 201B, 402A, 402B (402B satisfies the field training requirement), 403A and 406; and 12 units of elective courses from Biostatistics 200B, 200C, M210 through M238, or M403B, 410 through 419. Additional elective courses are recommended and should be selected in public health, biomathematics, or mathematics.

J.D./M.P.H. The J.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Biostatistics requires a minimum of 58 quarter units in the School of Public Health. Required department courses include Biostatistics 110A, 110B (100A and 100B may be substituted with departmental permission); Biostatistics 200A, 201A, 201B, 402A, 402B (402B satisfies the field training requirement), 403A and 406; and 12 units of elective courses from Biostatistics 200B, 200C, M210 through M238, or M403B, 410 through 419. A maximum of eight elective quarter units from Law courses are allowed for concurrent credit toward the M.P.H. degree.

Community Health Sciences

A minimum of 60 units of graduate and upper division coursework is required for the M.P.H. degree. Normally two years or six quarters are needed to complete the 60 units of coursework required. No less than 32 units must be taken in the department. A maximum of 12 elective units from outside the department may count towards the 60 units. Candidates with a prior doctoral degree or advanced preparation in a related field may petition the departmental faculty to waive up to 12 units for the M.P.H. degree.

All students are required to complete Community Health Sciences 210, 211A-211B, and four units of 400 (400 hours of field work).

Students are required to select one course from each of the three curricular areas of a) Public Health Practice, b) Populations, and c) Individual and Structural Influences (12 units). The courses for these three areas are listed below. New CHS department courses will be added to these areas as appropriate. Students are required to take at least one additional course (4 units) within CHS. An additional course in research methods or program planning, similar to CHS 211 A&B is strongly recommended for students in the second year of the program.

485: Resource Development for Community Health Programs

Public Health Practice	Populations	Individual and Structural Influences
212: Advanced Social Research Methods in Health	200: Global Health Problems	220: Racism and Public Health: Social Epidemiologic Approaches
213: Research in Community and Patient Health Education	205: Immigrant Health	224: Social Determinants of Nutrition and Health
M216: Qualitative Research Methodology	226: Women’s Health and Well-Being	235: Influence of Social and Physical Environment on Racial Health Disparities
M218: Questionnaire Design and Administration	231: Maternal and Child Nutrition	247: Population Change and Public Policy
257: Program Planning in Community Disaster Preparedness	M239: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture as Concepts in Practice and Research	254: Intentional Disasters: War and Refugees
258: Cooperative Interagency Management in Disasters	240: Child and Reproductive Health in Communities: Global Environmental Perspective	M263: Social Demography of Los Angeles
271: Health-Related Behavior Change	246: Women’s Roles and Family Health	M272: Social Epidemiology
276: Complementary and Alternative Medicine	248: Women’s Mental Health	273: Social Epidemiology of Chronic Disease
282: Communication in Health Promotion and Education	M260: Health and Culture in Americas	284: Sociocultural Aspects of Mental Health
285: Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs for Older Adults	M264: Latin America: Traditional Medicine, Shamanism, and Folk Illness	291: Health Policy and Aged
288:Health Communication in Popular Media	290: Race, Class, Culture, and Aging	M430: Building Advocacy Skills: Reproductive Health Focus
292: Communication and Media Development in Health Promotion/Education	M294: Social and Behavioral Factors of HIV/AIDS: Global Perspective	440: Public Health and National Security at U.S.-Mexico Border
295: Overview of Emergency Public Health	431: Foundations of Reproductive Health	448: Nutrition Policies and Programs: Domestic and International Perspectives
443: Assessment of Family Nutrition	432: Perinatal Healthcare: Principles, Programs, and Policies	CM470: Improving Worker Health: Social Movements, Policy Debates, and Public Health
451: Post-Disaster Community Health	434A: Maternal and Child Health in Developing Areas
474: Self-Care and Self-Help in Community Health	447: Health and Social Context in Middle East
484: Risk Communications	477: Health Disparities, Health Equity, and Sexual Minority Populations

487: Community Organization for Health

Students have the option to focus their studies in areas such as social and behavioral sciences, health education/promotion, international health, child and family health, public health nutrition, health policy, disaster planning and relief, aging and life course, women’s health, and population health.

Students focusing in health education/promotion may select coursework to meet the requirements for the Society for Public Health Education, and students with appropriate prerequisites may select coursework to meet the requirements set by the Association of Graduate Faculties in Public Health Nutrition.

Students who complete the UCLA undergraduate minor in Public Health have already completed the four 100-level core courses (Biostatistics 100A, Environmental Health Sciences 100, Epidemiology 100, and Health Policy and Management 100). Accordingly these students should not retake these courses but replace them with four additional elective courses in order to complete the 60 units required for the master’s degree. Students must consult with their adviser when selecting these replacement courses. For any courses taken outside of the School, students must file a blue petition and have it approved prior to registration. If the blue petition is not approved, the student must consult with their adviser about selecting other options. Replacement courses within the School do not require a blue petition.

J.D./M.P.H. The J.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Community Health Sciences requires a minimum of 60 quarter units in the School of Public Health. Required department courses include Community Health Sciences 210, 211A and 211B, four units of 400 (400 hours of field work), and eight units (two courses) from the following (no substitutions are allowed): Community Health Sciences 200, 231, 247, 271, 282, 284, M287, 295, 432. A maximum of eight elective quarter units from Law courses are allowed for concurrent credit toward the M.P.H. degree.

African Studies, M.A. /M.P.H. The M.A. African Studies./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Community Health Sciences allows students to use a maximum of eight units of coursework in Public Health toward both the M.A. degree in African Studies and the M.P.H. degree.

M.S.W./M.P.H. The M.S.W./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Community Health Sciences requires a minimum of 67 units of Social Welfare coursework and 52 units of Public Health coursework. The remaining nine units of the regular 76-unit requirement for the M.S.W. degree are fulfilled through research and policy courses taken for the M.P.H. degree and are applied toward the M.S.W. program through a pro forma petition to the Graduate Division upon application for advancement to candidacy. A maximum of eight quarter units of Social Welfare coursework may be applied toward the M.P.H. degree.

Environmental Health Sciences

Required department courses include Biostatistics 100B; Environmental Health Sciences C200A, C200B, 201, C240, 400, 401 (or 410A and 410B), and 411 (to be taken once a year for two years). At least 12 units of elective courses are required and are selected by students in consultation with the faculty adviser. Any departmental required course may be waived by instructor consent if the student either has taken a similar course or can pass a waiver examination. Any students who matriculate into the program without prior completion of the equivalent of one year of chemistry and one year of biology must address these deficiencies prior to graduation.

Students may choose to focus on Industrial Hygiene. The M.P.H. program in Industrial Hygiene is fully accredited by the Related Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET/ASAC). In addition, students in the M.P.H. program in Environmental Health Sciences may choose to pursue a curriculum that has been approved by the California Registered Environmental Health Specialist program.

J.D./M.P.H. The J.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Environmental Health Sciences requires a minimum of 58 quarter units in the School of Public Health. Required courses include Biostatistics 100B; Environmental Health Sciences C200A, C200B, 201, C240, 400, 401 (or 410A and 410B), and M411 (to be taken once a year for two years). At least 12 units of elective courses are required for area of specialization. A maximum of eight elective quarter units from Law courses are allowed for concurrent credit toward the M.P.H. degree.

Urban Planning, M.U.R.P./Public Health, M.P.H. The concurrent degree program requires completion of 110 units (as opposed to 128 units if the two degree programs were completed sequentially). Students are required to complete 86 units of required courses, 20 units of Urban Planning stream electives (chosen from an approved list) and 4 units of Environmental Health Sciences/Public Health Electives. Concurrent degree program students are required to separately satisfy the capstone requirements for each program (i.e. the comprehensive examination option in Public Health). A total of 18 units of course overlap is allowed between the two programs.

Required courses include Biostatistics 100A or Urban Planning 220A, Biostatistics 100B or Urban Planning 220B, Community Health Sciences 100, Health Policy and Management 100, Epidemiology 100, Environmental Health Sciences C200A, C200B, 201, 207 (or Urban Planning M206A), 208, C240, 401, 411 (once a year for two years), 400 (or Urban Planning 496), Urban Planning 205A, 205B, 207, 222A, M254, 269, 281.

Epidemiology

Students with no prior clinical doctorate degree are required to complete Biostatistics 100B, Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 220, 400, two units of a data management course in Biostatistics that features SAS, and 20 elective units taken from the general list of courses: Epidemiology 203, M204, M211, M212, M218, 220, 222, 223, 224, M225, M226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 240, 242, 243, 244, 246, 247, 248, 249, 251, M252, 253, M254, M255, 257, M258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 270, 271, M272, 273, 280, 402, M403, M406, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 417, M418, and 420. Among the 20 units of electives, up to eight can be taken outside the Epidemiology department with the consent of the advisor and by petition.

Students with a prior clinical doctorate degree or students enrolled in an M.D./M.P.H. program are required to complete Biostatistics 100B, Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 400 and 14 total elective units. Students may apply six units in relevant topics from the Department of Medicine or other departments in the School of Public Health toward their total 14-unit elective requirement.

All students must submit a report demonstrating competence in epidemiologic methodology. The report may not be submitted prior to the completion of Epidemiology 400. Epidemiology 400 must be taken after completion of 200C.

J.D./M.P.H. The J.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Epidemiology requires minimum of 68 quarter units in the School of Public Health. Required courses include Biostatistics 100B, Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 220, 400, four units of a data management courses in Biostatistics that features SAS, and 20 elective units taken from the general list of electives. Consult the department Student Affairs Officer for acceptable electives. A maximum of eight elective quarter units from Law courses are allowed for concurrent credit toward the M.P.H. degree.

Health Policy and Management

Health Policy and Management specialization programs include (1) Health Care Management, (2) Health Policy, (3) Executive (4) Health Services Organization, (5) a concurrent M.P.H./M.B.A., (6) a concurrent M.P.H./M.P.P., (7) J.D./M.P.H., and (8) M.D./M.P.H. All specialization programs require Health Policy and Management 200A-200B, 400, and a summer internship in a local health care organization, as well as School of Public Health core courses: Biostatistics 100A, Community Health Sciences 100, Environmental Health Sciences 100, and Epidemiology 100.

Students who hold an M.B.A. and three years of managerial experience in health care will be required to take 15 courses rather than 18. In addition, students who have had the equivalent course work in their M.B.A. program may petition to waive out of an additional 3 courses. Petitions will be considered on a case by case basis.

Health Care Management. The Health Care Management specialization is a two-year program requiring 23 full courses (88 units) and a major written research report based on the summer internship at a local health care organization. Required courses include Health Policy and Management 232, 234, M236, M285, 215A, 400, 403, M422, 433, 436, 437, 440A, 441 and 445. In addition, students select at least three elective courses from Health Policy and Management or other academic schools/departments approved via blue petition.

Health Policy. The Health Policy specialization is a two-year program requiring 22 full courses (88 units), and a major written research report based on the summer internship in a local health care organization. Required courses include Health Policy and Management 232, M233, M236, M285, 215A, 286, M287, 400, M422, 441, and Biostatistics 100B. In addition, students select at least five elective courses from Health Policy and Management or other academic schools/departments approved via blue petition.

Executive. The executive program is for people with at least three years of managerial experience in the health care field. It is a two-year program requiring 18 full courses and a major written research report based on the summer internship. Required courses include Health Policy and Management 234, M236, 251, M422, 431, 433, 436, 450, and Biostatistics 419.

Health Services Organization. The health services organization specialization is a one-year program requiring a minimum of 13 full courses (56 units). Admission is limited to students with prior doctoral-level degrees completed in the U.S. (M.D., Ph.D., J.D., D.D.S., or equivalent). Required courses include Health Policy and Management M236, 400 and 403. In addition, students select at least four elective courses from the Department of Health Policy and Management or other academic schools/departments approved via blue petition.

Concurrent M.P.H./M.B.A. The concurrent M.P.H./M.B.A. program is a three-year concurrent degree program. It requires a minimum of 14 full courses (52 units) in the School of Public Health and a summer internship in a local health care organization. Required courses include Health Policy and Management 232,M236, M285, 215A, 400, M422 and 437. In addition, students select at least one two unit elective course from the Department of Health Policy and Management. Management 402 may substituted for Biostatistics 100A. Students are waived out of the Health Policy and Management 400 requirement if they have successfully completed an equivalent class in the M.B.A. program. However, no unit credit is awarded for waived courses. Students must take an elective course to fulfill unit requirements.

Concurrent M.P.H./M.P.P. The concurrent M.P.H./M.P.P. program is a three-year concurrent program. During the first year students generally begin with the first year core courses in Public Policy. In Spring Quarter students also begin taking the required Health Policy and Management courses. For the remaining two years of the concurrent degree program, students take both Public Policy and Health Policy and Management courses for a total of 68 units in Public Policy and 56 units in Health Policy and Management. A total of 12 units of course overlap is allowed between the two programs. Required courses in Health Policy and Management include Health Policy and Management M287, M422, and 400. In addition, students select four elective courses from Health Policy and Management or other academic schools/departments approved via blue petition.

Concurrent M.P.H./M.U.R.P. The concurrent M.P.H./M.U.R.P. program requires completion of 110 units (as opposed to 128 units if the two degree programs were completed sequentially). Students are required to complete 86 units of required courses, 20 units of Urban Planning Stream electives and four units of Environmental Health Sciences/Public Health electives. Concurrent degree program students are required to separately satisfy the capstone requirements for each program (i.e., the comprehensive examination in Public Health and the comprehensive examination or master’s thesis in Urban and Regional Planning. A total of 18 units of course overlap is allowed between the two programs. Required courses include Biostatistics 100A or Urban Planning 220A, Biostatistics 100B or Urban Planning 220B, Community Health Sciences 100, Health Policy and Management 100, Epidemiology 100, Environmental Health Sciences C200A, C200B, 201, 207 (or Urban Planning M206A), 208, C240, 400 (or Urban Planning 496), 401, M411 (once a year for two years), Urban Planning 205A, 205B, 207, 222A, M254, 269, 281.

J.D./M.P.H. The J.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Health Policy and Management requires a minimum of 14 full courses (56 units) in the School of Public Health and a field training experience in a state or federal agency, as counsel to a hospital or other health care institution, or working in a law firm with a substantial health law practice. Required courses include Health Policy and Management M236, M285, 286, M287, 400, 403, M422, and 437. A total of 18 units of elective courses are required. A maximum of the 16 elective quarter units from Law courses are allowed for concurrent credit toward the M.P.H. degree. Three Law electives chosen from an approved list, plus one additional Law course chosen with the approval of the Public Health adviser constitute the 16 units.

M.D./M.P.H. The M.D./M.P.H. program with a specialization in Health Policy and Management requires a minimum of 14 full courses (60 units) in the School of Public Health and a major research report based on the summer internship in a local health care organization. Required courses include Health Policy and Management M236, 400, 403, and M422. In addition, students select at least three elective courses from Health Policy and Management or other academic schools/departments approved via blue petition.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and a minimum of 11 full courses (44 units), at least six of which must be graduate courses and at least two of which must be 400-series courses. Only one 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the six graduate courses; 597 and 598 courses may not be applied toward the degree.

Required school core courses include Biostatistics 100A or 110A; Community Health Sciences 100 (210, 211A, 211B for community health sciences majors); Environmental Health Sciences 100 (C200A-C200B for environmental health sciences majors); Epidemiology 100 (200A-200B-200C for epidemiology majors) and Health Services 100 (200A-200B for health services majors). Each core course may be waived via blue petition if the student has taken a similar college-level course, and passes the waiver examination. Students may substitute the core sequence for majors in departments outside their own major department for the department’s100-level course (e.g. a Community Health Sciences major who takes Biostatistics 201A, 201B). Students must file a blue petition for the substitution.

In addition to the core courses, at least three courses (two or four units) outside the student’s area of specialization are strongly recommended.

For the following courses, only courses in which a grade of B- or better is received may be applied toward the requirements for a master’s degree: CHS 210, 211A, 211B, and 400. Courses taken for S/U grading may not be applied toward the degree requirements. Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California.

African Studies, M.A./Public Health, M.P.H.

A maximum of eight units of coursework in Public Health may be applied toward both the M.A. degree in African Studies and the M.P.H. degree.

Asian American Studies, M.A./Public Health, M.P.H.

A maximum of 12 units of course work in Public Health may be applied toward both the M.A. degree in Asian American Studies and the M.P.H. degree.

Islamic Studies, M.A./Public Health, M.P.H.

A maximum of 12 units of course work in Public Health may be applied toward both the M.A . degree in Islamic Studies and the M.P.H. degree.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Field training in an approved public health program is required of candidates who have not had prior relevant field experience. A minimum of four units, but no more than eight units, is required. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before beginning the field experience.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Students must pass a comprehensive examination in their department. Students may be reexamined once. The aim of the examination, as a culminating experience, is to assess the student’s ability to select theories, methods, and techniques from across the content matter of a field, integrate and synthesize knowledge, and apply it to the solution of public health problems. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before taking the comprehensive examination.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is from three to seven quarters. Upper time limit for completion of all requirements is seven quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation, including leaves of absence, is five years.

Doctoral Degrees

Advising

An academic adviser is assigned to each new student by the chair of the respective department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved both by the student’s adviser. Students may change advisers after the first quarter as long as the student and the new adviser agree. This is done by filing a petition countersigned by the area head/department chair and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Within the first three quarters of study, students file Doctoral Form 1, Petition for Establishment of Three-Member Guidance Committee and Study in Major and Minor Fields for the Dr.P.H. The guidance committee comprises three members including the student’s adviser in the major field and the student’s adviser in the minor field. On this form students list the courses to be taken for the minor which must be approved by the student’s adviser and the department chair.

Community Health Sciences

An academic adviser is assigned to each new student by the head of the department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter. The adviser supervises the student’s completion of course work and preparation for the written qualifying examinations, and can, but need not, serve as the Chair of the Guidance Committee appointed at the end of the first year of study.

After being enrolled for three quarters, students file Doctoral Form 1, which designates the membership of the guidance committee. The guidance committee consists of the student’s adviser in the major field, a second faculty member in Community Health Sciences and the student’s adviser in the minor (cognate) field. Courses to be taken for the cognate field are listed on this form. The members of the Guidance committee must be full-time faculty with appointments in the professorial series (tenure-eligible, in-residence, or acting or emeritus, with the proviso that one of the four faculty on the committee and/or the committee co-chair may hold an appointment in the Clinical or Adjunct professorial series. The Guidance Committee membership must be approved by the Department Chair. This committee functions as a group to assist in tailoring the program to the student’s needs and objectives. The student is responsible for informing the committee about the student’s progress, and should also turn to the committee first in the event that special assistance or intervention is required. Hence, the committee should be selected in recognition of its role in promoting the student’s academic progress.

Major fields or Subdisciplines

Major fields and subdisciplines and typical course plans are listed below.

Biostatistics

Consult the graduate adviser.

Community Health Sciences

Consult the graduate adviser.

Environmental Health Sciences

Consult the graduate adviser.

Epidemiology

Consult the graduate adviser.

Health Policy and Management

The Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) is a schoolwide degree and the highest professional degree for leaders in public health, including health care, governmental public health practice, territorial non-profit, and other health-related organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Students who complete the program become well grounded in the study of health services organization, deliver and management. They also develop a mastery of population health, social and policy analysis, evidence-based health promotion, and program evaluation. The dissertation is applied and practical in nature and addresses a problem within an organizational context. Health services is one of the areas of specialization. There is no foreign language requirement. Program graduates advance to responsible leadership positions in a wide range of health-focused organizations in both the public and private secotrs.

Prerequisites are an M.P.H. degree or equivalent and at least two years of work experience in the field of health care of public health or health services delivery. Typical students will have worked in a government or private sector health agency and desire to advance their careers toward higher levels of leadership. Identifying a faculty adviser is another prerequisite for admission. Following matriculation, the adviser meets regularly with the student to develop a course curriculum and practicum tailored to the experience and career goals of the student. This individualized curriculum and the availability of coursework in other graduate programs within the university are strengths of this doctoral program.

The Dr.P.H. program can be completed in three years of full-time study, including two years of academic study and one year of field work experience (practicum or residency). In the first two years of study, formal coursework is intended to acquaint the student with the full scope of public health knowledge. The student is expected to complete 14-21 full courses beyond the M.P.H. degree in Health Policy and Management to develop mastery in the following areas (core competencies): (1) Population Health Perspective: Ability to identify and utilize the tools for developing and implementing population health and health care interventions, and perform evaluations of these interventions; (2) Assessment and Evaluation: Ability to amass and critically evaluate evidence for health effectiveness and dollar cost effectiveness of population-targeted policy and programmatic interventions to improve or maintain health; (3) Leadership: Ability to apply established leadership concepts and principles to structure and lead organizations or groups in health care, public health, or health-interested agencies; (4) Determinants of Health: Ability to articulate the complex relationships between underlying determinants and health for the U.S. population and key sociodemographically-defined (age, ethnicity, gender, SES) population subgroups; (5) Public Health Infrastructure: Ability to describe key aspects of the development/evolution of the ways that society organizes to protect and advance health, demonstrating an understanding of the historical underpinnings of current issues in public health policy; (6) Inter-Sectoral Relationships: Ability to understand, foster, and manage the relationships between the private and public health care sectors in the U.S.; (7) Systems Management: Ability to use effective management principles and practices to develop health improvement strategies in various sectors and settings; and (8) Organizational Management: Ability to apply advanced management precepts and tools, including performance and change, required for the efficient operation of a health services organization.

Coursework includes a public health leadership seminar featuring participating public health practitioners as well as scholars/academicians. The specific course program depends on the student’s previous coursework, experience, and leadership interests. Because fostering discovery is important in preparing students for leadership positions, and flexibility is an appealing feature of this doctoral program, students may fulfill program requirements with appropriate coursework from other graduate programs within the university (Education, Law, Management, Nursing, Public Policy, and Sociology).

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Course requirements in the major field depend on the department/program and the field chosen. Students must take a minimum of six full courses (four must be at the 200 or 400 level) in at least two School of Public Health departments outside the major department.

The major department requires an additional area of concentration which may be either inside or outside the school. In departments allowing it, an equivalent field experience completed while a doctoral student and approved by the guidance committee may be substituted for the additional area of concentration.

Biostatistics

A written screening examination of all students entering the doctoral program is required and must be successfully completed before the end of the first year in the program, if not taken prior to entering. Courses covered by this and other examinations are determined in consultation with an adviser and the department faculty. Students must complete the following courses, unless previously taken: Biostatistics 200A-200B-200C, 202A, 202B, M215, 250A-250B; any three additional graduate-level courses in biostatistics selected with consent of the adviser; three courses in the 400 series selected with consent of the adviser. All registered doctoral students must enroll in Biostatistics 409 (doctoral statistical consulting, field training course) for three consecutive quarters and in Biostatistics 245 every quarter.

In addition, required for breadth are 24 units of courses at the 200 or 400 levels selected with consent of the adviser in at least two School of Public Health departments/programs other than Biostatistics. The School also requires students to select an additional area of concentration. Biostatistics students fulfill this requirement by enrolling in Biostatistics 409 for three consecutive quarters. This requirement must be met prior to advancement to candidacy.

Electives, selected in consultation with the adviser, should be chosen from courses in mathematics, biomathematics, human genetics, AIDS, survey research methods, operations research, computer data processing, and other appropriate areas.

Community Health Sciences

If the student does not have a master’s degree in public health, the school’s core courses for the M.P.H. degree are required: Biostatistics 100A, Epidemiology 100, Health Policy and Management 100, and Environmental Health Sciences 100; and the department’s core courses, Community Health Sciences 210, 211A-211B. Additionally, all students are required to take the following courses if they have not already taken them or their equivalents during the course of their master’s studies: Community Health Sciences 212, Biostatistics 100A, 100B, and 406. These courses do not count toward the minimum course requirements for the doctoral degree.

In addition to the coursework specified above, the student must take a minimum of 48 units in residence in the doctoral program. Twenty of the 48 units required must be taken within the Department of Community Health Sciences. Only four units of individual studies (Community Health Sciences 596) may be counted toward the 48-unit minimum requirement. Students must take a minimum of two courses (eight units) in research methodology (i.e., data acquisition) and two courses (eight units) in statistics (i.e., data analysis). These courses may be taken inside or outside of the School of Public Health. All doctoral students must enroll in Community Health Sciences 286 (doctoral roundtable) every quarter until they are advanced to candidacy. With the exception of the first quarter of registration as a doctoral student, students may petition to waive out of the seminar for up to two quarters. The doctoral roundtable does not fulfill any of the 48 units required for the doctorate.

Students must complete a minor which is expected to be in another department within the School of Public Health. Six graduate-level courses (24 units) are required, four units of which must be taken from within one department. Students must consult with their advisers before declaring a minor.

Environmental Health Sciences

Students select a course of study upon consultation with their Advisor and guidance committee. A total of six full courses (four must be at the 200 or 400 level) in at least two Fielding School of Public Health departments other than Environmental Health Sciences are required for breadth. Students must complete the following required courses: Environmental Health Sciences C200A & C200B, 296, 411 (taken one quarter per year for the first two years), and Environment 410A. In addition, students must complete Epidemiology 200A, 200B, and 200C; these courses may count towards the six courses required outside the department.

Epidemiology

Students must complete a minimum of 50 units beyond the requirements of the M.P.H. degree in Epidemiology. Epidemiology M204 (four units) and either four units for a course in statistics beyond Biostatistics 100B/110B or four units in methodology from a list approved by the department are required. The requirements are equivalent for all students, regardless of whether they hold a prior doctoral degree. Students must take at least five full courses (20 units) of the 50 units within the Department of Epidemiology, and a minimum of six full courses (24 units) in at least two School of Public Health departments other than Epidemiology. At least four of the six non-Epidemiology courses must be at the 200 or 400 level. Students must also take three quarters of Epidemiology 292 for a total of six units, thereby fulfilling the 50-unit minimum requirement.

A field experience is required, chosen in consultation with the adviser, for a duration of at least eight months, and is composed of full-time field training at no more than two sites, with at least one being outside of the School of Public Health. During the field experience, students enroll in eight units of Epidemiology 596 in each quarter of the academic year. These 596 units are in addition to the 50-unit minimum requirement. It is recommended that the field work take place after the student has passed the written qualifying examination. The chosen field site may be with a government or non-government health agency, a private foundation, the military, or with a business in the private sector. The selected site should have public health relevance and offer exposure to creative epidemiologic practices and experiences. The intent is to provide experience in recognizing and describing health problems, determining causative factors, developing intervention or prevention strategies, and evaluating the effect or impact of health programs or policies.

Health Policy and Management

The core curriculum of 14 required courses includes Health Policy and Management 200A, 200B, 206 or M274, 207, 231, 232, 237A-237B, M249L, M287, 438, M442; one four-unit life course requirement from the following: Community Health Sciences 238, 285, Health Policy and Management M241, M242, M449A; and one four-unit management course to be selected from the following: Health Policy and Management 234, 251A, 431, 433, 437, 440A and 445.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass written examinations in the major prepared and administered by the guidance committee or by the faculty of the department. Normally no more than one reexamination after failure is allowed. The doctoral committee is nominated after the student has made a tentative decision on a dissertation topic. The doctoral committee consists of at least four faculty members who hold professorial appointments. Two of the faculty must be tenured. For students specializing in Epidemiology, the chair of the committee and one additional member must be from Epidemiology. Three of the four must hold appointments in Public Health; one must be an outside member who holds no appointment in Public Health; one of the four must be from the minor field. The doctoral committee administers the University Oral Qualifying Examination after the written examinations have been successfully completed.

Community Health Sciences

Before advancement to candidacy, all coursework must have been completed, and the student must have passed two written examinations and an oral qualifying examination in the major field. The first written examination is taken by all students. The other is tailored to the specific interests of the individual student. Both written examinations may be repeated only once. In addition, the student must complete the requirements for the minor field.

The first examination provides an assessment of the student’s breadth of substantive knowledge, theory, and methods that are common to the disciplines that comprise Community Health Sciences. Students are expected to demonstrate a coherent and well-synthesized command of this material. This examination is administered by the departmental doctoral committee in the Fall Quarter of each year. The second examination is in one of the areas of specialization: public health policy, health education/promotion, sociocultural aspects of health, public health nutrition, and international family health. Students are expected to demonstrate in-depth knowledge in the area, and to be able to apply this knowledge and knowledge derived from the minor to problems or practice and policy. The examination is based on a reading list generated by the student in consultation with the student’s guidance committee, which also administers the examination. It is administered after the first examination at a time that has been agreed upon mutually by the students and the guidance committee.

After the student has passed the written qualifying examinations and completed the minor requirements, and at least one month prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination, a doctoral committee is nominated. The student first selects the committee chair, who also serves as the student’s adviser. The student and chair then work together to nominate the remaining committee members. The doctoral committee consists of at least four faculty members including the chair, who hold professorial appointments at UCLA. Two of the faculty must be tenured. Two of the four must hold appointments in Community Health Sciences; one must be an outside member who holds no appointment in the school of Public Health; one of the four must be from the minor field. Eligible faculty include those in the tenure-eligible series, the in-residence series, acting or emeritus in these series; in addition, one of the four committee members, who may also cochair if appropriate, may hold an appointment in the adjunct or clinical professorial series. The composition of the committee must be approved by the department chair. The doctoral committee guides the student’s progress toward completion of the dissertation.

The student is advanced to candidacy and commences work on a dissertation by passing the University Oral Qualifying Examination, which is administered by the doctoral committee. Only the student and the committee members attend this examination; all committee members must be present. The examination may be repeated once if a majority of the committee so recommends.

Health Policy and Management

Students are required to pass a written qualifying examination after completion of most of the required coursework, normally at the beginning of the third year of study. A doctoral committee is nominated after the student makes a tentative decision on a dissertation topic. The committee consists of at least four faculty members who hold regular appointments: two of the faculty must be tenured, two of the four must hold appointments in the department, and one must be an outside member who holds no appointment in the School of Public Health. The doctoral committee administers the University Oral Qualifying Examination (the dissertation proposal hearing), normally during the first six months of the practicum.

Required coursework must be completed prior to the commencement of the practicum. The practicum accommodates the completion of a problem-solving study for the specific organization. A preceptor is identified within the organization who assists the student in structuring the practicum and delineating expectations and opportunities. Usually, but not necessarily, this practicum is accomplished within the context of the student’s primary employment. Advisers and the Dr.P.H. Committee members assist in placement when students are not employed or the place of employment is not appropriate for the student’s course of study.

During the first quarter of residency students prepare a dissertation proposal that addresses a problem of interest or concern (practical relevance) to the preceptor organization. The proposal may deal with needs assessment, program design, program implementation, program evaluation, or some combination of the above. The emphasis in this problem-solving dissertation is not necessarily to test a hypothesis derived from a disciplinary or theoretical perspective but rather to address a problem defined within the context of the preceptor organization and the environment in which it interacts. Students are expected to employ competencies gained from prior education/experience and doctoral coursework in addressing this problem. The proposal is to be written, reviewed by the doctoral committee and the practicum preceptor organization, and approved during the first six months of the residency. The expectation is that the prepared project be feasible and realistic within the context and resources of the organization, and normally can be completed within one year of the beginning of the practicum.

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 the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 quarters of enrollment or eight years. This limitation includes quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence. However, the approved normative time-to-degree is 18 quarters (six years). It is expected that students will normally complete coursework by the end of the third year in residence (nine quarters); complete written and oral examinations and advance to candidacy by the middle of the fourth year in residence (11 quarters); and complete the dissertation and defense by the end of the sixth year (18 quarters).

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to failure to complete the required course work within seven quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for: failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination in the major or minor fields; a second failure of either oral examination; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, then to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and finally to the dean of the school.

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