Program Requirements for Information Studies (Library and Information Science Certificate)

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Information Studies

School of Education and Information Studies

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Information Studies offers the Master of Library and Information Science (M.L.I.S.) degree and the Doctoral of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Information Studies.

Post-Master’s Certificate of Specialization

Admission

Program Name

Library and Information Science Certificate

Address

207 Graduate School of Education and Information Studies Building
Box 951520
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1520

Phone

(310) 825-5269

Email

abler@gseis.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

Post-master’scertificate of specialization

Admission Limited to

Fall, Winter, Spring

Deadline to apply

Fall: December 10th; Winter: October 1st; Spring: December 31st

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: Not required

Letters of Recommendation 

3

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a statement of purpose and a resume.

The Post-master’s Certificate of Specialization is designed for holders of the M.L.S. or M.L.I.S. or other appropriate degree who want either (1) to redirect their careers and need the structure of a nine-course program and specialization paper to accomplish that, (2) to update knowledge and skills across the discipline and require the structure of a nine-course program and specialization paper to accomplish those goals, or who (3) recently graduated from a less comprehensive M.L.I.S. or M.L.S. degree program than that offered by UCLA and did not have the opportunity to specialize.

Applicants should hold a master’s degree from a recognized program in library and information science. The committee may offer admission to (1) applicants holding the master’s degree in library and information science from foreign countries when the degree has been evaluated by the Graduate Division as a bona fide master’s degree, (2) applicants who attended unaccredited programs if documentation supports admission but for the lack of a degree from an accredited program, or (3) applicants from other disciplines who are interested in specific aspects of the specializations.

Meeting the requirements for a field of specialization does not automatically assure admission to the program. Part-time enrollment is encouraged to provide flexibility for the working information professional. Opportunities for relevant coursework outside the department and internships, both on and off campus, are available.

Advising

Consult the department.

Areas of Study

The program meets the need for specialized training in various areas of archival studies, informatics, or library studies, as well as research competence. Further specialization within these fields is possible.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The course program may begin in any quarter of the academic year. If a student is admitted for a preliminary quarter to complete prerequisite courses, that quarter is not counted in the minimum residence requirements.

A minimum of nine courses (100, 200, 400, and 500 series) must be completed in the Information Studies and other departments of the University. A research paper, bibliographical study, or literature survey appropriate for publication in a professional or scholarly journal or as a separate paper must be completed by the final quarter of study, usually in connection with enrollment in Information Studies 596. The specialization paper or project is required even if the student has an advanced academic degree in which a thesis or dissertation was required, and the paper or project must be approved by the faculty adviser.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Consult the department.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Consult the Department.

Program Requirements for Applied Linguistics (Applied Linguistics)

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Applied Linguistics

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Applied Linguistics offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Applied Linguistics, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Linguistics, and the Certificate in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language.

Applied Linguistics

Admission

Program Name

Applied Linguistics

Address

Program is not accepting applications for 2015-2016

,

Phone

(310) 825-4631

Email

appling@ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.A., Ph.D.

Admission Limited to

Program is not accepting applications for 2014-2015

Deadline to apply

 

GRE (General and/or Subject)

 

Letters of Recommendation 

 

Other Requirements

 

Master’s Degree

Advising

New students entering the program discuss their academic program with a faculty mentor initially assigned by the faculty according to areas of common interest, expertise, and experience. Students may request a change of mentor at any time through the graduate adviser. A change of faculty mentor is contingent upon approval from the new faculty mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students must nominate a thesis committee before beginning work on the thesis and at least one quarter before filing the thesis. The chair of the thesis committee assumes the role of faculty mentor after the committee is appointed.

Students meet each quarter with their faculty mentor and the graduate adviser to discuss their course of study and are required to have their course enrollment plan approved by their faculty mentor and the graduate adviser. During the year the faculty and the graduate adviser review the student’s records and advise on progress in the program and the remaining requirements that must be met. In addition, the graduate adviser provides guidance on a variety of academic issues.

Areas of Study

Students may study and conduct research in those areas of applied linguistics in which department faculty and affiliated faculty at UCLA have expertise, such as: critical applied linguistics, discourse analysis, and other fields related to the study of language in the social world. Students should consult the department website regarding what is available.

Foreign Language Requirement

Before advancement to candidacy, students must demonstrate effective knowledge of one foreign language equivalent to a minimum of three quarters of foreign language study at the university level. This knowledge may be demonstrated by: (1) completion of the third quarter of instruction in a foreign language with a minimum grade of B or better; (2) completion of the second quarter of instruction in a foreign language course plus Linguistics 221; (3) a UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test, demonstrating equivalency to completion of the third quarter of instruction in a foreign language. Non-native speakers of English may petition to use English to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

Course Requirements

A total of 10 courses is required for the M.A. degree, including a minimum of seven 200-series courses. Nine of these courses are applied toward the University’s nine-course minimum for the master’s degree. A total of eight units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the 10 courses required by the department for the M.A. degree; however, only four of those units may be used to fulfill the University’s nine-course minimum requirement for the degree.

Prerequisites: Introductory course in phonetics taught at UCLA (Linguistics 103); a minimum of two quarters of a foreign language.

First-Year Curriculum

The typical course of study for the first year of the M.A. program is as follows:

Fall Quarter: Applied Linguistics C201 and C204, one additional course.

Winter Quarter: Applied Linguistics C202, two additional courses.

Spring Quarter: Applied Linguistics 208, two additional courses.

Five foundation courses (Applied Linguistics 200, C201, C202, C204, and 208) are required. Choice of additional coursework in the first year is flexible and is to be determined in conjunction with the faculty mentor and graduate adviser. Those students who lack the prerequisite linguistics courses and foreign language background are expected to take these courses within their first two quarters.

Students who come to the program from fields other than linguistics may need to take additional courses in the nature of language and language analysis, in order to better prepare themselves for advanced study in one of the three areas of specialization offered in this program. Exceptions to the above requirements are made only after consultation with the faculty mentor and graduate adviser.

Second-Year Curriculum

The typical course of study for the second year of the M.A. program is as follows:

Fall Quarter: Applied Linguistics 200, two guided electives.

Winter Quarter: Applied Linguistics 598, two guided electives.

Spring Quarter: Applied Linguistics 400, 598.

During the second year, students complete their specialization and elective course requirements and work on their thesis. The four elective courses are to be chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty adviser/mentor from courses in the department. Two of these electives must be 200-series courses in the student’s area of specialization, beyond the foundation courses. In order to enhance an interdisciplinary perspective, students are also encouraged to take relevant electives in other departments and programs, such as Anthropology, Education, Linguistics, Neuroscience, Psychology, and Sociology.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, each student must enroll in Applied Linguistics 200. By the end of the fourth quarter the thesis proposal must be approved by the thesis committee and submitted to the department chair. Once students complete the thesis proposal, they enroll in Applied Linguistics 598, which is conducted as an independent tutorial with the master’s thesis committee chair as mentor until the thesis is completed, typically the end of the second year. Students may only apply Applied Linguistics 598 once towards the 10-course requirement.

Applied Linguistics 400 is a seminar in which M.A. candidates present and defend the results of their thesis research. Enrollment is required in Spring Quarter but does not count as one of the 10 courses required for the M.A. degree.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination

None.

Thesis Plan

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

The culmination of the mentoring relationship during the M.A. degree is the master’s thesis, which is based on research that each student plans and conducts under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The master’s thesis is a substantial research report, which could provide the basis for a journal article. During the fourth quarter, each student must enroll in Applied Linguistics 598. In this course, the student prepares a thesis proposal and forms, in collaboration with a faculty mentor, a thesis committee, which consists of three members who meet University regulations for service on thesis committees, at least two of whom must be from the department. By the end of the fourth quarter the thesis proposal must be approved by the thesis committee and submitted to the department chair.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to award of the M.A. degree: six quarters, and in some cases, a summer session. Students must complete the degree, including the filing of the thesis, within three years of beginning the M.A. program. If the degree is not completed within that time period, a petition must be filed with the department indicating reasons for the extension of time.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

New students entering the program discuss their academic program with a faculty mentor initially assigned by the faculty according to areas of common interest, expertise, and experience. Students may request a change of mentor at any time through the graduate adviser. Changes are contingent upon approval from the new faculty mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students must nominate a doctoral committee at least one quarter before taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination. The chair of the doctoral committee assumes the role of faculty mentor after the committee is appointed.

Students meet each quarter with their faculty mentor to have their course enrollment plan approved and to discuss their progress toward the degree. This process is intended to assist students in making satisfactory progress and to encourage a strong mentorship relationship between students and faculty. During the year the faculty and the graduate adviser review the student’s records and advise on progress in the program and the remaining requirements that must be met. In addition, the graduate adviser provides guidance on a variety of academic issues.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Students may study and conduct research in areas of applied linguistics in which department faculty and affiliated faculty at UCLA have expertise, such as: language acquisition, critical applied linguistics, discourse analysis, and other fields related to language in the social world. Students should consult the department website regarding what is available.

Foreign Language Requirement

Before advancement to candidacy, students must demonstrate effective knowledge of one foreign language. This knowledge may be demonstrated by: (1) completion of the sixth quarter of instruction in a foreign language with a grade of Satisfactory or a grade of B or better; (2) a UCLA Foreign Language Department Placement Test, showing equivalency to completion of the sixth quarter of instruction in a foreign language. Non-native speakers of English may petition to use English to fulfill the language requirement.

Course Requirements

Basic Preparation. Students must take Applied Linguistics 209 during their first quarter in the program.

Units and Courses. As a breadth requirement, students must take at least 32 units (eight courses) of graduate-level coursework (in the 200 or 500 series), determined in consultation with the student’s faculty mentor. These 32 units may not include Applied Linguistics 400, 597, or 599. No more than eight of the 32 units may be in 596 courses, and these should be in Applied Linguistics 596.

Appropriate graduate courses taken at UCLA after completion of an M.A. degree but before admission to the doctoral program may be applied toward the eight-course requirement for the Ph.D. degree. Credit may be transferred for up to two courses taken at another institution, but only for graduate-level courses taken after completion of an M.A. degree and preferably taken within the framework of Applied Linguistics 501.

Courses that may be taken on an S/U basis include undergraduate courses taken as prerequisites to required graduate courses, undergraduate courses not required, reading courses in a foreign language, graduate courses taken in addition to the required 32 units, Applied Linguistics 209, 501, 597, and 599. All other courses must be taken for letter grades.

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.

In lieu of a written qualifying examination, students are required to submit one Qualifying Paper that is an original research paper of publishable quality. This paper may be a revised or an extended seminar paper but must be prepared after admission to the Ph.D. program. Students choose the topics of these papers in consultation with appropriate faculty members from the department and with the consent of the faculty mentor. The finished paper is evaluated by three faculty members, two of whom must be from inside the department and one of whom must be from outside of the department.

The doctoral committee administers the University Oral Qualifying Examination, the focus of which is a prospectus of the dissertation that must be submitted to the committee prior to the examination. The committee also has the responsibility for determining the adequacy of the student’s preparation for writing the dissertation. If prospectus and preparation are judged adequate, the choice of the dissertation topic is thereby approved, and the student becomes eligible for advancement to doctoral candidacy. In case of failure, the doctoral committee determines whether or not the student may be reexamined and if further courses must be taken before the reexamination.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

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

Time-to-Degree

From first enrollment in the doctoral program to advancement to candidacy: two to three years. From first enrollment to completion of degree: three to five years. The outside limit for the Ph.D. from start to finish, including leaves or interruptions of any kind, is seven calendar years from first enrollment. The approved normative time-to-degree for the Ph.D. is 15 quarters (five years).

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s Degree

The chair makes a recommendation for termination on the recommendation of a departmental committee set up to review the particular circumstances of a given case. The committee includes at least one student. Either the graduate adviser or a member of the faculty may initiate the process by informing the chair of the need to recommend a student for termination.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the chair who reconvenes the ad hoc committee to reconsider the matter.

Doctoral Degree

A student who has not completed the degree within seven years will be recommended for termination. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the departmental committee that administers the program.

Program Requirements for Gender Studies

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Gender Studies

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Gender Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Gender Studies.

Admission

Program Name

Gender Studies

Address

1120 Rolfe Hall
Box 951504
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1504 

Phone

(310) 206-8101 

Email

info@gender.ucla.edu  / jenna@gender.ucla.edu  

Leading to the degree of

M.A., Ph.D.

The Gender Studies department admits only applicants whose objective is the Ph.D., although students may be awarded the M.A. en route to the Ph.D. 

Admission Limited to

Fall 

Deadline to apply

December 12th 

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: General 

Letters of Recommendation 

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a personal statement, Gender Studies supplementary essay, departmental application, and writing sample. 

Master’s Degree

Advising

The master’s degree program is supervised by a faculty committee. Early in their first year, students are assigned a faculty adviser who assists them with planning their program of study. Students are expected to meet at least once a quarter with their faculty adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. At the beginning of the second year, students are expected to nominate a three-person master’s thesis committee which requires approval of the program and the Graduate Division. This committee is chaired by the student’s faculty adviser and is responsible for supervision, review, and approval of the master’s thesis.  A staff adviser provides assistance with policy and procedure.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

At least 10 courses (40 units) are required, of which at least eight (32 units) must be graduate courses. Two (four or more units) upper division undergraduate courses may be applied toward the 40 units required. Gender Studies 375, 495, and all courses in the 500-series may not be applied toward the 40-unit minimum requirement for the degree.

Required courses:

Gender Studies 201, 202, 203, and 210 (four courses; 16 units), plus twenty-four elective units (six courses).

Teaching Experience

Not Required.

Field Experience

Not Required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Doctoral students have the option of fulfilling the master’s comprehensive examination plan to receive an M.A. degree. The examination requirement is fulfilled through successful completion of the first written qualifying (breadth) examination for the Ph.D. degree and submission of a 20-page paper, ordinarily one written for a core course, that demonstrates independent thinking and critical and analytical skills. The paper is evaluated by the student’s adviser and either the chair or the graduate chair (or designee) of Gender Studies. This option is available only to doctoral students.

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.

Students complete a master’s thesis under enrollment in Gender Studies 598. The thesis committee consists of three qualified faculty selected from a current list of designated members for the interdepartmental program. The committee must be appointed by the Graduate Division.

Time-to-Degree

Students who enroll full-time are expected to complete the M.A. degree within two years (six quarters) of registration.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The doctoral degree program is supervised by a faculty committee. Early in their first year, students are assigned a faculty adviser who assists them with planning their program of study. Students are expected to meet at least once a quarter with their faculty adviser, usually at the beginning of the quarter to have their enrollment plan approved. In the third or fourth year, before taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination, the student submits a four-person doctoral committee that requires approval of the program and appointment by the Graduate Division. The doctoral committee is responsible for supervision, review, and approval of the doctoral dissertation.  A staff adviser provides assistance with policy and procedure.

Foreign Language Requirement

Reading proficiency in one foreign language is required. Students may fulfill this requirement either by passing a departmental examination given by an appropriate faculty member in the program, by passing an examination given by an appropriate faculty member in a language department, or by successful completion of one year of a college-level language course.

Course Requirements

Doctoral students are required to complete 60 units of coursework. Gender Studies 375 and 495, and all 500-series courses may not be applied toward the 60-unit minimum course requirement for the degree.

Required courses:

Gender Studies core courses 201, 202, 203 and 210 (16 units). Beyond 203 (Research Methods) eight units (two courses) of additional specialization or training in research methods are highly recommended, will count toward elective units, and may be required at the discretion of the student’s faculty adviser. An additional forty-four elective units (eleven courses) are required. Two upper division undergraduate courses may be applied toward elective units (up to 8 units).

Teaching assistants must enroll in Gender Studies 375 each quarter they hold a teaching appointment.

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.

Two written qualifying examinations are required: (1) A breadth examination covering general knowledge of gender studies, feminist theory, and contemporary issues. The examination is administered by a committee composed of faculty designated by the chair or the graduate chair of Gender Studies. Students are expected to take the examination at the end of their first year; (2) A depth examination covering the student’s area of specialization. Students are expected to have completed the depth exam by the end of their third year. Students who fail either of the written qualifying examinations may be permitted to retake them once as determined by the faculty committee.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is required after completion of the written qualifying examinations, completion of a dissertation proposal, and appointment of a doctoral committee in accord with University regulations. The oral exam should be taken no later than fall quarter of the student’s fourth year. The four-person doctoral committee is responsible for administering the examination. The oral examination is approximately two hours in length and is focused on the student’s dissertation proposal in relation to the selected specialization. Students who fail the oral qualifying examination may be permitted to retake it once as determined by the doctoral committee.

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 the Dissertation)

Not required.

Time-to-Degree

Students who enroll are expected to complete the Ph.D. degree within six years (eighteen quarters) of registration.

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

The Graduate Committee conducts an annual review of students’ progress toward the degree at the end of Spring Quarter and makes recommendations regarding continuance or termination. The faculty committee reviews all recommendations and formally approves or rejects any recommendation of termination. A student may appeal the Graduate Committee’s recommendation of termination to the faculty committee in writing prior to their review of the recommendation.