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School of the Arts and Architecture
The Department of Architecture and Urban Design offers the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch. I) and Master of Architecture II (M.Arch. II) degrees, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in architecture.
Master of Architecture I
Advising
Students are assigned a temporary adviser upon entering the department and select a permanent faculty adviser when they are ready to do so. The faculty member meets with students at least once each quarter and discusses the curriculum, approves selection of courses, and is available for special counseling as needed. Students who wish to change their adviser should obtain the consent of the new faculty adviser and discuss this change with the graduate adviser. The faculty adviser and the staff graduate adviser work together in explaining curricular requirements and in dealing with any personal or academic difficulties that may occur.
Areas of Study
None.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 126 units of course work is required of which at least 114 units must be taken at the graduate level (200 and 400 series). Students must take at least eight units per quarter and may take up to 16 units in a quarter. The remaining 12 units of required course work may include upper division undergraduate courses but these must be courses offered by departments other than architecture and urban design, or no more than eight units of 596 (independent study) courses that may be taken campuswide.
Required Courses. All students must successfully complete the following courses:
Architecture and Urban Design M201, 220, 291, 401, 403A-403B-403C, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 431, 432, 433, 436, 437, 441, 442, 461, and three courses in Critical Studies in Architectural Culture.
Design Studios. Design studios offered for M.Arch. I students are classified in three levels: introductory (411), intermediate (412, 413, 414), and advanced (401, 403A-403B-403C, 415).
If students maintain at least a B average in these studio levels, they automatically pass from the introductory to the intermediate level, from the intermediate level to the advanced level, and from the advanced level to the comprehensive examination. Students who do not maintain a B average in these studio levels are reviewed by a faculty committee, and are not permitted to advance unless explicitly allowed by that committee.
Waiving Required Courses. Students who believe they can demonstrate that they already have adequate background in topics covered by specific required courses may petition to waive those courses and replace them with electives. However, permission to waive required courses does not, in itself, reduce the minimum number of 126 units required for the M.Arch. I degree, nor does it reduce the nine-quarter residency requirement.
A petition to waive an individual required course should be addressed to the faculty member responsible for that course and may be granted at the faculty member’s discretion, possibly by means of a special examination. The petition should present evidence of adequate background in the specific topic of the course, preferably through a transcript and a syllabus of the course.
Independent Study. Students may apply eight units of 596 course work toward the elective course requirements for graduation. All independent work with 500-series course numbers must be undertaken with the guidance and approval of a departmental faculty member who evaluates the work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Course of Study. A normal, three-year path through the curriculum is listed below. Required courses other than design studios are normally only offered once a year, so failure to successfully complete one of these courses at the point shown may lengthen the time required to complete the program. Sections of Architecture and Urban Design 401, required studios, are normally available each quarter. Students are required to take the following courses, in the sequence indicated.
First Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design M201, 220, 411, 436.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 412, 431, elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 413, 432, 442.
Second Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 414, 433, elective.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 415, 437, elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 441, 461 (or M404).
Third Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 291, 401, 403A, elective.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 403B, one elective.
Spring: Two electives, Architecture and Urban Design 403C.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.A.
During the first year a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 39 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and four two-unit courses) or 166 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 110 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the M.A. degree in urban planning a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 22 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and four two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional one or two courses may be needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning thesis/capstone requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.A. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
All M.Arch. I students must complete the capstone plan, a requirement that is satisfied as follows:
The capstone requirement is fulfilled through the completion of Architecture and Urban Design 403C in spring quarter and the final design project for this course. The final design project committee consists of at least three faculty members appointed by the department chair. The individual project or group project is administered and evaluated for satisfactory completion by the capstone committee. Within the first two weeks of the quarter, the 403C instructor will determine whether the final project is done as an individual project or a group project. If a student produces a final project in a group framework, a student’s individual contribution will be determined by the instructor in consultation with each student prior to a group’s presentation and evaluation. The committee evaluates the final design project in the following terms: 1) pass (a unanimous vote), 2) two positive votes from the committee constitute a pass, 3) pass subject to revision of the final design project, or 4) fail (majority vote). A failing project cannot be revised. When the final design project is passed subject to revision, one member of the committee is assigned the responsibility of working with the student on the revision and determining when the final design project has been satisfactorily revised. The degree is awarded on recommendation of the faculty committee.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.A.
Students in the concurrent degree program must meet the thesis/ capstone plan requirements separately for each department. In Architecture and Urban Design, the capstone plan requirement is met through Architecture and Urban Design 403C, as outlined above.
During the first year, a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 39 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and four two-unit courses) or 166 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 110 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 22 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and four two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional two courses are needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning capstone plan requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.U.R.P. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
The normal length of time for completion of the M.Arch. I degree is nine academic quarters (three years).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.Arch. I | 9 | 9 | 15 |
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
Academic Probation for M.Arch. I Students
In addition to University policy, M.Arch. I students are required to maintain a 3.00 average in studio course work. Students who fall below a 3.00 average in overall course work or below a 3.00 average in studio course work are placed on departmental academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to attend bi-weekly meetings with their faculty adviser and the graduate adviser and are required to be assigned a student mentor. Students are free to choose their own faculty adviser with the consent of the graduate adviser. The department wants all students to succeed and indeed to excel in all of their academic endeavors. Therefore, academic probation is intended to identify weaknesses and help students move forward through special support and remedial action.
Recommendations for Termination for M.Arch. I Students
Students whose overall grade-point average or grade-point average in studio course work falls below 3.00 in two consecutive quarters are subject to a review to determine whether they will be recommended for termination of graduate study to the Graduate Division. No student will be subject to such a recommendation on the basis of a single grade of B- in a studio course.
At the beginning of each academic year, the department’s Executive Committee selects a standing committee charged with reviewing all students subject to a recommendation for termination. The members of the standing committee serve in this capacity for a minimum of one academic year. The standing committee consists of three ladder faculty members: the department chair and two other ladder faculty members. A student’s individual faculty adviser may serve as an additional member and consultant to the standing committee.
Once a potential recommendation for termination arises, the following procedures begin. Students receive additional academic advising and documentation of this advising, in the form of reports from the staff graduate adviser and the student’s individual faculty adviser, that are placed in the student’s file. Students meet with the standing committee at least once during the process and in addition to their faculty adviser, they may invite other faculty members to attend their meeting(s). The standing committee makes their recommendations in writing. If the committee chooses not to recommend termination, they must provide the student with a clear timetable for required improvements in performance. Students who fail to meet these requirements are recommended for termination based on a majority vote of the standing committee.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.
School of the Arts and Architecture
The Department of Architecture and Urban Design offers the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch. I) and Master of Architecture II (M.Arch. II) degrees, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in architecture.
Master of Architecture I
Advising
Students are assigned a temporary adviser upon entering the department and select a permanent faculty adviser when they are ready to do so. The faculty member meets with students at least once each quarter and discusses the curriculum, approves selection of courses, and is available for special counseling as needed. Students who wish to change their adviser should obtain the consent of the new faculty adviser and discuss this change with the graduate adviser. The faculty adviser and the staff graduate adviser work together in explaining curricular requirements and in dealing with any personal or academic difficulties that may occur.
Areas of Study
None.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 130 units of course work is required of which at least 118 units must be taken at the graduate level (200 and 400 series). Students must take at least eight units per quarter and may take up to 16 units in a quarter. The remaining 12 units of required course work may include upper division undergraduate courses but these must be courses offered by departments other than architecture and urban design, or no more than eight units of 596 (independent study) courses that may be taken campus-wide.
Required Courses. All students must successfully complete the following courses:
Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 222, 223, 291, 401, 403A-403B-403C, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 431, 432, 433, 436, 437, 441, 442, 461, and three courses in Critical Studies in Architectural Culture.
Design Studios. Design studios offered for M.Arch. I students are classified in three levels: introductory (411), intermediate (412, 413, 414), and advanced (401, 403A-403B-403C, 415).
If students maintain at least a B average in these studio levels, they automatically pass from the introductory to the intermediate level, from the intermediate level to the advanced level, and from the advanced level to the comprehensive examination. Students who do not maintain a B average in these studio levels are reviewed by a faculty committee, and are not permitted to advance unless explicitly allowed by that committee.
Waiving Required Courses. Students who believe they can demonstrate that they already have adequate background in topics covered by specific required courses may petition to waive those courses and replace them with electives. However, permission to waive required courses does not, in itself, reduce the minimum number of 130 units required for the M.Arch. I degree, nor does it reduce the nine-quarter residency requirement.
A petition to waive an individual required course should be addressed to the faculty member responsible for that course and may be granted at the faculty member’s discretion, possibly by means of a special examination. The petition should present evidence of adequate background in the specific topic of the course, preferably through a transcript and a syllabus of the course.
Independent Study. Students may apply eight units of 596 course work toward the elective course requirements for graduation. All independent work with 500-series course numbers must be undertaken with the guidance and approval of a departmental faculty member who evaluates the work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Course of Study. A normal, three-year path through the curriculum is listed below. Required courses other than design studios are normally only offered once a year, so failure to successfully complete one of these courses at the point shown may lengthen the time required to complete the program. Sections of Architecture and Urban Design 401, required studios, are normally available each quarter. Students are required to take the following courses, in the sequence indicated.
First Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 411, 431.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 412, 222, 432 , 436.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 223, 401 , 433 , 442.
Second Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 291, 413, 461.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 415, 441, one elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 414, 437, elective.
Third Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design, 401, 403A, two electives.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 403B, one elective.
Spring: Two electives, Architecture and Urban Design 403C.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
During the first year a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 41 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and six two-unit courses) or 170 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 114 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree in urban planning a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 24 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and six two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional one or two courses may be needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning thesis/capstone requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.U.R.P. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
All M.Arch. I students must complete the capstone plan, a requirement that is satisfied as follows:
The capstone requirement is fulfilled through the completion of Architecture and Urban Design 403C in spring quarter and the final design project for this course. The final design project committee consists of at least three faculty members appointed by the department chair. The individual project or group project is administered and evaluated for satisfactory completion by the capstone committee. Within the first two weeks of the quarter, the 403C instructor will determine whether the final project is done as an individual project or a group project. If a student produces a final project in a group framework, a student’s individual contribution will be determined by the instructor in consultation with each student prior to a group’s presentation and evaluation. The committee evaluates the final design project in the following terms: 1) pass (a unanimous vote), 2) two positive votes from the committee constitute a pass, 3) pass subject to revision of the final design project, or 4) fail (majority vote). A failing project cannot be revised. When the final design project is passed subject to revision, one member of the committee is assigned the responsibility of working with the student on the revision and determining when the final design project has been satisfactorily revised. The degree is awarded on recommendation of the faculty committee.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
Students in the concurrent degree program must meet the thesis/ capstone plan requirements separately for each department. In Architecture and Urban Design, the capstone plan requirement is met through Architecture and Urban Design 403C, as outlined above. Please refer to the M.U.R.P. program requirements for more information about the thesis/capstone requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
The normal length of time for completion of the M.Arch. I degree is nine academic quarters (three years).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.Arch. I | 9 | 9 | 15 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Special Departmental or Program Policy
Academic Probation for M.Arch. I Students
In addition to University policy, M.Arch. I students are required to maintain a 3.00 average in studio course work. Students who fall below a 3.00 average in overall course work or below a 3.00 average in studio course work are placed on departmental academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to attend bi-weekly meetings with their faculty adviser and the graduate adviser and are required to be assigned a student mentor. Students are free to choose their own faculty adviser with the consent of the graduate adviser. The department wants all students to succeed and indeed to excel in all of their academic endeavors. Therefore, academic probation is intended to identify weaknesses and help students move forward through special support and remedial action.
Recommendations for academic disqualification for M.Arch. I Students
Students whose overall grade-point average or grade-point average in studio course work falls below 3.00 in two consecutive quarters are subject to a review to determine whether they will be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study to the Graduate Division. No student will be subject to such a recommendation on the basis of a single grade of B- in a studio course.
At the beginning of each academic year, the department’s Executive Committee selects a standing committee charged with reviewing all students subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification. The members of the standing committee serve in this capacity for a minimum of one academic year. The standing committee consists of three ladder faculty members: the department chair and two other ladder faculty members. A student’s individual faculty adviser may serve as an additional member and consultant to the standing committee.
Once a potential recommendation for academic disqualification arises, the following procedures begin. Students receive additional academic advising and documentation of this advising, in the form of reports from the staff graduate adviser and the student’s individual faculty adviser, that are placed in the student’s file. Students meet with the standing committee at least once during the process and in addition to their faculty adviser, they may invite other faculty members to attend their meeting(s). The standing committee makes their recommendations in writing. If the committee chooses not to recommend academic disqualification, they must provide the student with a clear timetable for required improvements in performance. Students who fail to meet these requirements are recommended for academic disqualification based on a majority vote of the standing committee.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.
School of the Arts and Architecture
The Department of Architecture and Urban Design offers the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch. I) and Master of Architecture II (M.Arch. II) degrees, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in architecture.
Master of Architecture I
Advising
Students are assigned a temporary adviser upon entering the department and select a permanent faculty adviser when they are ready to do so. The faculty member meets with students at least once each quarter and discusses the curriculum, approves selection of courses, and is available for special counseling as needed. Students who wish to change their adviser should obtain the consent of the new faculty adviser and discuss this change with the graduate adviser. The faculty adviser and the staff graduate adviser work together in explaining curricular requirements and in dealing with any personal or academic difficulties that may occur.
Areas of Study
None.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 130 units of course work is required of which at least 118 units must be taken at the graduate level (200 and 400 series). Students must take at least eight units per quarter and may take up to 16 units in a quarter. The remaining 12 units of required course work may include upper division undergraduate courses but these must be courses offered by departments other than architecture and urban design, or no more than eight units of 596 (independent study) courses that may be taken campus-wide.
Required Courses. All students must successfully complete the following courses:
Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 222, 223, 291, 401, 403A-403B-403C, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 431, 432, 433, 436, 437, 441, 442, 461, and three courses in Critical Studies in Architectural Culture.
Design Studios. Design studios offered for M.Arch. I students are classified in three levels: introductory (411), intermediate (412, 413, 414), and advanced (401, 403A-403B-403C, 415).
If students maintain at least a B average in these studio levels, they automatically pass from the introductory to the intermediate level, from the intermediate level to the advanced level, and from the advanced level to the comprehensive examination. Students who do not maintain a B average in these studio levels are reviewed by a faculty committee, and are not permitted to advance unless explicitly allowed by that committee.
Waiving Required Courses. Students who believe they can demonstrate that they already have adequate background in topics covered by specific required courses may petition to waive those courses and replace them with electives. However, permission to waive required courses does not, in itself, reduce the minimum number of 130 units required for the M.Arch. I degree, nor does it reduce the nine-quarter residency requirement.
A petition to waive an individual required course should be addressed to the faculty member responsible for that course and may be granted at the faculty member’s discretion, possibly by means of a special examination. The petition should present evidence of adequate background in the specific topic of the course, preferably through a transcript and a syllabus of the course.
Independent Study. Students may apply eight units of 596 course work toward the elective course requirements for graduation. All independent work with 500-series course numbers must be undertaken with the guidance and approval of a departmental faculty member who evaluates the work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Course of Study. A normal, three-year path through the curriculum is listed below. Required courses other than design studios are normally only offered once a year, so failure to successfully complete one of these courses at the point shown may lengthen the time required to complete the program. Sections of Architecture and Urban Design 401, required studios, are normally available each quarter. Students are required to take the following courses, in the sequence indicated.
First Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 411, 431.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 412, 222, 432 , 436.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 223, 401 , 433 , 442.
Second Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 291, 413, 461.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 415, 441, one elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 414, 437, elective.
Third Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design, 401, 403A, two electives.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 403B, one elective.
Spring: Two electives, Architecture and Urban Design 403C.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
During the first year a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 41 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and six two-unit courses) or 170 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 114 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree in urban planning a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 24 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and six two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional one or two courses may be needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning thesis/capstone requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.U.R.P. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
All M.Arch. I students must complete the capstone plan, a requirement that is satisfied as follows:
The capstone requirement is fulfilled through the completion of Architecture and Urban Design 403C in spring quarter and the final design project for this course. The final design project committee consists of at least three faculty members appointed by the department chair. The individual project or group project is administered and evaluated for satisfactory completion by the capstone committee. Within the first two weeks of the quarter, the 403C instructor will determine whether the final project is done as an individual project or a group project. If a student produces a final project in a group framework, a student’s individual contribution will be determined by the instructor in consultation with each student prior to a group’s presentation and evaluation. The committee evaluates the final design project in the following terms: 1) pass (a unanimous vote), 2) two positive votes from the committee constitute a pass, 3) pass subject to revision of the final design project, or 4) fail (majority vote). A failing project cannot be revised. When the final design project is passed subject to revision, one member of the committee is assigned the responsibility of working with the student on the revision and determining when the final design project has been satisfactorily revised. The degree is awarded on recommendation of the faculty committee.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
Students in the concurrent degree program must meet the thesis/ capstone plan requirements separately for each department. In Architecture and Urban Design, the capstone plan requirement is met through Architecture and Urban Design 403C, as outlined above. Please refer to the M.U.R.P. program requirements for more information about the thesis/capstone requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
The normal length of time for completion of the M.Arch. I degree is nine academic quarters (three years).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.Arch. I | 9 | 9 | 15 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Special Departmental or Program Policy
Academic Probation for M.Arch. I Students
In addition to University policy, M.Arch. I students are required to maintain a 3.00 average in studio course work. Students who fall below a 3.00 average in overall course work or below a 3.00 average in studio course work are placed on departmental academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to attend bi-weekly meetings with their faculty adviser and the graduate adviser and are required to be assigned a student mentor. Students are free to choose their own faculty adviser with the consent of the graduate adviser. The department wants all students to succeed and indeed to excel in all of their academic endeavors. Therefore, academic probation is intended to identify weaknesses and help students move forward through special support and remedial action.
Recommendations for academic disqualification for M.Arch. I Students
Students whose overall grade-point average or grade-point average in studio course work falls below 3.00 in two consecutive quarters are subject to a review to determine whether they will be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study to the Graduate Division. No student will be subject to such a recommendation on the basis of a single grade of B- in a studio course.
At the beginning of each academic year, the department’s Executive Committee selects a standing committee charged with reviewing all students subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification. The members of the standing committee serve in this capacity for a minimum of one academic year. The standing committee consists of three ladder faculty members: the department chair and two other ladder faculty members. A student’s individual faculty adviser may serve as an additional member and consultant to the standing committee.
Once a potential recommendation for academic disqualification arises, the following procedures begin. Students receive additional academic advising and documentation of this advising, in the form of reports from the staff graduate adviser and the student’s individual faculty adviser, that are placed in the student’s file. Students meet with the standing committee at least once during the process and in addition to their faculty adviser, they may invite other faculty members to attend their meeting(s). The standing committee makes their recommendations in writing. If the committee chooses not to recommend academic disqualification, they must provide the student with a clear timetable for required improvements in performance. Students who fail to meet these requirements are recommended for academic disqualification based on a majority vote of the standing committee.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2023-2024 academic year.
School of the Arts and Architecture
The Department of Architecture and Urban Design offers the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch. I) and Master of Architecture II (M.Arch. II) degrees, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in architecture.
Master of Architecture I
Advising
Students are assigned a temporary adviser upon entering the department and select a permanent faculty adviser when they are ready to do so. The faculty member meets with students at least once each quarter and discusses the curriculum, approves selection of courses, and is available for special counseling as needed. Students who wish to change their adviser should obtain the consent of the new faculty adviser and discuss this change with the graduate adviser. The faculty adviser and the staff graduate adviser work together in explaining curricular requirements and in dealing with any personal or academic difficulties that may occur.
Areas of Study
None.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 130 units of course work is required of which at least 118 units must be taken at the graduate level (200 and 400 series). Students must take at least eight units per quarter and may take up to 16 units in a quarter. The remaining 12 units of required course work may include upper division undergraduate courses but these must be courses offered by departments other than architecture and urban design, or no more than eight units of 596 (independent study) courses that may be taken campus-wide.
Required Courses. All students must successfully complete the following courses:
Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 222, 223, 291, 401, 403A-403B-403C, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 431, 432, 433, 436, 437, 441, 442, 461, and three courses in Critical Studies in Architectural Culture.
Design Studios. Design studios offered for M.Arch. I students are classified in three levels: introductory (411), intermediate (412, 413, 414), and advanced (401, 403A-403B-403C, 415).
If students maintain at least a B average in these studio levels, they automatically pass from the introductory to the intermediate level, from the intermediate level to the advanced level, and from the advanced level to the comprehensive examination. Students who do not maintain a B average in these studio levels are reviewed by a faculty committee, and are not permitted to advance unless explicitly allowed by that committee.
Waiving Required Courses. Students who believe they can demonstrate that they already have adequate background in topics covered by specific required courses may petition to waive those courses and replace them with electives. However, permission to waive required courses does not, in itself, reduce the minimum number of 130 units required for the M.Arch. I degree, nor does it reduce the nine-quarter residency requirement.
A petition to waive an individual required course should be addressed to the faculty member responsible for that course and may be granted at the faculty member’s discretion, possibly by means of a special examination. The petition should present evidence of adequate background in the specific topic of the course, preferably through a transcript and a syllabus of the course.
Independent Study. Students may apply eight units of 596 course work toward the elective course requirements for graduation. All independent work with 500-series course numbers must be undertaken with the guidance and approval of a departmental faculty member who evaluates the work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Course of Study. A normal, three-year path through the curriculum is listed below. Required courses other than design studios are normally only offered once a year, so failure to successfully complete one of these courses at the point shown may lengthen the time required to complete the program. Sections of Architecture and Urban Design 401, required studios, are normally available each quarter. Students are required to take the following courses, in the sequence indicated.
First Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 411, 431.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 412, 222, 432 , 436.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 223, 401 , 433 , 442.
Second Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 291, 413, 461.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 415, 441, one elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 414, 437, elective.
Third Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design, 401, 403A, two electives.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 403B, one elective.
Spring: Two electives, Architecture and Urban Design 403C.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
During the first year a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 41 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and six two-unit courses) or 170 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 114 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree in urban planning a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 24 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and six two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional one or two courses may be needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning thesis/capstone requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.U.R.P. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
All M.Arch. I students must complete the capstone plan, a requirement that is satisfied as follows:
The capstone requirement is fulfilled through the completion of Architecture and Urban Design 403C in spring quarter and the final design project for this course. The final design project committee consists of at least three faculty members appointed by the department chair. The individual project or group project is administered and evaluated for satisfactory completion by the capstone committee. Within the first two weeks of the quarter, the 403C instructor will determine whether the final project is done as an individual project or a group project. If a student produces a final project in a group framework, a student’s individual contribution will be determined by the instructor in consultation with each student prior to a group’s presentation and evaluation. The committee evaluates the final design project in the following terms: 1) pass (a unanimous vote), 2) two positive votes from the committee constitute a pass, 3) pass subject to revision of the final design project, or 4) fail (majority vote). A failing project cannot be revised. When the final design project is passed subject to revision, one member of the committee is assigned the responsibility of working with the student on the revision and determining when the final design project has been satisfactorily revised. The degree is awarded on recommendation of the faculty committee.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
Students in the concurrent degree program must meet the thesis/ capstone plan requirements separately for each department. In Architecture and Urban Design, the capstone plan requirement is met through Architecture and Urban Design 403C, as outlined above. Please refer to the M.U.R.P. program requirements for more information about the thesis/capstone requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
The normal length of time for completion of the M.Arch. I degree is nine academic quarters (three years).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.Arch. I | 9 | 9 | 15 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Special Departmental or Program Policy
Academic Probation for M.Arch. I Students
In addition to University policy, M.Arch. I students are required to maintain a 3.00 average in studio course work. Students who fall below a 3.00 average in overall course work or below a 3.00 average in studio course work are placed on departmental academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to attend bi-weekly meetings with their faculty adviser and the graduate adviser and are required to be assigned a student mentor. Students are free to choose their own faculty adviser with the consent of the graduate adviser. The department wants all students to succeed and indeed to excel in all of their academic endeavors. Therefore, academic probation is intended to identify weaknesses and help students move forward through special support and remedial action.
Recommendations for academic disqualification for M.Arch. I Students
Students whose overall grade-point average or grade-point average in studio course work falls below 3.00 in two consecutive quarters are subject to a review to determine whether they will be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study to the Graduate Division. No student will be subject to such a recommendation on the basis of a single grade of B- in a studio course.
At the beginning of each academic year, the department’s Executive Committee selects a standing committee charged with reviewing all students subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification. The members of the standing committee serve in this capacity for a minimum of one academic year. The standing committee consists of three ladder faculty members: the department chair and two other ladder faculty members. A student’s individual faculty adviser may serve as an additional member and consultant to the standing committee.
Once a potential recommendation for academic disqualification arises, the following procedures begin. Students receive additional academic advising and documentation of this advising, in the form of reports from the staff graduate adviser and the student’s individual faculty adviser, that are placed in the student’s file. Students meet with the standing committee at least once during the process and in addition to their faculty adviser, they may invite other faculty members to attend their meeting(s). The standing committee makes their recommendations in writing. If the committee chooses not to recommend academic disqualification, they must provide the student with a clear timetable for required improvements in performance. Students who fail to meet these requirements are recommended for academic disqualification based on a majority vote of the standing committee.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.
School of the Arts and Architecture
The Department of Architecture and Urban Design offers the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch. I) and Master of Architecture II (M.Arch. II) degrees, and the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in architecture.
Master of Architecture I
Advising
Students are assigned a temporary adviser upon entering the department and select a permanent faculty adviser when they are ready to do so. The faculty member meets with students at least once each quarter and discusses the curriculum, approves selection of courses, and is available for special counseling as needed. Students who wish to change their adviser should obtain the consent of the new faculty adviser and discuss this change with the graduate adviser. The faculty adviser and the staff graduate adviser work together in explaining curricular requirements and in dealing with any personal or academic difficulties that may occur.
Areas of Study
None.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 130 units of course work is required of which at least 118 units must be taken at the graduate level (200 and 400 series). Students must take at least eight units per quarter and may take up to 16 units in a quarter. The remaining 12 units of required course work may include upper division undergraduate courses but these must be courses offered by departments other than architecture and urban design, or no more than eight units of 596 (independent study) courses that may be taken campus-wide.
Required Courses. All students must successfully complete the following courses:
Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 222, 223, 291, 401, 403A-403B-403C, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 431, 432, 433, 436, 437, 441, 442, 461, and three courses in Critical Studies in Architectural Culture.
Design Studios. Design studios offered for M.Arch. I students are classified in three levels: introductory (411), intermediate (412, 413, 414), and advanced (401, 403A-403B-403C, 415).
If students maintain at least a B average in these studio levels, they automatically pass from the introductory to the intermediate level, from the intermediate level to the advanced level, and from the advanced level to the comprehensive examination. Students who do not maintain a B average in these studio levels are reviewed by a faculty committee, and are not permitted to advance unless explicitly allowed by that committee.
Waiving Required Courses. Students who believe they can demonstrate that they already have adequate background in topics covered by specific required courses may petition to waive those courses and replace them with electives. However, permission to waive required courses does not, in itself, reduce the minimum number of 130 units required for the M.Arch. I degree, nor does it reduce the nine-quarter residency requirement.
A petition to waive an individual required course should be addressed to the faculty member responsible for that course and may be granted at the faculty member’s discretion, possibly by means of a special examination. The petition should present evidence of adequate background in the specific topic of the course, preferably through a transcript and a syllabus of the course.
Independent Study. Students may apply eight units of 596 course work toward the elective course requirements for graduation. All independent work with 500-series course numbers must be undertaken with the guidance and approval of a departmental faculty member who evaluates the work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Course of Study. A normal, three-year path through the curriculum is listed below. Required courses other than design studios are normally only offered once a year, so failure to successfully complete one of these courses at the point shown may lengthen the time required to complete the program. Sections of Architecture and Urban Design 401, required studios, are normally available each quarter. Students are required to take the following courses, in the sequence indicated.
First Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design M201, 221, 411, 431.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 412, 222, 432 , 436.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 223, 401 , 433 , 442.
Second Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design 291, 413, 461.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 415, 441, one elective.
Spring: Architecture and Urban Design 414, 437, elective.
Third Year:
Fall: Architecture and Urban Design, 401, 403A, two electives.
Winter: Architecture and Urban Design 401, 403B, one elective.
Spring: Two electives, Architecture and Urban Design 403C.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
During the first year a student follows the required Urban Planning curriculum. The second year is entirely in Architecture/Urban Design. The third and fourth years comprise a mix of both Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning courses, with the final design or written thesis or client or comprehensive project carried out in the fourth year.
A total of 41 courses (26 four-unit, nine six-unit, and six two-unit courses) or 170 units of course work is required to graduate. A student will take at least 36 units in Urban Planning and 114 units in Architecture and Urban Design to satisfy the specific requirements of each degree, including core courses in both programs and area of concentration courses from each program. To fulfill the core requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree in urban planning a student must take six core courses, plus one course related to planning practice or fieldwork. In Architecture and Urban Design, a student will take 24 core courses (nine six-unit, nine four-unit, and six two-unit courses). In addition, a student will take eight elective courses including three electives in the area of critical studies in architectural culture and five electives that fulfill the needs of the selected area of concentration. These may be chosen from courses offered in Architecture/Urban Design and Urban Planning, which have been identified as acceptable to both programs. To fulfill the capstone plan requirement in Architecture and Urban Design, students are required to take Architecture and Urban Design 403A-403B-403C in the fourth year. An additional one or two courses may be needed in the fourth year to meet the Urban Planning thesis/capstone requirement. Thirty-two units of course work, or eight elective courses, are double-counted in both Architecture and Urban Design and Urban Planning.
If a student is in the concurrent degree program and decides not to complete either the M.Arch. I degree or the M.U.R.P. degree, all the regular requirements for the program that a student wishes to complete must be met.
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Not required.
Capstone Plan
All M.Arch. I students must complete the capstone plan, a requirement that is satisfied as follows:
The capstone requirement is fulfilled through the completion of Architecture and Urban Design 403C in spring quarter and the final design project for this course. The final design project committee consists of at least three faculty members appointed by the department chair. The individual project or group project is administered and evaluated for satisfactory completion by the capstone committee. Within the first two weeks of the quarter, the 403C instructor will determine whether the final project is done as an individual project or a group project. If a student produces a final project in a group framework, a student’s individual contribution will be determined by the instructor in consultation with each student prior to a group’s presentation and evaluation. The committee evaluates the final design project in the following terms: 1) pass (a unanimous vote), 2) two positive votes from the committee constitute a pass, 3) pass subject to revision of the final design project, or 4) fail (majority vote). A failing project cannot be revised. When the final design project is passed subject to revision, one member of the committee is assigned the responsibility of working with the student on the revision and determining when the final design project has been satisfactorily revised. The degree is awarded on recommendation of the faculty committee.
Architecture M.Arch. I /Urban Planning, M.U.R.P.
Students in the concurrent degree program must meet the thesis/ capstone plan requirements separately for each department. In Architecture and Urban Design, the capstone plan requirement is met through Architecture and Urban Design 403C, as outlined above. Please refer to the M.U.R.P. program requirements for more information about the thesis/capstone requirements for the M.U.R.P. degree.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
The normal length of time for completion of the M.Arch. I degree is nine academic quarters (three years).
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.Arch. I | 9 | 9 | 15 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Special Departmental or Program Policy
Academic Probation for M.Arch. I Students
In addition to University policy, M.Arch. I students are required to maintain a 3.00 average in studio course work. Students who fall below a 3.00 average in overall course work or below a 3.00 average in studio course work are placed on departmental academic probation. Students on academic probation are required to attend bi-weekly meetings with their faculty adviser and the graduate adviser and are required to be assigned a student mentor. Students are free to choose their own faculty adviser with the consent of the graduate adviser. The department wants all students to succeed and indeed to excel in all of their academic endeavors. Therefore, academic probation is intended to identify weaknesses and help students move forward through special support and remedial action.
Recommendations for academic disqualification for M.Arch. I Students
Students whose overall grade-point average or grade-point average in studio course work falls below 3.00 in two consecutive quarters are subject to a review to determine whether they will be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study to the Graduate Division. No student will be subject to such a recommendation on the basis of a single grade of B- in a studio course.
At the beginning of each academic year, the department’s Executive Committee selects a standing committee charged with reviewing all students subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification. The members of the standing committee serve in this capacity for a minimum of one academic year. The standing committee consists of three ladder faculty members: the department chair and two other ladder faculty members. A student’s individual faculty adviser may serve as an additional member and consultant to the standing committee.
Once a potential recommendation for academic disqualification arises, the following procedures begin. Students receive additional academic advising and documentation of this advising, in the form of reports from the staff graduate adviser and the student’s individual faculty adviser, that are placed in the student’s file. Students meet with the standing committee at least once during the process and in addition to their faculty adviser, they may invite other faculty members to attend their meeting(s). The standing committee makes their recommendations in writing. If the committee chooses not to recommend academic disqualification, they must provide the student with a clear timetable for required improvements in performance. Students who fail to meet these requirements are recommended for academic disqualification based on a majority vote of the standing committee.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2020-2021 academic year.
John E. Anderson School of Management
The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree and the Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree. The school also offers the Executive M.B.A. Program (EMBA) and the M.B.A. for the Fully Employed (FEMBA).
Master of Financial Engineering
Advising
The faculty director of the M.F.E. program is in charge of student advising.
Areas of Study
Financial Engineering.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
The required elements of the M.F.E. program are the core courses, the electives, the Applied Finance project, the M.F.E. Career Management workshops, and the Field experience (internship). The core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of financial engineering. Electives provide knowledge and skills for specialized fields of work. The Applied Finance project allows students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to financial engineering issues in real organizations. The M.F.E. Career Management workshops prepares students for their professional success. The Field experience provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study.
A total of 70 units is required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances, a maximum of four units of 500-series course work may be applied to the course requirements.
Core Courses. The financial engineering core consists of 10 courses, 40 units in total (MGMTMFE 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408 and 409), on subjects basic to the practice of financial engineering. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, these core courses were called MGMT 237 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, O and Q.)
Elective Courses. 16 units of variable topic electives (MGMTMFE 431 courses) provides students with the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to their desired career path.
Applied Finance Project. 4 units. A team project, MGMTMFE 410, is the final, professional requirement of the M.F.E.program. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, MGMT-MFE 410 was called MGMT 237N.)
M.F.E. Career Management Workshops. 6 units of career development programming (MGMT 294) provides students with the necessary career management skills and tools to effectively identify, compete, and secure professional opportunities. MGMT 294 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Field Experience. 4 units. Provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study. MGMT-MFE 411 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Teaching Experience
Not Required.
Field Experience
Internship required.
M.F.E. students are required to do an internship with a company in their proposed area of study (financial engineering). The summer quarter is the primary time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the spring or fall terms. Students should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Students considering research positions may also discuss their plans with the M.F.E. program faculty director in order to develop alternative research/ special projects opportunities to meet this requirement. M.F.E. students will have their field experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in MGMTMFE 411, Fieldwork/ Research in Financial Engineering (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, this course was called MGMT 237L). Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.
Capstone Plan
The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the Applied Finance Project (MGMT MFE 410) course with grade of “B” or better. Teams of students complete an original applied research project that will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The project is designed to provide an in depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contributions adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Approximately 15 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.F.E. | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2025-2026 academic year.
John E. Anderson School of Management
The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, the Executive M.B.A. degree, the Fully-Employed M.B.A degree, Global Executive M.B.A for Asia Pacific degree, the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree, and the Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree.
Master of Financial Engineering
Advising
The faculty director of the M.F.E. program is in charge of student advising.
Areas of Study
Financial Engineering.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
The required elements of the M.F.E. program are the core courses, the electives, the Applied Finance project, the M.F.E. Career Development series, and the Field experience (internship). The core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of financial engineering. Electives provide knowledge and skills for specialized fields of work. The Applied Finance project allows students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to financial engineering issues in real organizations. The M.F.E. Career Development Series prepares students for their professional success. The Field experience provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study.
A total of 72 units is required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances, a maximum of four units of 500-series course work may be applied to the course requirements.
Core Courses. The financial engineering core consists of 10 courses, 40 units in total (MGMTMFE 400, 401, 402, 403, 406, 407, 408, 409, 412, and 413), on subjects basic to the practice of financial engineering.
Elective Courses. 20 units of graduate level management electives provide students with the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to their desired career path.
Applied Finance Project. 4 units. A team project, MGMTMFE 410, is the final, professional requirement of the M.F.E. program.
M.F.E. Career Development Series. 4 units of career development programming (MGMTMFE 415) provides students with the necessary career management skills and tools to effectively identify, compete, and secure professional opportunities. MGMTMFE 415 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Field Experience. 4 units. Provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study. MGMTMFE 411 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Teaching Experience
Not Required.
Field Experience
Internship required.
M.F.E. students are required to do an internship with a company in their proposed area of study (financial engineering). The summer quarter is the primary time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the spring or fall terms. Students should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Students considering research positions may also discuss their plans with the M.F.E. program faculty director in order to develop alternative research/special projects opportunities to meet this requirement. M.F.E. students will have their field experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in MGMTMFE 411, Fieldwork/Research in Financial Engineering. Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.
Capstone Plan
The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the Applied Finance Project (MGMTMFE 410) course with grade of “B” or better. Teams of students complete an original applied research project that will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The project is designed to provide an in-depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contributions adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Approximately 15 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.F.E. | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade-point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2017-2018 academic year.
John E. Anderson School of Management
The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctoral of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree and the Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree. The school also offers the Executive M.B.A. Program (EMBA) and the M.B.A. for the Fully Employed (FEMBA).
Master of Financial Engineering
Advising
The faculty director of the M.F.E. program is in charge of student advising.
Areas of Study
Financial Engineering.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
The four required elements of the M.F.E. program are the core courses, the electives, financial institution seminars/career development workshops, and the Applied Finance project. The core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of financial engineering. Electives provide specialized knowledge and skills for specialized fields of work. The financial institution seminars showcase finance practitioners and their real world knowledge and experience. The Applied Finance project allows students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to financial engineering issues in real organizations.
A total of 60 units of course work is required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances, a maximum of four units of 500-series course work may be applied to the course requirements.
Core Courses. The financial engineering core consists of 10 courses, 40 units in total (MGMT MFE 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 409, 407, 408 and 409), on subjects basic to the practice of financial engineering. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, these core courses were called MGMT 237 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, O and Q.)
Elective Courses. 16 units of variable topic electives (MGMTMFE 431 courses), provide students with the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to their desired career path.
Financial Institution Seminars/Career Development Workshops. Financial practitioners discuss such topics as the opportunities available to graduates of the program, the skills needed to succeed in financial engineering, and emerging changes in the financial world. No units are assigned to these seminars.
Applied Finance Project. A team project, MGMT MFE 410, is the final, professional requirement of the M.F.E.program. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, MGMT 410 was called MGMT 237N.)
Teaching Experience
Not Required.
Field Experience
Summer internship required.
M.F.E. students are required to do an internship with a company in their proposed area of study (financial engineering). The summer quarter is the primary time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the spring or fall terms. Students should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Students considering research positions may also discuss their plans with the M.F.E. program faculty director in order to develop alternative research/ special projects opportunities to meet this requirement. M.F.E. students will have their field experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in MGMT MFE 411 (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, this course was called MGMT 237L). Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.
Capstone Plan
The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the Applied Finance Project (MGMT MFE 410) course with grade of “B” or better. Teams of students complete an original applied research project that will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The project is designed to provide an in depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contributions adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Approximately 15 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.F.E. | 4 | 4 | 8 |
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.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.
John E. Anderson School of Management
The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree and the Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree. The school also offers the Executive M.B.A. Program (EMBA) and the M.B.A. for the Fully Employed (FEMBA).
Master of Financial Engineering
Advising
The faculty director of the M.F.E. program is in charge of student advising.
Areas of Study
Financial Engineering.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
The required elements of the M.F.E. program are the core courses, the electives, the Applied Finance project, the M.F.E. Career Management workshops, and the Field experience (internship). The core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of financial engineering. Electives provide knowledge and skills for specialized fields of work. The Applied Finance project allows students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to financial engineering issues in real organizations. The M.F.E. Career Management workshops prepare students for their professional success. The Field experience provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study.
A total of 72 units is required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances, a maximum of four units of 500-series course work may be applied to the course requirements.
Core Courses. The financial engineering core consists of 10 courses, 40 units in total (MGMTMFE 400, 401, 402, 403, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409 and 412), on subjects basic to the practice of financial engineering. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, these core courses were called MGMT 237 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, O and Q.)
Elective Courses. 20 units of variable topic electives (MGMTMFE 431 courses) provide students with the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to their desired career path.
Applied Finance Project. 4 units. A team project, MGMTMFE 410, is the final, professional requirement of the M.F.E. program. (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, MGMTMFE 410 was called MGMT 237N.)
M.F.E. Career Management Workshops. 4 units of career development programming (MGMTMFE 415) provides students with the necessary career management skills and tools to effectively identify, compete, and secure professional opportunities. MGMTMFE 415 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Field Experience. 4 units. Provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study. MGMT-MFE 411 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Teaching Experience
Not Required.
Field Experience
Internship required.
M.F.E. students are required to do an internship with a company in their proposed area of study (financial engineering). The summer quarter is the primary time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the spring or fall terms. Students should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Students considering research positions may also discuss their plans with the M.F.E. program faculty director in order to develop alternative research/special projects opportunities to meet this requirement. M.F.E. students will have their field experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in MGMTMFE 411, Fieldwork/Research in Financial Engineering (Note: Prior to the 2017 – 2018 academic year, this course was called MGMT 237L). Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.
Capstone Plan
The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the Applied Finance Project (MGMTMFE 410) course with grade of “B” or better. Teams of students complete an original applied research project that will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The project is designed to provide an in-depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contributions adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Approximately 15 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.F.E. | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade-point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
Applicable only to students admitted during the 2024-2025 academic year.
John E. Anderson School of Management
The John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Management, the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, the Executive M.B.A. degree, the Fully-Employed M.B.A degree, Global Executive M.B.A for Asia Pacific degree, the Master of Financial Engineering (M.F.E.) degree, and the Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) degree. In addition, there are a number of degree programs, offered in cooperation with other graduate and professional degree programs on campus, that lead to the M.B.A. and another degree.
Master of Financial Engineering
Advising
The faculty director of the M.F.E. program is in charge of student advising.
Areas of Study
Financial Engineering.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
The required elements of the M.F.E. program are the core courses, the electives, the Applied Finance project, the M.F.E. Career Development series, and the Field experience (internship). The core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of financial engineering. Electives provide knowledge and skills for specialized fields of work. The Applied Finance project allows students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to financial engineering issues in real organizations. The M.F.E. Career Development Series prepares students for their professional success. The Field experience provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study.
A total of 72 units is required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances, a maximum of four units of 500-series course work may be applied to the course requirements.
Core Courses. The financial engineering core consists of 10 courses, 40 units in total (MGMTMFE 400, 401, 402, 403, 406, 407, 408, 409, 412, and 413), on subjects basic to the practice of financial engineering.
Elective Courses. 20 units of graduate level management electives provide students with the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to their desired career path.
Applied Finance Project. 4 units. A team project, MGMTMFE 410, is the final, professional requirement of the M.F.E. program.
M.F.E. Career Development Series. 4 units of career development programming (MGMTMFE 415) provides students with the necessary career management skills and tools to effectively identify, compete, and secure professional opportunities. MGMTMFE 415 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Field Experience. 4 units. Provides an opportunity to develop practical experience through an internship with a company in their proposed area of study. MGMTMFE 411 is offered only on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis.
Teaching Experience
Not Required.
Field Experience
Internship required.
M.F.E. students are required to do an internship with a company in their proposed area of study (financial engineering). The summer quarter is the primary time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the spring or fall terms. Students should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty advisor. Students considering research positions may also discuss their plans with the M.F.E. program faculty director in order to develop alternative research/special projects opportunities to meet this requirement. M.F.E. students will have their field experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in MGMTMFE 411, Fieldwork/Research in Financial Engineering. Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.
Capstone Plan
The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the Applied Finance Project (MGMTMFE 410) course with grade of “B” or better. Teams of students complete an original applied research project that will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The project is designed to provide an in-depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contributions adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
Approximately 15 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.
| DEGREE | NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) | NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD |
| M.F.E. | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade-point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.