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

Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Languages and Cultures

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Languages and Cultures. The department only admits students with the objective of the Ph.D. degree though provisions are made for a terminal M. A. degree (see below).

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Students must meet with the Director of Graduate Studies at the beginning of each quarter for consultation about their programs and progress toward the degree. Students who wish to enroll in Slavic 596 and 597 must obtain prior permission from the instructor with whom they plan to work before the Director of Graduate Studies can include the course on the study list.

All graduate students in the department receive a written evaluation of their progress each year.

Areas of Study

Candidates for the M.A. follow a foundational program in Russian language and literature. Concentration in linguistics or a language and literature other than Russian is permitted with the consent of the DGS if course offerings permit.

Foreign Language Requirement

Demonstrated proficiency in Russian (or another Slavic / area language – see above) is required for the M.A. degree: students must have taken equivalent coursework or pass a departmental language proficiency examination which tests ability to translate from the target language to English and vice versa. This examination may be retaken each quarter until a pass grade is achieved, within the time limits for completion of the M.A. degree, and must be passed before the Second Year Review (spring quarter of their second year). The language proficiency examination is offered at the beginning of each quarter.

Students should also begin their studies of a second Slavic or another area-related language (to be determined in consultation with the DGS) during the M.A. period, but will not be required to complete it until prior to their doctoral exams.

Course Requirements

A minimum of 40 units is required for the degree. The following courses are obligatory:

• Slavic 200A
• Slavic 201
• Slavic 202
• Russian 211A or Russian 291A
• Russian 212A or Russian 292A.
• Russian 212Bor Russian 292B.
• Russian213A or R293A.
• Russian213B or R293B.
• One course chosen from Slavic 230A, 230B or 230C
• One elective course chosen from the Departments of Comparative Literature, ELTS, History, Linguistics or other related field, or other Slavic Department offerings

Substitutions are allowed with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Students may be required to take one or more courses from Russian 201A-201B-201C if it is determined that their level of competence in Russian is below the level necessary for literatures courses in the program.

Courses in the 500 series may not be applied toward the M.A. course requirements.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Second Year Review

Students in the Department of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures are required to undergo a Second Year Review during the spring quarter of their second year.

Applications for advancement to candidacy must be submitted no later than the second week of the quarter in which the Second Year Review is to be taken and are accepted only if students have passed the Russian Language Proficiency Examination or have completed equivalent coursework. The Director of Graduate Studies will then convene a review/exam committee comprised of three faculty members to serve on the Second Year Review; all three faculty members must be from the Department of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures.

Students are required to choose two seminar papers (with or without revisions) from different historical /literary periods, chosen in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, and circulate them among the review committee no later than Week 6 of the Spring quarter in which they are participating in the Review. The papers serve as tangible evidence of successfully completed academic tasks. Students are advised to submit two papers totaling 30-50 pages of written work. They are permitted to revise or work on these papers after the seminars in which they were submitted have concluded, but they are not required to do so. Papers should demonstrate mastery of course material covered in years one and two and potential for future research, but need not be relevant to possible dissertation topics. Papers should also demonstrate mastery of documentation protocols.

Students should review these papers in advance, and should be able to speak knowledgeably about their content. Both form and content are evaluated and discussed during the review. The Second Year Review will consist of a formal conversation (1 hr 30 mins) with the chosen committee to assess the student’s readiness to pursue the PhD. The committee’s decision about the results of the Second Year Review are communicated to the student in writing within 24 hours of the completion of the Review.

Students who enter the program with a comparable M.A. in Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures must hold a Second Year Review, but will not be awarded an M.A. from UCLA. The results of the Second Year Review for students who hold an M.A. are recorded as follows: (1) Pass with permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D; or (3) Fail without permission to continue toward the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the more advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.

Students who do not hold a M.A. in Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures upon entering the Ph.D. program may be awarded an M.A. contingent upon successful completion of the Second Year Review, coursework, and language proficiency requirement. The results of the Second Year Review for students who do not hold an M.A. in Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures upon matriculation are recorded as follows: (1) Pass, with an M.A. and permission to continue toward the Ph.D.; (2) Pass with reservations, with an M.A. and specific recommendations for improvement with permission to continue toward the Ph.D; (3) Pass with a terminal M.A.; or (4) Fail without an M.A. or permission toward continue to the Ph.D. Students may fail the Second Year Review/M.A. Exam if they are unable to demonstrate the level of mastery necessary for success in the advanced stages of doctoral study. The faculty will not permit students to retake the Second Year Review. Students who fail the Second Year Review will be recommended for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to conferral of the degree should not exceed six quarters.

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Following completion of the above requirements students choose their principal adviser and future dissertation director from among the ladder faculty.

Students must meet with the Director of Graduate Studies at the beginning of each quarter for consultation about their programs and progress toward the degree. Students who wish to enroll in Slavic 596, 597 and 599 must obtain prior permission from the instructor with whom they plan to work before the Director of Graduate Studies can include the course on the study list.

All the department’s graduate students receive a written evaluation of their progress each year.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Doctoral students may choose a specialization in either literature or applied linguistics.

In addition to their major field of study, students may create an optional sub-specialty (minor field) at the Ph.D. level that consists of at least four courses approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. The courses come from graduate offerings in one or more departments or programs. These include the following departments or programs: Anthropology, Art History, Classics, Comparative Literature, English, Film, Gender Studies, History, Indo-European Studies, language and literature departments (ELTS, Spanish & Portuguese, etc.), Linguistics, Music, Philosophy, Psychology, and Theater. The courses also may come from graduate offerings within this department. Students are urged to pursue certificates in Critical Theory, Digital Humanities, Greek or Latin, and/or professional degrees in other recognized programs.

Foreign Language Requirement

Proficiency in a second Slavic or another area-related language is required for the Ph.D. degree. The selection of the language is to be determined in consultation with the student’s dissertation advisor and proficiency in the language must be attested by coursework and/or proficiency exam (as approved by the dissertation director). Reading knowledge of a research language may be required as determined by the doctoral committee.

Course Requirements

Before the formation of a doctoral committee, students must take the following courses:
• Russian 204
• Russian 211B or 291B
• Russian 220A
• Russian 214 or 200-level topics on contemporary Russian literature or culture
• Polish C280 or Ukrainian C280
• One elective (an advanced 200-level literature course or seminar)

Teaching Experience

Although teaching experience is not a formal requirement for the degree, students are expected to serve as a teaching assistant during their graduate study.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

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

All students are expected to have a sound general knowledge of both Slavic philology and literary history.

Written Examinations
Students take three take-home exams across 72 hours where they will be expected to produce 7,500 words of original writing. The PhD Exam committee consists of four committee members chosen by the student (the committee chair must be from the department and is usually the dissertation director; one member may be external to UCLA). The written examination will consist of three parts:

1) Comprehensive or major fields exam: Based on a department PhD reading list and completed coursework (about 40 entries, selected in consultation with all members of the committee). Students will be given four questions from which they must answer two from two different periods (1,500 words each) – answers should aim to demonstrate the student’s range and comprehensive command of the material.

2) Dissertation topic: Based on a reading list compiled by the student in consultation with all members of the committee (about 40 entries, includes primary sources, history / theory as appropriate, and secondary sources). Students will be given four questions, from which they must answer two (1,500 words each) – answers should aim to demonstrate the student’s in-depth knowledge and place the material within a larger theoretical and/or historical framework.

3) Minor field exam: Based on a reading list compiled by the student in consultation with appropriate members of the committee (about 20 entries, includes primary sources, history / theory as appropriate, and secondary sources). Possible minor fields are: another Slavic or non-Slavic literature; film; linguistics; music; other. Students will be given two questions, from which they must answer one (1,500 words) – the answer should aim to demonstrate the student’s comprehensive command of the material.

All examinations are prepared and approved by the unanimous consent of the Ph.D. Examination committee.

Oral Examination

Students who receive a grade of pass on the written examinations are admitted to a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination, which is designed to test the fields of major interest and general background, and which typically includes discussion of the dissertation topic. Students should be prepared to demonstrate thorough knowledge of the material they did not address in the written portion of the exam.

After considering students’ overall performance in both the oral and written examinations, the committee assigns a cumulative grade. A pass grade entitles students to write a dissertation. At the committee’s discretion, students may be required to retake any or all portions of the Ph.D. examinations within two quarters following the first attempt.

Formal Lecture

Students are required to deliver a formal lecture in the California Slavic Colloquium no later than two calendar years after advancement to candidacy.

Conference Presentation

Students are required to present their work at the California Slavic Colloquium (or another professionally recognized conference) during their time in the program or no later than two calendar years after advancement to candidacy.

Preparation of Prospectus and Prospectus Defense

The dissertation prospectus is a formal document that includes a narrative (12-15 pages in length; 12pt font, double-spaced, 1 in. margins) outlining the objectives, main research questions and contribution made by the dissertation; and a substantial bibliography (around 40-50 sources, both primary and secondary).

The prospectus should aim to address the following questions:

Significance and Contribution:

Describes the intellectual contribution of the proposed project; provides an overview of the project, explaining the basic ideas, problems, or questions examined by the study; describes the research objectives and states the project’s thesis or claim(s); explains how the project will complement, challenge, or expand relevant studies in the field.

Organization, concepts, and methods:

Explains concepts and terminology; describes and discusses method(s) and sources; explains how the dissertation will be organized and provides a chapter outline with brief explanations of each chapter’s arguments.

Bibliography:

The bibliography consists of primary and secondary sources that relate most directly to the dissertation. It includes works that pertain to the project’s substance, the intellectual field as it has been defined, and the theoretical or methodological approaches to give a well-rounded representation of the project.

Prospectus Defense

Once the prospectus has been approved by all of the members of the dissertation committee, a prospectus defense (2 hours) is scheduled to discuss the proposal and form a work-plan for completing the dissertation. All members of the dissertation committee must be present at the defense; other members of the department (including graduate students and faculty) may be invited to join the discussion.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study. Dissertations must be written in English and observe acceptable documentation protocols (MLA, Chicago, etc.)

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

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

Time-to-Degree

Normative progress toward completion of the degree program is defined as follows: six academic quarters from matriculation in graduate study to the award of the M.A. degree; six academic quarters from the award of the M.A. degree to advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree; and six academic quarters from advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree to completion of the dissertation and award of the Ph.D. degree. For teaching and research assistants, the program may take slightly longer.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	12	18	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to pass the Second Year Review. A recommendation for academic disqualification based on any reason other than this, failure of a Ph.D. qualifying examination or low grade point average, must be recommended by the departmental Admissions and Support Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the departmental chair.

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

Bioinformatics

Interdepartmental Program
College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Medical Informatics Program offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Medical Informatics.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

All academic affairs for graduate students in the program are directed by the program’s faculty graduate adviser, who is assisted by staff in the Graduate Student Affairs Office. Upon matriculation, students are assigned a three-faculty guidance committee by the faculty graduate adviser.

The chair of the guidance committee acts as the provisional adviser until a permanent adviser is selected. Provisional advisers are not committed to supervise examination or thesis work and students are not committed to the provisional adviser. Students select a permanent adviser before establishing a comprehensive examination or thesis committee.

Areas of Study

This area of study exposes students to foundational concepts in medical informatics, providing a background in clinical data, big data management, and analyses of new and emergent data utilized to guide biomedical research and healthcare. Study comprises of an introduction to computational methods, clinical and biomedical knowledge representation, and exposure to core informatics topics.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Field	Number of required courses	Number of required units
Medical Informatics	11	40

Students must be enrolled full time and complete 40 units (11 courses) of graduate (200 or 500 series) course work for the master’s degree. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless offered on S/U grading basis only.

Students must complete all of the following: (1) eight core courses (30 units): Bioengineering 220, 223A, 223B, one course from BE 224A or Bioinformatics M222 through M226, BE 224B, BE M226, BE M227, and BE M228; (2) eight units of Bioinformatics 596; and (3) two units of 200-level seminar or journal club courses approved by the program.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The master’s capstone is an individual project in the format of a written report resulting from a research project. The report should describe the results of the student’s investigation of a problem in the area of medical informatics under the supervision of a faculty member in the program, who approves the subject and plan of the project, as well as reading and approving the completed report. While the problem may be one of only limited scope, the report must exhibit a satisfactory style, organization, and depth of understanding of the subject. A student should normally start to plan the project at least one quarter before the award of the M.S. degree is expected. The advisory committee evaluates and grades the written report as not pass or M.S. pass and forwards the results to the faculty graduate adviser. Students who do not pass the evaluation are permitted one additional opportunity to pass, which must be submitted to and graded by the advisory  committee by the end of the 6th quarter.

The capstone plan is available for students in the Medical Informatics field. However, students in Computational & Systems Biology major are required to follow the Thesis Plan only.

Thesis Plan

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

Students must choose a permanent faculty adviser and submit a thesis proposal by the end of the third quarter of study. The proposal must be approved by the permanent adviser who served as the thesis adviser. The thesis is evaluated by a three-person committee that is nominated by the program and appointed by the Division of Graduate Education. Students must present the thesis in a public seminar.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree for all fields is five quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	3	5	6

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Medical Informatics Advising Committee, chaired by the Faculty Graduate Advisor, advises students during the first year and is available to students throughout their tenure of their study.

Upon entering their second year in the program, students will select a mentor who will serve as their dissertation chair, research advisor, and primary graduate advisor. Together the student and the mentor will convene a doctoral committee who will guide the student throughout their research, the University Oral Qualifying Exam, Doctoral Dissertation Defense, and will approve the final dissertation.

Individual Development Plan: Beginning with a mandatory training workshop in the first quarter of graduate study, students are required to generate an Individual Development Plan via myIDP Website: http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/ in order to map out their academic and professional development goals throughout graduate school. The myIDP must be updated annually, and the resulting printed summary discussed with and signed by (Year 1) the student’s advising committee member, or (Years 2-5) thesis adviser, and then turned in to the Graduate Student Affairs Office to be placed in the student’s academic file each year by June 1.

Annual Committee Meetings: Beginning one year after advancement to doctoral candidacy, and in each year thereafter until completion of the degree program, students are required to meet annually with their doctoral committee. At each meeting, students give a brief, 30-minute oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their committee. The purpose of the meeting is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur as the student progresses toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, approve changes in the  dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination.

Annual Progress Report: All students are required to submit a brief report (a one-page form is provided) of their time-to-degree progress and research activities indicating the principal research undertaken and any important results, research plans for the next year, conferences attended, seminars given, and publications appearing or manuscripts in preparation. Annual Progress report must be submitted to the Bioinformatics IDP Student Affairs Office for review by the Program Director.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

These fields include computer science, translational bioinformatics, imaging informatics, public health informatics, and social medicine.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter. In addition to basic course requirements, all students are required to enroll in Bioinformatics 596 or 599 each quarter.

Students who have gaps in their previous training may take, with their thesis adviser’s approval, appropriate undergraduate courses. For example, students without statistical background are recommended to take STATS 100B (Introduction to Mathematics Statistics) in their 1st year. Students without a Computer Science background are recommended to take COM SCI 180  Introduction to Algorithms and Complexity), COM SCI 145 (Introduction to Data Mining), COM SCI 146 (Introduction to Machine Learning), or COM SCI 148 (Introduction to Data Science). However, these courses may not be applied toward the required course work for the doctoral degree.

Students must complete all of the following: (1) eight core courses (30 units) Bioengineering 220, 223A, 223B, one course from BE 224A or Bioinformatics M223 or M226, BE 224B, BE M226, BE M227, and BE M228; (2) MIMG C234; (3) eight units of Bioinformatics 596; (4) four units of 200-level seminar or journal club courses approved by the program; and (5) six electives, chosen from the following list: Bioinformatics M223, M226; Biomathematics 210, M230, M281, M282; Biostatistics 213, M232, M234, M235, 241, 276; Computer Science 240A, 240B, 241B, 245, 246, 247, 262A, M262C, 262Z, 263A, 265A, M268, M276A; Electrical and Computer Engineering 206, 210A, 210B, 211A, M217, 219; Information Studies 228, 246, 272, 277; Linguistics 218, 232; Neuroscience CM272; Physics in Biology and Medicine 210, 214. M248; Statistics 221, M231A, 231B, M232A, M232B, 238, M241, M243, M250, 256. Please note: other elective courses can be taken with the agreement of the Home Area Director and the student’s PI/faculty mentor. Courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless offered on S/U grading basis only.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

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

Doctoral students must complete the core courses described above before they are permitted to take the written and oral qualifying examinations. Students are required to pass a written qualifying examination that consists of a research proposal outside of their dissertation topic and the University Oral Qualifying Examination in which they defend their dissertation research proposal before their doctoral committee. Students are expected to complete the written examination in the summer following the first year and the oral qualifying examination by the end of fall quarter of the third year. The written qualifying examination must be passed before the University Oral Qualifying Examination can be taken.

During their first year, doctoral students perform laboratory rotations with program faculty whose research is of interest to them and select a dissertation adviser from the program faculty inside list by the end of their third quarter of enrollment. By the end of their second spring quarter, students must select a doctoral committee that is approved by the program chair and the Division of Graduate Education.

Written Qualifying Examination

The Written Qualifying Examination (WQE) must take place in the summer following the first year of doctoral study. In order to be eligible to take the WQE, students must have achieved at least two passing lab rotation evaluations, as well as at least a B average in all course work. Students are expected to formulate a testable research question and answer it, by carrying out a small, well-defined and focused project over a fixed one-month period. It must include the development of novel bioinformatic methodology. The topic and methodologies are to be selected by the student. The topic requires advance approval by the faculty committee, and may not be a project from a previous course, a rotation project, a project related to the student’s prior research experience, an anticipated dissertation research topic, or an active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s mentor. The WQE must be the student’s own ideas and work exclusively. Students are expected to complete a WQE paper of publication quality (except for originality), with a maximum length of 10 pages, single-spaced, excluding figures and references. This paper is submitted to the Student Affairs Office and graded by a faculty committee on a pass or no-pass basis. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one additional opportunity to pass, which must be submitted to and graded by the faculty committee no later than the end of the summer of the first year.

Oral Qualifying Examination

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed and passed by the end of the fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of their proposed dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, preliminary findings, and proposed bioinformatic approaches for addressing the specific aims. This dissertation proposal must be written following an NIH research grant application format and be at least six pages, single spaced and excluding references, and is submitted to the students’ doctoral committee at least 10 days in advance of the examination. Exclusive of their doctoral committee members, students are free to consult with their dissertation adviser, or other individuals in  formulating the proposed research. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the research proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the bioinformatic, mathematical or statistical methodologies to be employed in the proposed research; and (4) an understanding of potential bioinformatic outcomes and their interpretation. This examination is graded Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail. If the doctoral committee decides that the examination reflects performance below the expected mastery of graduate-level content, the committee may vote to give the student a Conditional Pass. A student who receives a Conditional Pass will be required to modify or re-write their research proposal, so as to bring it up to required standard. In the case of a Conditional Pass, the student will be permitted to seek the advice of their committee in modifying or re-writing the proposal. Any required re-write or modification will be submitted to, and reviewed by the doctoral committee. A second oral presentation is not necessary unless the doctoral committee requires so. The signed Report on the Oral Qualifying Examination & Request for Advancement to Candidacy will be retained in the Graduate Student Affairs Office until the student has satisfied the doctoral committee’s request for revision or re-write. Students are allowed only one chance to revise or re-write their proposal.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to complete the written qualifying examination in the summer following the first year of study and the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the end of fall quarter of the third year. Normative time-to-degree is five years (15 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	22

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

Students must receive at least a grade of B- in core courses or repeat the course. Students who received three grades of B- or lower in core courses, who fail all or part of the written or oral
qualifying examinations twice, or who fail to maintain minimum progress may be recommended for academic disqualification by vote of the entire interdepartmental program committee. Failure to identify and maintain a thesis adviser is a basis for recommendation for academic disqualification. Students may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing to the interdepartmental program committee, and may personally present additional or mitigating information to the committee, in person or in writing.

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

Bioinformatics

Interdepartmental Program
College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Medical Informatics Program offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Medical Informatics.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

All academic affairs for graduate students in the program are directed by the program’s faculty graduate adviser, who is assisted by staff in the Graduate Student Affairs Office. Upon matriculation, students are assigned a three-faculty guidance committee by the faculty graduate adviser.

The chair of the guidance committee acts as the provisional adviser until a permanent adviser is selected. Provisional advisers are not committed to supervise examination or thesis work and students are not committed to the provisional adviser. Students select a permanent adviser before establishing a comprehensive examination or thesis committee.

Areas of Study

This area of study exposes students to foundational concepts in medical informatics, providing a background in clinical data, big data management, and analyses of new and emergent data utilized to guide biomedical research and healthcare. Study comprises of an introduction to computational methods, clinical and biomedical knowledge representation, and exposure to core informatics topics.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Field	Number of required courses	Number of required units
Medical Informatics	11	40

Students must be enrolled full time and complete 40 units (11 courses) of graduate (200 or 500 series) course work for the master’s degree. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless offered on S/U grading basis only.

Students must complete all of the following: (1) eight core courses (30 units): Bioengineering 220, 223A, 223B, one course from BE 224A or Bioinformatics M222 through M226, BE 224B, BE M226, BE M227, and BE M228; (2) eight units of Bioinformatics 596; and (3) two units of 200-level seminar or journal club courses approved by the program.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The master’s capstone is an individual project in the format of a written report resulting from a research project. The report should describe the results of the student’s investigation of a problem in the area of medical informatics under the supervision of a faculty member in the program, who approves the subject and plan of the project, as well as reading and approving the completed report. While the problem may be one of only limited scope, the report must exhibit a satisfactory style, organization, and depth of understanding of the subject. A student should normally start to plan the project at least one quarter before the award of the M.S. degree is expected. The advisory committee evaluates and grades the written report as not pass or M.S. pass and forwards the results to the faculty graduate adviser. Students who do not pass the evaluation are permitted one additional opportunity to pass, which must be submitted to and graded by the advisory  committee by the end of the 6th quarter.

The capstone plan is available for students in the Medical Informatics field. However, students in Computational & Systems Biology major are required to follow the Thesis Plan only.

Thesis Plan

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

Students must choose a permanent faculty adviser and submit a thesis proposal by the end of the third quarter of study. The proposal must be approved by the permanent adviser who served as the thesis adviser. The thesis is evaluated by a three-person committee that is nominated by the program and appointed by the Division of Graduate Education. Students must present the thesis in a public seminar.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree for all fields is five quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	3	5	6

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The Medical Informatics Advising Committee, chaired by the Faculty Graduate Advisor, advises students during the first year and is available to students throughout their tenure of their study.

Upon entering their second year in the program, students will select a mentor who will serve as their dissertation chair, research advisor, and primary graduate advisor. Together the student and the mentor will convene a doctoral committee who will guide the student throughout their research, the University Oral Qualifying Exam, Doctoral Dissertation Defense, and will approve the final dissertation.

Individual Development Plan: Beginning with a mandatory training workshop in the first quarter of graduate study, students are required to generate an Individual Development Plan via myIDP Website: http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/ in order to map out their academic and professional development goals throughout graduate school. The myIDP must be updated annually, and the resulting printed summary discussed with and signed by (Year 1) the student’s advising committee member, or (Years 2-5) thesis adviser, and then turned in to the Graduate Student Affairs Office to be placed in the student’s academic file each year by June 1.

Annual Committee Meetings: Beginning one year after advancement to doctoral candidacy, and in each year thereafter until completion of the degree program, students are required to meet annually with their doctoral committee. At each meeting, students give a brief, 30-minute oral presentation of their dissertation research progress to their committee. The purpose of the meeting is to monitor the student’s progress, identify difficulties that may occur as the student progresses toward successful completion of the dissertation and, if necessary, approve changes in the  dissertation project. The presentation is not an examination.

Annual Progress Report: All students are required to submit a brief report (a one-page form is provided) of their time-to-degree progress and research activities indicating the principal research undertaken and any important results, research plans for the next year, conferences attended, seminars given, and publications appearing or manuscripts in preparation. Annual Progress report must be submitted to the Bioinformatics IDP Student Affairs Office for review by the Program Director.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

These fields include computer science, translational bioinformatics, imaging informatics, public health informatics, and social medicine.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 units each quarter. In addition to basic course requirements, all students are required to enroll in Bioinformatics 596 or 599 each quarter.

Students who have gaps in their previous training may take, with their thesis adviser’s approval, appropriate undergraduate courses. For example, students without statistical background are recommended to take STATS 100B (Introduction to Mathematics Statistics) in their 1st year. Students without a Computer Science background are recommended to take COM SCI 180  Introduction to Algorithms and Complexity), COM SCI 145 (Introduction to Data Mining), COM SCI 146 (Introduction to Machine Learning), or COM SCI 148 (Introduction to Data Science). However, these courses may not be applied toward the required course work for the doctoral degree.

Students must complete all of the following: (1) eight core courses (30 units) Bioengineering 220, 223A, 223B, one course from BE 224A or Bioinformatics M223 or M226, BE 224B, BE M226, BE M227, and BE M228; (2) MIMG C234; (3) eight units of Bioinformatics 596; (4) four units of 200-level seminar or journal club courses approved by the program; and (5) six electives, chosen from the following list: Bioinformatics M223, M226; Biomathematics 210, M230, M281, M282; Biostatistics 213, M232, M234, M235, 241, 276; Computer Science 240A, 240B, 241B, 245, 246, 247, 262A, M262C, 262Z, 263A, 265A, M268, M276A; Electrical and Computer Engineering 206, 210A, 210B, 211A, M217, 219; Information Studies 228, 246, 272, 277; Linguistics 218, 232; Neuroscience CM272; Physics in Biology and Medicine 210, 214. M248; Statistics 221, M231A, 231B, M232A, M232B, 238, M241, M243, M250, 256. Please note: other elective courses can be taken with the agreement of the Home Area Director and the student’s PI/faculty mentor. Courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless offered on S/U grading basis only.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

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

Doctoral students must complete the core courses described above before they are permitted to take the written and oral qualifying examinations. Students are required to pass a written qualifying examination that consists of a research proposal outside of their dissertation topic and the University Oral Qualifying Examination in which they defend their dissertation research proposal before their doctoral committee. Students are expected to complete the written examination in the summer following the first year and the oral qualifying examination by the end of fall quarter of the third year. The written qualifying examination must be passed before the University Oral Qualifying Examination can be taken.

During their first year, doctoral students perform laboratory rotations with program faculty whose research is of interest to them and select a dissertation adviser from the program faculty inside list by the end of their third quarter of enrollment. By the end of their second spring quarter, students must select a doctoral committee that is approved by the program chair and the Division of Graduate Education.

Written Qualifying Examination

The Written Qualifying Examination (WQE) must take place in the summer following the first year of doctoral study. In order to be eligible to take the WQE, students must have achieved at least two passing lab rotation evaluations, as well as at least a B average in all course work. Students are expected to formulate a testable research question and answer it, by carrying out a small, well-defined and focused project over a fixed one-month period. It must include the development of novel bioinformatic methodology. The topic and methodologies are to be selected by the student. The topic requires advance approval by the faculty committee, and may not be a project from a previous course, a rotation project, a project related to the student’s prior research experience, an anticipated dissertation research topic, or an active or anticipated research project in the laboratory of the student’s mentor. The WQE must be the student’s own ideas and work exclusively. Students are expected to complete a WQE paper of publication quality (except for originality), with a maximum length of 10 pages, single-spaced, excluding figures and references. This paper is submitted to the Student Affairs Office and graded by a faculty committee on a pass or no-pass basis. Students who do not pass the examination are permitted one additional opportunity to pass, which must be submitted to and graded by the faculty committee no later than the end of the summer of the first year.

Oral Qualifying Examination

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed and passed by the end of the fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of their proposed dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, preliminary findings, and proposed bioinformatic approaches for addressing the specific aims. This dissertation proposal must be written following an NIH research grant application format and be at least six pages, single spaced and excluding references, and is submitted to the students’ doctoral committee at least 10 days in advance of the examination. Exclusive of their doctoral committee members, students are free to consult with their dissertation adviser, or other individuals in  formulating the proposed research. The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the research proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the bioinformatic, mathematical or statistical methodologies to be employed in the proposed research; and (4) an understanding of potential bioinformatic outcomes and their interpretation. This examination is graded Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail. If the doctoral committee decides that the examination reflects performance below the expected mastery of graduate-level content, the committee may vote to give the student a Conditional Pass. A student who receives a Conditional Pass will be required to modify or re-write their research proposal, so as to bring it up to required standard. In the case of a Conditional Pass, the student will be permitted to seek the advice of their committee in modifying or re-writing the proposal. Any required re-write or modification will be submitted to, and reviewed by the doctoral committee. A second oral presentation is not necessary unless the doctoral committee requires so. The signed Report on the Oral Qualifying Examination & Request for Advancement to Candidacy will be retained in the Graduate Student Affairs Office until the student has satisfied the doctoral committee’s request for revision or re-write. Students are allowed only one chance to revise or re-write their proposal.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to complete the written qualifying examination in the summer following the first year of study and the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the end of fall quarter of the third year. Normative time-to-degree is five years (15 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	7	15	22

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

Students must receive at least a grade of B- in core courses or repeat the course. Students who received three grades of B- or lower in core courses, who fail all or part of the written or oral
qualifying examinations twice, or who fail to maintain minimum progress may be recommended for academic disqualification by vote of the entire interdepartmental program committee. Failure to identify and maintain a thesis adviser is a basis for recommendation for academic disqualification. Students may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification in writing to the interdepartmental program committee, and may personally present additional or mitigating information to the committee, in person or in writing.

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

Health Policy and Management

Fielding School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Fielding School of Public Health offers a school-wide Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Policy and Management.

For information on the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Management, applicants should see the listings for the department.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Upon entering the program, students are assigned to the MPH Program Director as their primary adviser whose responsibility is to counsel students concerning program of study and progress toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.  Throughout the course of study, the program director and student will meet with the student academic advisor and faculty as needed. Students are expected to meet with the MPH Program Director each quarter.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.P.H. requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401 (20 units). Students may also satisfy Public Health 401 with a School-approved alternative course in consultation with the Associate Dean of Public Health Practice.

The Health Policy and Management concentration (56 units) requires Health Policy and Management 200B, M233, 234, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 286, M287, 400, 403, 433, 436, M422 or 423, 441, and 8 units of elective coursework (200 series and 400 series) selected from departmental offerings. Consult department for list of approved elective courses. Students must also successfully pass an Excel knowledge exam consisting of eight tasks gauging basic knowledge and skills of the program. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

The Health Policy and Management concentration for students admitted to the accelerated one-year program (32 units) requires Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, 403, one course from 215A, M233, M422 or 423, 441, and 12 units of graduate level (200 series and 400 series) coursework selected from departmental or School offerings. Students must also successfully pass an Excel knowledge exam consisting of eight tasks gauging basic knowledge and skills of the program. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

M.D./M.P.H. Program

Medicine, M.D./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The articulated degree with Medicine and the M.P.H. in Health Management (52 units) requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, 403, and 16 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings. M.P.H. elective courses may not be used towards the M.D. in Medicine. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

See School of Medicine for degree requirements.

M.P.P./M.P.H. Program

Public Policy, M.P.P./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Public Policy and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M287, 400, M422, and 20 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

See Public Policy M.P.P. listing for degree requirements.

J.D./M.P.H. Program

Law, J.D./Health Policy & Management M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Law and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), M287, 400, two courses from 286, 403, or M422, and twelve units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

See School of Law for degree requirements.

M.B.A./M.P.H. Program

Management, M.B.A./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Management and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, M422, and 20 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings. Students who do not pass the exam are required to take an additional four-unit course (Health Policy and Management 439). Alternatively, students may take the course without first taking the exam.

See Anderson Graduate School of Management for degree requirements.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

An applied practice experience (APEx) in an approved setting is required of all MPH degree candidates. Typically, a full-time APEx is completed during the summer between the first and second year of enrollment. Students must be in good academic standing with a grade point average of 3.0 or better before beginning the APEx.

Capstone Plan

The aim of the capstone is to assess each student’s ability to select theories, methods, and techniques from across the content matter of a field, integrate and synthesize knowledge, and apply it to the solution of public health problems. The requirement is fulfilled by completing a project or exam that is specifically designed for the concentration. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before undertaking the completion of the capstone requirement.

The M.P.H. in Health Policy and Management requires a written Capstone Project and must be satisfactorily completed by the last term of enrollment. The topic of the Capstone Project will be determined by the student in consultation with their Program Adviser. For Capstone Project guidelines, please consult the department for more information.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six quarters of enrollment. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation, including leaves of absence, is five years (15 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.P.H.	6	6	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 on 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.

Health Policy and Management

Fielding School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Fielding School of Public Health offers a school-wide Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Policy and Management.

For information on the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Management, applicants should see the listings for the department.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Upon entering the program, students are assigned to the MPH Program Director as their primary adviser whose responsibility is to counsel students concerning program of study and progress toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.  Throughout the course of study, the program director and student will meet with the student academic advisor and faculty as needed. Students are expected to meet with the MPH Program Director each quarter.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.P.H. requires Biostatistics 201A, Community Health Sciences 201, Environmental Health Sciences 201, Epidemiology 201, and Public Health 401 (20 units). Students may also satisfy Public Health 401 with a School-approved alternative course or experience in consultation with the Associate Dean of Public Health Practice.

The Health Policy and Management concentration (56 units) requires Health Policy and
Management 200B, M233, 234, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 286, M287, 400, 403, 433, 436, M422 or 423, 441, and 8 units of elective coursework (200 series and 400 series) selected from departmental offerings. Consult department for list of approved elective courses.

The Health Policy and Management concentration for students admitted to the accelerated one year program (32 units) requires Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, 403, one course from 215A, M233, M422 or 423, 441, and 12 units of graduate level (200 series and 400 series) coursework selected from departmental or School offerings.

M.D./M.P.H. Program

Medicine, M.D./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The articulated degree with Medicine and the M.P.H. in Health Management (52 units) requires Biostatistics 201A, Community Health Sciences 201, Environmental Health Sciences 201, Epidemiology 201, and Public Health 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, 403, and 16 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings. M.P.H. elective courses may not be used towards the M.D. in Medicine.

See School of Medicine for degree requirements.

M.P.P./M.P.H. Program

Public Policy, M.P.P./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Public Policy and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires Biostatistics 201A, Community Health Sciences 201, Environmental Health Sciences 201, Epidemiology 201, and Public Health 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M287, 400, M422, and 20 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings.

See Public Policy M.P.P. listing for degree requirements.

J.D./M.P.H. Program

Law, J.D./Health Policy & Management M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Law and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires
Biostatistics 201A, Community Health Sciences 201, Environmental Health Sciences 201,
Epidemiology 201, and Public Health 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), M287, 400, two courses from 286, 403, or M422, and twelve units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings.

See School of Law for degree requirements.

M.B.A./M.P.H. Program

Management, M.B.A./Health Policy & Management, M.P.H.

The concurrent degree with Management and the M.P.H. in Health Management (56 units) requires Biostatistics 201A, Community Health Sciences 201, Environmental Health Sciences 201, Epidemiology 201, and Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401, Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, M422, and 20 units of elective courses from departmental or School offerings.

See Anderson Graduate School of Management for degree requirements.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Students must demonstrate key professional competencies by completing an Applied practice experience (APEx) in an approved setting. Typically, APEx is a full-time experience completed during the summer between the first and second year of enrollment. Students must be in good academic standing with a grade point average of 3.0 or better before beginning their APEx.

Capstone Plan

The aim of the capstone is to assess each student’s ability to select theories, methods, and techniques from across the content matter of a field, integrate and synthesize knowledge, and apply it to the solution of public health problems. The requirement is fulfilled by completing a project or exam that is specifically designed for the concentration. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before undertaking the completion of the capstone requirement.

The M.P.H. in Health Policy and Management requires a written Capstone Project and must be satisfactorily completed by the last term of enrollment. The topic of the Capstone Project will be determined by the student in consultation with their Program Adviser. For Capstone Project guidelines, please consult the department for more information.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six quarters of enrollment. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation, including leaves of absence, is five years (15 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.P.H.	6	6	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 on examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

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

Health Policy and Management

Fielding School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Fielding School of Public Health offers a school-wide Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in Health Policy and Management.

For information on the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Management, applicants should see the listings for the department.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Upon entering the program, students are assigned a faculty adviser whose responsibility is to counsel students concerning program of study and progress toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. Students may request a change in faculty advisers at any time during the course of study by submitting a request directly to the department. Students are expected to meet with assigned faculty advisers each quarter.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.P.H. requires Public Health 200A, 200B, and 401 (20 units). Students may also satisfy Public Health 401 with a School-approved alternative course in consultation with the Associate Dean of Public Health Practice.

The Health Policy and Management concentration (40 units) requires Health Policy and Management 200B, M236 (or 230A and 230B), 400, M422 or 423, 439, one course from 215A, M233, 403, 441, and 16 units of elective coursework selected from departmental offerings. Consult department for list of approved elective courses.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Field training in an approved public health program is required of all degree candidates. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before beginning the field experience.

Capstone Plan

The aim of the capstone is to assess each student’s ability to select theories, methods, and techniques from across the content matter of a field, integrate and synthesize knowledge, and apply it to the solution of public health problems. The requirement is fulfilled by completing a project or exam that is specifically designed for the concentration. Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, before undertaking the completion of the capstone requirement.

The M.P.H. in Health Policy and Management requires a written Capstone Project and must be satisfactorily completed by the last term of enrollment. The topic of the Capstone Project will be determined by the student in consultation with their Faculty Adviser. For Capstone Project guidelines, please consult the department for more information.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is three quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation, including leaves of absence, is five years (15 quarters).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.P.H.	3	3	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 on 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.

Admissions Requirements

Master of Quantum Science and Technology

Advising

The Academic Program Director and faculty director will advise students in the program.

Areas of Study

Quantum science and technology

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The UCLA MQST program is a one-year, full-time program that consists of ten courses (40 units), an internship, and a capstone presentation on the internship. The program is centered around hands-on research through three laboratory classes (QST 410 – 412), which introduce the students to the topics and technology of the field. These classes are completed with three theory classes (Physics 245, QST 402 – 403), which are crafted to bring students from diverse backgrounds to a working knowledge of QST topics. The students will also take two classes in programming quantum computers (CS 238 – 239) to prepare them for the workforce, as well as one approved elective in Biomathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Math, Physics, or Statistics & Data Science. Other elective courses may be substituted in special cases with prior approval of the Program Director.

Elective course approval (separate from the approved list of elective courses): Any course applied towards the degree must align with the technical goals of the program. Approval of an elective course is granted on a course-by-course basis after review of the syllabus. Course approval must be obtained in writing from the Program Director before the start of the quarter in which the course is being taken.

The list of approved electives is: BIOMATH 204; CHEM 115AB, 215AB, 219S, 219V; COM SCI 132, M146, 161, 259, 260B, 260C, 263, 267A; EC ENGR 100, 101B, 110, 110H, 110L, 111L, 113, 115ABC, 115AL, 121B, M146, M153, 163A, 163C, 170A, 170B, 170C, 163DA, 231E, 232E, C243A, 252; MATH 120AB, 156, 167, 226A, 210C, 226A; PHYSICS 115C, 117, 118, 123, 213ABC, 140AB, 170A, 170N, 192, 215A, 221C, 231B, 241ABC, 221ABC; STAT 202C.

Sample study plan:

Fall Quarter
Physics 245: Introduction to Quantum Computing (4 units)
CS 238: Quantum Programming (4 units)
QST 410: Lab Module 1 (4 units)*

Winter Quarter
QST 402: Introduction to Quantum Information (4 units)
CS 239: Quantum Algorithms (4 units)
QST 411: Lab Module 2 (4 units)*

Spring Quarter
QST 403: Theory of Quantum Devices (4 units)
Elective (4 units)
QST 412: Lab Module 3 (4 units)*

*The Lab Modules do not need to be taken in order and will be taught simultaneously.

Summer Quarter
QST 596: Directed Individual Studies (4 units)
or
QST 597: Research preparation for Oral Exam (4 units)

Teaching Experience

Not required

Field Experience

Not required

Capstone Plan

The requirement is met by the completion of QST 596 or QST 597. This class will begin during Summer Session A and consist of a research experience with a minimum length of 10 weeks. Students will either perform research in the group of a UCLA professor or through an improved internship at a QST-related company. During the final week of the research experience, students will present their work and be examined via an oral examination.

Successful completion of the MQST Capstone Project requires that the students participate in a QIS (quantum information science) related project in which they utilize the knowledge and skills obtained through their coursework and instructional laboratories during the academic year. It also requires that they prepare a presentation based on the work they performed for their Capstone Project and give an oral presentation to their chosen capstone committee. Upon approval of the committee and submission of their presentation to the MQST program, they pass the capstone project.

Thesis Plan

None

Time-to-Degree

From admission to award of degree: one calendar year (September-August)

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
MQST	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.

Admissions Requirements

Master of Quantum Science and Technology

Advising

The Academic Program Director and faculty director will advise students in the program.

Areas of Study

Quantum science and technology

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The UCLA MQST program is a one-year, full-time program that consists of ten courses (40 units), an internship, and a capstone presentation on the internship. The program is centered around hands-on research through three laboratory classes (QST 410 – 412), which introduce the students to the topics and technology of the field. These classes are completed with three theory classes (Physics 245, QST 402 – 403), which are crafted to bring students from diverse backgrounds to a working knowledge of QST topics. The students will also take two classes in programming quantum computers (CS 238 – 239) to prepare them for the workforce, as well as one approved elective in Biomathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Math, Physics, or Statistics & Data Science. Other elective courses may be substituted in special cases with prior approval of the Program Director.

Elective course approval (separate from the approved list of elective courses): Any course applied towards the degree must align with the technical goals of the program. Approval of an elective course is granted on a course-by-course basis after review of the syllabus. Course approval must be obtained in writing from the Program Director before the start of the quarter in which the course is being taken.

The list of approved electives is: BIOMATH 204; CHEM 115AB, 215AB, 219S, 219V; COM SCI 132, M146, 161, 259, 260B, 260C, 263, 267A; EC ENGR 100, 101B, 110, 110H, 110L, 111L, 113, 115ABC, 115AL, 121B, M146, M153, 163A, 163C, 170A, 170B, 170C, 163DA, 231E, 232E, C243A, 252; MATH 120AB, 156, 167, 226A, 210C, 226A; PHYSICS 115C, 117, 118, 123, 213ABC, 140AB, 170A, 170N, 192, 215A, 221C, 231B, 241ABC, 221ABC; STAT 202C.

Sample study plan:

Fall Quarter
Physics 245: Introduction to Quantum Computing (4 units)
CS 238: Quantum Programming (4 units)
QST 410: Lab Module 1 (4 units)*

Winter Quarter
QST 402: Introduction to Quantum Information (4 units)
CS 239: Quantum Algorithms (4 units)
QST 411: Lab Module 2 (4 units)*

Spring Quarter
QST 403: Theory of Quantum Devices (4 units)
Elective (4 units)
QST 412: Lab Module 3 (4 units)*

*The Lab Modules do not need to be taken in order and will be taught simultaneously.

Summer Quarter
QST 596: Directed Individual Studies (4 units)
or
QST 597: Research preparation for Oral Exam (4 units)

Teaching Experience

Not required

Field Experience

Not required

Capstone Plan

The requirement is met by the completion of QST 596 or QST 597. This class will begin during Summer Session A and consist of a research experience with a minimum length of 10 weeks. Students will either perform research in the group of a UCLA professor or through an improved internship at a QST-related company. During the final week of the research experience, students will present their work and be examined via an oral examination.

Successful completion of the MQST Capstone Project requires that the students participate in a QIS (quantum information science) related project in which they utilize the knowledge and skills obtained through their coursework and instructional laboratories during the academic year. It also requires that they prepare a presentation based on the work they performed for their Capstone Project and give an oral presentation to their chosen capstone committee. Upon approval of the committee and submission of their presentation to the MQST program, they pass the capstone project.

Thesis Plan

None

Time-to-Degree

From admission to award of degree: one calendar year (September-August)

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
MQST	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.