Address

4009 Young Hall
Box 951569
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569

Phone

(310) 825-3150 Fax: (310) 267-0204

Email

ChemGrad@chem.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.S., Ph.D.

Applicants are admitted to the MS program only under exceptional circumstances.

Admission Limited to

Fall

Deadline to apply

January 15th

GRE (General and/or Subject), TWE

GRE: General required for all and Subject required for international, recommended for all

Letters of Recommendation 

3

Other Requirements

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

An excellent undergraduate record is required of all applicants.

Master’s Degree

Advising

Initial academic advising is handled by the appropriate faculty area adviser. Students continue to consult with this adviser each quarter until completion of their course requirements. During this period, students also choose a Research Director to supervise their thesis research. The Graduate Study Committee, consisting of the graduate advisers and faculty area advisers, reviews each student’s progress quarterly. Notification in writing is given to students who are performing at a very high level and to those who are not making adequate progress. The faculty graduate adviser, faculty area advisers, and Director of Graduate Student Services are available for personal consultation.

Areas of Study

Inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

At least nine quarter courses (36 units) are required, of which at least five (20 units) must be graduate courses and the remainder upper division courses. Students must take a minimum of two courses in their major area and one course in an outside area. Choices may be made from the following:

Inorganic: Chemistry and Biochemistry 207, 271, C273, C274, C275, C276A, 276B, 277, 279, C280, C281.

Organic: Chemistry and Biochemistry 236, 241A through 241Z, 242, C243A, C243B, 244A, 244B, C245, C281.

Physical: Chemistry and Biochemistry C215A, C215B, 215C, 215D, C223A, C223B, M223C, 225.

Substitutions may be made with consent of the faculty area adviser. With the consent of the faculty graduate adviser, courses of directed individual study, but not research courses, may replace any of the courses listed above.

Up to 24 units of Chemistry and Biochemistry 596 or 598 may be applied toward the total course requirement; up to 20 units may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement.

Teaching Experience

Not Required. Students who serve as teaching assistants must enroll in and receive a grade of S for Chemistry and Biochemistry 375 for each quarter they teach in order to continue teaching.

Field Experience

Not Required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

In exceptional cases, the comprehensive examination plan is used in lieu of a thesis. Under this plan, Chemistry students may apply an additional six units of Chemistry and Biochemistry 597 and six units of Chemistry and Biochemistry 228, 248, or 278 toward the graduate course requirement and the total course requirement. The comprehensive examination plan requires the satisfactory completion of three cumulative examinations.

Thesis Plan

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

The thesis plan is the preferred method of attaining the M.S. degree in Chemistry.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to completion of courses: Three academic quarters (one calendar year).

From admission to award of degree: Three to six academic quarters (one to two calendar years).

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Initial academic advising is handled by the appropriate faculty area adviser. Students continue to consult with this adviser each quarter until completion of their course requirements. During this period, students also choose a research director to supervise the dissertation research. The Graduate Study Committee, consisting of the faculty and staff graduate advisers and faculty area advisers, reviews each student’s progress quarterly. Notification in writing is given to students who are performing at a very high level and to those who are not making adequate progress. The faculty graduate adviser, faculty area advisers, and Director of Graduate Student Services are available for personal consultation.

Minimum Progress. At the end of the first and second year, the overall progress of each student is evaluated by the Graduate Study Committee, taking into account performance in courses, written examinations, teaching, and research. The committee may recommend that students (1) proceed to the oral examination, (2) be redirected to the M.S. program, or (3) be terminated.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Candidates in each area of specialization should normally complete as a minimum the coursework indicated below. Some of these requirements can be met on the basis of orientation examinations and courses taken prior to entry into the graduate program. If the projected research falls in an area which differs appreciably from that anticipated by the field requirements listed below, students may be permitted appropriate modifications.

Inorganic Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry C172 or its equivalent, and satisfactory performance on the inorganic chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 207, C275, C276A,and C280; (3) one elective course from the following: Chemistry and Biochemistry M205, C213B, C215B, 215D, C223A, 232, 236, 241A through 241Z, 242, C243A, C243B, 244A, 244B, C245, 271, C273, C274, 277, or other graduate courses with the approval of the inorganic chemistry area adviser. If the C274 requirement is waived, two electives should be selected from this list; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 278 and one quarter of Chemistry and Biochemistry 282; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400.

Organic Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 30A, 30B, 30BL, 30C, 30CL, 136, and satisfactory performance on the organic chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 236, C243A, C243B, 244A, 244B; (3) one course from Chemistry and Biochemistry 207, 232, 236, 241A through 241Z, 242, C245, C281 or other courses with approval of the organic chemistry area adviser; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 248 (every quarter); (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400; (6) Chemistry and Biochemistry 249A (four quarters) and 249B (one quarter).

Physical Chemistry: (1) Required background material: Chemistry and Biochemistry 110A, 110B, 113A, and satisfactory performance on the physical chemistry orientation examination; (2) Chemistry and Biochemistry C215A-C215B, C223A-C223B, or equivalent; (3) Chemistry and Biochemistry 228 each quarter; (4) Chemistry and Biochemistry 218 (one quarter). Substitutions may be made with consent of the physical chemistry area adviser; (5) Chemistry and Biochemistry 400.

First Year Report for Students in Organic Chemistry

Students in organic chemistry must write a report for their adviser and one other organic chemist covering their progress and accomplishments in the laboratory. The report is due on November 1 of the second year in residence.

Teaching Experience

One year of teaching experience is generally required. Students who serve as teaching assistants must enroll in and receive a grade of S for Chemistry and Biochemistry 375 for each quarter they teach in order to continue teaching.

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 Ph.D. candidates in Chemistry take a series of written tests called cumulative examinations. These are designed to encourage and evaluate the continued growth of professional competency through coursework, study of the literature, departmental seminars, and informal discussions with colleagues.

Three examinations are given per quarter at approximately monthly intervals. Students must begin writing the examinations in their second quarter of residence and must continue until they have passed four examinations. A maximum of twelve attempts are allowed. To remain in good standing, students must pass at least one of the first five examinations attempted. Students with a master’s degree from a U.S. university are required to pass three examinations out of nine attempts.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination consists of an original research proposal in an area distinct from the student’s dissertation research and done without assistance from the research adviser. The proposal is presented orally to the committee, and the committee questions the candidate on the proposal, general knowledge of the area, and dissertation research progress. The proposal represents independent work and offers the doctoral committee the opportunity to judge the student’s ability to think creatively and to formulate significant ideas for research.

All students are required to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination by June 30 of their second year. The committee’s decision to advance a student to candidacy, to allow the student to repeat all or part of the oral, or to disqualify the student, is based on the student’s overall record at UCLA as reflected in coursework and examinations, and the student’s research ability and productivity.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

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

Time-to-Degree

The following are normal times to complete the requirements of the program:

From admission to completion of written qualifying examinations (see above for definition/description of these for each major): three to five academic quarters (one to one and two-thirds calendar years).

From admission to advancement to candidacy: six academic quarters (two calendar years).

From admission to award of degree: 12 to 18 academic quarters (four to six calendar years).

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A student may be recommended for termination by the Graduate Study Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the departmental chair.

Address

212 Royce Hall
Box 951550
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1550

Phone

(310) 825-1147

Email

allen@humnet.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.A., Ph.D.

The French and Francophone Studies department admits only applicants whose objective is the Ph.D.

Admission Limited to

Fall

Deadline to apply

December 15th

GRE (General and/or Subject), TWE

GRE: General

Letters of Recommendation 

3

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a statement of purpose and a writing sample. The writing sample must be in French.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in French or the equivalent.

Master’s Degree

Advising

See under Doctoral Degree.

Areas of Study

French and Francophone Literatures.

Foreign Language Requirement

During the first two years of study students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward fulfillment of the first foreign language requirement for the doctoral degree (listed under Doctoral Degree). Students who decide not to pursue the doctoral degree and to leave the graduate program must have completed the first foreign language requirement in order to receive the M.A. degree.

Course Requirements

During the first two years of study toward the doctoral degree, students must complete a total of 12 courses taken for a letter grade in the department, including French and Francophone Studies 200 which should be taken as early as possible. These 12 courses fulfill the course requirements for the master’s degree. Nine of the 12 courses must be at the graduate level. No courses in the 500 series may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree.

Students are required to consult with the graduate adviser to ensure full historical coverage of French literature. More information on course requirements is listed under Doctoral Degree.

Although all students are admitted directly into the doctoral program, those who decide not to pursue the doctoral degree and to leave the graduate program must have completed the 12-course requirement above in order to receive the M.A. degree.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

The comprehensive examination requirement is met through two reviews, assessing academic performance and other evidence of professional promise. The first review, taken in the third quarter, is meant to be advisory in nature. Students are evaluated by the faculty whose courses they have taken and are provided with suggestions through a follow-up departmental written evaluation. The second review is taken in the sixth quarter and is conducted by a departmental review committee. The second review is based on the following four components:

(1) A submission of three papers written for courses taken during the six quarters and their respective evaluations.
(2) An expanded version of one of the three papers provided by the student prior to the review.
(3) A two- to three-page, single-spaced self-statement outlining the student’s progress and direction of future study.
(4) An oral examination.

Following the second review, students are provided with the committee’s written evaluation which may include a recommendation for continuation and suggestions for future work toward the Ph.D. degree. Students who decide not to pursue the doctoral degree and to leave the graduate program must contact the graduate adviser and make arrangements for the M.A. degree as early as possible but no later than the second week of the sixth quarter. Students will receive the M.A. degree if they have passed the sixth quarter review and have satisfactorily completed the course, language, and residency requirements as outlined above.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

See under Doctoral Degree.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

The department is concerned that students receive advising that is directed toward their individual needs and interests. Students are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the available guidance and to participate in the department’s intellectual life.

The Director of Graduate Studies is the principal contact person who advises graduate students in the planning of their individual courses of study and in the completion of degree requirements in a timely fashion. At the beginning of each quarter, all graduate students who have not yet formed a doctoral guidance committee (discussed under Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations) are required to consult with the Director before enrolling in courses.

Students who have established a doctoral guidance committee are advised by the chair of their committee. All students are required to meet with their adviser each quarter to have their program of study approved.

Matriculating students first enter the two-year phase of the doctoral program. Following the sixth-quarter review, a faculty review committee decides on whether to recommend students for admission into the second phase of the doctoral program.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

French and Francophone Literatures.

Foreign Language Requirement

Doctoral candidates are expected to satisfy two language/interdisciplinary requirements relevant to their dissertation research. Methods of fulfillment must be discussed beforehand with the Director of Graduate Studies. The two requirements are outlined as follows:

(1) The first requirement is a foreign language, other than French, in which the student demonstrates an advanced level of proficiency by passing, with a grade of B or better, at least two upper-division or graduate courses offered by another language department. Such courses must require the use of texts in the original language. These two upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade.
(2) The second requirement may be fulfilled by: (a) taking three courses in an intellectual discipline pertinent to the dissertation project, of which at least two must be graduate courses in another department  and one may be an upper division course (these two courses do not necessarily have to be taken within one department or program); (b) demonstrating a reading knowledge of an additional foreign language by passing language courses (through level 3) or graduate reading courses (courses designated 2G) that are offered by some departments.

Students must complete the language/interdisciplinary requirements before nominating a doctoral committee and taking the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

Coursework required for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree. For the third and fourth years of study, students are expected to complete the following course requirements: a minimum of three graduate courses in the department taken for a letter grade; additional courses in the department if recommended by the adviser; and two or more graduate courses outside of the department as recommended by the adviser (these courses may be used to fulfill the language/interdisciplinary requirement).

Teaching Experience

Although teaching experience is not required, the department provides all graduate students with the opportunity to teach language courses. All teaching assistants are required to complete French and Francophone Studies 495.

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.

Students select a doctoral guidance committee no later than the eighth quarter of study. The guidance committee is composed of a chair, generally in the proposed period of specialization, and at least one other faculty member in the department. The committee directs the student up to the doctoral qualifying examinations. Once established, the doctoral guidance committee holds a meeting during which the student proposes a general topic for the dissertation. The student follows the guidance committee’s suggestions for possible additional coursework.

Doctoral qualifying examinations take place in two stages:

Stage 1: By the ninth quarters of study, students must consult with their doctoral guidance committee on the preparation of the written qualifying examination, which takes place in the 11th quarter of study. The written qualifying examination consists of two parts. The first part covers the literary history related to the proposed dissertation topic. The second part consists of critical theory relevant to the proposed dissertation topic. Each examination is based on an individual reading list of approximately 15 works, established by the examiner and the candidate. These two four-hour examinations are to be taken within one week and are administered by the guidance committee. A student may attempt one or both parts of this examination a maximum of two times.

Stage 2: The University Oral Qualifying Examination, which takes place in the quarter following the written examination or in the 12th quarter of study, may be taken only after completion of course and language requirements, successful passing of the written examinations, and submission of a dissertation proposal. Prior to this examination, two more members are added to the guidance committee, one from the department, and one from another department. This nominated committee is then submitted to the Graduate Division for formal appointment and becomes the doctoral committee that administers the examination.

Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students submit a dissertation prospectus to every member of the doctoral committee. The prospectus is a descriptive text of approximately 20-30 pages outlining the nature, scope, and significance of the proposed dissertation topic, plus a bibliography. For the preparation of the prospectus, students work in close consultation with the doctoral committee chair. Students are responsible for submitting the prospectus to the committee members within a time frame that is satisfactory to the committee for administering the examination. This two-hour oral examination includes a review and discussion of the dissertation prospectus.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

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

Time-to-Degree

The following norms and maximums, including time to degree for the M.A. degree, are enforced by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Policy Committee:

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for termination is made by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Policy Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the departmental chair.

Address

103 Hershey Hall, 612 Charles E. Young Drive East
Box 957246
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7246

Phone

(310) 825-1959

Email

eebgrad@eeb.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.S., Ph.D.

Admission Limited to

Fall

Deadline to apply

December 1st

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: General and Subject in Biology.

Letters of Recommendation 

3, from professors, supervisors, or others who may provide an evaluation of the applicant’s accomplishments or potential in research, teaching, and related scholarly activities

Other Requirements

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

The department encourages applications from students in all areas of science, but expects successful applicants to have or to acquire a background comparable to the requirements for the bachelor’s degree in biology at UCLA. A background in chemistry, physics, and mathematics is desirable. Deficiencies in these or other subjects should be made up at the earliest opportunity. Undergraduates who are prospective applicants should remedy their deficiencies by preparatory study at an appropriate institution. Students with academic deficiencies may be admitted on a provisional basis.

Master’s Degree

Advising

All academic affairs for graduate students in the department are directed by the departmental Graduate Adviser who is assisted by the administrative staff of the Graduate Affairs Office. The Graduate Adviser establishes, at the time of admission to graduate study, a guidance committee for each student that consists of three faculty members for each student.

The chair of the guidance committee acts as the provisional adviser until a permanent adviser is selected. Service as a provisional adviser is designed to be provisional for both professor and student. It does not commit the professor to supervise the thesis, nor does it commit the student to a provisional adviser. The provisional adviser serves until a permanent adviser is found and the master’s examination or thesis committee is established.

Areas of Study

Study consists of coursework and research within the department and within related programs in biochemistry, geology, microbiology, and molecular biology on campus. Opportunities are also available off-campus for intensive study of marine biology at a marine science center in Fall Quarter, of field biology in Spring Quarter, and of tropical biology through courses offered by the Organization for Tropical Studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must be enrolled full time and complete a minimum of 36 units (nine courses) of graduate (200 or 500 series) or upper division (100 series) coursework for the master’s degree. Within this overall requirement, students must complete 20 units (five courses) at the graduate level for a letter grade. Of these five required graduate courses, four must be in the 200 series and one may be in the 200 or 500 series. Students must take the following courses during their first year: (1) two from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology M200A, 200B, and 200C; (2) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 250. Students also must complete an advanced course (100 or 200 series) in statistics, biomathematics, or bioinformatics. Other specific course requirements are established individually for each student by the guidance committee.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Students who select this plan are required to take the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination for the Ph.D. degree during their first year in residence. The examination consists of two parts. Part I examines the breadth of understanding (conceptual and synthetic) of the diversity of specialized subjects within integrative biology and consists of an examination based on two of the three following courses: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology M200A, 200B, and 200C. Part II consists of a first-year literature review and research proposal that is ten pages in length. The first draft of the proposal must be submitted to the student’s advisory committee for comment by the end of Winter Quarter. A final draft of the proposal must be submitted to the advisory committee in the eighth week of Spring Quarter. The advisory committee evaluates and grades the proposal as not pass or M.S. pass and forwards the results to the Graduate Adviser.

Thesis Plan

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

Before beginning work on the thesis, students must obtain approval of the subject and general plan from the master’s thesis committee, which consists of three faculty. The thesis must be prepared in accord with University format requirements in UCLA Policies and Procedures for Thesis Dissertation and Filing, available on the Graduate Division website. The completed thesis is presented to the thesis committee for approval.

Time-to-Degree

The normative time-to-degree for the master’s degree is six quarters.

Doctoral Degree

Advising

All academic affairs for graduate students in the department are directed by the departmental Graduate Adviser who is assisted by the administrative staff of the Graduate Affairs Office. The Graduate Adviser establishes, at the time of admission to graduate study, a guidance committee for each student that consists of three faculty members for each student.

The chair of the guidance committee acts as the provisional adviser until a permanent adviser is selected. Service as a provisional adviser is designed to be provisional for both professor and student. It does not commit the professor to supervise the dissertation, nor does it commit the student to a provisional adviser. The provisional adviser serves until a permanent adviser is found and the doctoral dissertation committee is established.

Students are required, as part of their degree requirements, to find a faculty member who agrees to serve as their permanent adviser and dissertation research supervisor/chair of the doctoral committee. Students who fail to find or retain a permanent adviser and dissertation research supervisor will be placed in departmental probationary status for one quarter. If the student does not find an adviser by the end of that quarter, they are recommended for termination of graduate study to the Graduate Division. Students are urged to discuss permanent sponsorship and dissertation research with faculty at the earliest opportunity, to pick a permanent adviser by the end of their first year, and are expected to advance to candidacy by the end of Winter Quarter of their third year of graduate study.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Study consists of coursework and research within the department and within related programs in biochemistry, geology, microbiology, and molecular biology on campus. Opportunities are also available off-campus for intensive study of marine biology at a marine science center in Fall Quarter, of field biology in Spring Quarter, and of tropical biology through courses offered by the Organization for Tropical Studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

No foreign language is required for admission to the Ph.D. program, and there is no uniform language requirement for the Ph.D. degree. However, at the discretion of the faculty, students who pursue certain subspecialties of biology may be required to gain proficiency in one or more foreign languages.

Course Requirements

Students must enroll for full-time study as defined by the university. Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 20 units of graduate-level courses (200-series). Students must take the following courses during their first year: (1) two from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology M200A, 200B, and 200C; (2) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 250. Students also must complete an advanced course (100 or 200 series) in statistics, biomathematics, or bioinformatics. Other specific course requirements are established individually for each student by the guidance committee.

Teaching Experience

Each student is required to serve a minimum of three terms as a teaching assistant.

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.

Students are required to take the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination during their first year in residence. The examination consists of two parts. Part I examines the breadth of understanding (conceptual and synthetic) of the diversity of specialized subjects within integrative biology and consists of an examination based on two of the three following courses: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology M200A, 200B, and 200C. Part II consists of a first-year literature review and research proposal that is ten pages in length. The first draft of the proposal must be submitted to the student’s advisory committee for comment by the end of Winter Quarter. A final draft of the proposal must be submitted to the advisory committee in the eighth week of Spring Quarter. The advisory committee evaluates and grades the proposal as not pass, M.S. pass, or Ph.D. pass and forwards the results to the Graduate Adviser.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is conducted by the doctoral committee and must be completed by the end of the second year of graduate study. Students prepare, present and defend an original written dissertation proposal. The examination focuses on the content of the final dissertation proposal and topics directly related to it. The final dissertation generally follows the format of a National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant and forms the basis of the student’s defense. The examination is graded pass, fail, or repeat. A failure results in a recommendation for termination of graduate study to the Graduate Division. A repeated examination is graded pass/fail only. Students who do not pass this examination and advance to doctoral candidacy by the end of Winter Quarter of their third year will lose fellowship support and access to departmental grants.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

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

Time-to-Degree

The normative time for the Ph.D. degree is 18 quarters.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for unsatisfactory performance as determined by the advisory committee, failure to pass all areas of the departmental written qualifying examination, failure to pass the master’s comprehensive examination, and failure to maintain a provisional or personal adviser. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the appropriate subgroup or the departmental chair.

Address

5310 Rolfe Hall
Box 951532
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1532

Phone

(310) 825-1036

Email

gtovar@humnet.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.A.
Only applicants whose objective is the Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures can be considered.

Admission Limited to

Fall

Deadline to apply

December 31st

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: General

Letters of Recommendation 

3

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from a recognized university, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than Spanish but who have substantial coursework and/or preparation in the field may also be considered for admission by the graduate affairs committee. If the committee deems that some area of the applicant’s preparation in language or literature needs to be strengthened, it may require that one or more complementary courses be taken.

Master’s Degree

Advising

New and continuing students in the M.A. program are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies. During this preliminary (M.A.) stage of the graduate program, the student’s choice of concentration is provisional. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for planning, in consultation with the student, a study program and for a periodic review of the student’s progress.

Areas of Study

The department offers two areas of concentration for the M.A. degree in Spanish: A) literature; B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

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

Course Requirements

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

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

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Spanish M201A and at least one course in each of the following areas: (1) medieval Spanish literature; (2) Golden Age Spanish literature; (3) 18th and 19th century Spanish literature; (4) 20th century Spanish literature; (5) Colonial or 19th century Spanish American literature; (6) 20th century Spanish American literature; (7) Chicano literature; (8) 20th century Latin American literature, including Brazilian. The remaining courses may be taken in any area offered by the department. Courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

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

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

(A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of a four-hour examination in peninsular Spanish literature and a four-hour examination in Latin American literature. The examination is based on a reading list provided by the department when the student enters the program.

(B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in Spanish linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations. Students choose four examination areas from the following: (1) Spanish syntax; (2) Portuguese syntax; (3) Spanish phonetics and morphology; (4) Spanish diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Spanish/Spanish-American literature; (6) Luso-Brazilian literature. The examination is based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by departmental faculty members when the examination areas are chosen.

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

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

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

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

Thesis Plan

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

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

Time-to-Degree

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

Address

110 Westwood Plaza, Suite C310
Box 951481
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481

Phone

(310) 825-3103

Email

mfe@anderson.ucla.edu

Leading to the degree of

M.F.E.

Admission Limited to

Fall (November)

Deadline to apply

June 30th

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GMAT or GRE

Letters of Recommendation 

2

Other Requirements

In addition to the University’s minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit the departmental application.

A strong quantitative background including, at minimum, linear algebra, multivariate calculus, and statistics, is expected. Applicants with prior work in computer programming, differential equations, numerical methods, advanced statistics, and probability theory, are preferred.

Master’s Degree

Advising

The faculty director of the MFE program is in charge of student advising.

Areas of Study

Financial Engineering.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

52 units of coursework are required for the degree. All courses must be at the graduate level. In exceptional circumstances a maximum of four units of 500-series coursework may be applied to the course requirements. The curriculum consists of four components: (1) core courses; (2) financial institution seminars/career development workshops;(3) a summer internship; and (4) an applied finance project. The core courses, which consist of 44 units from Management 237A through 237P, provide the skills, theoretical and applied, that students need to work in the area of quantitative finance. The financial institution seminars present finance practitioners who 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. The eight-unit applied finance project, Management 237N, is designed to provide in-depth exposure to at least one major task that graduates will be expected to perform in the workplace.

Teaching Experience

Not Required.

Field Experience

Summer Internship Required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

The comprehensive examination requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the applied finance project. This project is designed to provide an in-depth exposure to at least one major task students will be expected to fulfill in the workplace. The project will develop or utilize existing quantitative finance tools and techniques. The faculty member who supervises the project and two other faculty members appointed by the faculty program director are responsible for evaluating the project.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Approximately 13 months from graduate admission to award of the degree, including a summer internship.

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.