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

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Italian. Only applicants with the objective of the Ph.D. degree are considered for admission. Applicants without a Master’s degree will receive the M.A. en route to the doctorate.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

During their first two years of doctoral study, when students are working toward the completion of the M.A., students are advised by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS). The VCGS serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Students should consult regularly with the VCGS to plan their progress to degree. Student records are reviewed regularly by the VCGS and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

At the end of the first year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled, and when necessary identifying areas for improvement. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter is sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring quarter.

At the end of the second year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, identifying areas for improvement, and outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter will be sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring term. For students who have taken the M.A. examination, this letter will include, as an appendix, the one-page report from the M.A, examination committee.

Areas of Study

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Not required.

Course Requirements

During the first two years of study toward the doctoral degree, students admitted without an M.A. must complete a total of 10 of the 12 required courses (40 units). All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and should be selected from offerings in ELTS, French, German Italian and Scandinavian – although graduate seminars in related fields may be applied with approval of the VCGS. Six of these courses (24 units) must be 200 to 296. Four courses may be upper division undergraduate courses (100 series). One four-unit 596 may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree with approval of the VCGS.

These 10 courses fulfill the course requirements for the master’s degree.

First year: students should enroll in coursework chosen in consultation with the VCGS.

Second year: students should be enrolled in courses as needed to complete the M.A. requirements chosen in consultation with the VCGS; in addition, students enroll in three 4-unit 597 examination preparation courses, one per quarter; and the ELTS 495 Teaching Apprentice Practicum in Fall.

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 European Languages and Transcultural Studies (ELTS) 495.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies who enter the program without an M.A. in Italian are required to undergo an M.A. examination during the spring quarter of their second year. Prior to the examination, students must complete a minimum of 10 courses.

By the end of week four of the Fall quarter, second year, students must convene an examination committee comprised of three ELTS faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be in Italian. One faculty member should be designated as the committee chair, and the constitution of the committee must be confirmed by email to the VCGS.

In consultation with their committee, students are required to compile a list of 35 works, consisting of primary works, theory and secondary scholarship. The list must be oriented around a broad “period”, “theme” and/or “genre”. The list can be transcultural: i.e., early modern French/Italian literature or European cinema. The goal is foundational knowledge in a broadly defined field. Students write a précis demonstrating the coherence of the list.

Students enroll in one 4-unit 597 per quarter, ideally with each of the committee members in turn, for each of the three quarters in their second year.

In week one of the Spring quarter, second year, students receive approval on the finalized list from the committee and forward the list and précis to the VCGS. An oral examination of 1.5 hours (including time for feedback and discussion about future direction for the student), based on the list and the précis, should be scheduled for week nine or 10 of the Spring quarter, second year. All three committee members must be in attendance.

Examination results are announced during the feedback portion of the examination. Results are either (1) pass with permission to proceed, (2) pass without a recommendation to proceed, (3) or fail, no recommendation to proceed. If no recommendation to proceed is determined, students have the opportunity to retake the examination one more time. If, upon retaking the examination, permission to proceed is still not recommended, students with a pass with a no recommendation to proceed receive a terminal M.A. Students with a second fail receive no terminal M.A. and are not granted permission to proceed with the Ph.D. In both cases, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedure set out in the Academic Disqualification section below.

At the end of the examination week, the committee chair submits to the VCGS, a one page report on the student’s performance on the oral examination, along with formal documentation of the results.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Advising for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree.

The department is committed to providing an individualized advising structure that is directed toward their individual students’ needs and interests. Students are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the available guidance.

The Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS) 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 are required to consult with the VCGS before enrolling in courses.

Students who entered the program with an M.A. in Italian receive a letter at the end of the first year that provides official notification of permission to proceed with the Ph.D. (following satisfactory review of academic progress in the program).

Students select a doctoral guidance committee no later than Fall quarter of the third year and the committee must include two members from the department, including the chair, and one faculty from outside the department.

NOTE: Students who enter the program with an M.A. are expected to select a doctoral guidance committee no later than the Fall quarter of the second year.

Students must complete the language requirements before nominating the official four person doctoral guidance committee and taking the oral qualifying examination.

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.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Doctoral candidates must demonstrate mastery in a foreign language other than their language of specialization and other English, prior to advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. The additional language must be relevant to the student’s dissertation plans. Mastery can be demonstrated in one of the following ways: (a) satisfactory completion of a departmental translation or reading exam; (b) placing into level 4 on a departmental language placement examination; (c) completing level 3 (or the equivalent of one year) in a language with a grade of B+ or better; (d) passing, with a grade of B+ or better, one upper-division or graduate course offered by another language department.

We encourage students to go beyond these minimum requirements, depending on their research interests.

Course Requirements

Course work required for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree. After completing 10 courses during the first two years of study, students are expected to complete a minimum of two graduate courses in the department taken for a letter grade during the third and fourth years. In rare cases, and with approval of the VCGS, the required graduate courses may be 596 (independent studies).

Students who enter with an M.A in Italian may count up to four courses worth of credit from other institutions toward the 12 course requirement with approval from the VCGS. Students must take a minimum of six graduate courses in the first year. Remaining courses must be completed in the second year.

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 ELTS 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.

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

The doctoral guidance committee works with the student to identify a nexus of themes, questions, and key concepts. The student begins compiling a reading list of circa 50 works developed in consultation with the committee. The list should represent a judicious combination of primary works, theory, and secondary scholarship. The rationale for the list is articulated by a précis that identifies themes, research questions, and key concepts, all with an eye to the dissertation project.

The student submits the précis, reading list, and the names of the advising team to the VCGS by week five of the Fall quarter.

Doctoral qualifying examinations take place in two stages:

Stage 1: Students must consult with their doctoral guidance committee on the preparation of the written qualifying examination, which takes place by the 7th week of the Spring quarter, third year. The doctoral guidance committee prepares the written qualifying examination consisting of, in general, one question per committee member for a total of three, with students choosing to write on two of the three questions. The examination time is five hours, open book/open note. A student may attempt this examination a maximum of two times.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to complete the written examination by the seventh week of the Spring quarter, second year.

In week 10 of the Spring quarter, third year, students will have a two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee which will include a discussion and feedback of the written examination and planning for the prospectus.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to schedule the two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee in week 10 of the Spring quarter, second year.

Stage 2: The University Oral Qualifying Examination, which takes place no later than the 10th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year. may be taken only after completion of course and language requirements, successful passing of the written examinations, and submission of a dissertation prospectus. Prior to this examination, one more member is added to the doctoral guidance committee. This nominated committee is then submitted to the Graduate Division. Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination and no later than the 7th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year, students submit a dissertation prospectus to every member of the doctoral committee. The prospectus is a text of approximately 35 pages outlining the nature, scope, and significance of the proposed dissertation topic, plus a substantial bibliography. For the preparation of the prospectus, students work in close consultation with the doctoral committee chair. This two-hour oral examination includes a review and discussion of the dissertation prospectus. The oral examination results are (1) pass and advance to candidacy or (2) revise and resubmit. If revise and resubmit, the student must work closely with the advisor and VCGS to redo the prospectus examination for successful advancement. A second oral examination will be required. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the oral examination, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedures set out in the academic disqualification section below.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to submit the dissertation prospectus by the 7th week of the Spring quarter and complete the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the 10th week of the Spring quarter, third year.

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 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

Entering without a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 6th quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 7th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 9th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 10th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 11th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	18 quarters (6 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	24 quarters (8 years)

 

 

Entering with a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 3rd quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 4th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 6th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 7th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 8th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	15 quarters (5 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	21 quarters (7 years)

 

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	9	15	21

 

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

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

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Graduate students entering the M.A. program are requested to make an advising appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies in their first quarter of study and meet with him or her at least once a quarter thereafter to review their academic progress.

Areas of Study

The M.A. degree in Italian is available with specializations in Italian literature and Italian cultural studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of one foreign language other than Italian is required for the M.A. degree. The choice of language must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of undergraduate course work in the target language through at least level 3. This requirement must be met at least one quarter before the comprehensive examination.

Course Requirements

Italian Literature Specialization. For both the capstone plan and thesis plans, 10 courses (38 units) are required, including Italian 205 and European Languages and Transcultural Studies 200 (2 units, S/U grading). The other eight courses should be distributed in three main literary periods (with two courses in each period): Middle Ages, Renaissance, modern. If approved by the graduate adviser, two of the10 courses may be individual research courses (Italian 596) or upper division Italian courses. Related courses in another department, such as Art History 230, may also be approved. To receive credit for such courses, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Italian Cultural Studies Specialization. This specialization offers two separate tracks: (a) medieval and early modern and (b) modern and contemporary. For both the capstone and thesis plans, 10 courses (38 units) are required and a minimum of five courses (20 units) must be in the 200 series, and European Languages and Transcultural Studies 200 (2 units, S/U grading)

(a) Medieval and early modern:

One course in medieval/early modern Italian history (required)
Two courses in medieval/early modern Italian literature and cultural (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies
One course in medieval/early modern Italian art of architecture and urban design
One course in medieval/early modern Italian musicology
One course in medieval/early modern Italian thought
One course in medieval/early modern Italian political and juridical institutions
One course in the history of the Italian language

Approved courses include: Art History 200, C215A, C215B, 217C, 222A, 230A, M230B, M230C; Architecture and Urban Design 288; History 221A, 221B, 226A, 226B, 229A, 229B; Italian 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E, 214F, 215A, 215B, 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216E, 217, 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 251, 252, 253A, 253B, 253C, 254, 255A, 255B; Philosophy 206, 207; Political Science 210A, 210B.

(b) Modern and contemporary:

Two courses in modern/contemporary Italian literature and culture (required)
One course in modern/contemporary Italian history (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies (required)
One course in film and media or theater
One course in design and/or architecture and urban design or art history
One course on modern/contemporary Italian thought
One course on political/juridical institutions of modern Italy
One course in geography or economics, anthropology, or folklore

Approved courses include: Anthropology 260, M263P; Art History 200,  230A, M230B, M230C; Urban Planning 245; Economics 181, 241; Film and Television 206A, 218, 219, 270; History M230A, M230B, 231A, 231B, 234A, 234B; Italian 218A through 230B, 256A through 298; Musicology 200A; Philosophy 216, C219, 280; Political Science 231, 246B; Theater 202D, 202E, 202F, 202G.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The department prefers that students follow the capstone plan, which consists of a minimum five-hour written examination. The examination tests the student’s general competency and does not have major and minor fields of emphasis. Following the written examination, students must take an oral examination that is approximately two hours long covering the written exam.

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.

This plan may be approved for research-oriented students of exceptional merit. Students who have completed the first year of graduate work with at least a 3.7 grade-point average may be nominated by one of the faculty members of the department for application to the thesis plan. If the nomination is accepted by the faculty, a three-member thesis committee is submitted to the Graduate Division for appointment. At this point the student must have completed Italian  205 and at least two other graduate courses in Italian. On acceptance, the guidance committee helps the student choose courses in preparation for the thesis.

The thesis must be at least 50 pages long and formatted in accord with University regulations. The thesis must be submitted in the sixth quarter of graduate work. After completion of the thesis, students must take an oral examination that tests knowledge in the field of the thesis and general competence in Italian literature.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time to the master’s degree is two years, or six academic quarters. Students should plan to complete their 9-course requirement by the end of the fifth quarter of study.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	5	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Continuing students who proceed toward the Ph.D. degree in Italian following completion of the department’s M.A. program are urged to select, within the first quarter and in consultation with the graduate adviser, a faculty member to serve as their adviser who may or may not become the chair of their doctoral guidance committee. New students in the Ph.D. program in Italian are introduced to the faculty in a general meeting and are urged to consult with the departmental graduate adviser regarding their program and selection of a faculty adviser.

Students should select their doctoral committee at least three quarters prior to Part II of the qualifying examinations. The doctoral guidance committee prepares and administers Part II of the written qualifying examination after the 8-course requirement and other preparatory work have been completed, normally within six quarters after completion of Part I.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Two centuries of Italian literature selected from the medieval, Renaissance and baroque, or modern areas comprise the major fields; two other centuries of Italian literature selected from any of these areas comprise the minor fields.

A student may also select a major or minor in a movement, critical problem, or field outside of the department if it meets with the approval of the entire faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the doctoral degree, reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. The choice of languages must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of course work through at least level 3. A foreign language used to satisfy the requirement for the M.A. degree in Italian may be applied toward partial fulfillment of this requirement. The language requirement must be satisfied before taking Part II of the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

In addition to those required for the master’s degree, at least 8 other courses, of which no more than two 596 courses may apply, are required. Students also must take such courses as their guidance committee may prescribe for the qualifying examinations (such as Italian 596 or 597). All courses in the 200 series may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have not previously taken Italian 205 or the equivalent are required to take it as soon as possible. For a course to be deemed equivalent to Italian 205, students submit a detailed letter of petition addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty. To count two relevant courses taught in other departments at UCLA toward the 8 courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

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.

The comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Italian serves as Part I of the written qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The department also requires both written and oral qualifying examinations (Part II), which must be taken during the same academic year, although not necessarily during the same quarter. Normally taken no later than six quarters after completion of the M.A. degree, the written examination consists of two parts: a six-hour examination in the student’s major field and a five-hour examination in the minor field. All students, including those with an M.A. degree in Italian with a specialization in Italian literature from UCLA, should expect to take Part II of the examinations at the end of the sixth quarter in residence. No sooner than two weeks after completion of the second part of the written examination, and after having written a detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. dissertation to follow, students take a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination on the major, the minor, and the prospectus. In case of failure, the student may be reexamined on unanimous approval of the guidance committee, after at least one academic quarter of additional residence.

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 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

It is recommended that completion of all course work, examinations, and the dissertation for the Ph.D. degree should occur no later than seven years from beginning of graduate status.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	12	18	21

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

A recommendation for academic disqualification is made by the departmental faculty.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Graduate students entering the M.A. program are requested to make an advising appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies in their first quarter of study and meet with him or her at least once a quarter thereafter to review their academic progress.

Areas of Study

The M.A. degree in Italian is available with specializations in Italian literature and Italian cultural studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of one foreign language other than Italian is required for the M.A. degree. The choice of language must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of undergraduate course work in the target language through at least level 3. This requirement must be met at least one quarter before the comprehensive examination.

Course Requirements

Italian Literature Specialization. For both the capstone plan and thesis plans, 9 courses (36 units) are required, including Italian 205. The other eight courses should be distributed in three main literary periods (with two courses in each period): Middle Ages, Renaissance, modern. If approved by the graduate adviser, two of the 9 courses may be individual research courses (Italian 596) or upper division Italian courses. Related courses in another department, such as Art History 230, may also be approved. To receive credit for such courses, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Italian Cultural Studies Specialization. This specialization offers two separate tracks: (a) medieval and early modern and (b) modern and contemporary. For both the capstone and thesis plans, nine courses (36 units) are required and a minimum of five courses (20 units) must be in the 200 series.

(a) Medieval and early modern:

One course in medieval/early modern Italian history (required)
Two courses in medieval/early modern Italian literature and cultural (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies
One course in medieval/early modern Italian art of architecture and urban design
One course in medieval/early modern Italian musicology
One course in medieval/early modern Italian thought
One course in medieval/early modern Italian political and juridical institutions
One course in the history of the Italian language

Approved courses include: Art History 200, C215A, C215B, 217C, 222A, 230A, M230B, M230C; Architecture and Urban Design 288; History 221A, 221B, 226A, 226B, 229A, 229B; Italian 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E, 214F, 215A, 215B, 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216E, 217, 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 251, 252, 253A, 253B, 253C, 254, 255A, 255B; Philosophy 206, 207; Political Science 210A, 210B.

(b) Modern and contemporary:

Two courses in modern/contemporary Italian literature and culture (required)
One course in modern/contemporary Italian history (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies (required)
One course in film and media or theater
One course in design and/or architecture and urban design or art history
One course on modern/contemporary Italian thought
One course on political/juridical institutions of modern Italy
One course in geography or economics, anthropology, or folklore

Approved courses include: Anthropology 260, M263P; Art History 200,  230A, M230B, M230C; Urban Planning 245; Economics 181, 241; Film and Television 206A, 218, 219, 270; History M230A, M230B, 231A, 231B, 234A, 234B; Italian 218A through 230B, 256A through 298; Musicology 200A; Philosophy 216, C219, 280; Political Science 231, 246B; Theater 202D, 202E, 202F, 202G.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The department prefers that students follow the capstone plan, which consists of a minimum five-hour written examination. The examination tests the student’s general competency and does not have major and minor fields of emphasis. Following the written examination, students must take an oral examination.

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.

This plan may be approved for research-oriented students of exceptional merit. Students who have completed the first year of graduate work with at least a 3.7 grade-point average may be nominated by one of the faculty members of the department for application to the thesis plan. If the nomination is accepted by the faculty, a three-member thesis committee is submitted to the Graduate Division for appointment. At this point the student must have completed Italian  205 and at least two other graduate courses in Italian. On acceptance, the guidance committee helps the student choose courses in preparation for the thesis.

The thesis must be at least 50 pages long and formatted in accord with University regulations. The thesis must be submitted in the sixth quarter of graduate work. After completion of the thesis, students must take an oral examination that tests knowledge in the field of the thesis and general competence in Italian literature.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time to the master’s degree is two years, or six academic quarters. Students should plan to complete their 9-course requirement by the end of the fifth quarter of study.

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Continuing students who proceed toward the Ph.D. degree in Italian following completion of the department’s M.A. program are urged to select, within the first quarter and in consultation with the graduate adviser, a faculty member to serve as their adviser who may or may not become the chair of their doctoral guidance committee. New students in the Ph.D. program in Italian are introduced to the faculty in a general meeting and are urged to consult with the departmental graduate adviser regarding their program and selection of a faculty adviser.

Students should select their doctoral committee at least three quarters prior to Part II of the qualifying examinations. The doctoral guidance committee prepares and administers Part II of the written qualifying examination after the 8-course requirement and other preparatory work have been completed, normally within six quarters after completion of Part I.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Two centuries of Italian literature selected from the medieval, Renaissance and baroque, or modern areas comprise the major fields; two other centuries of Italian literature selected from any of these areas comprise the minor fields.

A student may also select a major or minor in a movement, critical problem, or field outside of the department if it meets with the approval of the entire faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the doctoral degree, reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. The choice of languages must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of course work through at least level 3. A foreign language used to satisfy the requirement for the M.A. degree in Italian may be applied toward partial fulfillment of this requirement. The language requirement must be satisfied before taking Part II of the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

In addition to those required for the master’s degree, at least 8 other courses, of which no more than two 596 courses may apply, are required. Students also must take such courses as their guidance committee may prescribe for the qualifying examinations (such as Italian 596 or 597). All courses in the 200 series may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have not previously taken Italian 205 or the equivalent are required to take it as soon as possible. For a course to be deemed equivalent to Italian 205, students submit a detailed letter of petition addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty. To count two relevant courses taught in other departments at UCLA toward the 8 courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

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.

The comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Italian serves as Part I of the written qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The department also requires both written and oral qualifying examinations (Part II), which must be taken during the same academic year, although not necessarily during the same quarter. Normally taken no later than six quarters after completion of the M.A. degree, the written examination consists of two parts: a six-hour examination in the student’s major field and a five-hour examination in the minor field. All students, including those with an M.A. degree in Italian with a specialization in Italian literature from UCLA, should expect to take Part II of the examinations at the end of the sixth quarter in residence. No sooner than two weeks after completion of the second part of the written examination, and after having written a detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. dissertation to follow, students take a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination on the major, the minor, and the prospectus. In case of failure, the student may be reexamined on unanimous approval of the guidance committee, after at least one academic quarter of additional residence.

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 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

It is recommended that completion of all course work, examinations, and the dissertation for the Ph.D. degree should occur no later than six years from beginning of graduate status.

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

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 departmental faculty.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Graduate students entering the M.A. program are requested to make an advising appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies in their first quarter of study and meet with him or her at least once a quarter thereafter to review their academic progress.

Areas of Study

The M.A. degree in Italian is available with specializations in Italian literature and Italian cultural studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of one foreign language other than Italian is required for the M.A. degree. The choice of language must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of undergraduate course work in the target language through at least level 3. This requirement must be met at least one quarter before the comprehensive examination.

Course Requirements

Italian Literature Specialization. For both the capstone plan and thesis plans, 9 courses (36 units) are required, including Italian 205. The other eight courses should be distributed in three main literary periods (with two courses in each period): Middle Ages, Renaissance, modern. If approved by the graduate adviser, two of the 9 courses may be individual research courses (Italian 596) or upper division Italian courses. Related courses in another department, such as Art History 230, may also be approved. To receive credit for such courses, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Italian Cultural Studies Specialization. This specialization offers two separate tracks: (a) medieval and early modern and (b) modern and contemporary. For both the capstone and thesis plans, nine courses (36 units) are required and a minimum of five courses (20 units) must be in the 200 series.

(a) Medieval and early modern:

One course in medieval/early modern Italian history (required)
Two courses in medieval/early modern Italian literature and cultural (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies
One course in medieval/early modern Italian art of architecture and urban design
One course in medieval/early modern Italian musicology
One course in medieval/early modern Italian thought
One course in medieval/early modern Italian political and juridical institutions
One course in the history of the Italian language

Approved courses include: Art History 200, C215A, C215B, 217C, 222A, 230A, M230B, M230C; Architecture and Urban Design 288; History 221A, 221B, 226A, 226B, 229A, 229B; Italian 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E, 214F, 215A, 215B, 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216E, 217, 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 251, 252, 253A, 253B, 253C, 254, 255A, 255B; Philosophy 206, 207; Political Science 210A, 210B.

(b) Modern and contemporary:

Two courses in modern/contemporary Italian literature and culture (required)
One course in modern/contemporary Italian history (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies (required)
One course in film and media or theater
One course in design and/or architecture and urban design or art history
One course on modern/contemporary Italian thought
One course on political/juridical institutions of modern Italy
One course in geography or economics, anthropology, or folklore

Approved courses include: Anthropology 260, M263P; Art History 200,  230A, M230B, M230C; Urban Planning 245; Economics 181, 241; Film and Television 206A, 218, 219, 270; History M230A, M230B, 231A, 231B, 234A, 234B; Italian 218A through 230B, 256A through 298; Musicology 200A; Philosophy 216, C219, 280; Political Science 231, 246B; Theater 202D, 202E, 202F, 202G.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The department prefers that students follow the capstone plan, which consists of a minimum five-hour written examination. The examination tests the student’s general competency and does not have major and minor fields of emphasis. Following the written examination, students must take an oral examination.

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.

This plan may be approved for research-oriented students of exceptional merit. Students who have completed the first year of graduate work with at least a 3.7 grade-point average may be nominated by one of the faculty members of the department for application to the thesis plan. If the nomination is accepted by the faculty, a three-member thesis committee is submitted to the Graduate Division for appointment. At this point the student must have completed Italian  205 and at least two other graduate courses in Italian. On acceptance, the guidance committee helps the student choose courses in preparation for the thesis.

The thesis must be at least 50 pages long and formatted in accord with University regulations. The thesis must be submitted in the sixth quarter of graduate work. After completion of the thesis, students must take an oral examination that tests knowledge in the field of the thesis and general competence in Italian literature.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time to the master’s degree is two years, or six academic quarters. Students should plan to complete their 9-course requirement by the end of the fifth quarter of study.

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Continuing students who proceed toward the Ph.D. degree in Italian following completion of the department’s M.A. program are urged to select, within the first quarter and in consultation with the graduate adviser, a faculty member to serve as their adviser who may or may not become the chair of their doctoral guidance committee. New students in the Ph.D. program in Italian are introduced to the faculty in a general meeting and are urged to consult with the departmental graduate adviser regarding their program and selection of a faculty adviser.

Students should select their doctoral committee at least three quarters prior to Part II of the qualifying examinations. The doctoral guidance committee prepares and administers Part II of the written qualifying examination after the 8-course requirement and other preparatory work have been completed, normally within six quarters after completion of Part I.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Two centuries of Italian literature selected from the medieval, Renaissance and baroque, or modern areas comprise the major fields; two other centuries of Italian literature selected from any of these areas comprise the minor fields.

A student may also select a major or minor in a movement, critical problem, or field outside of the department if it meets with the approval of the entire faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the doctoral degree, reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. The choice of languages must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of course work through at least level 3. A foreign language used to satisfy the requirement for the M.A. degree in Italian may be applied toward partial fulfillment of this requirement. The language requirement must be satisfied before taking Part II of the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

In addition to those required for the master’s degree, at least 8 other courses, of which no more than two 596 courses may apply, are required. Students also must take such courses as their guidance committee may prescribe for the qualifying examinations (such as Italian 596 or 597). All courses in the 200 series may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have not previously taken Italian 205 or the equivalent are required to take it as soon as possible. For a course to be deemed equivalent to Italian 205, students submit a detailed letter of petition addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty. To count two relevant courses taught in other departments at UCLA toward the 8 courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

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.

The comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Italian serves as Part I of the written qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The department also requires both written and oral qualifying examinations (Part II), which must be taken during the same academic year, although not necessarily during the same quarter. Normally taken no later than six quarters after completion of the M.A. degree, the written examination consists of two parts: a six-hour examination in the student’s major field and a five-hour examination in the minor field. All students, including those with an M.A. degree in Italian with a specialization in Italian literature from UCLA, should expect to take Part II of the examinations at the end of the sixth quarter in residence. No sooner than two weeks after completion of the second part of the written examination, and after having written a detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. dissertation to follow, students take a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination on the major, the minor, and the prospectus. In case of failure, the student may be reexamined on unanimous approval of the guidance committee, after at least one academic quarter of additional residence.

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 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

It is recommended that completion of all course work, examinations, and the dissertation for the Ph.D. degree should occur no later than six years from beginning of graduate status.

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

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 departmental faculty.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Graduate students entering the M.A. program are requested to make an advising appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies in their first quarter of study and meet with him or her at least once a quarter thereafter to review their academic progress.

Areas of Study

The M.A. degree in Italian is available with specializations in Italian literature and Italian cultural studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of one foreign language other than Italian is required for the M.A. degree. The choice of language must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of undergraduate course work in the target language through at least level 3. This requirement must be met at least one quarter before the comprehensive examination.

Course Requirements

Italian Literature Specialization. For both the capstone plan and thesis plans, 10 courses (38 units) are required, including Italian 205 and European Languages and Transcultural Studies 200 (2 units, S/U grading). The other eight courses should be distributed in three main literary periods (with two courses in each period): Middle Ages, Renaissance, modern. If approved by the graduate adviser, two of the10 courses may be individual research courses (Italian 596) or upper division Italian courses. Related courses in another department, such as Art History 230, may also be approved. To receive credit for such courses, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Italian Cultural Studies Specialization. This specialization offers two separate tracks: (a) medieval and early modern and (b) modern and contemporary. For both the capstone and thesis plans, 10 courses (38 units) are required and a minimum of five courses (20 units) must be in the 200 series, and European Languages and Transcultural Studies 200 (2 units, S/U grading)

(a) Medieval and early modern:

One course in medieval/early modern Italian history (required)
Two courses in medieval/early modern Italian literature and cultural (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies
One course in medieval/early modern Italian art of architecture and urban design
One course in medieval/early modern Italian musicology
One course in medieval/early modern Italian thought
One course in medieval/early modern Italian political and juridical institutions
One course in the history of the Italian language

Approved courses include: Art History 200, C215A, C215B, 217C, 222A, 230A, M230B, M230C; Architecture and Urban Design 288; History 221A, 221B, 226A, 226B, 229A, 229B; Italian 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E, 214F, 215A, 215B, 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216E, 217, 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 251, 252, 253A, 253B, 253C, 254, 255A, 255B; Philosophy 206, 207; Political Science 210A, 210B.

(b) Modern and contemporary:

Two courses in modern/contemporary Italian literature and culture (required)
One course in modern/contemporary Italian history (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies (required)
One course in film and media or theater
One course in design and/or architecture and urban design or art history
One course on modern/contemporary Italian thought
One course on political/juridical institutions of modern Italy
One course in geography or economics, anthropology, or folklore

Approved courses include: Anthropology 260, M263P; Art History 200,  230A, M230B, M230C; Urban Planning 245; Economics 181, 241; Film and Television 206A, 218, 219, 270; History M230A, M230B, 231A, 231B, 234A, 234B; Italian 218A through 230B, 256A through 298; Musicology 200A; Philosophy 216, C219, 280; Political Science 231, 246B; Theater 202D, 202E, 202F, 202G.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The department prefers that students follow the capstone plan, which consists of a minimum five-hour written examination. The examination tests the student’s general competency and does not have major and minor fields of emphasis. Following the written examination, students must take an oral examination that is approximately two hours long covering the written exam.

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.

This plan may be approved for research-oriented students of exceptional merit. Students who have completed the first year of graduate work with at least a 3.7 grade-point average may be nominated by one of the faculty members of the department for application to the thesis plan. If the nomination is accepted by the faculty, a three-member thesis committee is submitted to the Graduate Division for appointment. At this point the student must have completed Italian  205 and at least two other graduate courses in Italian. On acceptance, the guidance committee helps the student choose courses in preparation for the thesis.

The thesis must be at least 50 pages long and formatted in accord with University regulations. The thesis must be submitted in the sixth quarter of graduate work. After completion of the thesis, students must take an oral examination that tests knowledge in the field of the thesis and general competence in Italian literature.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time to the master’s degree is two years, or six academic quarters. Students should plan to complete their 9-course requirement by the end of the fifth quarter of study.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	5	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Continuing students who proceed toward the Ph.D. degree in Italian following completion of the department’s M.A. program are urged to select, within the first quarter and in consultation with the graduate adviser, a faculty member to serve as their adviser who may or may not become the chair of their doctoral guidance committee. New students in the Ph.D. program in Italian are introduced to the faculty in a general meeting and are urged to consult with the departmental graduate adviser regarding their program and selection of a faculty adviser.

Students should select their doctoral committee at least three quarters prior to Part II of the qualifying examinations. The doctoral guidance committee prepares and administers Part II of the written qualifying examination after the 8-course requirement and other preparatory work have been completed, normally within six quarters after completion of Part I.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Two centuries of Italian literature selected from the medieval, Renaissance and baroque, or modern areas comprise the major fields; two other centuries of Italian literature selected from any of these areas comprise the minor fields.

A student may also select a major or minor in a movement, critical problem, or field outside of the department if it meets with the approval of the entire faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the doctoral degree, reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. The choice of languages must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of course work through at least level 3. A foreign language used to satisfy the requirement for the M.A. degree in Italian may be applied toward partial fulfillment of this requirement. The language requirement must be satisfied before taking Part II of the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

In addition to those required for the master’s degree, at least 8 other courses, of which no more than two 596 courses may apply, are required. Students also must take such courses as their guidance committee may prescribe for the qualifying examinations (such as Italian 596 or 597). All courses in the 200 series may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have not previously taken Italian 205 or the equivalent are required to take it as soon as possible. For a course to be deemed equivalent to Italian 205, students submit a detailed letter of petition addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty. To count two relevant courses taught in other departments at UCLA toward the 8 courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

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.

The comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Italian serves as Part I of the written qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The department also requires both written and oral qualifying examinations (Part II), which must be taken during the same academic year, although not necessarily during the same quarter. Normally taken no later than six quarters after completion of the M.A. degree, the written examination consists of two parts: a six-hour examination in the student’s major field and a five-hour examination in the minor field. All students, including those with an M.A. degree in Italian with a specialization in Italian literature from UCLA, should expect to take Part II of the examinations at the end of the sixth quarter in residence. No sooner than two weeks after completion of the second part of the written examination, and after having written a detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. dissertation to follow, students take a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination on the major, the minor, and the prospectus. In case of failure, the student may be reexamined on unanimous approval of the guidance committee, after at least one academic quarter of additional residence.

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 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

It is recommended that completion of all course work, examinations, and the dissertation for the Ph.D. degree should occur no later than seven years from beginning of graduate status.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	12	18	21

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

A recommendation for academic disqualification is made by the departmental faculty.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Italian. Only applicants with the objective of the Ph.D. degree are considered for admission. Applicants without a Master’s degree will receive the M.A. en route to the doctorate.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

During their first two years of doctoral study, when students are working toward the completion of the M.A., students are advised by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS). The VCGS serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Students should consult regularly with the VCGS to plan their progress to degree. Student records are reviewed regularly by the VCGS and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

At the end of the first year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled, and when necessary identifying areas for improvement. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter is sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring quarter.

At the end of the second year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, identifying areas for improvement, and outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter will be sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring term. For students who have taken the M.A. examination, this letter will include, as an appendix, the one-page report from the M.A, examination committee.

Areas of Study

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Not required.

Course Requirements

During the first two years of study toward the doctoral degree, students admitted without an M.A. must complete a total of 10 of the 12 required courses (40 units). All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and should be selected from offerings in ELTS, French, German Italian and Scandinavian – although graduate seminars in related fields may be applied with approval of the VCGS. Six of these courses (24 units) must be 200 to 296. Four courses may be upper division undergraduate courses (100 series). One four-unit 596 may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree with approval of the VCGS.

These 10 courses fulfill the course requirements for the master’s degree.

First year: students should enroll in coursework chosen in consultation with the VCGS.

Second year: students should be enrolled in courses as needed to complete the M.A. requirements chosen in consultation with the VCGS; in addition, students enroll in three 4-unit 597 examination preparation courses, one per quarter; and the ELTS 495 Teaching Apprentice Practicum in Fall.

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 European Languages and Transcultural Studies (ELTS) 495.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies who enter the program without an M.A. in Italian are required to undergo an M.A. examination during the spring quarter of their second year. Prior to the examination, students must complete a minimum of 10 courses.

By the end of week four of the Fall quarter, second year, students must convene an examination committee comprised of three ELTS faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be in Italian. One faculty member should be designated as the committee chair, and the constitution of the committee must be confirmed by email to the VCGS.

In consultation with their committee, students are required to compile a list of 35 works, consisting of primary works, theory and secondary scholarship. The list must be oriented around a broad “period”, “theme” and/or “genre”. The list can be transcultural: i.e., early modern French/Italian literature or European cinema. The goal is foundational knowledge in a broadly defined field. Students write a précis demonstrating the coherence of the list.

Students enroll in one 4-unit 597 per quarter, ideally with each of the committee members in turn, for each of the three quarters in their second year.

In week one of the Spring quarter, second year, students receive approval on the finalized list from the committee and forward the list and précis to the VCGS. An oral examination of 1.5 hours (including time for feedback and discussion about future direction for the student), based on the list and the précis, should be scheduled for week nine or 10 of the Spring quarter, second year. All three committee members must be in attendance.

Examination results are announced during the feedback portion of the examination. Results are either (1) pass with permission to proceed, (2) pass without a recommendation to proceed, (3) or fail, no recommendation to proceed. If no recommendation to proceed is determined, students have the opportunity to retake the examination one more time. If, upon retaking the examination, permission to proceed is still not recommended, students with a pass with a no recommendation to proceed receive a terminal M.A. Students with a second fail receive no terminal M.A. and are not granted permission to proceed with the Ph.D. In both cases, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedure set out in the Academic Disqualification section below.

At the end of the examination week, the committee chair submits to the VCGS, a one page report on the student’s performance on the oral examination, along with formal documentation of the results.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Advising for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree.

The department is committed to providing an individualized advising structure that is directed toward their individual students’ needs and interests. Students are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the available guidance.

The Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS) 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 are required to consult with the VCGS before enrolling in courses.

Students who entered the program with an M.A. in Italian receive a letter at the end of the first year that provides official notification of permission to proceed with the Ph.D. (following satisfactory review of academic progress in the program).

Students select a doctoral guidance committee no later than Fall quarter of the third year and the committee must include two members from the department, including the chair, and one faculty from outside the department.

NOTE: Students who enter the program with an M.A. are expected to select a doctoral guidance committee no later than the Fall quarter of the second year.

Students must complete the language requirements before nominating the official four person doctoral guidance committee and taking the oral qualifying examination.

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.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Doctoral candidates must demonstrate mastery in a foreign language other than their language of specialization and other English, prior to advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. The additional language must be relevant to the student’s dissertation plans. Mastery can be demonstrated in one of the following ways: (a) satisfactory completion of a departmental translation or reading exam; (b) placing into level 4 on a departmental language placement examination; (c) completing level 3 (or the equivalent of one year) in a language with a grade of B+ or better; (d) passing, with a grade of B+ or better, one upper-division or graduate course offered by another language department.

We encourage students to go beyond these minimum requirements, depending on their research interests.

Course Requirements

Course work required for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree. After completing 10 courses during the first two years of study, students are expected to complete a minimum of two graduate courses in the department taken for a letter grade during the third and fourth years. In rare cases, and with approval of the VCGS, the required graduate courses may be 596 (independent studies).

Students who enter with an M.A in Italian may count up to four courses worth of credit from other institutions toward the 12 course requirement with approval from the VCGS. Students must take a minimum of six graduate courses in the first year. Remaining courses must be completed in the second year.

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 ELTS 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.

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

The doctoral guidance committee works with the student to identify a nexus of themes, questions, and key concepts. The student begins compiling a reading list of circa 50 works developed in consultation with the committee. The list should represent a judicious combination of primary works, theory, and secondary scholarship. The rationale for the list is articulated by a précis that identifies themes, research questions, and key concepts, all with an eye to the dissertation project.

The student submits the précis, reading list, and the names of the advising team to the VCGS by week five of the Fall quarter.

Doctoral qualifying examinations take place in two stages:

Stage 1: Students must consult with their doctoral guidance committee on the preparation of the written qualifying examination, which takes place by the 7th week of the Spring quarter, third year. The doctoral guidance committee prepares the written qualifying examination consisting of, in general, one question per committee member for a total of three, with students choosing to write on two of the three questions. The examination time is five hours, open book/open note. A student may attempt this examination a maximum of two times.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to complete the written examination by the seventh week of the Spring quarter, second year.

In week 10 of the Spring quarter, third year, students will have a two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee which will include a discussion and feedback of the written examination and planning for the prospectus.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to schedule the two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee in week 10 of the Spring quarter, second year.

Stage 2: The University Oral Qualifying Examination, which takes place no later than the 10th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year. may be taken only after completion of course and language requirements, successful passing of the written examinations, and submission of a dissertation prospectus. Prior to this examination, one more member is added to the doctoral guidance committee. This nominated committee is then submitted to the Graduate Division. Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination and no later than the 7th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year, students submit a dissertation prospectus to every member of the doctoral committee. The prospectus is a text of approximately 35 pages outlining the nature, scope, and significance of the proposed dissertation topic, plus a substantial bibliography. For the preparation of the prospectus, students work in close consultation with the doctoral committee chair. This two-hour oral examination includes a review and discussion of the dissertation prospectus. The oral examination results are (1) pass and advance to candidacy or (2) revise and resubmit. If revise and resubmit, the student must work closely with the advisor and VCGS to redo the prospectus examination for successful advancement. A second oral examination will be required. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the oral examination, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedures set out in the academic disqualification section below.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to submit the dissertation prospectus by the 7th week of the Spring quarter and complete the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the 10th week of the Spring quarter, third year.

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 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

Entering without a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 6th quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 7th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 9th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 10th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 11th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	18 quarters (6 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	24 quarters (8 years)

 

 

Entering with a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 3rd quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 4th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 6th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 7th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 8th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	15 quarters (5 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	21 quarters (7 years)

 

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	9	15	21

 

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

A recommendation for academic disqualification is made by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Policy 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.

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Italian. Only applicants with the objective of the Ph.D. degree are considered for admission. Applicants without a Master’s degree will receive the M.A. en route to the doctorate.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

During their first two years of doctoral study, when students are working toward the completion of the M.A., students are advised by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS). The VCGS serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Students should consult regularly with the VCGS to plan their progress to degree. Student records are reviewed regularly by the VCGS and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

At the end of the first year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled, and when necessary identifying areas for improvement. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter is sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring quarter.

At the end of the second year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, identifying areas for improvement, and outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter will be sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring term. For students who have taken the M.A. examination, this letter will include, as an appendix, the one-page report from the M.A, examination committee.

Areas of Study

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Not required.

Course Requirements

During the first two years of study toward the doctoral degree, students admitted without an M.A. must complete a total of 10 of the 12 required courses (40 units). All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and should be selected from offerings in ELTS, French, German Italian and Scandinavian – although graduate seminars in related fields may be applied with approval of the VCGS. Six of these courses (24 units) must be 200 to 296. Four courses may be upper division undergraduate courses (100 series). One four-unit 596 may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree with approval of the VCGS.

These 10 courses fulfill the course requirements for the master’s degree.

First year: students should enroll in coursework chosen in consultation with the VCGS.

Second year: students should be enrolled in courses as needed to complete the M.A. requirements chosen in consultation with the VCGS; in addition, students enroll in three 4-unit 597 examination preparation courses, one per quarter; and the ELTS 495 Teaching Apprentice Practicum in Fall.

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 European Languages and Transcultural Studies (ELTS) 495.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies who enter the program without an M.A. in Italian are required to undergo an M.A. examination during the spring quarter of their second year. Prior to the examination, students must complete a minimum of 10 courses.

By the end of week four of the Fall quarter, second year, students must convene an examination committee comprised of three ELTS faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be in Italian. One faculty member should be designated as the committee chair, and the constitution of the committee must be confirmed by email to the VCGS.

In consultation with their committee, students are required to compile a list of 35 works, consisting of primary works, theory and secondary scholarship. The list must be oriented around a broad “period”, “theme” and/or “genre”. The list can be transcultural: i.e., early modern French/Italian literature or European cinema. The goal is foundational knowledge in a broadly defined field. Students write a précis demonstrating the coherence of the list.

Students enroll in one 4-unit 597 per quarter, ideally with each of the committee members in turn, for each of the three quarters in their second year.

In week one of the Spring quarter, second year, students receive approval on the finalized list from the committee and forward the list and précis to the VCGS. An oral examination of 1.5 hours (including time for feedback and discussion about future direction for the student), based on the list and the précis, should be scheduled for week nine or 10 of the Spring quarter, second year. All three committee members must be in attendance.

Examination results are announced during the feedback portion of the examination. Results are either (1) pass with permission to proceed, (2) pass without a recommendation to proceed, (3) or fail, no recommendation to proceed. If no recommendation to proceed is determined, students have the opportunity to retake the examination one more time. If, upon retaking the examination, permission to proceed is still not recommended, students with a pass with a no recommendation to proceed receive a terminal M.A. Students with a second fail receive no terminal M.A. and are not granted permission to proceed with the Ph.D. In both cases, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedure set out in the Academic Disqualification section below.

At the end of the examination week, the committee chair submits to the VCGS, a one page report on the student’s performance on the oral examination, along with formal documentation of the results.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Advising for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree.

The department is committed to providing an individualized advising structure that is directed toward their individual students’ needs and interests. Students are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the available guidance.

The Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS) 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 are required to consult with the VCGS before enrolling in courses.

Students who entered the program with an M.A. in Italian receive a letter at the end of the first year that provides official notification of permission to proceed with the Ph.D. (following satisfactory review of academic progress in the program).

Students select a doctoral guidance committee no later than Fall quarter of the third year and the committee must include two members from the department, including the chair, and one faculty from outside the department.

NOTE: Students who enter the program with an M.A. are expected to select a doctoral guidance committee no later than the Fall quarter of the second year.

Students must complete the language requirements before nominating the official four person doctoral guidance committee and taking the oral qualifying examination.

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.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Doctoral candidates must demonstrate mastery in a foreign language other than their language of specialization and other English, prior to advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. The additional language must be relevant to the student’s dissertation plans. Mastery can be demonstrated in one of the following ways: (a) satisfactory completion of a departmental translation or reading exam; (b) placing into level 4 on a departmental language placement examination; (c) completing level 3 (or the equivalent of one year) in a language with a grade of B+ or better; (d) passing, with a grade of B+ or better, one upper-division or graduate course offered by another language department.

We encourage students to go beyond these minimum requirements, depending on their research interests.

Course Requirements

Course work required for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree. After completing 10 courses during the first two years of study, students are expected to complete a minimum of two graduate courses in the department taken for a letter grade during the third and fourth years. In rare cases, and with approval of the VCGS, the required graduate courses may be 596 (independent studies).

Students who enter with an M.A in Italian may count up to four courses worth of credit from other institutions toward the 12 course requirement with approval from the VCGS. Students must take a minimum of six graduate courses in the first year. Remaining courses must be completed in the second year.

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 ELTS 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.

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

The doctoral guidance committee works with the student to identify a nexus of themes, questions, and key concepts. The student begins compiling a reading list of circa 50 works developed in consultation with the committee. The list should represent a judicious combination of primary works, theory, and secondary scholarship. The rationale for the list is articulated by a précis that identifies themes, research questions, and key concepts, all with an eye to the dissertation project.

The student submits the précis, reading list, and the names of the advising team to the VCGS by week five of the Fall quarter.

Doctoral qualifying examinations take place in two stages:

Stage 1: Students must consult with their doctoral guidance committee on the preparation of the written qualifying examination, which takes place by the 7th week of the Spring quarter, third year. The doctoral guidance committee prepares the written qualifying examination consisting of, in general, one question per committee member for a total of three, with students choosing to write on two of the three questions. The examination time is five hours, open book/open note. A student may attempt this examination a maximum of two times.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to complete the written examination by the seventh week of the Spring quarter, second year.

In week 10 of the Spring quarter, third year, students will have a two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee which will include a discussion and feedback of the written examination and planning for the prospectus.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to schedule the two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee in week 10 of the Spring quarter, second year.

Stage 2: The University Oral Qualifying Examination, which takes place no later than the 10th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year. may be taken only after completion of course and language requirements, successful passing of the written examinations, and submission of a dissertation prospectus. Prior to this examination, one more member is added to the doctoral guidance committee. This nominated committee is then submitted to the Graduate Division. Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination and no later than the 7th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year, students submit a dissertation prospectus to every member of the doctoral committee. The prospectus is a text of approximately 35 pages outlining the nature, scope, and significance of the proposed dissertation topic, plus a substantial bibliography. For the preparation of the prospectus, students work in close consultation with the doctoral committee chair. This two-hour oral examination includes a review and discussion of the dissertation prospectus. The oral examination results are (1) pass and advance to candidacy or (2) revise and resubmit. If revise and resubmit, the student must work closely with the advisor and VCGS to redo the prospectus examination for successful advancement. A second oral examination will be required. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the oral examination, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedures set out in the academic disqualification section below.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to submit the dissertation prospectus by the 7th week of the Spring quarter and complete the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the 10th week of the Spring quarter, third year.

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 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

Entering without a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 6th quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 7th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 9th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 10th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 11th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	18 quarters (6 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	24 quarters (8 years)

 

 

Entering with a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 3rd quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 4th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 6th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 7th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 8th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	15 quarters (5 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	21 quarters (7 years)

 

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	9	15	21

 

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

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

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

Italian

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Italian. Only applicants with the objective of the Ph.D. degree are considered for admission. Applicants without a Master’s degree will receive the M.A. en route to the doctorate.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

During their first two years of doctoral study, when students are working toward the completion of the M.A., students are advised by the Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS). The VCGS serves as a resource for students’ professional and personal development as they acclimatize to graduate student life at UCLA.

Students should consult regularly with the VCGS to plan their progress to degree. Student records are reviewed regularly by the VCGS and the Student Affairs Officer in consultation with the department faculty. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 are sent a warning from the Chair and may be placed on departmental academic probation.

At the end of the first year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled, and when necessary identifying areas for improvement. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter is sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring quarter.

At the end of the second year, students receive a letter summarizing their progress in the program, identifying areas for improvement, and outlining the requirements that remain to be fulfilled. This letter is prepared by the VCGS, upon consultation with faculty (from ELTS and from other departments, as appropriate). The letter will be sent, via email, no later than one week after the end of Spring term. For students who have taken the M.A. examination, this letter will include, as an appendix, the one-page report from the M.A, examination committee.

Areas of Study

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Not required.

Course Requirements

During the first two years of study toward the doctoral degree, students admitted without an M.A. must complete a total of 10 of the 12 required courses (40 units). All courses must be taken for a letter grade, and should be selected from offerings in ELTS, French, German Italian and Scandinavian – although graduate seminars in related fields may be applied with approval of the VCGS. Six of these courses (24 units) must be 200 to 296. Four courses may be upper division undergraduate courses (100 series). One four-unit 596 may be applied toward the course requirements for the master’s degree with approval of the VCGS.

These 10 courses fulfill the course requirements for the master’s degree.

First year: students should enroll in coursework chosen in consultation with the VCGS.

Second year: students should be enrolled in courses as needed to complete the M.A. requirements chosen in consultation with the VCGS; in addition, students enroll in three 4-unit 597 examination preparation courses, one per quarter; and the ELTS 495 Teaching Apprentice Practicum in Fall.

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 European Languages and Transcultural Studies (ELTS) 495.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies who enter the program without an M.A. in Italian are required to undergo an M.A. examination during the spring quarter of their second year. Prior to the examination, students must complete a minimum of 10 courses.

By the end of week four of the Fall quarter, second year, students must convene an examination committee comprised of three ELTS faculty members; one of these three faculty members must be in Italian. One faculty member should be designated as the committee chair, and the constitution of the committee must be confirmed by email to the VCGS.

In consultation with their committee, students are required to compile a list of 35 works, consisting of primary works, theory and secondary scholarship. The list must be oriented around a broad “period”, “theme” and/or “genre”. The list can be transcultural: i.e., early modern French/Italian literature or European cinema. The goal is foundational knowledge in a broadly defined field. Students write a précis demonstrating the coherence of the list.

Students enroll in one 4-unit 597 per quarter, ideally with each of the committee members in turn, for each of the three quarters in their second year.

In week one of the Spring quarter, second year, students receive approval on the finalized list from the committee and forward the list and précis to the VCGS. An oral examination of 1.5 hours (including time for feedback and discussion about future direction for the student), based on the list and the précis, should be scheduled for week nine or 10 of the Spring quarter, second year. All three committee members must be in attendance.

Examination results are announced during the feedback portion of the examination. Results are either (1) pass with permission to proceed, (2) pass without a recommendation to proceed, (3) or fail, no recommendation to proceed. If no recommendation to proceed is determined, students have the opportunity to retake the examination one more time. If, upon retaking the examination, permission to proceed is still not recommended, students with a pass with a no recommendation to proceed receive a terminal M.A. Students with a second fail receive no terminal M.A. and are not granted permission to proceed with the Ph.D. In both cases, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedure set out in the Academic Disqualification section below.

At the end of the examination week, the committee chair submits to the VCGS, a one page report on the student’s performance on the oral examination, along with formal documentation of the results.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.A.	6	6	7

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Advising for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree.

The department is committed to providing an individualized advising structure that is directed toward their individual students’ needs and interests. Students are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of the available guidance.

The Vice Chair of Graduate Studies (VCGS) 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 are required to consult with the VCGS before enrolling in courses.

Students who entered the program with an M.A. in Italian receive a letter at the end of the first year that provides official notification of permission to proceed with the Ph.D. (following satisfactory review of academic progress in the program).

Students select a doctoral guidance committee no later than Fall quarter of the third year and the committee must include two members from the department, including the chair, and one faculty from outside the department.

NOTE: Students who enter the program with an M.A. are expected to select a doctoral guidance committee no later than the Fall quarter of the second year.

Students must complete the language requirements before nominating the official four person doctoral guidance committee and taking the oral qualifying examination.

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.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Italian

Foreign Language Requirement

Doctoral candidates must demonstrate mastery in a foreign language other than their language of specialization and other English, prior to advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. The additional language must be relevant to the student’s dissertation plans. Mastery can be demonstrated in one of the following ways: (a) satisfactory completion of a departmental translation or reading exam; (b) placing into level 4 on a departmental language placement examination; (c) completing level 3 (or the equivalent of one year) in a language with a grade of B+ or better; (d) passing, with a grade of B+ or better, one upper-division or graduate course offered by another language department.

We encourage students to go beyond these minimum requirements, depending on their research interests.

Course Requirements

Course work required for the first two years of doctoral study is listed under Master’s Degree. After completing 10 courses during the first two years of study, students are expected to complete a minimum of two graduate courses in the department taken for a letter grade during the third and fourth years. In rare cases, and with approval of the VCGS, the required graduate courses may be 596 (independent studies).

Students who enter with an M.A in Italian may count up to four courses worth of credit from other institutions toward the 12 course requirement with approval from the VCGS. Students must take a minimum of six graduate courses in the first year. Remaining courses must be completed in the second year.

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 ELTS 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.

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

The doctoral guidance committee works with the student to identify a nexus of themes, questions, and key concepts. The student begins compiling a reading list of circa 50 works developed in consultation with the committee. The list should represent a judicious combination of primary works, theory, and secondary scholarship. The rationale for the list is articulated by a précis that identifies themes, research questions, and key concepts, all with an eye to the dissertation project.

The student submits the précis, reading list, and the names of the advising team to the VCGS by week five of the Fall quarter.

Doctoral qualifying examinations take place in two stages:

Stage 1: Students must consult with their doctoral guidance committee on the preparation of the written qualifying examination, which takes place by the 7th week of the Spring quarter, third year. The doctoral guidance committee prepares the written qualifying examination consisting of, in general, one question per committee member for a total of three, with students choosing to write on two of the three questions. The examination time is five hours, open book/open note. A student may attempt this examination a maximum of two times.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to complete the written examination by the seventh week of the Spring quarter, second year.

In week 10 of the Spring quarter, third year, students will have a two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee which will include a discussion and feedback of the written examination and planning for the prospectus.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to schedule the two-hour oral follow-up meeting with the doctoral guidance committee in week 10 of the Spring quarter, second year.

Stage 2: The University Oral Qualifying Examination, which takes place no later than the 10th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year. may be taken only after completion of course and language requirements, successful passing of the written examinations, and submission of a dissertation prospectus. Prior to this examination, one more member is added to the doctoral guidance committee. This nominated committee is then submitted to the Graduate Division. Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination and no later than the 7th week of the Spring quarter, fourth year, students submit a dissertation prospectus to every member of the doctoral committee. The prospectus is a text of approximately 35 pages outlining the nature, scope, and significance of the proposed dissertation topic, plus a substantial bibliography. For the preparation of the prospectus, students work in close consultation with the doctoral committee chair. This two-hour oral examination includes a review and discussion of the dissertation prospectus. The oral examination results are (1) pass and advance to candidacy or (2) revise and resubmit. If revise and resubmit, the student must work closely with the advisor and VCGS to redo the prospectus examination for successful advancement. A second oral examination will be required. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the oral examination, a recommendation of academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program will be submitted to the Graduate Division, in line with the procedures set out in the academic disqualification section below.

NOTE: Students admitted with an M.A. are expected to submit the dissertation prospectus by the 7th week of the Spring quarter and complete the University Oral Qualifying Examination by the 10th week of the Spring quarter, third year.

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 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

Entering without a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 6th quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 7th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 9th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 10th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 11th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 12th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	18 quarters (6 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	24 quarters (8 years)

 

 

Entering with a Master’s Degree
	Normative Time
Approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements	End of 3rd quarter
Selection of three members of the doctoral guidance committee	During 4th quarter
Written qualifying examinations	During 6th quarter
Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted	Expected by end of 7th quarter
Four-person doctoral committee nomination	Expected by the end of 8th quarter
Oral qualifying examinations	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Advancement to candidacy	Expected by end of 9th quarter
Normative time-to-degree	15 quarters (5 years)
Maximum time-to-degree	21 quarters (7 years)

 

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	9	15	21

 

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

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

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

Information Studies

School of Education and Information Studies

Graduate Degrees

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

Library and Information Science

Master’s Degree

Admissions Requirements

Advising

Upon being accepted into the school, the student is assigned a faculty member for initial counseling and direction. The student is free to change faculty advisers at any point during his or her period of study, based on the student’s interest and specialization. Once chosen, the faculty adviser provides specific academic advice pertaining to the specialization, program of study, and related matters.

Areas of Study

The department offers several specializations and certificates within the M.L.I.S. program. Specializations include Archival Studies, Informatics, Library Studies, Media Archival Studies, and Rare Books, Print and Visual Culture. See Specialized Competence under Course Requirements, below, or consult the department for more information.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Full-time students are normally required to enroll in three courses per quarter in order to complete the program in six quarters.

Eighteen courses (72 units) are required for graduation from the M.L.I.S. program. Students take 16 units of required courses, four units of research methods courses, and 52 units of elective courses. Course work must provide evidence both of basic professional competencies and of knowledge in a field of specialized competence.

Basic Professional Competence. This requirement is met by completing four core courses (Information Studies 211, 212, 260, 270), and one graduate-level research methodology course (such as Information Studies 208, 228, 280, 281, or 282). The graduate adviser can approve courses in other departments that meet the research methods requirement.

Specialized Competence. Completion of a course of study is required as evidence of knowledge of a field of specialization. Specializations include Archival Studies, Informatics, Library Studies, Media Archival Studies, and Rare Books, Print and Visual Culture. A faculty adviser must approve the specialized course program. The specialized competence requirement is ordinarily met by the completion of 13 additional courses, which may include internships. Relevant course work in other departments or schools is encouraged. Students may petition to have a limited amount of prior course work applied to their specializations.

During the second year, the student may apply for an internship of one to three quarters either on campus or off at one or more approved internship sites. The internship is a regularly scheduled course, Information Studies 498, and up to 12 units of internship credit may be applied toward course requirements.

No more than eight units of Information Studies 596 may be applied toward the total course requirement.

Students who choose the thesis option are allowed to apply 12 units of 500-series course work toward the requirements for the degree.

In order to enroll in any S/U graded course, including 500-series courses, the student must be in good academic standing.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not Required.

Capstone Plan

Students who choose this option complete a comprehensive examination that consists of two components: a basic component and a specialization component.

Basic Component. A portfolio is required as the culminating experience. The portfolio is a presentation of its author’s professional self as developed in the M.L.I.S. program. The portfolio serves as a comprehensive examination by requiring students to assess and integrate their learning throughout the core courses of the program, to relate the advanced work done in specialty courses to their career goals, to identify learning objectives and describe the degree to which those objectives have been met, to select key papers written during the program, and to describe a plan for continuing education and professional involvement. After preparing these elements of the portfolio, students make a public presentation of the work to a panel consisting of two members of the faculty of the department, and a qualified professional. Failure in any part of the portfolio may lead to only one opportunity to present the recorded and/or in-person presentation again.

Students present the portfolio in either the second to last or the last quarter of enrollment, and after completion of: (1) all outstanding entrance requirements; (2) the 18 required courses, not counting the entrance requirements, by the end of the quarter in which the portfolio is presented; (3) courses to the level required for good academic standing (grade-point average of 3.0 or higher); and (4) all outstanding Incomplete grades.

Specialization Component. A major paper produced in an elective course, normally in the student’s area of specialization, is required. A grade of B or better must be earned in this course. The same course may not be used to satisfy both the paper and the research methods requirement.

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 who choose this option must submit a thesis reporting on results of their original investigation of a problem. While the problem may be one of only limited scope, the thesis must show a significant style, organization, and depth of understanding of the subject.

Students normally indicate their interest in this plan by the end of Spring Quarter of the first year. If the thesis option is approved, a thesis committee of at least three faculty members is established. Most students complete 12 units of related course work under the direction of the committee. The committee approves the subject and plan of the thesis, provides guidance in research, and approves the completed manuscript. Approval must be unanimous among committee members. After acceptance of the thesis, subject, and plan, there is an oral examination on the thesis.

There is no written examination or portfolio requirement under the thesis plan.

Time-to-Degree

The M.L.I.S. is a two-year program, consisting normally of three four-unit courses each quarter during six consecutive academic quarters, for a total of 18 courses. Those students who enroll in fewer than 12 units per quarter will necessarily take a longer time to obtain the degree, but not more than ten quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.L.I.S.	6	6	10

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Information Studies

School of Education and Information Studies

Graduate Degrees

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

Library and Information Science

Master’s Degree

Admissions Requirements

Advising

Upon being accepted into the school, the student is assigned a faculty member for initial counseling and direction. The student is free to change faculty advisers at any point during his or her period of study, based on the student’s interest and specialization. Once chosen, the faculty adviser provides specific academic advice pertaining to the specialization, program of study, and related matters.

Areas of Study

The department offers several specializations and certificates within the M.L.I.S. program. Specializations include Archival Studies, Informatics, Library Studies, Media Archival Studies, and Rare Books, Print and Visual Culture. See Specialized Competence under Course Requirements, below, or consult the department for more information.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Full-time students are normally required to enroll in three courses per quarter in order to complete the program in six quarters.

Eighteen courses (72 units) are required for graduation from the M.L.I.S. program. Students take 16 units of required courses, four units of research methods courses, and 52 units of elective courses. Course work must provide evidence both of basic professional competencies and of knowledge in a field of specialized competence.

Basic Professional Competence. This requirement is met by completing four core courses (Information Studies 211, 212, 260, 270), and one graduate-level research methodology course (such as Information Studies 208, 228, 280, 281, or 282). The graduate adviser can approve courses in other departments that meet the research methods requirement.

Specialized Competence. Completion of a course of study is required as evidence of knowledge of a field of specialization. Specializations include Archival Studies, Informatics, Library Studies, Media Archival Studies, and Rare Books, Print and Visual Culture. A faculty adviser must approve the specialized course program. The specialized competence requirement is ordinarily met by the completion of 13 additional courses, which may include internships. Relevant course work in other departments or schools is encouraged. Students may petition to have a limited amount of prior course work applied to their specializations.

During the second year, the student may apply for an internship of one to three quarters either on campus or off at one or more approved internship sites. The internship is a regularly scheduled course, Information Studies 498, and up to 12 units of internship credit may be applied toward course requirements.

No more than eight units of Information Studies 596 may be applied toward the total course requirement.

Students who choose the thesis option are allowed to apply 12 units of 500-series course work toward the requirements for the degree.

In order to enroll in any S/U graded course, including 500-series courses, the student must be in good academic standing.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not Required.

Capstone Plan

Students who choose this option complete a comprehensive examination that consists of two components: a basic component and a specialization component.

Basic Component. A portfolio is required as the culminating experience. The portfolio is a presentation of its author’s professional self as developed in the M.L.I.S. program. The portfolio serves as a comprehensive examination by requiring students to assess and integrate their learning throughout the core courses of the program, to relate the advanced work done in specialty courses to their career goals, to identify learning objectives and describe the degree to which those objectives have been met, to select key papers written during the program, and to describe a plan for continuing education and professional involvement. After preparing these elements of the portfolio, students make a public presentation of the work to a panel consisting of two members of the faculty of the department, and a qualified professional. Failure in any part of the portfolio may lead to only one opportunity to present the recorded and/or in-person presentation again.

Students present the portfolio in either the second to last or the last quarter of enrollment, and after completion of: (1) all outstanding entrance requirements; (2) the 18 required courses, not counting the entrance requirements, by the end of the quarter in which the portfolio is presented; (3) courses to the level required for good academic standing (grade-point average of 3.0 or higher); and (4) all outstanding Incomplete grades.

Specialization Component. A major paper produced in an elective course, normally in the student’s area of specialization, is required. A grade of B or better must be earned in this course. The same course may not be used to satisfy both the paper and the research methods requirement.

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 who choose this option must submit a thesis reporting on results of their original investigation of a problem. While the problem may be one of only limited scope, the thesis must show a significant style, organization, and depth of understanding of the subject.

Students normally indicate their interest in this plan by the end of Spring Quarter of the first year. If the thesis option is approved, a thesis committee of at least three faculty members is established. Most students complete 12 units of related course work under the direction of the committee. The committee approves the subject and plan of the thesis, provides guidance in research, and approves the completed manuscript. Approval must be unanimous among committee members. After acceptance of the thesis, subject, and plan, there is an oral examination on the thesis.

There is no written examination or portfolio requirement under the thesis plan.

Time-to-Degree

The M.L.I.S. is a two-year program, consisting normally of three four-unit courses each quarter during six consecutive academic quarters, for a total of 18 courses. Those students who enroll in fewer than 12 units per quarter will necessarily take a longer time to obtain the degree, but not more than ten quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.L.I.S.	6	6	10

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.