Applicable only to students admitted during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the head of the respective department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter. A departmental guidance committee is established when the student has completed approximately half of the program for the master’s degree. Members of the departmental guidance committee are nominated by the department chair after consultation with the student and the student’s adviser.

An adviser is responsible for the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or dismissal. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and a minimum of 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the unit requirement.

Mandatory core courses are Epidemiology 200A (six units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); Biostatistics 100A (four units) or 110A, 100B (four units) or 110B; two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. A waiver course does not reduce the unit requirements. Remaining units may be completed with courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is approved, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is assigned to each new student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with an average of no less than 3.3 (B+) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 220, and the approved chronic disease epidemiology course. Equivalent courses taken at other institutions may be used to fulfill these requirements subject to approval by the department. Continuation in the doctoral program is contingent on satisfying the 3.3 (B+) average grade-point requirement in the five core courses. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units) and one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and at least three quarters of Epidemiology 292 (two units per quarter). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the department. In addition, students must take at least 12 units of graduate-level courses (excluding 500-level courses) outside the department. The 12 units must be selected with the approval of the academic adviser. Students with prior post-baccalaureate course work may petition for substitution of part or all of the 12-unit requirement. Recommendation for the degree is based on the attainments of the candidate rather than on the completion of specific courses.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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 new Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Graduate Division. Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student may be advanced to candidacy and complete work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is eighteen quarters (six years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment,  including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	13	18	24

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to complete the required course work within seven quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination in the major or minor fields; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter.

The adviser is responsible for monitoring the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the 56 unit requirement for the degree as well as the requirement of 20 units in the 200 or 500 series.

Mandatory core courses (36 units) are Epidemiology 200A (four units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); Biostatistics 100A (four units) or 200A (four units), 100B (four units) or 200B (four units); two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. M.S. students who do not have a degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health school must take Public Health 150 to meet the CEPH-required 12 learning objectives. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. Units for a waived course must still be met with an alternate graduate-level course (200- or 400- series) approved by the academic adviser. Remaining units are completed with elective courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is chosen, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is appointed to each new doctoral student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units), one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and three quarters of a doctoral seminar (two units per quarter). For the doctoral seminar requirement, students must take Epidemiology 292 at least twice, and may take either Epidemiology 293 or Epidemiology 295 as an option for the third offering. The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the academic adviser.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination, administered by the Written Doctoral Exam Committee, and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Admission to the written doctoral examination is contingent on achieving, in the Epidemiology 200A-B-C series, no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Graduate Division. Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination. Only one reexamination of the oral qualifying examination is allowed.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and completes work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program. Only one reexamination is allowed.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree after completion of a master’s program is fourteen quarters (4.75 years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	14	24

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to complete the required course work within six quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of the written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the head of the respective department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter. A departmental guidance committee is established when the student has completed approximately half of the program for the master’s degree. Members of the departmental guidance committee are nominated by the department chair after consultation with the student and the student’s adviser.

An adviser is responsible for the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or dismissal. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and a minimum of 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the unit requirement.

Mandatory core courses are Epidemiology 200A (six units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); Biostatistics 100A (four units) or 201A, 100B (four units) or 201B; two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. A waiver course does not reduce the unit requirements. Remaining units may be completed with courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is approved, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is assigned to each new student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with an average of no less than 3.30 (B+) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 220, and the approved chronic disease epidemiology course. Equivalent courses taken at other institutions may be used to fulfill these requirements subject to approval by the department. Continuation in the doctoral program is contingent on satisfying the 3.30 (B+) average grade-point requirement in the five core courses. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units) and one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and at least three quarters of Epidemiology 292 (two units per quarter). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the department. In addition, students must take at least 12 units of graduate-level courses (excluding 500-level courses) outside the department. The 12 units must be selected with the approval of the academic adviser. Students with prior post-baccalaureate course work may petition for substitution of part or all of the 12-unit requirement. Recommendation for the degree is based on the attainments of the candidate rather than on the completion of specific courses.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Graduate Division. Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student may be advanced to candidacy and complete work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is eighteen quarters (six years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment,  including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	13	18	24

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to complete the required course work within seven quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination in the major or minor fields; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the head of the respective department. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter. A departmental guidance committee is established when the student has completed approximately half of the program for the master’s degree. Members of the departmental guidance committee are nominated by the department chair after consultation with the student and the student’s adviser.

An adviser is responsible for the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or dismissal. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and a minimum of 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the unit requirement.

Mandatory core courses are Epidemiology 200A (six units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); Biostatistics 100A (four units) or 110A, 100B (four units) or 110B; two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. A waiver course does not reduce the unit requirements. Remaining units may be completed with courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is approved, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is assigned to each new student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with an average of no less than 3.3 (B+) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C, 220, and the approved chronic disease epidemiology course. Equivalent courses taken at other institutions may be used to fulfill these requirements subject to approval by the department. Continuation in the doctoral program is contingent on satisfying the 3.3 (B+) average grade-point requirement in the five core courses. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units) and one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and at least three quarters of Epidemiology 292 (two units per quarter). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the department. In addition, students must take at least 12 units of graduate-level courses (excluding 500-level courses) outside the department. The 12 units must be selected with the approval of the academic adviser. Students with prior post-baccalaureate course work may petition for substitution of part or all of the 12-unit requirement. Recommendation for the degree is based on the attainments of the candidate rather than on the completion of specific courses.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Graduate Division. Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student may be advanced to candidacy and complete work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree is eighteen quarters (six years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment,  including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	13	18	24

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to complete the required course work within seven quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination in the major or minor fields; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for termination first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the department chair in the summer before the first term. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter.

The adviser is responsible for monitoring the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser. The Department has active research programs in cancer, molecular/genetic, environmental and occupational epidemiology, neurodegeneration and aging related diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, and research methodology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the 56 unit requirement for the degree as well as the requirement of 20 units in the 200 or 500 series.

Mandatory core courses (36 units) are Epidemiology 200A (four units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); eight units of Biostatistics (chose from 100A (four units), 100B (four units), 200A (four units), 200B (four units), 201A (four units), and 201B (four units)); two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. M.S. students who do not have a degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health school must take Public Health 150 to meet the CEPH-required 12 learning objectives. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. Units for a waived course must still be met with an alternate graduate-level course (200- or 400- series) approved by the academic adviser. Remaining units are completed with elective courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is chosen, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate Division on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is appointed to each new doctoral student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units), one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and three quarters of a doctoral seminar (two units per quarter). For the doctoral seminar requirement, students must take Epidemiology 292 at least twice, and may take either Epidemiology 293 or Epidemiology 295 as an option for the third offering. The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the academic adviser.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination, administered by the Written Doctoral Exam Committee, and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Admission to the written doctoral examination is contingent on achieving, in the Epidemiology 200A-B-C series, no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Graduate Division. Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination. Only one reexamination of the oral qualifying examination is allowed.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and completes work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program. Only one reexamination is allowed.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree after completion of a master’s program is fourteen quarters (4.75 years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	14	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to complete the required course work within six quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of the written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the department chair in the summer before the first term. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter.

The adviser is responsible for monitoring the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser. The Department has active research programs in cancer, molecular/genetic, environmental and occupational epidemiology, neurodegeneration and aging related diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, and research methodology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the 56 unit requirement for the degree as well as the requirement of 20 units in the 200 or 500 series.

Mandatory core courses (36 units) are Epidemiology 200A (four units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); eight units of Biostatistics (chose from 100A (four units), 100B (four units), 200A (four units), 200B (four units), 201A (four units), and 201B (four units)); two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. M.S. students who do not have a degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health school must take Public Health C201 to meet the CEPH-required 12 learning objectives. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 100A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. Units for a waived course must still be met with an alternate graduate-level course (200- or 400- series) approved by the academic adviser. Remaining units are completed with elective courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is chosen, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is appointed to each new doctoral student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units), one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and three quarters of a doctoral seminar (two units per quarter). Doctoral students are required to take the written qualifying exam before enrolling in a doctoral seminar (Epidemiology 292). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the academic adviser.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination, administered by the Written Doctoral Exam Committee, and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Admission to the written doctoral examination is contingent on achieving, in the Epidemiology 200A-B-C series, no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Division of Graduate Education

Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination. A written proposed plan of research for the PhD in epidemiology should be emailed to the members of the doctoral committee approximately, but not less than, two weeks prior to the oral examination. The proposal has a recommended scientific format and should include a research plan with research background and gaps, objectives, study population, design and methods, statistical power calculations, public health implications, and references. The student’s doctoral committee chaired by the student’s doctoral advisor(s) will review and approve (if suitable) the dissertation proposal at an oral qualifying examination before the PhD student advances the PhD candidacy. Only the student, their doctoral advisor(s), and other doctoral committee members are allowed to participate in the oral qualifying examination. Only one reexamination of the oral qualifying examination is allowed.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and completes work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program. Only one reexamination is allowed.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree after completion of a master’s program is fourteen quarters (4.75 years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	14	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to complete the required course work within six quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of the written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the department chair in the summer before the first term. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter.

The adviser is responsible for monitoring the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser. The Department has active research programs in cancer, molecular/genetic, environmental and occupational epidemiology, neurodegeneration and aging related diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, and research methodology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. Projects proposed for the 596 course must be distinct from work toward the MS thesis or capstone. Project proposals must be submitted for Department Chair approval by Week 2 of the term of enrollment. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the 56 unit requirement for the degree as well as the requirement of 20 units in the 200 or 500 series.

Mandatory core courses (36 units) are Epidemiology 200A (four units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); Biostatistics 201A (four units); four units of an approved Biostatistics course in the 200 series; two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. M.S. students who do not have a degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health school must take Public Health C201 to meet the CEPH-required 12 learning objectives. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 201A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. Units for a waived course must still be met with an alternate graduate-level course (200- or 400- series) approved by the academic adviser. Remaining units are completed with elective courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is chosen, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is appointed to each new doctoral student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units), one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and three quarters of a doctoral seminar (two units per quarter). Doctoral students are required to take the written qualifying exam before enrolling in a doctoral seminar (Epidemiology 292). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the academic adviser.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination, administered by the Written Doctoral Exam Committee, and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Admission to the written doctoral examination is contingent on achieving, in the Epidemiology 200A-B-C series, no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Division of Graduate Education

Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination. A written proposed plan of research for the PhD in epidemiology should be emailed to the members of the doctoral committee approximately, but not less than, two weeks prior to the oral examination. The proposal has a recommended scientific format and should include a research plan with research background and gaps, objectives, study population, design and methods, statistical power calculations, public health implications, and references. The student’s doctoral committee chaired by the student’s doctoral advisor(s) will review and approve (if suitable) the dissertation proposal at an oral qualifying examination before the PhD student advances the PhD candidacy. Only the student, their doctoral advisor(s), and other doctoral committee members are allowed to participate in the oral qualifying examination. Only one reexamination of the oral qualifying examination is allowed.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and completes work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program. Only one reexamination is allowed.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree after completion of a master’s program is fourteen quarters (4.75 years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	14	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to complete the required course work within six quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of the written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

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

Epidemiology

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Epidemiology offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Epidemiology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

An adviser is appointed for each new master’s student by the department chair in the summer before the first term. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter and any subsequent alterations must be approved by both the adviser and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Students are expected to meet with their advisers each quarter.

The adviser is responsible for monitoring the student’s academic progress. Progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis. At the end of each quarter, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs reviews academic listings of students and notifies them and the advisers when the cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0. Advisers review each case with their advisees and make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for continuance or academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition which must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Students should consult the graduate adviser. The Department has active research programs in cancer, molecular/genetic, environmental and occupational epidemiology, neurodegeneration and aging related diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, and research methodology.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete at least one year of graduate residence at the University of California and 56 units. At least 20 units must be in the 200 or 500 series. One 596 course (four units) may be applied toward the total course requirements. If the student intends to write a thesis, four units of Epidemiology 598 (thesis research) may also be applied to the 56 unit requirement for the degree as well as the requirement of 20 units in the 200 or 500 series.

Mandatory core courses (36 units) are Epidemiology 200A (four units), 200B (six units), 200C (six units), 220 (four units); eight units of Biostatistics (chose from 201A (four units), 201B (four units), 211A (four units), and 211B (four units)); two units of an approved chronic disease epidemiology course, one additional statistics course (four units) in regression or multivariate methods that is approved by the department; and two units of an approved data-management course. M.S. students who do not have a degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited public health school must take Public Health C201 to meet the CEPH-required 12 learning objectives. Equivalent courses must be approved by the department. Biostatistics 201A may be waived if a similar course has been taken elsewhere and the student passes the waiver examination. Units for a waived course must still be met with an alternate graduate-level course (200- or 400- series) approved by the academic adviser. Remaining units are completed with elective courses offered by the department with the exception of those stated above.

All courses included for advancement to candidacy must have a letter grade (not S/U). Students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in all courses required or elected during graduate residence at the University of California. In addition, students must maintain an average of no less than 3.0 (B) in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C and 220.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

If the Capstone Plan is chosen, a guidance committee of three department faculty is appointed. A comprehensive examination on the major area of study must be passed. If failed, the examination may be repeated once. In addition, the student must complete an individual research project with an article appropriate for publication.

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.

If the thesis option is chosen, a thesis committee of three faculty is appointed by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education on recommendation of the department. The chair of the committee and at least one other member must hold academic appointments in the department. The committee approves the thesis prospectus before the student may file for advancement to candidacy. The thesis must be acceptable to the thesis committee.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree, normal progress is six academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the School of Public Health. Maximum time allowable from enrollment to graduation is fifteen academic quarters.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	6	6	15

Doctoral Degree

Advising

An academic adviser is appointed to each new doctoral student by the department chair. Student and adviser together agree upon a study list for each academic quarter; any subsequent alterations must be approved by the adviser. Courses to be taken must be approved by the adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. degree in Epidemiology with no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course in Epidemiology 200A-200B-200C. Students must also take Epidemiology M204 (four units), one additional statistics course (four units) beyond the M.S. requirements, one course on pathobiology (four units), and three quarters of a doctoral seminar (two units per quarter). Doctoral students are required to take the written qualifying exam before enrolling in a doctoral seminar (Epidemiology 292). The statistics and pathobiology courses must be approved by the academic adviser.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required for the doctoral degree.

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.

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass the departmental written doctoral examination, administered by the Written Doctoral Exam Committee, and the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Admission to the written doctoral examination is contingent on achieving, in the Epidemiology 200A-B-C series, no less than an A- in two of the three courses and no less than a B+ in the third course. For the written doctoral examination, normally no more than one reexamination is allowed. A doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members is nominated and submitted to the Division of Graduate Education

Once approved, the doctoral committee administers the oral qualifying examination after successful completion of the written examination. A written proposed plan of research for the PhD in epidemiology should be emailed to the members of the doctoral committee approximately, but not less than, two weeks prior to the oral examination. The proposal has a recommended scientific format and should include a research plan with research background and gaps, objectives, study population, design and methods, statistical power calculations, public health implications, and references. The student’s doctoral committee chaired by the student’s doctoral advisor(s) will review and approve (if suitable) the dissertation proposal at an oral qualifying examination before the PhD student advances the PhD candidacy. Only the student, their doctoral advisor(s), and other doctoral committee members are allowed to participate in the oral qualifying examination. Only one reexamination of the oral qualifying examination is allowed.

After completing the course requirements and passing both the written doctoral examination and the oral qualifying examination, the student is advanced to candidacy and completes work on a dissertation in the principal field of study.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required of all students in the program. Only one reexamination is allowed.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time-to-degree after completion of a master’s program is fourteen quarters (4.75 years). Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is 24 academic quarters of enrollment, including quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program and leaves of absence.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	8	14	24

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Master’s
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to complete the required course work within six quarters of matriculation.

Doctoral
In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of the written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; failure to receive a Satisfactory grade for two consecutive quarters in Epidemiology 599; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification first to the departmental chair, then to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and finally to the Dean of the school.

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Environmental Science and Engineering

Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Graduate Degrees

The Institute of the Environment and Sustainability offers the Doctor of Environmental Science and Engineering (D.Env.) degree.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None. Students must have a Master’s Degree to apply (see Admissions Requirements).

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Students are advised in general terms by the program graduate adviser, but a specific program is planned in consultation with each student’s individual faculty adviser. Students should meet with those individuals several times a year to plan their programs. Ongoing evaluations of academic progress are made at the end of each quarter in courses completed toward degree requirements, grades in all course work, performance in the examination sequence, and performance in the Problems Courses. The primary assessment is by program faculty with review and assistance as needed by the student’s adviser and the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Specialties within the program include (but are not limited to) the assessment and management of hazardous substances in the air, soil, and water environments; migration of contaminants in surface and groundwater; health risks of toxic substances; mitigation of adverse effects on the biological environment; restoration ecology; and environmental economics. Also, students may balance their work with a greater emphasis on either the science/engineering or science/policy side of their specialty.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Course requirements consist of core courses, elective courses, environmental science and engineering seminars, a technical writing course and problems courses.

Core Courses. Eleven core course requirements must be satisfied. All core courses must be taken on a letter grading basis (not for S/U grading). Courses must be taken from the following categories:

Environmental Science (four courses). Courses that describe the characteristics of terrestrial, air, and water environments; the biota; the geological, biological, chemical, hydrological, and atmospheric processes of the environment; and the interrelationships between these compartments. Required courses are as follows: Environmental Health Sciences 212, C225, C240, C264.

Environmental Engineering (three courses). Courses in engineering, mathematics, and the applied physical and life sciences covering topics such as modeling of environmental systems, fate and effects of environmental contaminants, design and evaluation of pollution control systems, plus courses that describe the tools and methods needed to address environmental problems, such as field and laboratory analytical methods, statistics, computer science, and advanced applied mathematics. Required courses are as follows: Civil and Environmental Engineering 153, 155 and one elective engineering course to be approved by the program faculty.

Environmental Management, Law, and Policy (two courses). Courses that relate to the social and institutional factors relevant to environmental problem solving such as the development and implementation of regulations, dynamics of public participation, and socioeconomic analysis of current and historical trends in environmental and energy policy. Required courses are as follows: Environment M134, Urban Planning M264A/B (same as Law 290).

Analytical Tools and Methods (two courses). Courses that introduce students to the tools and methods required for interdisciplinary research such as probability and statistics, decision analysis, geographical information systems (GIS), numerical analysis and experiment and survey design. Two courses approved by the program faculty. Suggested courses are: Biostats 100A/B, 110A, CEE 103, 110, Econ 203A/B/C, EEB C219, ENV 159, 260, Management 217A, Political Science 200A/B/C, 204A/B/C, 209, Public Policy 203, Stats 100A/B, 101A, Urban Planning M206A/B.

Elective Courses. Four courses selected to provide depth in one area for students whose previous degrees emphasized disciplinary breadth or to provide additional courses in an area related to a student’s goals within environmental science and engineering. Elective courses will be selected in consultation with the student’s academic adviser and must be approved by the program faculty. All elective courses must be taken on a letter-grading basis (not for S/U grading).

Credit for Prior Work. Entering environmental science and engineering students may already have completed some of the required course work in their undergraduate and graduate work. Three of the 11 core courses can be waived based on prior course work. Any other course requirement satisfied by previous work must be replaced with an elective in any field of environmental science and engineering that is pertinent to the goals of the student. Thus, a minimum of 12 core and elective courses must be completed after admission to the program. A minimum of 10 core and elective courses must be taken at UCLA or another University of California campus.

Environmental Science and Engineering Seminar. While completing core and elective requirements, full-time students must attend the equivalent of two quarters of weekly seminars in the general area of environmental science and engineering, either by enrolling in a seminar course or attending 16 separate departmental seminars each year.

Effective Technical Writing Course. All students must enroll in Environment M412 during the first or second year.

Problems Courses. Problems courses constitute intensive multidisciplinary applied research directed toward the solution of current environmental problems. Students are required to quantify and measure necessary parameters, perform critical evaluations, edit and process technical and socioeconomic information, meet deadlines, and communicate through a final report to the competent lay person as well as to the technical specialist. Sometimes two or three faculty from different academic disciplines oversee a team of student researchers. Before proceeding to the problems courses, students must have completed eight of the required core courses, successfully passed all core and elective courses taken (B- grade or better), and maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 for all classes taken after entering the Environmental Science and Engineering Program. Twenty-four quarter units of Environment 400 must be completed during the three quarters prior to advancement to candidacy. The requirement may be met by completing three consecutive quarters (eight units per quarter) on a single theme; or as a minimum, at least two consecutive quarters devoted to a single theme plus one quarter participation or activity approved by the faculty. Enrollment in more than one problems course per quarter is not allowed. No more than eight units of other course work may be taken when enrolled in a problems course.

Problems Course Workshops. All students must enroll in Environment M413, M414, and M415 before advancing to candidacy.

Normally, problems course credit is only earned from courses offered through the Environmental Science and Engineering Program. However, students may petition the faculty for permission to earn problems course credit through multidisciplinary environmental projects offered in other departments at UCLA.

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 new Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

A two-tiered examination sequence, consisting of written and oral examinations, is required for advancement to candidacy to the D.Env. degree. The examinations must be successfully completed before the internship can begin. The purpose of the examinations is to test the student’s understanding of the core and breadth areas, the master’s field, current issues in the environmental field, and subjects covered in students’ problems course experience. The written examination is administered by the program faculty. The written examination may be repeated once. The University Oral Qualifying Examination is administered by the doctoral committee, a four-person faculty committee that guides the student through the remainder of the program. Generally, the doctoral committee is appointed during the second year of the student’s tenure at UCLA. The oral examination may be repeated once.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Internship

After advancement to candidacy, students begin an internship in their field of interest at an outside institution. Arrangements for the internship are the students’ responsibility but program faculty will assist. The institution and the nature of the appointment must be approved by the doctoral committee and the Chair of the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee. Supervision during the field training experience will be by the doctoral committee and the field program supervisor. A letter of agreement between UCLA and the institution is required. During each long session quarter of internship the student must register at UCLA for eight units of Environment 599.

Dissertation Prospectus

After advancement to candidacy, typically in the first year of the internship, the candidate is required to present a written prospectus of the dissertation and defend it before the doctoral committee.

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Well-prepared students who hold strong baccalaureate and master’s degrees should be able to complete the requirements for the D.Env. degree in 13 to 15 quarters, including the internship period.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
D.Env.	6	15	24

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 for student who is not advanced to candidacy is made by the program faculty. A recommendation for termination for a student who is advanced to candidacy is made by the doctoral committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee. In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination based on the inability to communicate (in writing or orally) as required for success in the program area.

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

Environmental Science and Engineering

Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Graduate Degrees

The Institute of the Environment and Sustainability offers the Doctor of Environmental Science and Engineering (D.Env.) degree.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

None. Students must have a Master’s Degree to apply (see Admissions Requirements).

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Students are advised in general terms by the program graduate adviser, but a specific program is planned in consultation with each student’s individual faculty adviser. Students should meet with those individuals several times a year to plan their programs. Ongoing evaluations of academic progress are made at the end of each quarter in courses completed toward degree requirements, grades in all course work, performance in the examination sequence, and performance in the Problems Courses. The primary assessment is by program faculty with review and assistance as needed by the student’s adviser and the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Specialties within the program include (but are not limited to) the assessment and management of hazardous substances in the air, soil, and water environments; migration of contaminants in surface and groundwater; health risks of toxic substances; mitigation of adverse effects on the biological environment; restoration ecology; and environmental economics. Students may also balance their work with a greater emphasis on either the science/engineering or science/policy side of their specialty.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Course requirements consist of core courses, elective courses, environmental science and engineering seminars, a technical writing course, and problems courses.

Core Courses. Eleven core course requirements must be satisfied. All core courses must be taken on a letter grading basis (not for S/U grading). Courses must be taken from the following categories:

Environmental Science (four courses). Courses that describe the characteristics of terrestrial, air, and water environments; the biota; the geological, biological, chemical, hydrological, and atmospheric processes of the environment; and the interrelationships between these compartments. Required courses are as follows: Environmental Health Sciences 212, C225, C240, C264.

Environmental Engineering (three courses). Courses in engineering, mathematics, and the applied physical and life sciences covering topics such as modeling of environmental systems, fate and effects of environmental contaminants, design and evaluation of pollution control systems, plus courses that describe the tools and methods needed to address environmental problems, such as field and laboratory analytical methods, statistics, computer science, and advanced applied mathematics. Required courses are as follows: Civil and Environmental Engineering 153, 155 and one elective engineering course to be approved by the program faculty.

Environmental Management, Law, and Policy (two courses). Courses that relate to the social and institutional factors relevant to environmental problem solving such as the development and implementation of regulations, dynamics of public participation, and socioeconomic analysis of current and historical trends in environmental and energy policy. Required courses are as follows: Environment M134, Urban Planning M264A/B (same as Law 290).

Analytical Tools and Methods (two courses). Courses that introduce students to the tools and methods required for interdisciplinary research such as probability and statistics, decision analysis, geographical information systems (GIS), numerical analysis and experiment and survey design. Two courses approved by the program faculty. Suggested courses are: Biostats 100A/B, 110A, CEE 103, 110, Econ 203A/B/C, EEB C219, ENV 159, 260, Management 217A, Political Science 200A/B/C, 204A/B/C, 209, Public Policy 203, Stats 100A/B, 101A, Urban Planning M206A/B.

Elective Courses. Four courses selected to provide depth in one area for students whose previous degrees emphasized disciplinary breadth or to provide additional courses in an area related to a student’s goals within environmental science and engineering. Elective courses will be selected in consultation with the student’s academic adviser and must be approved by the program faculty. All elective courses must be taken on a letter-grading basis (not for S/U grading).

Credit for Prior Work. Entering environmental science and engineering students may already have completed some of the required course work in their undergraduate and graduate work. Three of the 11 core courses can be waived based on prior course work. Any other course requirement satisfied by previous work must be replaced with an elective in any field of environmental science and engineering that is pertinent to the goals of the student. Thus, a minimum of 12 core and elective courses must be completed after admission to the program. A minimum of 10 core and elective courses must be taken at UCLA or another University of California campus.

Environmental Science and Engineering Seminar. While completing core and elective requirements, full-time students must attend the equivalent of two quarters of weekly seminars in the general area of environmental science and engineering, either by enrolling in a seminar course or attending 16 separate departmental seminars each year.

Effective Technical Writing Course. All students must enroll in Environment M412 during the first or second year.

Problems Courses. Problems courses constitute intensive multidisciplinary applied research directed toward the solution of current environmental problems. Students are required to quantify and measure necessary parameters, perform critical evaluations, edit and process technical and socioeconomic information, meet deadlines, and communicate through a final report to the competent lay person as well as to the technical specialist. Sometimes two or three faculty from different academic disciplines oversee a team of student researchers. Before proceeding to the problems courses, students must have completed eight of the required core courses, successfully passed all core and elective courses taken (B- grade or better), and maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 for all classes taken after entering the Environmental Science and Engineering Program. Twenty-four quarter units of Environment 400 must be completed during the three quarters prior to advancement to candidacy. The requirement may be met by completing three consecutive quarters (eight units per quarter) on a single theme; or as a minimum, at least two consecutive quarters devoted to a single theme plus one quarter participation or activity approved by the faculty. Enrollment in more than one problems course per quarter is not allowed. No more than eight units of other course work may be taken when enrolled in a problems course.

Problems Course Workshops. All students must enroll in Environment M413, M414, and M415 before advancing to candidacy.

Normally, problems course credit is only earned from courses offered through the Environmental Science and Engineering Program. However, students may petition the faculty for permission to earn problems course credit through multidisciplinary environmental projects offered in other departments at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Residency

After advancement to candidacy, students begin an residency in their field of interest at an outside institution. Arrangements for the residency are the students’ responsibility but program faculty will assist. The institution and the nature of the appointment must be approved by the doctoral committee and the Chair of the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee. Supervision during the field training experience will be by the doctoral committee and the field program supervisor. A letter of agreement between UCLA and the institution is required. During each long session quarter of residency the student must register at UCLA for eight units of Environment 599.

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 new Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

A two-tiered examination sequence, consisting of written and oral examinations, is required for advancement to candidacy to the D.Env. degree. The examinations must be successfully completed before the residency can begin. The purpose of the examinations is to test the student’s understanding of the core and breadth areas, the master’s field, current issues in the environmental field, and subjects covered in students’ problems course experience. The written examination is administered by the program faculty. The written examination may be repeated once. The University Oral Qualifying Examination is administered by the doctoral committee, a four-person faculty committee that guides the student through the remainder of the program. Generally, the doctoral committee is appointed during the second year of the student’s tenure at UCLA. The oral examination may be repeated once.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Dissertation Prospectus

After advancement to candidacy, typically in the first year of the residency, the candidate is required to present a written prospectus of the dissertation and defend it before the doctoral committee.

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Well-prepared students who hold strong baccalaureate and master’s degrees should be able to complete the requirements for the D.Env. degree in 13 to 15 quarters, including the residency period.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
D.Env.	6	15	24

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 for student who is not advanced to candidacy is made by the program faculty. A recommendation for termination for a student who is advanced to candidacy is made by the doctoral committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the Environmental Science and Engineering Faculty Advisory Committee. In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination based on the inability to communicate (in writing or orally) as required for success in the program area.