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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for termination of graduate study.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for termination is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for termination for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for termination for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

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 academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Graduate Degrees

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

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. Students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing are assigned to the faculty graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study towards the M.S. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

During the first quarter in residence, students who specialize in semiconductor manufacturing should arrange for an appointment with the research adviser for this specialization, and obtain an approved plan of study for the semiconductor specialization. The program of study may be changed only with the approval of the adviser.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the departmental Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and the implementation of policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy for the M.S. degree, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Areas of Study

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. The specialization requires that the student have advanced knowledge of processing semiconductor devices on the nanoscale. This knowledge is assessed in a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the M.S. degree are nine courses (36 units) and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in the graduate courses. Chemical Engineering 200, 210, and 220 are required. Two other courses must be taken from regular offerings of the department, and two additional courses may be Chemical Engineering 598, involving work on the thesis. The remaining two of the nine courses may be taken from those offered by the department, or from any other field in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. At least 24 units must be in letter-graded 200-level courses.

All master’s degree candidates are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization are required to complete 10 courses (44 units) with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average overall and in graduate courses. A minimum of five (20 units) 200-series courses are required including 270 and 270R. Students are also required to take Chemical Engineering 104C and 104CL; Electrical Engineering 123A; and Materials Science and Engineering 121. In addition, students must select two courses from the department’s list of electives as well as two courses from elective offerings in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering; a minimum of two of these elective courses must be in the 200 series. Approved elective courses include: Chemical Engineering C219, C214, C218, 223, C240; Electrical Engineering 124, 221A, 221B, 223, 224; Materials Science and Engineering 210 and 223.

Students in the specialization of semiconductor manufacturing who have been undergraduates or graduates at UCLA and who have already taken some of the required courses may substitute electives for these courses. However, no courses taken while not enrolled in the semiconductor manufacturing specialization may be counted toward the 10-course requirement for the degree. A program of study encompassing the course requirements must be submitted to the research adviser for approval before the end of the student’s first quarter in residence.

A program of study which encompasses these requirements must be submitted to the departmental Student Affairs Office for approval before the end of the student’s second quarter of residence.

Undergraduate Courses. No lower division courses may be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, the following upper division courses are not applicable toward graduate degrees: Chemical Engineering 102A, 199; Civil Engineering 106A, 108, 199; Computer Science M152A, M152B, 199; Electrical Engineering 100, 101, 102, 103, 110L, M116L,199; Materials Science and Engineering 110, 120, 130, 131, 131L, 132, 150, 160, 161L, 199; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 102, 103, 105A, 105D, 199.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students are required to take Chemical Engineering 270R, a directed research course, in the field, working at an industrial semiconductor fabrication facility. The proposed research must be approved by the graduate adviser for semiconductor manufacturing and the industrial sponsor of the research.

Capstone Plan

This plan is only for students in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students take Chemical Engineering 597A to prepare for a comprehensive written examination. The examination tests for knowledge of the engineering principles of semiconductor manufacturing. In case of failure, the examination may be repeated once within one quarter with the consent of the graduate adviser for the specialization. Second failure of the examination leads to a recommendation to the Graduate Division for academic disqualification.

Thesis Plan

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

This plan is for all M.S. degree students who are not in the specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. These students must complete a thesis. Students should consult the research adviser for details on the thesis plan. Thesis plan students nominate a three member thesis committee that must meet University regulations and be approved by the Graduate Division, as outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of time for students in the M.S. program is six quarters. The maximum time allowed for completing the M.S. degree is three years (nine quarters) from the time of admission to the M.S. program in the School.

Specialization in semiconductor manufacturing. Students in this specialization must complete the degree in two years (six quarters). The program may be completed in one calendar year (three quarters and a summer session) by enrolling in three courses per quarter and for one summer session. Students who are enrolled less than full-time must complete the degree in three years (nine quarters).

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

Doctoral Degree

Advising

Each department in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a faculty graduate adviser. A current list of graduate advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Students are assigned a faculty research adviser upon admission to the School. The department will consider changing an adviser upon written request from the student in consultation with the faculty graduate adviser.

During the second quarter in residence, students should arrange an appointment as early as possible with their faculty research adviser to plan the proposed program of study toward the Ph.D. degree. Continuing students are required to confer with their research adviser during the time of enrollment each quarter so that progress can be assessed and the study list approved.

Based on the quarterly transcripts, student records are reviewed at the end of each quarter by the departmental faculty graduate adviser and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Special attention is given if students were admitted provisionally, or are on probation. If their progress is unsatisfactory, students are informed of this in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Students who receive teaching or research assistantships must receive approval from their research adviser or the departmental faculty graduate adviser to add or drop courses.

Students are strongly urged to consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or the Office of Academic and Student Affairs regarding procedures, requirements, and implementation of the policies. In particular, advice should be sought on advancement to candidacy, on the procedures for taking Ph.D. examinations, and on the use of the Filing Fee.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

None.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students are required to take six courses (24 units). All of these units must be letter-graded 200-level courses. Students can choose three out of five core Chemical Engineering courses which are 200, 210, 220, 245 and a graduate Engineering Mathematics course. Two additional courses must be taken from those offered by the department. The final course can be selected from offerings in life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Students are encouraged to take more courses in their field of specialization. These minor field courses should be selected in consultation with their research adviser. A minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate courses is required. A program of study to fulfill the course requirements must be submitted for approval to the departmental Student Affairs Office no later than one quarter after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination.

All Ph.D. students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 299 during each quarter of residence.

For information on completing the Engineering degree, students should see Engineering Schoolwide Programs in Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees.

Teaching Experience

At least three quarters of teaching experience are highly recommended. During the quarters when they serve as teaching assistants, students are required to enroll in Chemical Engineering 375. Chemical Engineering 495A and 495B are highly recommended for all new teaching assistants.

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.

Students are required to pass the Preliminary Written Examination (PWE) to demonstrate their proficiency in at least Three of the Five Core Areas selected as the following:

Transport Phenomena – (Mandatory for all students)

Students must choose Thermodynamics or Reaction Engineering or Both.

If only one of the above is chosen, then students must choose either Biomolecular Engineering or Engineering Mathematics.

The PWE will be offered at the end of the Winter quarter of each academic year and graded by a faculty committee. Students must take the PWE in their first year. If a student fails the PWE in the first attempt, they can retake it for the second time during the following Spring quarter. Students that fail both PWE attempts will not be allowed to continue in the program. Specifically, if a student has failed two or three subjects after the second PWE attempt, they may petition to transition to the M.S. Thesis program and may graduate with an M.S. degree. If a student has failed only one subject after the second PWE attempt, then the student may petition to transition to the MS Thesis Program. The adviser of this student, however, may petition to allow this student to retake the failed subject in the first PWE of the next year’s class, and if the student passes the failed subject, then the student may petition to re-enter the Ph.D. program. If the student fails this subject for the third attempt, then the student may graduate with an M.S. degree.

After completion of the required courses for the degree and passing the PWE, each student must pass the written and oral qualifying examinations. These examinations focus on the student’s dissertation research and are conducted by a doctoral committee consisting of at least four faculty members nominated by the department in accordance with university regulations. Three members, including the chair, are inside members and must hold faculty appointments in the department. The outside member must be a UCLA faculty member in another department. Students are required to have a minimum 3.33 grade-point average in graduate course work to be eligible to take these examinations.

The written qualifying examination consists of a dissertation research proposal that provides a clear description of the problem(s) considered, a literature review of the current state of the art, and a detailed explanation of the research plan that will be followed to solve the problem(s). The student normally submits the dissertation research proposal to the doctoral committee before the end of the winter quarter of the student’s second year of academic residence.

The University Oral Qualifying examination consists of an oral defense of the dissertation research proposal, and is also administered by the doctoral committee. The written research proposal must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination to allow the members sufficient time to evaluate the work.

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 Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

From admission to graduate status (including work for the master’s degree) to award of the Ph.D. degree: 20 quarters (normative time to degree). Doctoral students are expected to advance to candidacy by the spring quarter of their second year in residence. All Ph.D. candidates are required to present a departmental oral seminar to the department; this seminar is normally scheduled in their fourth year of academic residence. With input from their research adviser, students may petition to postpone this seminar. After the departmental seminar, students should complete their dissertation research within the next one to two years.

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
Ph.D.	5	20	26

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is reviewed by the school’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Master’s

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses and in those in the 200 series.

(2) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in any two consecutive terms.

(3) Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

(4) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the three-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

Doctoral

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for

(1) Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.3 in graduate courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

(2) Failure of the preliminary written examination.

(3) Failure of the written and oral qualifying examination.

(4) Failure of a required final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

(5) Failure to obtain permission to repeat an examination from an examining committee.

(6) Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the specified time limits.

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

Biostatistics

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

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

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. 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 academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition that must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Consult the graduate adviser for the areas of specialization. Typical course plans are listed below.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.S. degree requires 18 graduate and upper division courses (70 units), of which at least five must be graduate courses (200 and 500 series). The following courses are required: Biostatistics 200A, 200B, 200C, 202A, 202B, 216, 244, 402A, 402B, 596; one 4-unit course in Epidemiology; one 4-unit course in broad Public Health such as PH 150/PH201 or HPM M242; and 24 units of special topics elective courses selected from Biostatistics 202C, 203A, 203B, 212, 214, M215, Biostatistics 230-241 series, Biostatistics 406, 410, 411 and 413.

No more than one 4-unit course from the 400 series can count towards the minimum 24 units of electives for the degree. Students can apply a maximum of two 500-level courses (8 units) toward the total graduate course level requirement for the M.S. Other courses in biostatistics or mathematical statistics, or in related areas such as biology, physiology, public health, management, or mathematics, are selected with the adviser’s consent and approved by the chair.

Students may petition the department to substitute any of the above required courses with elective courses, if they have previously taken the course at UCLA or its equivalent at another institution.

Students wishing to continue to the Ph.D. program are required to take Mathematics 131A as a prerequisite, unless previously taken at UCLA or elsewhere. This math course can be taken any quarter during year 2.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students are required to submit a written report and pass a written comprehensive examination administered at the beginning of the second year of study that covers the content of the first year core coursework. No more than one reexamination after failure is allowed. Students who do not take the reexamination at the time specified by the department forfeit their right to reexamination.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree (depending upon the program), normative time is six quarters, 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 nine quarters (three years).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	5	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

A faculty adviser is appointed for each beginning doctoral student by the department chair. The adviser meets with the student each quarter to discuss academic progress. When the student advances to candidacy, the chair of the dissertation committee becomes the student’s adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete the following courses: Biostatistics 216, 250A, 250B, 250C, 257, one 4-unit course in Epidemiology course; one 4-unit course in broad Public Health such as PH 150/PH201 or HPM M242; and six 200-level, 4-unit special topic elective courses from Biostatistics 202C, 210 and above. To fulfill the six elective courses, students may formally petition to enroll in courses in Statistics and Biomathematics. Students who entered the doctoral program with an M.S. in Biostatistics from UCLA may waive up to three special topic elective courses (12 units) based on prior completion of 200 level Biostatistics courses from Biostatistics 210 and above, or other suitable equivalent courses. Students must also enroll in Biostatistics 409 for two consecutive quarters, Biostatistics 245 every quarter, and Biostatistics 246 in spring quarter every year of study.

For students who have not completed a master’s degree or equivalent in Biostatistics, the following additional courses must be included in the degree program: Biostatistics 200A-200B-200C, 202A, 202B.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

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

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

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass two written examinations (Ph.D. Preliminary Examination and Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination) and the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Students without a prior master’s degree or equivalent in Biostatistics must take the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination by the fall quarter of their second year and normally take the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of their third year of study.

Students with a prior master’s degree in Biostatistics from UCLA are exempt from taking the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination, as it was taken during their MS study.  Students with a prior master’s degree in Biostatistics from UCLA normally take the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of the second year of study.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is taken after successful completion of the two written examinations. The Oral Qualifying Examination is administered by the doctoral committee and usually consists of a preliminary defense of the dissertation proposal.

A failed examination may be repeated once. The timing of reexaminations is specified by the department in the case of written examinations or by the student’s committee in the case of the oral examination. Students who do not take the reexaminations at the specified time forfeit their right to reexamination.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

It is expected that doctoral students entering the program without a master’s degree normally will complete the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination by the fall quarter of their second year (four quarters) and the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of their third year of study (seven quarters); advance to candidacy within thirteen quarters; and complete the dissertation and defense within five quarters of advancement to candidacy. Normative Time-to-Degree is eighteen quarters from graduate admission to award of the degree. The doctoral program is usually shortened by one year if students enter with a master’s degree. Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is twenty-four quarters of enrollment (eight years). This limitation includes quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program.

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

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

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 seven 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 3.0 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

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

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

Biostatistics

School of Public Health

Graduate Degrees

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

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. 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 academic disqualification. Students who wish to change advisers must file a petition that must be approved by the new adviser, the department chair, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Areas of Study

Consult the graduate adviser for the areas of specialization. Typical course plans are listed below.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

The M.S. degree requires 18 graduate and upper division courses (70 units), of which at least five must be graduate courses (200 and 500 series). The following courses are required: Biostatistics 200A, 200B, 200C, 202A, 202B, 216, 244, 402A, 402B, 596; one 4-unit course in Epidemiology; one 4-unit course in broad Public Health such as PH 150/PH201 or HPM M242; and 24 units of special topics elective courses selected from Biostatistics 202C, 203A, 203B, 212, 214, M215, Biostatistics 230-241 series, Biostatistics 406, 410, 411 and 413.

No more than one 4-unit course from the 400 series can count towards the minimum 24 units of electives for the degree. Students can apply a maximum of two 500-level courses (8 units) toward the total graduate course level requirement for the M.S. Other courses in biostatistics or mathematical statistics, or in related areas such as biology, physiology, public health, management, or mathematics, are selected with the adviser’s consent and approved by the chair.

Students may petition the department to substitute any of the above required courses with elective courses, if they have previously taken the course at UCLA or its equivalent at another institution.

Students wishing to continue to the Ph.D. program are required to take Mathematics 131A as a prerequisite, unless previously taken at UCLA or elsewhere. This math course can be taken any quarter during year 2.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students are required to submit a written report and pass a written comprehensive examination administered at the beginning of the second year of study that covers the content of the first year core coursework. No more than one reexamination after failure is allowed. Failure to secure a passing grade in at most two attempts in the
MS Comprehensive exam will result in the department recommending the student to the Graduate Division for Academic Disqualification. Students who do not take the reexamination at the time specified by the department forfeit their right to reexamination.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to award of the degree (depending upon the program), normative time is six quarters, 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 nine quarters (three years).

DEGREE	NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters)	NORMATIVE TTD	MAXIMUM TTD
M.S.	5	6	9

Doctoral Degree

Advising

A faculty adviser is appointed for each beginning doctoral student by the department chair. The adviser meets with the student each quarter to discuss academic progress. When the student advances to candidacy, the chair of the dissertation committee becomes the student’s adviser.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Consult the graduate adviser.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students must complete the following courses: Biostatistics 216, 250A, 250B, 250C, 257, one 4-unit course in Epidemiology course; one 4-unit course in broad Public Health such as PH 150/PH201 or HPM M242; and six 200-level, 4-unit special topic elective courses from Biostatistics 202C, 210 and above. To fulfill the six elective courses, students may formally petition to enroll in courses in Statistics and Biomathematics. Students who entered the doctoral program with an M.S. in Biostatistics from UCLA may waive up to three special topic elective courses (12 units) based on prior completion of 200 level Biostatistics courses from Biostatistics 210 and above, or other suitable equivalent courses. Students must also enroll in Biostatistics 409 for two consecutive quarters, Biostatistics 245 every quarter, and Biostatistics 246 in spring quarter every year of study.

For students who have not completed a master’s degree or equivalent in Biostatistics, the following additional courses must be included in the degree program: Biostatistics 200A-200B-200C, 202A, 202B.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience is recommended but not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

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

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

Before advancement to candidacy, students must pass two written examinations (Ph.D. Preliminary Examination and Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination) and the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Students without a prior master’s degree or equivalent in Biostatistics must take the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination by the fall quarter of their second year and normally take the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of their third year of study. Failure to secure a passing grade in at most two attempts in the Ph.D. Preliminary Exam and in at most two attempts in the Ph.D. Written Advanced Qualifying Exam will result in the department recommending the student to the graduate division for academic disqualification.

Students with a prior master’s degree in Biostatistics from UCLA are exempt from taking the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination, as it was taken during their MS study.  Students with a prior master’s degree in Biostatistics from UCLA normally take the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of the second year of study.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is taken after successful completion of the two written examinations. The Oral Qualifying Examination is administered by the doctoral committee and usually consists of a preliminary defense of the dissertation proposal.

A failed examination may be repeated once. The timing of reexaminations is specified by the department in the case of written examinations or by the student’s committee in the case of the oral examination. Students who do not take the reexaminations at the specified time forfeit their right to reexamination.

Advancement to Candidacy

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

Doctoral Dissertation

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

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

It is expected that doctoral students entering the program without a master’s degree normally will complete the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination by the fall quarter of their second year (four quarters) and the Ph.D. Advanced Qualifying Examination in the fall quarter of their third year of study (seven quarters); advance to candidacy within thirteen quarters; and complete the dissertation and defense within five quarters of advancement to candidacy. Normative Time-to-Degree is eighteen quarters from graduate admission to award of the degree. The doctoral program is usually shortened by one year if students enter with a master’s degree. Maximum allowable time for the attainment of the degree is twenty-four quarters of enrollment (eight years). This limitation includes quarters enrolled in previous graduate study at a UC campus prior to admission to the doctoral degree program.

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

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

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

Special Departmental or Program Policy

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 seven 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 3.0 grade point average for two consecutive quarters following matriculation into the doctoral program; a second failure of any written qualifying examination; a second failure of either oral examination; or exceeding enrollment time limits.

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