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Handbook All On One Page

Purpose of This Handbook

Doctoral Program

Fields of Study

Degree Requirements

Written Qualifying Examination (WQE)

Breadth Requirements

Proposal of Fields (POF)

Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE) and Advancement to Candidacy (ATC)

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral Filing Fee

Final Defense

Academic Progress Requirements (Time-to-Degree)

Adding an M.S. Degree Along the Way

Master of Science Program

Fields of Study

Degree Requirements

Breadth Requirements

Proposed M.S. Program of Study

Plan I - Thesis

Plan II Comprehensive Examination (M.S. Project)

Petition for Advancement to Candidacy

Master’s Filing Fee

M.S. Program and Academic Progress Requirements/Time-to-Degree

M.S. Students Applying to the Ph.D. Program

General Information for All CS Graduate Students

Bruin Bill (formerly BAR)

Bruin Alert

Bruin OnLine, BOL (see Computer Accounts)

Certificate of Degree Completion

Computer Accounts

CS201: Computer Science Seminar

CS Email Account (See Computer Accounts)

Department Keys

Enrollment and Courses

Enrollment Verification

Faculty Advisors

Graduate Student Affairs Office (4403 Boelter Hall)

Graduate Student Lounge

Graduate Student Workstation (3286 Boelter Hall)

Individual Studies Classes

Leave of Absence Request

Lockers

Mailboxes

Payroll Issues

Parking Permits

Registration (see Enrollment and Courses)

SEAS Café

Teaching Apprenticeships (TA-Ships)

URSA (University Records System Access)

International Students

Curricular Practical Training Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

CPT Requirements

English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE)

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Test of Oral Proficiency (TOP)

 

Computing & Libraries


CS Department Computing Facility (DCF)

SEASnet Computing Facility

Science & Engineering Library (SEL)


Bruin Online


Emergency & Safety


UCLA Campus Safety

UCLA Emergency Information

HSSEAS Emergency Information

Student Organizations
Computer Science Graduate Student Committee (CSGSC)

Engineering Graduate Student Association (EGSA)


UCLA Graduate Students Association (GSA)


Society of Women Engineers

Careers & Jobs

Bruin OnLine Student Consultant Positions

UCLA Career Center

Search for Careers in Academia

Job Resource Center

This document has been prepared to answer common questions about the graduate programs offered by the UCLA Computer Science Department. It supplements the UCLA General Catalog.

The Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA, which frequently is cited in this handbook, provides detailed information and sets forth general policies, many of which come from the Academic Senate and its Graduate Council, regarding completion of degree requirements, master’s and doctoral committees, examinations and foreign language requirements. Also included are general regulations concerning graduate courses, standards of scholarship, leaves of absence, normal progress toward degree, and a number of other matters.

The content of this handbook is subject to revision. Students should regularly check their CS e-mail account, as most changes in regulations will be sent via e-mail. However, courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. In all matters, the rules and regulations of the UCLA General Catalog and the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA shall supersede this handbook.

We invite you to read and familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook, and hope it allows you to make your journey at UCLA both smooth and successful.

Artificial Intelligence                                   
Computational Systems Biology                       
Computer Science Theory                       
Computer System Architecture                       
Graphics and Vision 
Information and Data Management 
Network Systems 
Software Systems 

Normally, Ph.D. students take courses to acquire the knowledge needed to prepare for and the written and oral preliminary examinations and for conducting research. The basic program of study is built around the following:

Written Qualifying Examination (WQE)
Breadth Requirements
Proposal of Fields (POF)
Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE) and Advancement to Candidacy (ATC)
Final Oral Examination on the Dissertation (Final Defense)
Filing the Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral students must satisfy the Computer Science Breadth Requirement by the end of their 3rd year (9th quarter) of enrollment at UCLA, and before taking the Oral Qualifying Examination. Students may submit this form to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office with coursework in progress, or to be completed the subsequent quarter.  The office staff will verify grade/s and completion at the end of the quarter.

The requirement is satisfied by mastering the contents of five undergraduate courses: Computer Science 180, two courses from 111, 118, and M151B, one course from 130, 131, or 132, and one course from 143, 161, or 174A.

Students may select one or more of the following methods to meet the requirements for the 5 upper-division undergraduate courses:

UCLA COURSE
: Take the required UCLA course and receive a grade of B- or better. Indicate the academic term of course completion and the grade received. (CS Graduate Student Affairs Office staff will verify grades.)

EXAM: The certifying instructor waives the need to take the course based on one or more exams, typically the midterm and final exam for the course offered at UCLA. The certifying instructor must sign the breadth requirement form to certify completion of the course requirement.

EQUIVALENT COURSE: Apply an equivalent course taken at another college/university in which a grade of B-minus or better was earned. Indicate:

Institution
Course name and number
Grade received (CS Graduate Student Affairs Office staff will verify grades on transcripts.)
Signature of instructor certifying equivalence.

For the Ph.D. degree, students must also complete at least three terms of CS201 with grades of Satisfactory (in addition to the three terms of CS201 that may have been completed for the M.S. degree). The Breadth Requirements form and instructions are available at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/Breadth.pdf

The written qualifying examination (WQE) is the preliminary written examination for all Computer Science Ph.D. students. The WQE consists of a high-quality paper, solely written by the student. The paper can be either a research paper containing an original contribution, or a focused critical survey paper. The paper should demonstrate students’ understanding of the subject area, as well as their ability to integrate and communicate ideas clearly and concisely.

To make satisfactory academic progress, students should take and pass the WQE no later than their 2nd year (6th quarter) of enrollment.

Students must be enrolled during the quarter they take the WQE.

LENGTH: Maximum of 10 single-spaced pages.


STYLE: Suitable for submission to a first-rate technical conference or journal.

CONTENT RESTRICTIONS: The paper must represent work that the student did as a graduate student at UCLA. Students must explicitly acknowledge in detail any contributions, including those of their faculty advisor, that are not their own.

PREPARATION: An individual studies class, CS597B: Preparation for Ph.D. Preliminary Examination, is offered for variable units (2-12) and may be used to satisfy the minimum 12-unit course work requirement each quarter.

SUBMISSION PROCESS: The paper must first be approved for submission by the students’ faculty advisor. Their signature on the WQE Cover Page is proof of approval. The WQE Cover Page then must be turned in to the GRADUATE STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICE in 4403 Boelter Hall by the posted deadline. There are two deadlines a year for submission of papers, one in fall quarter and the other in spring quarter. Students are emailed a WQE announcement including dates and instructions after the start of fall and winter quarter.

REVIEW PROCESS: After submission, the WQE will be reviewed by at least two other members of the faculty. Students will receive via email an evaluation and whether or not they have passed the WQE.

NOTE: Ph.D. students who want to receive a master’s degree along the way may substitute a passing WQE for the master’s comprehensive examination.

The Proposal of Fields (POF) consists of one major field and two minor fields. The major field and at least one minor field must be in computer science. All major and minor field courses must be taken for a letter grade.

To satisfy the major field requirement, students are expected to attain a body of knowledge contained in six courses, as well as the current literature in the area of specialization. In particular, students are required to take a minimum of four graduate courses in the major field of Ph.D. research, selecting these courses in accordance with guidelines specific to the major field.

Grades of B- or better, with a grade-point average of at least 3.33 in all courses used to satisfy the major field requirement, are required. Students are required to satisfy the major field requirement by the end of their 3rd year (9th quarter) of enrollment and before taking the Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE).

Each minor field normally embraces a body of knowledge equivalent to three courses, at least two of which are graduate courses. Grades of B- or better, with a grade-point average of at least 3.33 in all courses included in the minor field, are required. At least one minor field must be in computer science.  Both minors must be completed prior to the OQE.

STANDARD PROPOSALS: Refer to the Proposal of Fields Guidelines for composing major and minor proposals in established fields. If the courses in a major or a minor field proposal adhere to these guidelines, the field will not require the signature of the corresponding field chair. The established fields are as follows: Artificial Intelligence, Computational Systems Biology, Computer System Architecture, Computer Science Theory, Information and Data Management, Graphics and Vision, Network Systems, and Software Systems.

PROPOSALS WITH ONE OR MORE COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS
: A major or a minor field proposal in an established field that deviates from the standard guidelines by one or more course substitutions must be approved by the corresponding field chair (who may consult with faculty in the field). The list of current field chairs is available at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/field_chairs.pdf/


COURSE WORK TAKEN AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS: No more than three equivalent or related graduate courses taken at other institutions may be applied to the major or minor field requirements, subject to the following:

If a course taken at another institution is included in a major or minor field proposal, and falls within an established field, the proposal will be considered a deviation from the standard guidelines and must be approved by the corresponding field chair.

The graduate course must be taken while a graduate student.

 The graduate course cannot have been applied toward an undergraduate degree.

AD-HOC PROPOSAL: A major or minor field proposal that does not fall in one of the established fields is considered an ad-hoc field proposal. Guidelines for consideration follow:

The department must approve all proposals for an ad-hoc field. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their ad-hoc proposal for approval BEFORE taking any of the proposed courses.

The ad-hoc field should be a coherent set of courses in an identifiable area (body of knowledge) that is not a subfield of the area of the major or the minors. The ad-hoc field should provide a perspective that is different from the other fields. It cannot merely be a collection of three useful classes.

If the ad-hoc field presents some overlap with topics that are generally associated with the other fields. The student must provide a justification that carefully explains why this overlap does not impinge on the value of the minor to broadening the academic experience. (If the Academic Policy Committee [APC] finds such an overlap, the students may be required to provide more information.)

AD-HOC PROPOSAL SUBMISSION & APPROVAL PROCEDURES:

The proposal for an ad-hoc field must be included in a completed Proposal of Fields and must be submitted together with a detailed, written justification explaining how the proposed ad-hoc field meets the requirements above and supports a research area. Include details on the proposed classes for the field (course description and/or course syllabus for each class).

Email a scanned copy of the completed Proposal of Fields to the Chair of the Academic Policy Committee (APC). Refer to list of current field chairs at: http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/field_chairs.pdf/. The subject line should read “Proposal for Ad-Hoc Field.” Copy the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office at: craig@cs.ucla.edu

Approval of an ad-hoc field proposal requires a majority vote of the Academic Policy Committee (APC). The APC Chair, on behalf of the committee, will inform students and the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office by email when a decision is reached.

The POF form, guidelines, and procedures are available at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/phdfields.pdf/

UCLA Computer Science Department

 

FINAL DEFENSE – CHECKLIST

 

1.      (OPTIONAL) RECONSTITUTE your doctoral committee (6 WEEKS BEFORE EXAM)

 

If you need to add or change a committee member:

 

¨  Complete Sections I and II of the RECONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEE FORM
Form found at:  http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/docreconst.pdf

¨  Every member of the new committee must sign in the column next to their name.

¨  Submit the form in to the Grad Affairs Office in 4403 Boelter Hall 6 weeks prior to the exam.

 

2.     (OPTIONAL) REQUEST ONE REMOTE PARTICIPANT (6 WEEKS BEFORE EXAM)

 

¨  If a member of your committee wishes to attend remotely (and only 1 “inside” member may do so, excluding the chair), submit a written request from your chair requesting remote participation for that member.

 

3.     SCHEDULE A ROOM (4 WEEKS BEFORE EXAM)

 

¨  Coordinate with your committee to find a date and time that will work for all of them.

¨  E-mail Craig Jessen at craig@cs.ucla.edu, and include the following information:

o   Subject of email:  Final Defense Schedule Request

o   Requested date and time of exam

o   Title of your dissertation

o   An abstract summary, of around 100 words

 

4.     SUBMIT DRAFT OF DISSERTATION TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS (4 WEEKS BEFORE EXAM)

 

¨  Refer to the “Policies and Procedures for Dissertation Preparation and Filing” found at http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/thesisguide.pdf.  Instructions are also found here for preparing your signature page, which you should have ready at your defense.

¨  Email or deliver your dissertation to your committee members

 

5.     DEFEND YOUR DISSERTATION

 

6.     FILE ONLINE

 

¨  Follow the instructions at http://www.grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/thesisguide.pdf

¨  Inform your committee that your dissertation has been uploaded, and is ready for final approval.

¨  Send an email to craig@cs.ucla.edu stating that you have uploaded your dissertation.

 

 

Due to various University Policies, failure to complete these steps without their allotted lead time may result in requiring you to reschedule your exam.

 

If you have any questions, please email craig@cs.ucla.edu.

 

After successfully completing the final defense, students are expected to soon be ready to file their dissertation. The official UCLA manuscript preparation guide, “Policies and Procedures for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation and Filing” is available at:

http://www.grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/thesisguide.pdf

This document also contains information about how to file online.

All Ph.D. students expecting to graduate in a given quarter are strongly encouraged to attend a dissertation meeting scheduled at the beginning of each quarter at the Charles E. Young Research Library. For more information, students should visit the library website.

 

DOCTORAL FILING FEE: In the term that students intend to file their dissertation, they may go on filing fee status instead of enrolling for courses on the condition that they are completing only their dissertation. Filing fee status may be applied only for one quarter. Information and instruction for completing the doctoral filing fee application are available at:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/etdfaq.htm#FilingFee

The Filing Fee application is available at:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/filingfee.pdf

In approximately 10 business days, students should review their Bruin Bill account for a posting of a charge of $162.00 for the doctoral filing fee. Approximately 5 business days after fee payment, the filing date in posted on the transcript. If filed by the term’s dissertation deadline, the “degree awarded” date will be the graduation date of that term.

Students who do not file their dissertation by the beginning of the term following the term of their approved filing fee term, must again register as full-time students in each subsequent order in order to file their dissertation.

To maintain satisfactory academic progress, Ph.D. students must reach the milestones outlined above by their respective deadlines, namely:

WQE:  End of 2nd year (6th quarter)

Breadth:  End of 3rd year (9th quarter)

POF:  End of 3rd Year (9th quarter)

OQE:  End of 4th year (12th quarter)

Final Defense:  End of 6th year (18th quarter)

The maximum time to satisfactorily complete all Ph.D. requirements is 6 years or 18 quarters. Graduate students are limited to a maximum of 12 quarters of appointment in academic apprentice teaching titles and a maximum of 18 quarters in a combination of academic apprentice teaching and research titles.

Each year during spring quarter, the entire faculty evaluates the academic progress of all Ph.D. students. A summary of each evaluation is sent by email to all students and their faculty advisors. These notifications indicate if the academic progress of students has been satisfactory or unsatisfactory. In the case of the latter, notifications outline corrective steps and time frames necessary for the students to attain satisfactory progress

At the end of the fall quarter, the faculty progress tracking committee evaluates the progress of students who were given summer or fall deadlines to meet in their spring progress tracking letters.

Students who fail to meet requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. Ph.D. students may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons, including:

Failure to maintain a grade point average of 3.25 in all courses and in any two consecutive quarters.

Failure of the University Written Qualifying Examination.

Failure of the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Failure of the final oral examination (defense of the dissertation).

Failure to satisfy the Computer Science breadth requirement.

Failure to complete major and minor fields in a timely manner.

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

CS Ph.D. students may be awarded an M.S. degree while working toward the Ph.D. degree by fulfilling all the M.S. degree requirements. The M.S. degree and Ph.D. degree may not be conferred in the same quarter, so the process should begin no later than the term in which the M.S. degree requirements are fulfilled.

Students should confer with their faculty advisor about whether they should do a Thesis (Masters Plan I) or a Comprehensive Examination (Masters Plan II). A passed Written Qualifying Examination (WQE) may be substituted for the Comprehensive Examination in Plan II.

The required documents include the following, all located at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms

Breadth requirements. The breadth requirements are the same for the two degree programs with the exception of CS201. Each degree program requires 3 terms of CS201, for a total of 6 terms.

M.S. Proposed Program of Study

Petition for Advancement to Master's Candidacy

Master’s Thesis Committee Nomination Form (if Plan I is chosen)

M.S. Comprehensive Exam (M.S. Project) Results Form (if Plan II is chosen). If applicable, it will be noted on this form that the WQE is being substituted for the Comprehensive Examination.

If all documents and the thesis or comprehensive examination are submitted according to department deadlines, the “degree awarded” date will be the graduation date of that term. 

M.S. students are not required to select a major field. They may choose a broad selection of courses or any combination of courses from the following fields:

Artificial Intelligence
Computational Systems Biology                       
Computer Science Theory                       
Computer System Architecture                       
Graphics and Vision
Information and Data Management
Network Systems
Software Systems

There are no specific courses required for any major field.


M.S. students must complete the computer science breadth requirements by the end of their 1st year (3rd quarter) of enrollment at UCLA. Students may submit the breadth requirement form to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office with coursework in progress, or planned for the subsequent quarter.  The office staff will verify the grade/s at the end of the quarter.

The requirement is satisfied by mastering the contents of five undergraduate courses: Computer Science 180, two courses from 111, 118, and M151B, one course from 130, 131, or 132, and one course from 143, 161, or 174A.

Students may select one or more of the following methods to meet the requirements for the 5 upper-division undergraduate courses:

UCLA COURSE
: Take the required UCLA course and receive a grade of B- or better. Indicate academic term of course completion and grade received. (CS Graduate Student Affairs Office staff will verify grades.)

EXAM: The certifying instructor waives the need to take the course based on one or more exams, typically the midterm and final exam for the course offered at UCLA. The certifying instructor must sign the breadth requirement form to certify completion of the course requirement.

EQUIVALENT COURSE: Apply an equivalent course taken at another college/university in which a grade of B-minus or better was earned. Indicate:
Institution
Course name and number
Grade received (CS Graduate Student Affairs Office staff will verify grades on transcripts.)
Signature of instructor certifying equivalence.

The Breadth Requirements form and instructions are available at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/Breadth.pdf

M.S. students should submit the Proposed M.S. Program of Study by the end of their 1st year (3rd quarter) in enrollment at UCLA. Students may submit the form to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office with coursework in progress or planned for a future quarter. A total of nine courses are required for the M.S. degree, including a minimum of five graduate courses. No specific courses are required, but a majority of both the total number of regular, graded courses and the total number of graduate courses must consist of courses offered by the Computer Science Department. No lower division courses may be applied toward the M.S. degree. M.S. students should confer with their faculty advisor to select which academic plan best fits their academic, research, and career goals.

For both plans, all courses used must have received a B- grade or higher.

PLAN I - THESIS: In the thesis plan, 7 courses must be formal courses (taken for letter grades), and at least 4 of the 7 must be 200-level courses in Computer Science.  2 courses (or 8 units) must be CS 598, which involves work on the thesis.   The remaining 3 courses are elective courses, which may be 100- or 200-level courses in Computer Science or 200-level courses in a related discipline, i.e. Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Bioinformatics, etc.  DO NOT include CS 201 seminars.


MASTER’S THESIS COMMITTEE: A Master’s Thesis Committee must be approved by the Graduate Division before the submission of the Petition for Advancement to Candidacy. The committee consists of a minimum of three members. Two members, including the chair, must hold appointments in the UCLA Computer Science Department. The remaining member may be a faculty member from either Computer Science, another UCLA department, or another UC campus department. The Master’s Thesis committee regulations and the nomination form are available at:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/masnomin.pdf

MASTER’S THESIS: The thesis is a report on the results of student investigation of a problem in the major field of study under the supervision of the thesis committee, which approves the subject and plan of the thesis and reads and approves the complete manuscript. While the problem may be one of only limited scope, the thesis must exhibit a satisfactory style, organization, and depth of understanding of the subject. Students should normally start to plan the thesis at least one year before the award of the M.S. degree. There is no examination under the thesis plan.

The official UCLA manuscript preparation guide, “Policies and Procedures for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation and Filing” is available at:
           
http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/thesisintro.htm

All M.S. thesis students are strongly encouraged to attend a thesis meeting scheduled at the beginning of each quarter at the Young Research Library. For more information, students should visit the library website noted immediately above.

On the day students file their Master’s thesis, they first must submit a copy of the title and signature pages of their thesis to the CS Graduate Students Affairs Office, then submit documents to the Graduate Division in 1255 Murphy Hall, and finally submit documents and the thesis to 21560 Young Research Library. Documents and office hours are available in the “Policies and Procedures for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation and Filing”.

In approximately 10 business days, students should review their Billing and Accounts Receivable (BAR) account for a posting of a charge of $162.00 for the Master’s Filing Fee. Approximately 5 business days after fee payment, the filing date in posted on the transcript. If filed by the term’s thesis deadline, the “degree awarded” date will be the graduation date of that term.

PLAN II – COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION:
In the comprehensive examination plan, 9 formal courses must be taken for letter grade.  At least 5 courses must be 200-level courses in Computer Science.  (Taken for letter grades).  500-level courses cannot be applied. The remaining 4 courses are elective courses, which may be 100- or 200-level courses in Computer Science or 200-level courses in a related discipline, i.e. Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Bioinformatics, etc.  DO NOT include CS 201 seminars. .

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (M.S. PROJECT): The comprehensive exam is not an examination in the traditional sense, but rather a written paper. Students explore the scope and work out the expectations of the project with their faculty advisor. The project is presented for review by a three-person committee. Two members, including the chair, must hold appointments in the UCLA Computer Science Department. The remaining member may be a faculty member from either Computer Science, another UCLA department, or another UC campus department.

M.S. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (M.S. PROJECT) RESULTS
: Results must be submitted to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office no later than the last day of the quarter in which the M.S. degree is to be awarded. See the department deadlines for specific dates. Requirements for the comprehensive exam (M.S. Project) and instructions for the results form are available at:

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/academics/forms/mscompresults.pdf

The Petition for Advancement to Master’s Candidacy must be submitted to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office no later than the 2nd week of the quarter in which either the comprehensive examination or master’s thesis will be submitted. However, students are encouraged to submit the petition earlier, preferably at the start of the last term in which coursework (regular or individual studies) is to be taken. In this case, GSAO staff will verify course completion and grades at the end of the quarter. M.S. candidates have one calendar year from the date of advancement to candidacy in which to complete all requirements for the degree.

Master’s Filing Fee

When students have completed all requirements for the M.S. degree except the filing of either the thesis or comprehensive examination, they are eligible to pay a Filing Fee during the quarter in which the degree is to be awarded instead of registering.

Students may only use Filing Fee for one quarter.  If students fail to complete their thesis or comp exam by the end of the filing fee quarter, they must retroactively enroll and pay fees for that quarter, to then use their filing fee the subsequent quarter.

The Master’s Filing Fee application deadline is the 2nd week of the quarter in which either the thesis or comprehensive examination will be submitted and, if necessary, also the 2nd week of the quarter for a subsequent term of filing fee. Information and instructions for completing the Master’s Filing Fee application are available at:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/etdfaq.htm#FilingFee

The Master's Filing Fee application is available at:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/filingfee.pdf

 

To maintain satisfactory academic progress, M.S. students must reach the milestones as established in the degree requirements outlined above, namely:

•  Breadth Requirement:  End of 1st year (3rd quarter)

•  Program of Study:  End of 1st year (3rd quarter)

•  Petition for ATC:  2nd week of quarter the comprehensive examination or thesis is being submitted

The maximum time to satisfactorily complete all M.S. requirements is 2 years or 6 quarters.

Each quarter, the HSSEAS Dean’s Office evaluates the academic progress of all M.S. students. The majority of students are making satisfactory academic progress. Students not making satisfactory academic progress are notified and given corrective steps and time frames which will enable them to attain satisfactory academic progress.

Students who fail to meet requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. Graduate students 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. 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.

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, M.S. students may be recommended for termination for the following:

Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree within the two-year time limit for completing all degree requirements.

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

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

Failure of the comprehensive examination.

Failure to complete the thesis to the satisfaction of the committee members.

Failure to satisfy the Computer Science breadth requirement.

The selection of M.S. students who apply for admission into the Ph.D. program is a rigorous, internal process that identifies candidates who have demonstrated academic and research potential and achievement. The following application material must be submitted to the CS Graduate Student Affairs Office in the quarter in which the M.S. thesis or comprehensive exam is to be completed. (NOTE: Deadlines vary depending on the document.):

Statement of purpose: Due no later than the 2nd week of the quarter in which the M.S. degree is to be completed.

Application for Admission to PhD Program: Due no later than the 2nd week of the quarter in which the M.S. degree is to be completed.

Recommendation letter from faculty advisor: Due no later than the 7th week of the quarter in which the M.S. degree is to be completed.

Letter of Recommendation Forms from faculty advisor and two other CS faculty.  All most have evaluated either the student's Comp Exam or Thesis. Due no later than the 7th week of the quarter in which the M.S. degree is to be completed.
 
The deadline for filing the M.S. thesis with the Young Research Library is the 7th week of the quarter. The deadline for filing the comprehensive examination results with the CS Graduate Student Affair Office also is the 7th week of the quarter, which is 3 weeks earlier than the regular due date to accommodate the processing and review of the application to the Ph.D. program.

If all documents are submitted on or before the deadlines noted above and admission is offered, the effective term for classification as a Ph.D. student would be the term following the completion of all requirements for the M.S. degree, which includes submission of the M.S. thesis or comprehensive examination.

NOTE: Failure to submit each document by the deadline will postpone application consideration for one quarter.

All students are assigned a Bruin Bill account (formerly BAR). Your Bruin Bill account records all charges and payments (including housing) associated with registration along with other service charges that are assessed to students. You can access Bruin Bill through URSA.

Students are not notified when charges are posted.  Accordingly, students should check their Bruin Bill account regularly. Miscellaneous fees accrue throughout the quarter and are due by the 20th of each month. If unpaid, a late fee will be applied to Bruin Bill each month.

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