Graduate students at UCLA benefit from—and contribute to—the resources of one of the country’s outstanding research universities. A distinguished faculty committed to research and teaching; an extensive library system ranked among the best in the nation; and excellent research centers, institutes, and laboratories in virtually every major discipline all offer extraordinary opportunities for graduate endeavor.

Graduate training at UCLA takes place in classrooms, laboratories, and libraries; in specialized seminars; through independent research; and in teaching experiences. Graduate education is enriched by several hundred postdoctoral and visiting scholars from other universities who engage in research and, in some instances, teaching at UCLA every year. This unique research environment promotes the quality of original work and study that is the hallmark of graduate education.

The degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science, or one of several professional degrees such as Master of Business Administration, is intended to develop mastery of a field and prepare students for the practice of a profession. The doctorate degree (PhD, EdD, and so forth) is designed to prepare students for creative activity and original research, often in association with college or university teaching.