Graduate degree information is updated annually in program requirements for UCLA graduate degrees.
Lower-division courses may not be applied toward graduate degrees. In addition, most departments do not allow courses that are required for a BS degree in engineering to count toward a graduate degree. Consult the departmental graduate affairs office for more information.
Individual departments may impose certain restrictions on the applicability of other undergraduate courses toward graduate degrees. Consult with the graduate adviser on departmental requirements and restrictions.
The MS program focuses on one major field. The major fields and subdisciplines offered at the MS level in most cases parallel those listed for the PhD program. There are some differences (for example, manufacturing engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is offered only at the MS level). Students should contact the specific department regarding possible differences between the MS and PhD fields and subdisciplines. Students are free to propose to the school any other field of study, with the support of their adviser.
A total of nine courses is required for an MS degree, including a minimum of five graduate courses. (Some fields require more than five; obtain specific information from the department of interest.) A majority of the total formal course requirement and of the graduate course requirement must consist of school courses. In the thesis plan, seven of the nine courses must be formal courses, including at least four from the 200 series. The remaining two courses may be 598 courses involving work on the thesis. In the comprehensive examination plan, at least five of the nine courses must be in the 200 series; the remaining four courses may be either 200-series graduate or upper-division undergraduate courses. No 500-series courses may be applied toward the comprehensive examination plan requirements.
The thesis must either describe some original piece of research that students have done, usually but not necessarily under the supervision of the thesis committee; or supply a critical exposition of some topic in their major field of study. Students would normally start to plan the thesis at least one year before award of the MS degree is expected. There is no examination under the thesis plan.
For information on the comprehensive examination plan for each department, see program requirements for UCLA graduate degrees.
