Dean: Charles N. Li
Associate Dean: John W. Mohr
Contents:
Consistently ranked among the top public research universities in the nation, UCSB is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The faculty includes three recent Nobel Laureates, as well as Fellows of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Arts and Sciences, and National Endowment for the Humanities. Most departments offer research experience and undergraduate teaching as part of their graduate training programs, yet graduate programs are small enough for faculty members to know and mentor students individually.
Recognizing that the century ahead will call for people trained beyond traditional academic boundaries, UCSB is developing graduate opportunities that emphasize new approaches in research and training to address the need for cross-disciplinary collaboration. This balance enhances theoretical learning, technical training and independent inquiry. UCSB seeks to achieve a graduate student community reflective of the population at large, and encourages applications from students who bring perspectives that advance UCSB's goals of excellence and diversity.
Supplementing UCSB's graduate programs and coursework are national research centers, organized research units and affiliated academic units headquartered at the UCSB campus that provide additional opportunities for research, study or research abroad, or experiential learning. Complementing the departmental training are graduate certificate programs in Management Practice and College and University Teaching or special degree emphases that highlight the focus of one's academic interest.
The Graduate Division facilitates graduate education and coordinates student services for all graduate academic and professional programs at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Under the supervision of the Graduate Deans and under policy set by the Academic Senate Graduate Council, the Division promotes academic excellence in graduate degree programs, fosters a diverse and inclusive graduate community of domestic and international students, and cultivates an intellectually challenging environment and a socially supportive climate for all graduate students.
The Graduate Division has many roles. Graduate Academic Preparation and Admissions staff facilitates the recruitment, admission, and enrollment of highly qualified and diverse student applicants. Academic Services staff responds to student problems, monitors and encourages the progress of students toward degree completion, enforces academic standards, processes student petitions, assists students and departments, and provides development services. Financial Support staff administers fellowship programs, maintains an extramural funding database, and certifies student eligibility for academic appointments. All are committed to the recruitment, admission, retention, and graduation of a diverse and highly qualified graduate student population.
In collaboration with other campus organizations, the Graduate Division sponsors special programs for graduate students, such as dissertation support groups, research colloquia, and workshops on such topics as grant proposal development and professional career planning.
UCSB offers admission to those applicants who have the highest potential for success in graduate study and who are most likely to contribute substantially to academic or professional fields through teaching, research, or professional practice. In recognition of the value of a diverse range of ideas and experiences in the learning process as well as in the professional world, the University remains committed to the recruitment, admission, and retention of a diverse graduate student population. UCSB encourages applications from students who have overcome economic or social disadvantage in pursuing their academic objectives and those who bring perspectives, research topics, or career interests that advance the University's goals of excellence and diversity. Among UCSB's goals is achieving a student population of men and women reflective of the population at large, inclusive of those traditionally underrepresented in various academic fields and all socioeconomic levels, physical abilities, ages, religions, national origins, sexual orientations, and other attributes.
To be considered for admission to UCSB, applicants must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent (with an upper-division grade point average of 3.0 or better) from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which admission is sought. Applicants apply online through the Graduate Division's website at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp.
A completed application includes:
An online application.
Two copies of the applicant's statement of purpose.
A $60 nonrefundable fee. An application fee paid to another University of California campus is not valid for application to UCSB.
Three letters of recommendation from professors or others familiar with the applicant's academic work.
Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (submitted directly from ETS to the Graduate Division, or submitted by the applicant to the Graduate Division only if an official score cannot be sent from ETS). Some departments require a score for the appropriate GRE Subject Test. UCSB's GRE institution code is 4835. A department code is not required.
TOEFL Exam scores, taken within the past two years (if applicable).
Two official transcripts from each institution attended since high school or secondary school.
Any other supplementary materials required by the department or the Graduate Division.
Admission decisions are based on the quality of the applicant's academic degrees and record, as presented in the application and supporting documents. Also contributing to the decision are evidence of preparation in the proposed field of study, work experience, and the degree to which the individual's goals and research interests are consistent with those of the academic program and its faculty.
When applications are complete, they are submitted to faculty committees for review, following which recommendations of admission or denial are communicated to the Graduate Division. Due to the large number of applications received, many well-qualified applicants cannot be admitted.
The application deadline to be considered for most fellowship competitions is January 15, although many departments have earlier deadlines. It is important to consult the application and departmental sources for variations. For further details, please consult the prospective department or the Graduate Division website at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu. The completed application and all supporting materials must be received by the application deadline or they will not be processed. Deadlines falling on a weekend or national holiday will be extended to the next working day.
Deadlines and specific admission requirements, which may vary by department, are summarized in the application packet as well as in subsequent sections of this website. Further detail may be available in discipline-specific brochures distributed by departments or at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/programs/.
Admission of International Students and Permanent Residents
International and permanent resident students are governed by the same general admission regulations as those applying to United States citizens. For information and special assistance, students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Students and Scholars at (805) 893-2929.
English language requirements for nonnative speakers. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Exceptions to this requirement will be considered for those students who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English. The minimum score for consideration is 550 when taking the paper based test or 213 when taking the computer based test; some departments require a higher score. Applicants must make arrangements to take the TOEFL directly with the Educational Testing Service at P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, N.J. 08541-6151. Scores should be reported to UCSB using institution code 4835. TOEFL scores must be no more than two years old at the time of admission. UCSB does not admit students conditionally in order to learn English prior to beginning an academic programan excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment.
Once admitted, nonnative speakers of English must meet proficiency requirements in spoken and written English before they will be awarded a degree at UCSB. Such requirements are met through successful performance on the English Language Placement Examination (ELPE), and, if necessary, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. At the beginning of their first quarter of registration at UCSB, nonnative speakers of Englishincluding both international students and permanent residentsare required to take both the written and oral portions of the ELPE. Based upon the results of this exam, students will be either placed in or exempted from ESL courses. Students for whom the TOEFL requirement has been waived may still be required to take the ELPE. Students visiting UCSB under the Education Abroad Program (EAP) and non-degree reciprocity status are exempt from taking the ELPE; if they later petition for admission to a graduate program to seek a master's degree or doctorate, they must take the ELPE at that time. If EAP or non-degree reciprocity status students wish to take an ESL course, they must first take the ELPE for placement purposes.
Teaching Assistant (TA) language evaluations. All international students and permanent residents for whom English is not the native language are required to have their spoken English evaluated before they can be certified for classroom or laboratory teaching responsibilities. Prospective TAs who do not pass the TA language evaluation on their first attempt are required to take ESL classes before they can be reevaluated. TA language evaluations are conducted jointly by the academic departments, the ESL Program, and Graduate Division.
In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not wish to study for a degree or a teaching credential may be admitted to graduate status on a non-degree basis. The admission requirements and procedures are the same as those for prospective candidates for degrees, with the exception that many departments do not require the Graduate Record Examination. The applicant must specify the major and must justify, in the statement of purpose, that the plan of study has a definite scholarly or professional goal. A non-degree student is accepted for a maximum of one academic year. Students in non-degree status are not eligible for fellowships, nor are their courses ordinarily accepted for credit toward an advanced degree at UCSB should they decide later to apply for admission into a master's or doctoral program.
Return to Top of PageGraduate degrees at the University of California are granted upon completion of advanced academic study and research. Doctoral degree candidates are expected to participate in at least one basic research project, as are many master's degree candidates.
Degree titles are posted on transcripts and diplomas for the eight graduate degrees conferred at UCSB:
Some departments offer intradepartmental and/or interdepartmental emphases within degree objectives. An emphasis is a focused area of study that may be offered as a track within a department's degree program, or as an optional interdisciplinary addition to an existing graduate degree program in one or more departments. An emphasis is noted on transcripts but does not appear on diplomas. A specialization is a departmentally approved component of a degree program, often indicating a department's strength in a particular area. It does not appear on transcripts or diplomas.
Graduate Council's minimum requirements for advanced degrees are described below. (Click here for information regarding "Catalog Years") Individual departments often impose additional requirements. Students should consult the academic department for updated and specific requirements in excess of the minimum requirements. Students admitted with deficiencies in background or training must remedy these deficiencies before advancement to candidacy, usually during the first year of residence.
Academic residence. Continuous registration is required of all graduate students. Only coursework taken when a student is registered may be counted toward a graduate degree. Graduate students are required to register each quarter by paying fees and officially enrolling in classes.
Graduate students who fail to register are not considered students. When students have been unregistered for some time, departments may ask them to reinstate to graduate standing and register, particularly when they will be consulting with faculty and using University resources. In some cases, students will be required to prove they are still current in the field either by taking classes or by re-taking their qualifying examinations.
To establish residence a graduate student must be registered and enrolled in courses of instruction, research, or study totaling or equivalent to at least four units of upper-division or graduate work during a regular term, or two units of such work in a summer session.
Students in master's programs must register a minimum of three quarters at UCSB, of which at least one quarter must be a regular session (fall, winter, or spring quarter). In master's programs, attendance in two six-week Summer Sessions in the same summer, can be used to establish residence.
The minimum academic residence requirement for any doctoral degree is six quarters. Students in doctoral programs will spend at least six quarters in residence at the UCSB campus pursuing a program of full-time study and research; three consecutive quarters of this residence must be completed in regular session before advancement to candidacy. In doctoral programs, attendance in two consecutive six-week Summer Sessions in the same summer may be substituted for one of the six quarters of required residence.
Language and methodology requirements. Academic departments set language and methodology requirements for their fields; students should consult the academic department for details.
Standards of scholarship. Students must complete university and departmental requirements in a timely manner to remain in good standing. Only upper-division and graduate courses in which a student earns grades of A, B, C, or S may be applied toward the unit requirements for graduate degrees. In courses specifically required for a program-often called core courses-grades of A or B must be earned for the course to count toward degree requirements. Neither lower-division courses numbered 1-99 nor undergraduate independent study courses numbered 198-199 count toward unit requirements for graduate degrees.
Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 to remain in graduate status. Students with less than a 3.0 grade-point average will either be placed on academic probation or dismissed from graduate status by the Graduate Dean upon recommendation by the students' academic department. Graduate students carrying more than 12 units of Incompletes, No Record, and/or No Grades may be placed on academic probation and become subject to dismissal for failing to make timely progress toward degree completion.
Graduate students must complete coursework and have a grade reported to the Office of the Registrar by the end of the term following the term in which the No Grade, No Record, and/or I grade was reported. If not completed by the deadline the No Grade, No Record, and/or I grade will be changed automatically to an F, NP, or U as appropriate.
Note: Additional standards of scholarship are described below.
Degree deadlines and normative time. The UCSB Graduate Council has set time limits for degree completion to ensure that students make timely progress toward completion of their degree objectives. Graduate Council requires that graduate degrees be granted only to students who are current in the scholarship of their chosen field. Students who are not making adequate progress toward degree completion in terms of the standards presented below may be dismissed upon the recommendation of their departments. Academic departments may set time limits in addition to the minimum standards described below.
Graduate Council has set four years as the time limit for completion of master's degrees at UCSB. The University of California time limit for completion of a doctoral degree is seven years from the time of admission to graduate studies. In addition, doctoral students are required to advance to candidacy for the doctorate within four years of admission to graduate studies.
Students who exceed one of these time limits become subject to academic probation and possible dismissal for failing to make timely progress toward degree completion.
Students who exceed the degree deadline for either the master's or doctorate must prove they are still current in their field at the time they file for completion of their degree.
Graduate Council's degree deadlines are distinct from normative time, which is the number of years considered to be reasonable by the faculty of the department for completion of a doctorate by a full-time student in that program. Normative time, which varies by department, is measured from the time a student begins graduate studies at UCSB. (See table for the normative time established in each department.)
Enrollment Requirements. Continuous registration is required of all graduate students; the normal courseload for graduate students is twelve units per quarter. Graduate students must enroll in at least eight units to be appointed as graduate student researchers or as teaching assistants, to receive fellowships and most forms of financial aid, and to be eligible for campus and extramural benefits and services (University Housing, Student Health Service, etc.).
In general, there are no reduced fees for a reduced courseload. Most lending agencies demand repayment of loans if a student is not registered or is carrying less than a normal courseload. The Immigration and Naturalization Service requires international students to be engaged in a full course of study while at UCSB.
Graduate students who fail to register lose all status as students, including access to the privileges outlined above. Graduate students who wish to register after a break in enrollment must petition for reinstatement through Graduate Division. Reinstatement is not automatic and requires the approval of the student's academic department; the student's record will be evaluated in terms of past academic performance and timely completion of the degree. Students who wish to reinstate and have exceeded the time limit for completion of the master's and/or doctoral degrees must also submit a plan and timetable for degree completion to their department and Graduate Division for review and approval.
Leaves of absence. Under certain circumstances, students may petition for a leave of absence that must be approved by the student's department and Graduate Division. There are six categories of leave: 1) leave for medical emergencies (doctor's note required); 2) leave for pregnancy/parenting needs during the first 12 months after the child's birth or placement in the home (doctor's note or verification from placement agency); 3) leave to deal with emergencies in the immediate family (explanation of circumstances required); 4) military leave for students required to engage in military service (documentation of call to duty required); 5) Research Leave for students who will be away from the campus conducting research and not using faculty time or University resources (faculty verification required); 6) A Filing Fee Quarter of Leave for students who intend to file the thesis or dissertation the quarter of the leave request (faculty verification required). The above constitute the only grounds for a leave of absence.
Graduate students studying outside the state of California for a quarter or more are encouraged to consider registering in absentia, which entitles them to a one-half reduction of the registration fee and allows them to maintain continuous registration. Students who do not register and who do not have a leave of absence must seek reinstatement if they wish to return to graduate standing.
Petitions for a leave of absence may be approved on a quarterly basis up to a career maximum of three quarters. The three-quarter career limit for research leave is calculated separately from the three-quarter career limit for medical, family emergency, pregnancy/parenting, and military leaves. Extensions beyond the three-quarter career maximum will be granted only in the most extreme or unusual circumstances. Students who reach a career maximum of leaves as described below are still eligible to apply for a filing fee quarter of leave.
Graduate students who are granted leave are not eligible for either teaching assistant or graduate student researcher positions or for campus fellowships or financial aid. Lending agencies do not consider a leave of absence a substitute for registered status.
Transfer of credit. Credit for upper-division and graduate courses may be transferred to UCSB only if the student was enrolled in a graduate program when the courses were completed and they have not been applied toward a degree already awarded. Graduate students must complete one quarter of residency at UCSB before they can petition to transfer units earned elsewhere. With the permission of the Graduate Division and the academic department, up to eight quarter-units of credit for courses completed with a B or better from an accredited college other than another University of California campus may be transferred as upper-division credit toward a graduate degree. Up to twelve quarter-units may be transferred from another UC campus. With the exception of courses completed through concurrent enrollment in UCSB Extension by applicants for graduate admission, course titles of transferred units are not reflected on the UCSB transcript for graduate students, and transferred units are treated as Passed/Not Passed and do not count toward UCSB grade point average.
No transfer credit is allowed for any course taken as an undergraduate. No courses taken during UCSB Summer Session will apply toward a graduate degree or teaching credential unless admission to graduate standing at UCSB was effective in the summer or in a previous quarter. Ordinarily, no credit is allowed toward an advanced degree for units taken while in non-degree status. (Continuing students who were on approved leave of absence or had lapsed their status during the spring are not required to file a petition to return to graduate standing for the summer. They should register through Summer Sessions. Students who had lapsed their status during the spring and intended to return to graduate standing in the fall must submit a Reinstatement petition to the Graduate Division.)
Students who had formally applied to a UCSB graduate program at the time they completed coursework through concurrent enrollment at UCSB may transfer up to 12 units of credit and the grade points earned in those units to their graduate program, if admitted. Students must petition their academic department and Graduate Division for approval. Units taken through concurrent enrollment prior to filing an application cannot be transferred.
Graduate students may not take courses through concurrent enrollment that can be completed through regular enrollment at UCSB. If such courses are taken, no unit credit will be counted toward fulfillment of degree requirements set by the UCSB Graduate Council.
Graduate students must receive permission from Graduate Division to take "special" Extension course offerings (i.e., coursework other than concurrent enrollment courses). Consult the Graduate Division for a petition and further information.
Since departments are normally interested in the competencies attained in previous coursework rather than in unit credit, students should consult their academic departments and the Graduate Division to determine if a transfer of units is necessary.
Final degree requirements. A graduate degree cannot be awarded until the student has fulfilled all Graduate Council and departmental degree requirements, as determined by degree checks conducted by the student's academic department and the Graduate Division. The student is responsible for remedying any deficiencies found during a final degree check.
Filing fee. All students must be in a fee relationship with the University the quarter their degree is awarded (i.e., they are either registered or pay a filing fee). The filing fee is a reduced fee paid instead of full registration fees the quarter a student is completing the last requirement for a degree. Payment of the filing fee does not entitle the student to any of the privileges and services that accompany full registration, except for filing. Doctoral degree candidates may use the filing fee to file the dissertation. Because paying the filing fee terminates graduate status, it may be used only by terminal master's degree students who have finished all requirements with the exception of the comprehensive exam or filing the thesis.
Changes in degree requirements. As research or new knowledge develops, departmental requirements may change. Departments may ask students to accept additional or new requirements. In general, a student follows the departmental degree requirements set forth at the time of the student's admission. If requirements change, the student is usually given the option of continuing under the original requirements or changing to the revised curriculum.
In many departments, the master's degree is looked upon as a stage on the path to the doctorate. In some programs, students may pursue a terminal master's degree. Some departments provide one track for students who will seek the doctoral degree and another track for students who intend to pursue careers outside academia. Graduate Council's minimum requirements for the master's degree are described below. Individual departments often impose additional requirements. Students should consult the department for updated and specific requirements in excess of the minimum requirements.
Degree plans. The master's degree may be obtained in one of two ways: Plan 1 requires a thesis; Plan 2 requires a comprehensive examination or project. Departments may offer one or both of these plans. Students in either plan must satisfy all departmental and UCSB Graduate Council requirements. The study plan of every master's student must be approved by the department.
Master's Plan 1, thesis. In addition to the submission of an acceptable thesis, this plan requires completion of a minimum of 30 units of upper-division and graduate coursework, of which at least 20 units must be at the graduate level (excluding courses numbered 597 or 598, units for teaching assistant duties or training, or service as a graduate student researcher). A maximum of 10 units of the required 20 graduate units may be in 596 coursework. Some departments also require completion of an examination at the conclusion of coursework.
A master's thesis committee consists of a minimum of three tenure-track faculty members (also called ladder faculty), at least two of whom must be from the student's home program. The chair (or one of the co-chairs) must be from the student's home program. Some departments may require more than three ladder faculty on thesis committees, including a faculty member from another discipline. The chair of this committee advises the student on a course of study and usually directs the thesis research. The committee is nominated by the department chair in consultation with the student and approved by the Graduate Dean. Graduate Council will consider written requests for exceptions to thesis committee policy from departments. All committee members must approve the thesis.
The thesis must meet the formatting and filing requirements of the Graduate Council. For details, see the Graduate Division publication, UCSB Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations, available through the Graduate Division website. The student is also responsible for fulfilling disciplinary norms and requirements affecting content of theses.
Master's Plan 2, non-thesis option (comprehensive examination or project). This plan requires completion of at least 36 units of upper-division and graduate coursework plus either (a) a comprehensive final examination set by the major department and administered by a master's committee appointed by the department, OR (b) a research project supervised by at least one ladder faculty member and approved by a project committee that includes at least two members of the department's ladder faculty. No fewer than 24 of the 36 units required for the non-thesis option must be in graduate courses in the major subject or in graduate courses related to that subject as approved by the Graduate Advisor. Teaching and research practica, 597, or 598 courses may not be used to meet this minimum unit requirement. No more than half of the required 24 graduate units may be in 596 coursework.
UCSB offers three doctoral degrees: the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.), and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). The Ph.D. is not a unit-count degree, but a research degree awarded upon demonstration of the student's academic excellence and research capability. To that end, doctoral students must pass doctoral qualifying examinations to demonstrate mastery of their chosen field and produce a dissertation acceptable to the student's doctoral committee. Doctoral students normally follow a plan of study determined in consultation with their advisors. The D.M.A. is a professional degree with distinct course, performance, and research requirements and the Ed.D. degree is a joint doctoral degree in Educational Leadership offered in conjunction with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Specific degree requirements for each discipline are described in the department's section of this website.
Doctoral committees. A doctoral committee consists of a minimum of three ladder faculty, two of whom must be from the student's home program; additional members from the department or from other disciplines may be added either to meet departmental requirements for additional members or at the student's discretion. The chair (or one of the co-chairs) must be from the student's home program. In some departments, the same committee conducts qualifying examinations and supervises work on the dissertation; in other departments separate committees are nominated. It is not unusual for doctoral committee membership to change during the course of a student's work on the doctorate.
The doctoral committee is nominated by the department chair in consultation with the student and approved by the Graduate Dean. The chair of the committee advises the student on a course of study leading to the qualifying examinations and usually serves as director of the student's dissertation research. Graduate Council may consider written requests for exceptions.
Qualifying examinations and advancement to candidacy. All doctoral students are required to officially advance to candidacy for the doctorate. In order to officially advance to doctoral candidacy, students must satisfy all course and residence requirements; be registered; fulfill foreign language and/or methodology requirements set by the academic department; pass departmental preliminary and screening examinations; pass oral qualifying examinations administered by the student's doctoral committee (as well as written qualifying examinations in some departments); and pay an advancement to candidacy fee of $65 at the Graduate Division. Students who fail to advance to candidacy within four years of admission become subject to academic probation and possible dismissal.
In a few departments, students may petition for the award of the candidate in philosophy (C.Phil.) degree at the time they advance for the doctorate. Students must petition the Graduate Division for award of the C.Phil. within one year of passing their oral qualifying examination. The C.Phil. degree certifies that a student has completed all doctoral requirements except for the dissertation. The C.Phil. degree is awarded only to Ph.D. candidates on recommendation of departmental faculty in those departments which have elected and been approved by the Graduate Council to award the C.Phil. degree. No applicant will be admitted with a final degree objective of C.Phil.
Additional standards of scholarship. In addition to the basic standards of scholarship detailed above, doctoral students who cannot develop a satisfactory dissertation research proposal or form a faculty committee of three members to supervise the dissertation research may be placed on academic probation and become subject to dismissal for failure to make satisfactory progress toward the degree.
Doctoral students are required to complete their degree requirements in a timely manner. As noted above, doctoral students have four years from beginning a doctoral program to officially advance to doctoral candidacy and seven years to complete the doctorate. Academic departments may set time limits for completion in addition to the minimum standards established by the UCSB Graduate Council. Students may be recommended for dismissal by their respective departments if they do not make timely progress toward degree completion.
Dissertation and filing requirements. The doctoral dissertation must be the result of original research in the field of the candidate's specialization. The candidate's doctoral committee determines the acceptability of the dissertation; all members of the committee must approve the dissertation. Departments may require a defense of the dissertation, or waive the defense if appropriate.
The dissertation must meet the formatting and filing requirements of the Graduate Council. Doctoral students may file one copy of their dissertations electronically. For details, see the Graduate Division publication UCSB Guide to Filing Theses and Dissertations, available through www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/pubs/filingguide.shtml. The student is also responsible for fulfilling disciplinary norms and requirements affecting content of dissertations. Doctoral degree candidates must complete a ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing Agreement, the UCSB Survey of Doctoral Degree recipients (www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/exitsurvey), and a Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) questionnaire available at the Graduate Division. The Graduate Council requires that dissertations be published through ProQuest (formerly Bell & Howell/UMI) to ensure the widest possible dissemination of knowledge. The Survey of Earned Doctorates, conducted by the National Research Council, provides nationwide information on all doctoral degree recipients, their fields, their career plans and other pertinent data.
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Enrolled graduate students at UCSB may pursue either of two certificates in addition to their degree. The Graduate Program in Management Practice (GPMP) provides doctoral students a sound introduction in the fundamentals of business management in preparation for successful careers using their graduate training beyond the University. The program includes four courses taught in the College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, and Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, as well as a 160-hour internship in an approved organization. Information is available at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/career/mgmt.shtml.
The Certificate in College and University Teaching (CCUT) is designed for doctoral and M.F.A. students who wish to demonstrate superior competence and experience in preparation for teaching at the university or college level. Certificate requirements include completion or attainment of a number of teaching-related skills and experiences culminating in independent instruction of an entire class with the support of a UCSB faculty mentor. Information is available at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/ccut/.
Intercampus Exchange Program for Graduate Students
IEPGS allows qualified graduate students at UCSB to take advantage of educational opportunities at other UC campuses. If approved for IEPGS, students may take courses not available at UCSB, participate in special programs, or study with a distinguished faculty member at another campus for one quarter. Students must meet the following qualifications to be eligible to participate in IEPGS:
The Education Abroad Program offers opportunities for study and research at over 150 institutions in 35 countries throughout the world. Graduate students are encouraged to explore opportunities to meet language requirements of their degree program, achieve the cultural or contextual understanding needed for study of a particular topic, or pursue a research interest at top ranked institutions in their field of study. Students must meet minimum requirements for the program, have completed at least one year of graduate study at UCSB before departure, and secure the support of their academic department and the Graduate Dean. Further information may be found in the section titled "Additional Academic Programs" or at the Education Abroad Program website.
International students who are interested in undertaking advanced study at a major university in the United States but who are unable to enroll for the full period of a degree program can apply to participate in the "Design Your Own Program" through UCSB Extension. Refer to the website at www.extension.ucsb.edu/ip for more information.
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UCSB provides three main types of support for graduate students: fellowship or merit based support; academic appointments, which provide either departmental teaching or research assistantships; and need-based support, which is offered through the Financial Aid Office.
All domestic graduate students at UCSB are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 2 deadline to be considered for most of the student support funds. Website: www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is used to compile a "need analysis" which is used in the determination of all financial support packages. UCSB's code is 001320.
UCSB offers a variety of centrally administered fellowships for both new and continuing graduate students. Awards are made to students on the basis of academic merit and promise of productive scholarship. These fellowship packages are intended to advance the goals of increased excellence and diversity of the graduate training programs at UCSB. Some fellowships are multi-year packages that include a combination of fee and nonresident tuition payment, stipend support, and academic apprentice positions. Other fellowships are single-year packages that include stipend and fee payment. Additionally, various fellowships are available to provide support for travel or research costs, payment of in-state fees, and support for students who are in the final stages of their dissertation preparation.
Some fellowships are restricted to doctoral or M.F.A. candidates, whereas others are awarded to both master's and doctoral students. Some fellowships are restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, whereas others are available to international students as well. A complete list of fellowships for both new and continuing students, along with a description of each support package, is available on the Graduate Division's website under the Financial heading.
In addition to the centrally administered fellowships, academic departments have their own funds available that they may use to recruit excellent new students and support continuing students. Departmental fellowship support can be in the form of fee payment, nonresident tuition payment, and stipends. Students should consult their academic department for additional information.
Incoming students indicate on the application for admission whether or not they are interested in being considered for fellowship support.
All candidates are nominated directly by the academic department. Multi-disciplinary faculty committees select award recipients. The award committees look at the departmental ranking of each nominated candidate, GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and each candidate's statement of purpose. All fellowship awards are very competitive.
To be eligible for fellowship awards, students must have filed their application for admission, all supporting documents, and the FAFSA by January 15 or the stated deadline for their department, if earlier.
Fellowships for Continuing Students
UCSB offers a variety of fellowships to continuing students in an effort to provide support at the various stages of a graduate education. Students may apply directly for some of these awards, while departments must nominate their students for others. To be eligible for these fellowships, students must be registered and in good academic standing for at least three quarters in their graduate program at UCSB.
Multi-disciplinary faculty committees select award recipients. Committee members will review several measures of academic success and merit such as letters of recommendation; UC GPA; timely progress toward the degree; evidence of scholarly production such as publication of original research in scholarly journals, presentation of research at scholarly meetings, or musical performance in public settings. All award selection processes are very competitive. Students are encouraged to apply for all fellowships for which they are eligible.
Students may seek either academic apprentice appointments or part-time University staff positions. Graduate students may work up to 50% time during the academic year. Apprentice personnel positions provide training for future careers in academic settings and are the largest source of graduate student support on campus. Graduate students may be appointed to a variety of apprentice titles. Students apply directly through their departments for academic apprentice appointments and through the Campus Learning Assistance Services for additional positions. Teaching assistant, teaching associate, reader, tutor/remedial tutor, and graduate student researcher (GSR) positions of at least 25% pay a salary plus health insurance and partial payment of fees. A GSR appointment of at least 35% provides a monthly salary plus the payment of fees, health insurance, and nonresident tuition if necessary.
Many part-time University staff positions are also available on campus. Jobs are listed at the University's Counseling and Career Services Office and at the Human Resources Office. The Financial Aid Office has information regarding work-study positions.
Graduate students may apply for a variety of need-based awards including work-study
and loans through the Financial
Aid Office. Students must file the FAFSA (Free
Application for Federal Student Aid) each year and provide the Financial
Aid Office with supplemental information as requested. Questions about need-based
aid should be addressed directly to the Financial
Aid Office, UCSB, Santa Barbara,
CA 93106-3180. Telephone: (805) 893-2432.
There are numerous extramural fellowships available. In addition to gaining funding for graduate school, graduate students are encouraged to conduct a search of extramural funding resources as part of their professional training for life in academia. It is recommended that the funding search begin with the student's signing up for a U-Mail account at www.umail.ucsb.edu to get access to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Once the student has gained access to the Internet, he/she should visit the Graduate Division's electronic funding newsletter, The $ource, located at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/Source. The Source-created specifically for UCSB graduate students by the financial support section of the Graduate Division-provides links to financial support information, regularly updated listings of campus competitions and deadlines, national fellowship announcements, and links to various funding sources and databases. Also included is a link to the Illinois Researcher and Information Service (IRIS), an extramural funding source database with search capabilities along with instructions on how to conduct a search. Throughout the academic year, the Graduate Division sponsors presentations that assist graduate students in conducting searches and writing applications for extramural funding.
The Graduate Division publishes funding opportunities through three electronic
mailing lists (subscribe at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/Source)
during the academic year:
HUMFUND - funding opportunities for graduate students in the humanities
and fine arts;
SOCFUND - funding opportunities for graduate students in the social sciences
and education); and
SEMFUND - funding opportunities for graduate students in science, engineering,
and math.
The reference section on the first floor of the Davidson Library can provide a variety of directories that describe sources of funding and research opportunities including fellowships, grants, internships, and jobs. Several useful references on proposal and resume preparation are also available.
For assistance with the search and application for extramural funding, consult
www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/gradlife/funding/
or contact Academic Services staff in the Graduate Division at academics@graddiv.ucsb.edu.
For information on any other aspect of graduate student support, contact the
Graduate Financial Support Section at financial@graddiv.ucsb.edu.
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