Minimum Degree Requirements

The minimum required period of residence in the University is one aca- demic year (3 quarters) of which two quarters must normally be spent at the University of California, Riverside. A candidate for a higher degree is regarded as a student in residence in a regular term only if he/she is actually enrolled in at least four units of upper division and/or graduate work; or, in a ten-week summer session at least four units.

The master’s degree can generally be earned in one of two ways: by writ- ing a thesis or by passing a comprehensive examination. Some programs offer only one of these options.

Both plans require a minimum of 36 quarter units of graduate (200 level) or upper-division (100 level) undergraduate work in the major subject or some other subject deemed relevant by the program faculty. Many programs have additional requirements. Courses at the 300 and 400 level do not count towards this minimum requirement.

Unless otherwise stated in the program description, the normative time required to complete the master’s degree is two years.

Plan I (Thesis) requires that at least 24 units be in graduate (200) level courses taken at a University of California campus (see residency require- ments). Of these, only 12 may be in graduate research for the thesis and, in most cases, none may be in courses numbered 291 (exam preparation). Students are guided by a committee of three faculty who must be approved by the Graduate Dean. In addition to requiring an acceptable thesis, the department may require any examination that it feels necessary to confirm that the student has an appropriate knowledge of the discipline. Once completed the thesis must adhere to University standards and be filed in the Graduate Division electronically.

Plan II (Comprehensive Examination) requires that at least 18 units be in graduate (200) level courses taken at a University of California campus (see residency requirements). None of these may be in graduate research for the thesis or, in most cases, in courses numbered 291 (exam preparation). Students must take a comprehensive examination, the content of which is determined by the department or program. No more than two attempts to pass the exam are allowed.

Master’s students in residence and in good standing may earn course credit by examination. Consult the departmental graduate advisor for further details.

Students must file for advancement to candidacy no later than the first week of the quarter in which they expect to receive their degree. Some degree requirements may be in progress at that time. The forms for advancement to candidacy are obtained from www.graduate.ucr.edu/advancement.html and filed in the Graduate Division after obtaining the graduate advisor’s approval. In the event of some unex- pected delay, students have up to one year from the completion date of all course requirements to complete their remaining academic requirements. Students must complete all requirements for the degree by the last day of the quarter in which they intend to graduate. Students cannot graduate with a GD or Incomplete grade unless they are continuing in a PhD program. Students must be enrolled or on filing fee status to complete degree requirements. If they were enrolled (or on filing fee status) every quarter of the previous academic year then they may complete during the summer without paying fees.

Permission to work for a second master’s degree may be approved when there is little relation in content between the two degrees. Duplication of a master’s degree in a single field is allowable only with permission of the Graduate Dean. Pursuit of a second doctorate is not permitted.

Students who are enrolled in a master’s program may petition to pursue the Graduate Studies / 55 doctorate in their field of study. To do so, they should file a Change in Degree Objective Form with the Graduate Division while they are enrolled. Approval by the department is not automatic; the department determines whether or not each student has the academic potential to succeed in its Ph.D. program. This requirement for evaluating each student’s potential and academic fitness to proceed toward the Ph.D. is enforced regardless of the student’s initial degree objective at matriculation.

The minimum academic residence for the Ph.D. is six quarters at the University of California, three of which must be spent in continuous resi- dence at UCR. The normative time required for the Ph.D. varies considerably and is given at the end of each program’s description in the Programs and Courses section of this catalog. For the doctoral degree, normative time is defined as the period of full-time registration required to earn the degree. For most UCR programs, this is between five and seven years.

The doctorate, the highest degree the university can bestow, is a research degree, conferred on the recommendation of a doctoral committee, which is nominated in consultation with the student by the program faculty and confirmed by the Graduate Dean.

Because the Ph.D. is a research degree, the university gives programs considerable latitude in establishing degree requirements. The individual student’s program of study is planned in consultation with the graduate advisor, who supervises the student’s progress prior to the appointment of the doctoral committee.

A doctoral program generally involves two stages. The first stage is spent fulfilling the requirements established by the program or department and the Graduate Council, typically a series of courses culminating in written and oral qualifying examinations. When these are passed, the student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D.

The second, or in-candidacy stage, is devoted primarily to independent study and research and to the preparation of the dissertation. The doctoral dissertation must be an original work of research in the candidate’s cho- sen field of specialization. The doctoral committee determines the acceptability of the dissertation and may require that the student defend its contents in a final oral examination.

A Ph.D. student who is advanced to candidacy and has to leave UCR without a degree may apply for the Candidate in Philosophy. This is awarded only to students leaving UCR without a master’s or doctoral degree.