Handbook of Graduate Student Policies and Procedures

UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies

Department of Education


A. THE MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.) DEGREE

The Master of Arts academic degree program in Education is designed to meet the needs of individuals preparing for careers in basic research or for advanced graduate study.

1. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of nine upper division and graduate courses (36 units) must be completed in graduate standing. Students must check with their respective Division to determine specific course requirements. However, six courses (24 units) must be taken in the Education 200/500 series. No more than 8 units of 500 series may be applied toward the divisional course minimum and toward the graduate course minimum.

Two research methods courses approved by the faculty advisor must be selected. Additional courses to complete the 36-unit requirement may be selected from offerings in Education and/or other departments upon consent of the assigned faculty advisor.

Courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better and with cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

2. TRANSFER OF GRADUATE COURSE CREDIT

Students are not allowed to transfer coursework taken at other institutions toward the M.A. degree.

3. THESIS PLAN

Under this plan the student prepares a thesis which is a report of the results of original investigation. Before beginning work on the thesis, the student must obtain approval of the subject and general plan from the Department Chair and the thesis committee chair.

A Thesis Committee of at least three faculty members must be formed and a Petition for Advancement to Candidacy for the M.A. must be filed with the Office of Student Services no later than one quarter prior to completion of course requirements for the degree.

The Thesis and Dissertation Advisor and the Graduate Division publication, Regulations for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation, provide guidance in the final preparation of the manuscript. The Department does not require a formal examination in connection with the thesis plan.

4. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION PLAN

The comprehensive examination is concerned with central topics in the selected Division and field of emphasis. Questions are comprehensive in nature and are designed to measure the breadth and depth of knowledge, as well as ability to focus that knowledge on specific problems.

The comprehensive examination is offered twice yearly, once in Fall Quarter and once in Spring Quarter.

Students may be "passed," "passed with honors," or "failed" on this examination. Students who fail this examination will be given a second opportunity to take the examination at the discretion of the student's advisor and a third opportunity upon a two-thirds majority of all divisional faculty voting on this issue. No fourth sitting for the examination is permitted.

Students who fail the Comprehensive Examination but who have been allowed to re-take it, should do so at the next scheduled sitting.

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