African Studies

A minimum of nine courses (36 units) is required for the M.A. degree, at least five of which must be at the graduate level. The courses must be distributed between disciplines as follows:

Except for 500-series courses, university regulations indicate that a student in an interdepartmental degree program may not apply courses taken on an S/U grading basis toward the master's degree. By petition, the program will consider an exception for one of the nine required courses. Such petitions must be approved by a graduate adviser and the Graduate Division. No more than eight units of 500-series courses may be applied toward the graduate course requirement for the M.A. degree.

African Studies, M.A. / M.P.H. in Community Health Sciences
Students who are enrolled in the concurrent degree program with Public Health may use up to two Community Health Sciences courses (eight units) toward the minimum of three elective courses.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The capstone plan consists of a comprehensive examination, which involves the submission of three research papers (at least one seminar and two upper division papers). These papers are evaluated by the ad hoc committee chaired by the student's principal adviser. Students have to submit their papers during the last quarter in residence. If the comprehensive examination is failed, it may be retaken only once via the resubmission of qualifying papers by the end of the next academic quarter.

Thesis Plan

Every master's degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research.

The thesis option is available by permission of the graduate adviser. Upon obtaining permission, the student, in consultation with the graduate adviser, selects a faculty committee to supervise and assess the thesis. Two of the three faculty committee members, including the chair, must be from the area of concentration; a third member must be from another discipline. The thesis must reflect the major discipline or field of concentration. An oral defense may be required in some circumstances.

Time-to-Degree

Normal progress from graduate admission to award of the master's degree is six quarters. Normal progress for students enrolled in the concurrent degree program with Public Health is nine quarters.

MAXIMUM TTD

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for academic disqualification is first made by the graduate adviser to the interdepartmental program committee.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University's accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.