Architecture

Candidates for the M.A. degree are expected to be in residence at UCLA for two years and are required to complete a minimum of 16 courses (or 64 units) of graduate or upper division course work. 30 of these units must come from Architecture and Urban Design 290. Students must enroll in three 4-unit 289 courses per year. Students must enroll in at least 4 and no more than 8 units of course 598. The remaining units may be from upper division and/or graduate courses campus wide including 500 series courses. No more than 20 units of 500-level courses may be counted toward the total unit requirement for the degree. For more information about the program, e.g. policies and procedures, see the departmental handbook.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

None.

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.

All M.A. students must complete a master's thesis. For more information, see the departmental handbook.

Time-to-Degree

The average length of study for the M.A. degree is six academic quarters (two years).

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Advising

Students working toward the Ph.D. degree are advised initially by the Standing Ph.D. Faculty Committee. By the end of their first year of study, and in consultation with that Committee, students select an individual adviser. Students must discuss their course selection with and receive approval from their adviser or the Committee every quarter. Progress towards degree of all students is reviewed by the Committee twice per academic year during the winter and spring quarter. The Committee is comprised of three faculty members.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

The Department offers the Ph.D. degree in the area of Critical Studies in Architectural Culture which focuses on the history and theory of architecture across a variety of scholarly methods and historical periods.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students are required to complete a college-level foreign language course equivalent to level three or above with a grade of B or pass an equivalent placement examination. The choice of language will be made in consultation and with the approval of the student’s adviser.

Course Requirements

Candidates for the Ph.D. are required to complete six quarters in residence and 72 units of course work. Of the 72 units, 30 units must be ARCH&UD 290. Students must enroll in three 4-unit 289 courses per year. The remaining units may be from upper division and/or graduate courses campus wide. Students may not apply more than eight units for each of the following courses toward degree requirements: ARCH&UD 596 and ARCH&UD 597; as many units of ARCH&UD 599 as necessary may be applied.

Students who hold a professional degree before admission to the program or students who transfer from the M.Arch I, M.Arch II or M.A. degree from the department may petition to reduce these course requirements to a minimum of three quarters in residence and 36 units of course work. Petitions will not be accepted until the spring quarter of the first year and decisions are at the discretion of the committee.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

After completing the required course work and foreign language requirement, students are required to take two qualifying exams. Both exams have written and oral components. The first qualifying exam requires students to demonstrate a broad mastery of the field of architecture. The second qualifying exam assesses student preparedness for independent doctoral research. These exams should be taken during the third year in the program and must be taken no later than the fourth year to ensure timely progress towards degree. Students may not take either qualifying exam more than twice. Some students may receive a provisional pass and will be allowed two weeks from the date that they receive their exam results to submit additional materials for consideration by the committee. For more information about the program, e.g. policies and procedures, see the departmental handbook.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to receive their degree within six years (18 quarters) from admission into the program, and must be registered continuously or on official leave of absence during this period. Students who do not register and are not on official leave automatically lose their status in the program.

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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.

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.