Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Course requirements for the master's degree are satisfied by completion of a departmentally approved program of study. Each program of study must consist of at least nine courses (36 units), six (24 units) of which must be entry level graduate courses drawn from a list maintained by the department and chosen to ensure proper breadth and preparation. The minimum of 12 additional units of course work are chosen, from the 200-series, to develop a specialization. The advanced course requirements also may be partially satisfied by: (1) 200-series courses taken for a grade outside of the department; (2) directed studies courses (596) within the department; and, in case of thesis plan students, (3) research courses (598) within the department. Only one 500-series course (four units) may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement for the master's degree. Each student submits their program of study to the department prior to the beginning of their second year. Subject to the approval of the student's guidance committee, the program of study may be amended, repeatedly and at any time, based on course offerings and evolving interests. The final program of study will be the basis for the departmental oral comprehensive examination. Satisfactory completion of the program of study requires an S grade for all S/U graded courses and a B average in all letter-graded courses that are part of the program of study.

In addition to the program of study, all students in the master's program are required to enroll in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 270 for S/U grading every quarter in which they are registered.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The master's capstone is an oral comprehensive examination that is administered by the student's departmental guidance committee after the successful completion of their program of study. The examination is graded fail, master's level pass, or Ph.D. level pass. The material within the student's program of study, especially within the chosen specialization, serves as the basis for this examination. Students are permitted two attempts to obtain a grade of pass, either for termination with award of the M.S. degree or for award of the M.S. degree and continuation for the Ph.D. degree. Students must receive a grade of pass (master's or Ph.D. level) to satisfy the master's comprehensive examination requirement. Students must receive a grade of Ph.D. level pass on this examination and have their entire record deemed acceptable for doctoral study by the guidance committee in order to be eligible to continue for the Ph.D. degree.

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.

Students may receive the master's degree by writing an original thesis as an alternative to the comprehensive examination. The thesis is graded in the same manner as is the comprehensive examination: fail, master's level pass, or Ph.D. level pass. A Ph.D. level pass is considered to be sufficient to satisfy the written qualifying examination requirement for the Ph.D. degree (see below). The thesis is graded on the basis of critical, creative and independent thought.

Time-to-Degree

From graduate admission to conferral of degree, normal progress is six academic quarters (and two summer terms). The maximum allowable time limit for the degree is nine academic quarters (and three summer terms).

MAXIMUM TTD

Advising

Students who enter the program without an academic adviser should consult with a graduate adviser when planning their graduate study. Before the first year of graduate study is completed, students choose a principal academic adviser. This adviser assists the students in creating a program of study that satisfies departmental and university requirements. The adviser also serves as the chair for the student's departmental guidance committee, members of which are selected by the student in consultation with the principal adviser. The departmental guidance committee is responsible for administering the oral component of the comprehensive examination and, in the case of students who fulfill the written component of the comprehensive examination with a master's thesis or first authored paper, as evaluators of the thesis or paper. Normally the departmental guidance committee forms the core of the student's doctoral committee.

Evaluations of the academic progress of each student are made each September when the graduate advisers, sitting as a committee, review student records, formally apprise students of their progress, and assist them in making future plans. The graduate advisers are also available throughout the year to meet with students as required.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Dynamic and synoptic meteorology; oceanography; atmospheric physics and chemistry; upper atmosphere and space physics.

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Course requirements for the doctoral degree are satisfied by completion of a departmentally approved program of study. Each program of study must consist of at least nine courses (36 units), six (24 units) of which must be entry level graduate courses drawn from a list maintained by the department and chosen to ensure proper breadth and preparation. The minimum of 12 additional units of course work are chosen, from the 200-series, to develop a specialization. The advanced course requirements also may be partially satisfied by: (1) 200-series courses taken for a grade outside of the department; (2) directed studies courses (596) within the department; and, in case of thesis plan students, (3) research courses (598) within the department. Each student submits their program of study to the department prior to the beginning of their second year. Subject to the approval of the student's guidance committee, the program of study may be amended, repeatedly and at any time, based on course offerings and evolving interests. The final program of study will be the basis for the departmental oral comprehensive examination. Satisfactory completion of the program of study requires an S grade for all S/U grades courses and a B average in all letter-graded courses that are part of the program of study, and a grade-point average of 3.5 or greater in five of six entry level courses that form the core of the program of study, and the overall program of study.

Students are required to present a graded departmental seminar based on their original series as part of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 270. The grade for this seminar is based on the seminar presentation and is given by the faculty as a whole. A grade of B or better is required for the doctoral degree. Prior to the quarter in which the seminar is presented for a letter grade, students in the doctoral program are required to enroll in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 270 for S/U grading every quarter in which they are registered. Subsequent to receiving a B or better for their seminar presentation, doctoral students are encouraged but not required to continue to enroll in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science 270.

Regardless of the status of their program of study, full-time students must be enrolled in at least one (three or more units) 200-series course per year prior to receiving the doctoral degree.

Teaching Experience

All students are required to teach (be employed as a teaching assistant within this department) at least two quarters.

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.

Students are required to complete three examinations before advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree: the master's comprehensive examination, which is an oral examination; a written qualifying examination; and the University Oral Qualifying Examination.

Students are required to complete the master's comprehensive examination at the Ph.D. level as described above for the master's degree. This examination is an oral examination based on the student's program of study, especially within the chosen specialization.

Written Qualifying Examination

All doctoral students are required to pass a written qualifying examination that demonstrates their ability to critically summarize and synthesize literature on a research topic. Normally this ability is demonstrated by satisfactory performance on an examination that is offered once a year, usually at the end of spring quarter. The examination consists of a written paper in which students present a critical summary and synthesis of a research topic chosen for them with their specific research interests in mind. A more specific timeline and evaluation criteria for each year's examination are made available to students at least two months prior to the examination. This examination may be taken twice and is administered by a committee of the faculty chosen on a yearly basis for the purpose of administering and grading this examination. The examination is graded pass or not pass. Students who do not pass the examination will receive one of three recommendations: (1) retake the examination the following year; (2) write a master's thesis and be reconsidered for eligibility to continue for the Ph.D. degree depending on the grade on the thesis; or (3) complete any outstanding requirements for the master's degree and leave the program.

For students who complete the master's thesis plan, a Ph.D. level pass on the master's thesis is considered sufficient to satisfy the written qualifying examination for the Ph.D. degree. On the recommendation of their principal adviser, a student may petition to substitute a first authored paper submitted for publication in a refereed journal for the written qualifying examination. The student's departmental guidance committee makes the decision on the petition.

University Oral Qualifying Examination

This examination is conducted by the student's doctoral committee. The committee conducts an in-depth oral examination of the student's written proposal of the dissertation research topic. The proposal is made available to the committee at least one week prior to the examination. The examination is graded based on the student's ability to articulate a coherent and feasible plan of original and creative research.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations. The Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree is awarded for the quarter in which students are advanced to candidacy.

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)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

Normative Time-to-Degree is 17 academic quarters (and five summer terms). Maximum Time-to-Degree is 24 academic quarters (and eight summer terms).

MAXIMUM TTD

Students are expected to:

A. Pass the written component of the departmental comprehensive examination at the conclusion of their first year and to take the oral component of this examination either during the summer at the end of their second year or at the beginning of their third year.

B. Take the University Oral Qualifying Examination at the end of their third year (nine academic quarters and three summer terms) or at the beginning of their fourth year.

To remain in good standing students must meet the course work requirements and pass the departmental comprehensive examination (or satisfy equivalent requirements) prior to the end of their tenth academic quarter; pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination prior to the end of their thirteenth academic quarter; and the dissertation and final oral defense examination should be completed prior to the end of their eighteenth quarter. Exceptions to these policies may be granted based on extenuating circumstances or based on students being allowed to enroll part-time. In such cases, student progress is judged in relation to a time line determined by the graduate advisers in consultation with students and their principal advisers.

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 student who fails to maintain a 3.00 grade point average for two consecutive terms or for a total of three terms, or who fails to pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination after two attempts, or who fails to remain in good standing for two consecutive or three total quarters (see definition of good standing under Time-To-Degree) will be recommended for termination. A student may appeal a recommendation for termination to the departmental chair.

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