phd university of california davis

Education (Ph.D.)

School of Education

• Doctor of Philosophy

Our Ph.D. program critically engages students in contemporary issues that impact education research, policy and practice. Emphasizing collaboration, the program is an interdisciplinary graduate group that draws its faculty from diverse fields of education, humanities, social science, physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and medicine, and engages with key campus centers and programs, such as the M.I.N.D. Institute and the Poverty Center. Graduates of our program gain deep knowledge of educational theory and practice related to strengthening schools and other educational settings. Our close proximity to California’s state capital of Sacramento also affords students a rich set of opportunities and networks for influencing education policy.

Graduate Program Requirements

Contact information.

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UC Davis Agricultural and Resource Economics

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis offers one of the world's top graduate programs in agricultural economics, development economics, and environmental and resource economics. Students in our program complete a rigorous plan of study in microeconomic theory, econometrics, and field courses, and benefit from close collaboration and hands-on advising with faculty. We welcome students from a wide range of backgrounds and places, and value the diversity they bring to our program.

In these pages you will find key information about our program, including the program philosophy, application procedure, financial aid, and course offerings. Our graduate handbook provides you with all the relevant information about expectations, procedures, and requirements to be met as you make your way toward your degree objective.

If you have any questions after reading these pages, please send an e-mail to [email protected] .

We also offer a post-graduate certificate program, for students currently enrolled in a graduate program abroad who seek to enhance their training in applied economics at UC Davis.

Main Office: 530-752-1515 Student Advising Services: 530-754-9536 DeLoach Conference Room: 530-752-2916 Main Conference Room: 530-754-1850

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Doctoral Degree

The doctoral degree.

The doctoral (Ph.D.) degree prepares students to solve complex, long-term research problems. You can expect to graduate in four to five years and to work on a large research project, culminating in a dissertation. The majority of our doctoral graduates end up in industry careers, usually in research and product development positions. Others go on to careers in academia, either as a postdoctoral researcher or an assistant professor.

Course Requirements

Program of Study   / Handbook  / Recommended Electives

Doctoral students complete the same core courses as the master’s degree students, but have additional examinations along the way that test both the breadth and depth of their chemical engineering knowledge. Over the course of your first fall quarter, you will be matched with a major professor through the "Preparing for Graduate Student Success" course (ECH 200). The five core classes mentioned above are listed below:

• ECH 252: Statistical Thermodynamics
• ECH 253A: Advanced Fluid Mechanics
• ECH 253C: Advanced Mass Transfer
• ECH 256: Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering
• ECH 259: Advanced Engineering Mathematics.

For the 12-unts of electives, you can select from any available upper-division undergraduate course (courses numbered 100-199) or graduate level course (courses numbered 200-299) in a science or engineering discipline. Doctoral students are encouraged to select any physics, chemistry, mathematics or engineering-related courses that will assist them in preparing for their dissertation research. Of the 12 elective units, only 4 units can be upper-division (100 level) courses. 

You are also expected to enroll in ECH 290: "Department Seminar" four times as students prepare for their qualifying examinations. The course requires students to attend a majority of the weekly departmental lectures by visiting scholars in the field, exposing them to the latest advances in chemical engineering.

Sample Schedule Year 1 and 2: Full-Time Student

Research and dissertation.

In years three and four, students will enroll in 12 units of research each quarter and begin working on dissertation research and writing until graduation at the end of year four or five.

Transferring Coursework

Graduate-level coursework completed at another institution may be substituted for elective or required coursework in some cases, depending on the content of the course. If a graduate-level course was taken during the student’s undergraduate degree program, students must provide documentation that the course was not used to satisfy the bachelor’s degree requirements. Transferred courses are evaluated through an internal process by the instructor of the course at UC Davis. If approved, the course is waived for the student. The waived course does not formally appear on the UC Davis transcript as a transferred course, but does appear on the internal Program of Study   form as satisfying the course requirements for the degree. Limits for transfer credit are detailed in the full degree requirements .

To learn more about transferring course work please go to  Graduate Studies webpage  on the topic.

Preliminary Exam

Taken in spring quarter of your first year, this exam consists of a 10-minute presentation followed by 20 minutes of questioning by a committee consisting of five faculty members, including your major professor. Prior to the exam, students prepare a one-page abstract containing a general overview and critical assessment of two to three research articles. The exam assesses your ability to communicate a solid understanding of fundamental scientific and engineering concepts, particularly in the context of your research topic. You must complete all core courses and maintain at least a 3.25 GPA to be eligible to take the exam.

Qualifying Exam

Like the preliminary exam, the qualifying exam contains both a written and an oral portion. The written portion consists of a 10-15 page dissertation research proposal and bibliography that follows a format similar to an NSF or NIH grant proposal. After distributing the proposal to the committee, the student prepares a 30-35 minute oral presentation, during which a faculty committee will question the student. The qualifying exam committee consists of five faculty members. Of these five members, the chair must be a faculty member in Chemical Engineering and one must be external to the Chemical Engineering graduate program. Major professors are not allowed to participate on the qualifying exam committee.

Exit Seminar

After you complete your dissertation, you will present your research to the department prior to submitting your dissertation. At least two of your dissertation committee members must be present at the exit seminar. To schedule your exit seminar, please email [email protected]  to begin the process. If the seminar is successfully completed, the committee will sign off on the dissertation signature page. Note that original signatures are required. Scanned images or electronic signatures will not be accepted.

Designated Emphases (DE)

As a doctoral student, you have the unique opportunity to participate in an affiliated designated emphasis (DE). A DE is similar in concept to an undergraduate minor. You will be required to complete additional coursework and must have a faculty member from that DE serve on both the qualifying exam committee and the dissertation committee. Students who successfully complete the DE will have a notation included on their diploma and transcript. The Chemical Engineering graduate program is affiliated with three designated emphases:

• Biophotonics and Bioimaging: https://biophotonics.bme.ucdavis.edu/
• Biotechnology: http://deb.ucdavis.edu/
• Nuclear Science: http://dens.physics.ucdavis.edu/

• Prospective Students
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• Know if the School offers a part-time, night or summer teaching credential program
• Learn about the cost of the Credential/MA program
• Learn about the Doctorate in Educational Leadership (EdD)
• Learn about the PhD program

• Course Requirements
• PhD Timeline and Milestones
• PhD Advising
• GGE Research Seminars
• Financial Support
• Language, Literacy & Culture
• Learning & Mind Sciences
• Mathematics Education
• School Organization & Educational Policy
• Science & Agricultural Education
• Graduate Group Faculty

PhD in Education

Welcome to the graduate group in education phd program.

Our Ph.D. program critically engages students in contemporary issues that impact education research, policy and practice.  Emphasizing collaboration, the program is an interdisciplinary graduate group that draws its faculty from diverse fields of education, humanities, social science, physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and medicine, and engages with key campus centers and programs, such as the M.I.N.D. Institute and the Poverty Center.

Designed to foster scholarly engagement and impact the practice of education, students may select from 5 areas of emphasis:

• Language, Literacy and Culture
• Learning and Mind Sciences
• Science and Agricultural Education
• School Organization and Educational Policy

Graduates of our program gain deep knowledge of educational theory and practice related to strengthening schools and other educational settings. Our close proximity to California’s state capital of Sacramento also affords students a rich set of opportunities and networks for influencing education policy.

To learn more about applying to our program, visit Admissions & Financial Aid – PhD Program . You are also welcome to attend one of our virtual Ph.D. Information Sessions listed below. You will need to register for the event to receive the Zoom link to attend. 

Thursday, November 9, 3:30-4:30pm (PST) ( Registration Link )

  Wednesday, November 29, 5:30-6:30pm (PST) ( Registration Link )

PhD Student Antoinette Banks Wins $1 Million Black Ambition Prize

Award is for parent-facing app that uses predictive AI to optimize IEP plans

Kaozong Mouavangsou

MA ’16, PhD ’22

Graduate Student Lab

Graduate Students

Did you know . . ..

UC Davis Psychology Graduate Program Ranked #1 in the University of California System and #12 overall!!

Program Structure

We do not offer training in the areas of clinical or counseling psychology, and students are only admitted to the Ph.D. program, although students in the program have the option of obtaining an M.A. degree enroute to the Ph.D. Resources and faculty personnel are concentrated in five areas: developmental; perception, cognition, and cognitive neuroscience; biological psychology (comparative and physiological psychology), social-personality, and quantitative.

Highly Qualified Students

UC Davis faculty and graduate programs attract highly qualified students from diverse educational, social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is the mix of backgrounds, ideas and experience of faculty and students that contributes to the richness of both the campus and the city of Davis. The Psychology Department takes pride in the tradition of informality and supportiveness in student-faculty associations.

ANGELA SCULLY Graduate Program Coordinator

• Graduate Program
• How to Apply

University of California, Davis 135 Young Hall  One Shields Avenue Davis ,  CA   95616

[email protected] 530-752-1880

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Philosophy Department

Graduate Program

The UC Davis Department of Philosophy administers a small, collegial and supportive graduate program with a largely analytic orientation.

Did you know?

Among PhD programs in the English-speaking world, the Philosophical Gourmet Report ranks UC Davis 4–9 in Philosophy of Biology, 22-34 in Philosophy of Mathematics, 21-36 in Metaphysics, 20-42 in Metaethics and Moral Psychology, and 25-42 in Philosophy of Language.

Our faculty members specialize in a variety of areas, including metaphysics, formal epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science (especially philosophy of biology and philosophy of physics), philosophy of mathematics, normative ethics, metaethics, political philosophy, history of analytic philosophy, and ancient philosophy. The Department of Philosophy is proud of its commitment to diversity in philosophy; five of its 13 full-time faculty members are women.

The graduate program has both M.A. and Ph.D. "tracks." Students who aim to complete a Ph.D. should apply directly to the Ph.D. track, even if they have not yet earned an M.A. in philosophy. Ph.D. students may earn the M.A. while progressing toward completion of the Ph.D. requirements. The M.A. track is designed for students who do not intend to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy or who would benefit from enrolling first in a master's degree program. Students who enroll in the M.A. track may, however, later apply for admission to the Ph.D. track if they so desire.

The Ph.D. program accommodates approximately 25 students, including many who have passed their qualifying examination and are working on their dissertations. The student/faculty ratio is approximately 5 to 3.

Ph.D. Program in Biostatistics

The Biostatistics Doctoral Program offers students a program which emphasizes biostatistical modeling and inference in a wide variety of fields, including bioinformatics, the biological sciences and veterinary medicine, in addition to the more traditional emphasis on applications in medicine, epidemiology and public health. This feature takes advantage of unique UC Davis strengths, including the unparalleled diversity of the UCD campus in the life sciences. Biostatistics group faculty are researchers with widely varying backgrounds, espousing a wide variety of methodological approaches. PhD Program Planner (pdf) Degree requirements , approved by Graduate Council on August 11, 2020 2020-21 Biostatistics Graduate Handbook(pdf) PhD Program Coordinator:  Andi Carr (abcar [email protected] )

Degree Requirements, Ph.D.

The Graduate Program in Biostatistics offers the Ph. D. degree under Plan C. According to this plan, the Dissertation Committee consists of three faculty members who guide the student in his or her research and pass upon the merits of the dissertation. The complete degree requirements are listed below.  

• Undergrad Preparation
• An undergraduate major in mathematics or statistics is typical for Biostatistics graduate students, but is not required. However, because of the mathematical nature of some of the graduate coursework, students should be able to demonstrate good mathematical ability. Students should also demonstrate some exposure to courses in the life sciences (biological, environmental, medical and agricultural sciences). The minimal background for entrance into the Ph.D. program is: a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 overall grade-point average; one year of calculus; a course in linear algebra; facility with a programming language; and upper-division work in mathematics and/or statistics. Applicants without this minimal background will not be considered for admission in the Graduate Group. For more information about the program's application requirements , please see our Admissions Page . Prerequisites In addition, applicants are expected to have the equivalent of the following UC Davis courses: MAT 25 (Advanced Calculus) and MAT 125A (Real Analysis) and MAT 167 (Applied Linear Algebra). Deficiencies Deficiencies should be made up by the end of the first academic year following initial enrollment by earning a letter grade of “B” or better.
• Program of Study

The program of study will be adjusted to individual needs by the Biostatistics Graduate Adviser. A minimum of 58 units is required. Every full time graduate student must register for a minimum of 12 units per quarter. These 12 units can be made up of a combination of required coursework as described below, additional elective coursework if any, and 299’s. The Course Requirements (58 units) for the Ph.D. degree are as follows: Required Statistics Courses (39 units) STA 231 A, B, C (Mathematical Statistics I-III, 4 units each) STA 232 A, B, C (Applied Statistics, 4 units each) STA 243 (Computational Statistics, 4 units) BST 290 (Biostatistics Seminar, for six quarters, 1 unit) STA 390 (Methods of Teaching Statistics, 2 units) STA 260 (Statistical Practice and Data Analysis, 3 units) The following course may be used to substitute the STA 243 course requirement: STA 141A. If STA 141A is substituted in this way, the substituting course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy any other requirement. Biostatistics Core Courses (12 units) We note that all of these courses carry a data analysis component and include a computing laboratory. Students will be exposed to projects involving advanced data analyses to address complex life sciences problems. BST 222: Survival Analysis (4 units) BST 223: Generalized Linear Models (4 units) BST 224: Analysis of Longitudinal Data (4 units) Electives (7 units) Biostatistical & Methodological Electives (4 units) : One course chosen from: BST 225 (Clinical Trials, 4 units) BST 226 (Statistical Methods for Bioinformatics, 4 units) BST 227 (Machine Learning in Computational Biology and Genomics) BST 252 (Advanced Topics in Biostatistics, 4 units) STA 250 (Advanced Data Analysis, 4 units) STA 251 (Advanced Statistical Theory, 4 units) STA 237 A, B (Time Series Analysis, 4 units per course) STA 235 A, B (Probability Theory, 4 units per course) Life Sciences Courses (3 units): One course at the upper division or the graduate level in Biology or Life sciences. This course should be approved by the graduate advisor. The intention is to provide a base of knowledge in molecular, cellular, organismal, and population biology, epidemiology or environmental sciences. The students are strongly encouraged to take more courses in Biology, Life Sciences or Environmental Sciences that are relevant to their research. Selection of such courses should be made in consultation with the thesis adviser. For a full list of Life Sciences courses, please consult the Biostatistics handbook. Summary A minimum of 58 units is required; 51 units of core and 7 of elective coursework. All students are expected to enroll in a minimum of 12 units per academic quarter, which may include a combination of required courses, electives, and research units ( BST 299).

Biostatistical Practicum

Students will complete a practicum in the form of an interdisciplinary applied data analysis project. They will work in collaboration with any UC Davis faculty researcher (not required to be a member of the Graduate Group) who conducts studies or experiments which generate data in the medical, biological, veterinary medical, epidemiological, agricultural or environmental sciences, and who will serve as a mentor. The practicum will last a minimum of six weeks sometime before completion of the dissertation and will involve the analysis of original data. The student will prepare or substantially contribute to a project report. The practicum may be conducted as part of employment as a Graduate Student Researcher or as part of the dissertation research.

A report based on an internship of a duration of at least six weeks at a facility, government health office, institute or company outside of UC Davis focusing on biological or medical research can also be used to satisfy this requirement. In this case the mentor will reside at the institution where the internship is carried out.

Qualifying Examinations and Dissertation Requirements  

Preliminary Written Examination

The Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination will be given at fixed times, typically at the beginning of each Spring Quarter, with 2 months notification in advance before the written examination will be offered. The exam has two parts: a theory component based on STA 231A and STA 231B and a biostatistics component based on BST 222 and BST 223. The exam components may be taken at separate times. The duration of each part is about 3-4 hours. Students in the Ph.D. program must take the theory component in the Spring Quarter immediately after they complete the STA 231A and STA 231B course series and the biostatistics component after they complete BST 222 and BST 223 core course series. A well-prepared student will take this exam during the first year of the program. Otherwise, they are expected to take the exam during the second year of the program in the Spring Quarter. If a student does not attempt the examination at the first time they are eligible to take the exam, it will be recorded as a failure. Every Ph.D. student needs to pass the examination in a maximum of two attempts. In case of failure at the first attempt, the second attempt must take place at the next time the examination is offered (usually the retake is given in the Fall quarter of the third year), and if a student does not attempt the exam at that time, it will be counted as a second failure. Two failures to pass the examination will result in a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies for disqualification of the student in the Ph.D. program.

The Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination committees in charge may be different for each part of the exam. Pass or fail is determined separately by the exam committees for the statistical theory part and the biostatistics part of the exam. The chair of the GGB (Graduate Group in Biostatistics) will appoint an exam committee for two year terms that will be responsible for preparing, administering and grading the examination for the Biostatistics part of the exam. This committee will make the final decision on each student and forward its recommendation to the chair of the GGB.

Qualifying Exam

The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is an oral exam. The exam will be attempted as soon as the Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination has been passed and all required coursework for the Ph.D. degree in Biostatistics has been completed. In accordance with university rules, students are requested to take their qualifying examination, within two quarters of passing the Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination, but no later than the end of the third year (9th quarter) to remain eligible for academic appointments such as Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) or Teaching Assistant (TA). The Master Graduate Adviser must submit the Application for the Qualifying Exam four weeks to Graduate Studies prior to the exam date; exams taken before receiving Office of Graduate Studies approval, may be deemed null and void. Students must be registered during the quarters in which they take any portion of their Qualifying Examination. To be eligible for the Qualifying Examination, the student must have:

A “B” average in all work done in graduate standing;

Satisfied all departmental or group requirements; and

Removed all academic deficiencies

The preparation for the exam will be done by working closely with the major professor through BST 299 (independent study) who is a regular member of the GGB. The exam committee consists of five faculty members, at least three but no more than four of which are members of the GGB. The Major Professor is not eligible to serve on the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination committee . The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination examines a student on the breadth and depth of knowledge expected from the coursework taken, and a special research topic in Biostatistics specified by the major professor in consultation with the exam committee. The primary purpose of the QE is to validate that the student is academically qualified to conceptualize a research topic, undertake scholarly research and successfully produce the dissertation required for a doctoral degree. A forty-five minute presentation on the specified research topic for the dissertation given by the student is followed by the qualifying examination session of 2-3 hours long, which covers questions on the special research topic as well as coursework in general. The examining committee will be appointed by Graduate Council at the recommendation of the Master Graduate Adviser who consults with the student prior to making the recommendation.

Graduate Studies guidelines for Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations apply. A student who passes the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is eligible for Advancement to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Title and abstract of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination presentation will be distributed to all faculty and students of the Graduate Group in Biostatistics, who are invited to attend the 45-minute presentation portion prior to the qualifying examination session. The subsequent qualifying examination portion is a closed session between the student and the committee only. The student must file the appropriate paperwork with the Office of Graduate Studies and pay the candidacy fee to be promoted to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

Qualifying Exam: Outcomes

• A committee, having reached a unanimous decision, shall inform the student of its decision as “Pass” (no conditions may be appended too this decision), “Not Pass” (the Chair’s report should specify whether the student is required to retake all or part of the exam, list any additional requirements, and state the exact timeline for completion of requirements to achieve a “Pass”). If a unanimous decision takes the form of “Not Pass” or “Fail”, the Chair of the QE committee must include in its report a specific statement, agreed to by all members of the committee, explaining its decision and must inform the student of its decision. Having received a “Not Pass” or “Fail”, the student may attempt the QE one additional time or fulfill the committee's requirements for "Pass." After a second exam, a vote of “Not Pass” is unacceptable; only “Pass” or “Fail” is recognized. Only one retake of the QE is allowed. A student who fails the QE on the second attempt will be recommended to the Dean of Graduate Studies for disqualification from the program.
• Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is an essential part of the Ph.D. program. A topic will be selected by the student, under the advice and guidance of a Major Professor (thesis adviser) and a Dissertation Committee chaired by the Major Professor. Students are encouraged to begin some research activity as early as possible during the second year of their graduate studies. The dissertation must contain an original contribution of publishable quality to the knowledge of Biostatistics that may expand the theory or methodology of Biostatistics, or expand or modify Biostatistical methods to solve a critical problem in applied disciplines.

Acceptance of the dissertation by three designated members of the dissertation committee follows Graduate Studies guidelines (Plan C). The dissertation must be completed and submitted to the dissertation committee prior to taking the final examination described below.

Final Examination

• The entire dissertation committee will conduct a final oral examination, which will deal primarily with questions arising out of the relationship of the dissertation to the field of Biostatistics. The final examination will be conducted in two parts. The first part consists of a one hour presentation by the candidate followed by a brief period of questions pertaining to the presentation; this part of the examination is open to the public. The second part of the examination will immediately follow the first part; this is a closed session between the student and the committee and will consist of a period of questioning by the committee members. Title and abstract of the oral presentation will be distributed to all faculty and students of GGB, who are invited to attend the presentation portion of the examination.
• Ph.D. in Biostatistics Sample Study Plans
• Normative Time to Degree
• The normative time to degree is five to six years.
• PELP, In Absentia & Filing Fee Status
• Information about PELP (Planned Educational Leave, In Absentia (reduced fees when researching out of state), and Filing Fee status can be found in the Graduate Student Guide: http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications
• Leaving the Program Prior to Completion of the Ph.D. Requirements
• Should a student leave the program prior to completing the requirements for the Ph.D., they may still be eligible to receive the Master’s if they have fulfilled all the requirements (see Master’s section). Students can use the Change of Degree Objective form available from the Registrar’s Office: http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/local_resources/forms/D065-graduate-major-degree-change.pdf

**For students that began the program prior and passed the Qualifying Exam prior to Fall 2018, please see the old degree requirements here **

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Phd program.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree requires a thorough understanding of the foundations of physics and mathematical methods as evidenced by performance on the written Preliminary Exam and the oral Qualifying Exam, as well as submission of a dissertation which must include an original contribution to fundamental physics. There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Ph.D. students must complete the  graduate core courses  in classical physics (200ABC), statistical physics (219A), and quantum mechanics (215AB). Most students are also required to take either field theory (230A) or a third quarter of quantum mechanics (215C), with the choice usually depending on the student's planned research area. The required curriculum can be tailored to fit an individual student's preparation and needs. Students who have completed graduate classes elsewhere may have certain requirements waived, while students who have gaps in their undergraduate preparation or who have taken time away from school may begin their studies with advanced undergraduate courses. A faculty adviser consults with each incoming student about possible deviations from the standard coursework. First-year students must also enroll in the Colloquium (290), in which outside speakers give broad overviews of topics of current research, and an introduction to department research (295), in which UC Davis faculty members discuss their own research. Physics 295 is especially useful for students as they pick a specialization and Ph.D. adviser.

Each research area requires a  cluster  of more specialized classes, which students normally take during their second year of graduate school.

The  Preliminary Exam  is given twice a year, in Fall before the start of classes and during the Spring quarter. The exam covers Upper Division undergraduate physics, and students are expected to pass the exam by the end of their second year.

After beginning their research, students prepare for the  Qualifying Examination , which should be taken during the third year of graduate school.This exam consists of a research talk by the student and a question session. Questions often emphasize the candidate's broad field of specialization but can address any area. After the student passes the oral exam, the only remaining requirement is the dissertation itself.

Typical time for completion of the Ph.D. degree is five to seven years, although we see times outside range in both directions. The duration depends on the student's preparation, the research area, and how fully the student devotes him/herself to the work. Events outside the student's control can also have significant influence, from the weather during scheduled telescope time to problems with a particle accelerator.

Students making good progress towards their degrees usually have  funding  through teaching, research, or  fellowship  positions for their entire time in graduate school.

This  timeline  outlines the expected progress.

Ph.D. Program

Dissertation plan, course requirements - minimum 48 units.

At least 48 post-graduate course units (M.A. & Ph.D.) must be completed (exclusive of 299 and 396 units). The 48 units include the 38 units of core courses listed below and additional 200-level courses in appropriate elective courses.

GGG Core Courses – 16 units

• GEO 200AN – Geographical Concepts (4 unit, fall quarter)
• GEO 200BN – Theory and Practice of Geography (4 units, winter quarter)
• GEO 200CN – Computational Methods in Geography (4 units)
• GEO 200DN – Methods of Socio-Spatial Analysis in Geography (4 units)
• GEO 200E—Advanced Research Design in Geography (2 Units)

Students are encouraged to take the first four of these core courses in their first year in the program. The graduate adviser will not waive these core courses unless the student has transcript notation and a syllabus from a similar graduate-level course taken at another institution. The course GEO 200E is designed to help students in finalizing their dissertation research proposal, and should be taken during their second or third year of the program, depending on their level of preparation.

Geographic Depth Courses – 16 units

Every student is required to take at least 16 units of Geographic Depth Courses from a pre-approved selection of courses that cover a sub-disciplines of Geography. There is a list of pre-approved courses by four broad Areas of Geographic Depth; but students will make their own set of courses based on their interests and needs.

Seminar Requirement – 4 units

GEO 297 – Seminar in Geography

Electives – variable units

Elective courses may be required to reach the minimum number of units required.

Course Work Summary

There are total of 48 post-graduate units required. Of these, at least 36 units must be at the graduate level (200-level). A minimum course load per academic quarter is 12 units. Geography depth and elective coursework must be approved by the student’s Guidance Committee, then reviewed by the Graduate Adviser, and then approved by the Graduate Group Executive Committee. Ph.D. students must be in residence for at least six quarters and must complete 30 units of coursework at UCD. The Graduate Adviser can assist students who wish to transfer courses from other institutions or through UC Extension (via petition) into their program.

Dissertation Requirements

Before advancing to candidacy for a doctoral degree, a student must pass a Qualifying Examination before a committee appointed to administer that examination. All students will complete the course requirements before taking their Qualifying Examination. The qualifying exam should be taken by the 7th quarter in the program (end of Fall quarter, third year). The Qualifying Examination will consist of written and oral examinations. The Qualifying Examination will be both oral and written and cover general geography, the student’s Area of Emphasis and/or Concentration, and course preparation indicated in the student program of study, and the area of proposed research. The dissertation itself, including the proposal and final product, is developed by the student under the guidance of a Dissertation Committee. This committee must have at least three members, including at least two members (including the Chair) who are Geography Graduate Group members. Members of a Ph.D. student’s Dissertation Committee are recommended by the Graduate Adviser, in consultation with the student, and appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

College of Biological Sciences

Graduate Education

With world-class faculty and advanced facilities, the college offers exceptional opportunities for collaboration and growth for students in its highly interdisciplinary graduate programs, which tailor each student's education to their to research interests. 

Graduate Groups

Application Fee Fellowship

Designated Emphasis

Teaching Assistantships

Graduate Advising

Training Grants

Awards and Fellowships

Application Requirements

Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology

• How to Apply
• Timeline to Degree
• Funding and Financial Support
• Diversity Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions

Chemistry Department Brochure

Doctoral Degree

Earn your ph.d. in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Program Membership reviews the degree requirements for Ph.D. students on a regular basis and determines what requirements students must fulfill to successfully earn their graduate degree.  Students must follow the degree requirements that were in effect during their first quarter of enrollment, although the department will allow students to petition the Graduate Adviser for Continuing Students if they would like to change their degree requirements to the most current year’s requirements. Please note that students cannot petition to change their degree requirements to any year before they were an enrolled graduate student.

The Ph.D. degree is for students who have a major interest in developing deep knowledge and performing independent, extensive research in their area of specialization, conducted in close collaboration with faculty. Students may apply directly to the Ph.D. program whether or not they have already obtained an M.S. degree.

If you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree, it is highly recommended that you contact faculty members with aligned research interests prior to application. Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly competitive, and requires the support of a faculty member. Applications that indicate interest and/or financial support from one or more MAE faculty tend to be reviewed favorably. Competitive financial support for this pathway may be available through GSR positions on funded research projects or partially through Teaching Assistantships in the MAE Department.

Current MAE Graduate Degree Requirements .

Doctoral student milestones, finding a permanent major professor.

You will be assigned an initial advisor who serves as a mentor for your first quarter. They may or may not end up being your permanent major advisor. They will assist you in choosing courses, monitor your academic progress and refer you to other faculty members who might end up being your permanent advisor. Your permanent major advisor will assist you in preparing a detailed program of study, supervise your research and serve as chairperson of your dissertation committee. You must notify the Graduate Program Coordinator once you have established a permanent major professor.  

Taking the Preliminary Exam

All doctoral students in mechanical and aerospace engineering are required to take the Preliminary Examination at their first opportunity. One session of the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination is offered each year in the spring. The exact dates and times of these exams vary, but they are generally held during the first week of spring quarter.

All students must take the Engineering Analysis exam. In addition, students must choose two subjects from the following: Dynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Strength of Materials, System Dynamics and Controls, and Thermodynamics. T he graduate program coordinator will send out an application via email to current graduate students in January to determine which exams they will be taking.

If you pass all three preliminary exams, you are done with prelims. If you do not pass one or more of the preliminary exams, you will have the opportunity to take an optional oral exam for each of the subjects you failed. If you pass the oral exam(s), you are done with that subject. If you fail the oral exam(s), you will have one more opportunity to retake the preliminary exam for that/those subject(s) the next year.

Establishing a Program of Study

Once you pass the preliminary exams, you must consult with your major professor to constitute a Guidance Committee that will assist you in defining a program a study adapted to your goals. Please review our degree requirements for committee constitution requirements. You must fill out the Ph.D. program of study form , have it signed by your guidance committee and return it to the Graduate Program Coordinator within one quarter of passing the preliminary exam. While constructing your program of study, be sure to adhere to our degree requirements .

Ph.D. Program of Study .

Taking the Qualifying Exam

The Qualifying Exam should be taken by your third year in the program. You must have passed the Preliminary Examination, filed an approved Ph.D. Program of Study and have completed or be in your last quarter of graded coursework on your Program of Study in order to take the Qualifying Exam. In addition, you must have completed all coursework with a 3.5 GPA and removed all academic deficiencies before taking the exam.

The Qualifying Exam consists of written and oral examinations, which are reviewed by a five-person Qualifying Exam committee. Please review our degree requirements for committee constitution requirements and details regarding what the written and oral portions of the Qualifying Examination require.

At least one month prior to the planned date of your Qualifying Exam, submit the following application form to the Graduate Program Coordinator :

Qualifying Examination Application for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Advancing to Candidacy

Doctoral students must complete all coursework, pass their qualifying exam and establish their dissertation committee before advancing to candidacy. Please review our degree requirements for committee constitution requirements. Students should plan to advance to candidacy as soon as possible after passing their qualifying exam. In order to advance to candidacy, students must complete the form below. A sk the Graduate Program Coordinator if you have questions on how to fill out this form.

Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Plan B

Holding an Exit Seminar

An exit seminar is required of each doctoral candidate. This is a formal public presentation of your research before the program faculty and students. The dissertation committee will not sign the dissertation until after the exit seminar has taken place. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule an Exit Seminar . Once your seminar is scheduled, let the Graduate Program Coordinator know, so a seminar announcement can be distributed.  

Filing your Dissertation

Once you have held your exit seminar and completed your dissertation, you will have your dissertation signed by your dissertation committee and then you must file it with the Office of Graduate Studies. Signatures must be in ink and original. More information on how to prepare and file your dissertation, as well as deadlines to be on each quarter’s degree list, can be found on the UC Davis Graduate Studies website .  

You must have advanced to candidacy, be in good standing and either be registered or on filing fee status in order to graduate. Review the deadlines to file your dissertation in order to graduate during your desired quarter and plan ahead in order to meet them.

Graduate Studies commencement  is held once a year in June. You are eligible to register for the commencement ceremony once you have advanced to candidacy.

Quick Links

Bylaws and Mentoring Guidelines.

Dates and Deadlines .

Qualifying Examination Application for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy .

Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Plan B .

How to Receive your Diploma .

Former UCD Ph.D. elected into the National Academy of Science

• by Joanna I Kaminski
• May 10, 2024

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Plant Researchers and Molecular Biologist Elected to National Academy of Sciences

• by Evan White
• May 07, 2024

Three professors from the University of California, Davis, have been elected as members of the National Academy of Sciences. They are among 120 new members and 24 international members announced by the academy April 30 . 

Members are elected in recognition of their contributions to original research. Membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors a scientist can achieve.

The new members from UC Davis are: Savithramma P. Dinesh-Kumar, professor and chair in the Department of Plant Biology; Walter S. Leal, distinguished professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology; and Richard Michelmore, distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and founding director emeritus of the Genome Center.

Savithramma P. Dinesh-Kumar

Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences

Dinesh-Kumar is widely recognized for his contributions in plant immunity research as well as his innovative technological advances. His research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of how plants defend against pathogens and how pathogens counter plants’ defense arsenals. He also studies how autophagy (self-eating) functions as a central cellular process during immunity and how organelles such as chloroplasts communicate with the nucleus during defense. His work on virus-based gene editing holds promise for modifying plant genomes without the need for genetic transformation and plant regeneration for better traits and disease resistance. Collectively, Dinesh-Kumar's research has deepened our understanding of complex plant defense strategies, and contributed to strategies that may help develop crops that are resilient against environmental challenges and diseases. Dinesh-Kumar is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and recipient of the Noel Keen Award for Research Excellence in Molecular Plant Pathology from American Phytopathological Society.

Walter S. Leal

Department of molecular and cellular biology, college of biological sciences.

Leal is known for his groundbreaking research on insect olfaction and chemical communication, which has yielded 20 book chapters and more than 220 peer-reviewed papers. His laboratory identified the first adult mosquito receptor for the insect repellent DEET; isolated, cloned, and expressed the first moth's pheromone-degrading enzymes; and has made numerous contributions to our understanding of insect olfaction. By identifying sex pheromones from dozens of insect species, Leal’s work has helped save agricultural industries affected by certain pest species millions of dollars. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the California Academy of Sciences, and a corresponding member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. He is also a trustee of the Royal Entomological Society, the 13-member council that governs the 190-year-old international organization. In 2024, he became the first UC Davis faculty member to receive all three of the Academic Senate’s faculty awards, celebrating outstanding teaching, public service, and research. He has served as the chair of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. 

Richard Michelmore

Department of plant sciences, college of agricultural and environmental sciences.

Michelmore’s research portfolio is rooted in the comparative and functional genomics of disease resistance in Arabidopsis , tomato, and lettuce. His study of these species has been foundational for understanding how plants defend themselves against pathogens and how resistance genes evolve over time, as well as for developing strategies to enhance disease resistance in crop plants. Michelmore's research includes both wet lab and computational methods for the analysis of complex genomic data. His multidisciplinary approach combines molecular, genetic, and evolutionary perspectives to exploit genomic information of plants and pathogens for the deployment of resistance genes in crop plants, with the goal of providing more durable disease resistance. He has published over 200 scientific papers, reflecting his extensive contributions to the field, which have had far-reaching practical implications for agriculture, particularly in enhancing crop resilience and productivity in the face of disease challenges. For his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide fast, effective and free testing for the campus and surrounding areas, Michelmore received the 2020-21 Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award from the UC Davis Academic Senate. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and  the founding director emeritus of the UC Davis Genome Center (2003 – 2024).   

Media Resources

National Academy of Sciences Elects Members and International Members (news release)

Media Contact

• Andy Fell, News and Media Relations, 530-304-8888, [email protected]

Primary Category

Secondary categories.

College of Biological Sciences

Animal behavior graduate group: "choice, consent, and control: are these concepts useful in the study of animal welfare".

Event Date Fri, May 31, 2024 @ 12:10pm - 1:00pm

Alexandra Protopopova, University of British Columbia,  presents "Choice, consent, and control: Are these concepts useful in the study of animal welfare?".

Enrollment — graduate students: ANB 290–001 (CRN: 30834)

Undergraduates: NPB 190C–008 (CRN: XXXXX)

Questions? Contact Stacey Combes ([email protected]) or Kate Laskowski ([email protected])

Event Category

UC Davis Graduate Studies

Education (ph.d.), about the program, learn more about the program.

Our Ph.D. program critically engages students in contemporary issues that impact education research, policy and practice. Emphasizing collaboration, the program is an interdisciplinary graduate group that draws its faculty from diverse fields of education, humanities, social science, physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and medicine, and engages with key campus centers and programs, such as the M.I.N.D. Institute and the Poverty Center. Graduates of our program gain deep knowledge of educational theory and practice related to strengthening schools and other educational settings. Our close proximity to California’s state capital of Sacramento also affords students a rich set of opportunities and networks for influencing education policy.

School of Education

Admissions and Fellowship Information

UC Davis General Admission Requirements Program Admissions Requirements

Admissions Actions

Program contact information, primary program contacts.

Program Coordinator Briana Rodriguez [email protected]

Graduate Group Chair Francisco Martorell (530) 752-3353 | [email protected]

Additional Contacts

Advisor: General Cassandra Hart Education (Ph.D.) (530) 752-9691 | [email protected]

Advisor: Primary Contact Danny Martinez Education (Ph.D.) (530) 752-9749 | [email protected]

Advisor: Primary Contact Francisco Martorell Education (Ph.D.) (530) 752-3353 | [email protected]

Advisor: General Cynthia Passmore Education (Ph.D.) (530) 752-7883 | [email protected]

Advisor: General Nicole Sparapani Education (Ph.D.) [email protected]

Advisor: General Lawrence Winn Education (Ph.D.) (530) 752-5965 | [email protected]

Internal Fellowship Analyst Heidi West (530) 754-9473 | [email protected]

Senior Academic Advisor Brittney Dinelli [email protected]

External Fellowship Analyst Yvette Garcia [email protected]