Navigating the UCLA Biology PhD Program: A Comprehensive Guide

UCLA boasts a distinguished history of excellence and leadership in the biomedical and life sciences, consistently developing innovative and effective graduate training programs. The Graduate Programs in Bioscience (GPB) at UCLA offer a dynamic and flexible framework for pursuing a Ph.D. in biology. This article provides a detailed overview of the program's structure, requirements, and key milestones.

Graduate Programs in Bioscience: An Overview

The Graduate Programs in Bioscience (GPB) is a consortium of 12 home areas and their affiliated Ph.D. programs. GPB expands and refines the ACCESS model. Initiated in 2013 following extensive strategic planning, it builds on the strengths of ACCESS by providing an organized network of programs that offers students breadth and flexibility to best pursue their interests across the wide range of bioscience Ph.D. programs. At the same time, GPB introduces the benefits of individually tailored education in smaller training communities, defined by research themes, not traditional departments.

The ACCESS Program

In 1993, UCLA developed the ACCESS program, one of the nation’s first unified admissions and first year training programs for graduate students entering bioscience Ph.D. programs.

Home Areas: The Core of the Program

Home Areas are cohesive research training communities of faculty, students, and postdoctoral researchers with shared scientific interests. They stem from UCLA’s areas of research excellence rather than traditional departmental divisions. This framework provides specialized, in-depth educational programs while maintaining flexibility for students to explore frontiers beyond any single home area. Likewise, faculty are able to contribute in multiple home areas according to their research interests. Each home area is affiliated with a degree-granting Ph.D. program. Each home area has designed a specific course of study to prepare students for careers in bioscience research in their chosen area of specialization.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Ph.D. programs should have a strong scholastic record and must be acceptable to the admissions committee. Admission is highly competitive, with recently admitted cohorts ranging in size from 10-15 Ph.D. students. The department encourages applications from students in all areas of science, but expects successful applicants to have or to acquire a background comparable to the requirements for the bachelor's degree in biology at UCLA. A background in chemistry, physics, and mathematics is desirable. Deficiencies in these or other subjects should be made up at the earliest opportunity. Undergraduates who are prospective applicants should remedy their deficiencies by preparatory study at an appropriate institution. For applicants whose native language is not English, scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations. Please note GRE scores are no longer considered during the application review process.

Curriculum and Coursework

All graduate students must take the first-year MBIDP curriculum. Students should see course requirements in the Doctoral Degree section below. In addition to the core course requirements, elective courses must be taken to complete the total of 36 units required for the degree. Of these 36 units, a minimum of 20 units must be graduate level courses (200 series). No more than eight units in the 500 series may be applied toward the total course requirements. With the consent of the Chair of the Program, Molecular Biology 596, 597, and 598 may be taken if they are appropriate to the program. Molecular Biology 596 may be graded S/U or letter grade; 597 and 598 are graded S/U only.

Course Requirements for BMSB program

Students complete a set of graduate-level core courses in biochemistry that provide training in biochemical research, methods and proposal writing. They also complete elective lecture and seminar courses that are tailored to their research interests. Students typically finish all of their coursework by the end of year two. Thereafter, research is their primary focus.(1) Chemistry and Biochemistry 269A-269B-269C-269D (Graduate-level biochemistry lecture.(2) Chemistry and Biochemistry 268 (Graduate-level biochemistry seminar.(3) Chemistry and Biochemistry 258 (Proposal writing course. Fall quarter year two.

PhD students complete a total of 16 units of additional upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level lecture courses. These include, 10 to 12 units of lecture courses, and 4 to 6 units of seminar courses. Students are required to enroll full-time in a minimum of 12 graduate level units each quarter throughout graduate study. A grade of B or better must be received in all courses.

Teaching Experience

Students are required to gain two quarters of teaching experience through service as teaching assistants in undergraduate courses by the end of the fourth year of graduate study. The BMSB teaching requirement is modest. To gain valuable instructional experience BMSB students teach part-time as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for three academic quarters. Our students normally teach in the winter and spring quarters of their first year.

Research Rotations and Dissertation Advisor

In the first year, students engage in quarter-long research rotations in different laboratories to gain research experience and identify a faculty member to serve as the advisor for dissertation research. Prior to joining a research laboratory students participate in three 10-week research rotations. This enables students to obtain experience in a range of research disciplines before choosing a faculty thesis mentor. Rotations are performed in the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters of year one. Students can also choose to perform a summer rotation prior to the fall quarter of year one. This option is attractive as it enables students to get a head-start on their thesis research, as they can complete their three rotations at the end of the Winter quarter in year one.

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Upon entering their second year in the Molecular Biology program, the student selects a dissertation research adviser who provides guidance and oversight to the research and thesis. Together, the student and dissertation research adviser convene a five-member doctoral committee. Upon advancement to candidacy, the dissertation research adviser joins the doctoral committee as either the fifth member, or by replacing one of the existing four members of the committee. This committee advises the student throughout the remainder of graduate study and will meet at least once per year with the student to assess progress and offer suggestions for the direction of the research.

Qualifying Examinations

Written and oral exams are required at UCLA to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree; the format can vary according to program. 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. Exclusive of their doctoral committee members, students are free to consult with their dissertation research adviser, or other individuals in formulating the proposed research.

Written Qualifying Examination

The written qualifying examination must be submitted by the end of the second week of spring quarter during the first year of doctoral study. In order to be eligible to take the written qualifying examination, students must have achieved at least two passing lab rotation evaluations, as well as at least a B average in all course work. Students prepare a written research proposal in the format of an NIH R-21 grant proposal, and with a maximum length of six pages, excluding references. The topic and hypotheses for the proposal are to be selected by the student. The topic requires advance approval by the Home Area Director, and may not be a rotation project, or an anticipated dissertation research topic. The student is free to consult with other individuals in formulating the experimental approach. This proposal is submitted to the Student Affairs Office. Proposals are graded by a Home Area faculty committee on a pass or no-pass basis.

The BMSB program fulfill the written qualifying component of the Ph.D. program after the student satisfactorily completes this proposal. The written examination requirement is coupled to the graduate student seminar (Chemistry and Biochemistry 258). Chemistry and Biochemistry 258 requires a presentation of the student's proposed dissertation research. After completing this oral presentation, the student prepares a written dissertation research proposal. The proposal includes information about the background and significance of the area of research, the specific aims to be addressed and experiments proposed.

Oral Qualifying Examination

The University Oral Qualifying Examination must be completed and passed by the end of fall quarter of the third year. Students prepare a written description of the scientific background of their proposed dissertation research project, the specific aims of the project, preliminary findings, and an experimental plan for addressing the specific aims. This dissertation proposal has a maximum length of 10 pages, excluding references, and is submitted to the students’ doctoral committee at least 10 days in advance of the examination. The research proposal must be written according to the NIH F31 grant application format, with a maximum length of 10 pages, excluding references.

The examination consists of an oral presentation of the proposal by the student to the committee. The student’s oral presentation and examination are expected to demonstrate: (1) a scholarly understanding of the background of the research proposal; (2) well-designed and testable aims; (3) a critical understanding of the technical applications to be employed in the proposed research; and (4) an understanding of potential experimental outcomes and their interpretation. This examination is graded Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail. If the doctoral committee decides that the examination reflects performance below the expected mastery of graduate-level content, the committee may vote to give the student a Conditional Pass. At the committee’s discretion, a student who receives Conditional Pass will be required to modify or rewrite their research proposal, so as to bring it up to required standards. In the case of a Conditional Pass, the student will be permitted to seek the advice of their committee in modifying or rewriting the proposal. Any required rewrite or modification will be submitted to, and reviewed by the doctoral committee.

Students in the BMSB program complete an Oral Qualifying Examination by the end of the Spring quarter in year two. They defend their proposed dissertation research. The proposal is presented orally to a faculty committee that questions the candidate on the proposal, general knowledge of the area, and dissertation research progress. All students are required to take the Oral Qualifying Examination by June 30 of their second year.

Dissertation and Graduation

The third, fourth, and fifth years focus on developing independence in cutting edge research, through dissertation project studies. Students write and defend a dissertation that demonstrates their ability to perform original and independent research. The student's research constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study. Normal progress from matriculation to conferral of the degree is sixteen academic quarters (and five summer terms). Students are expected to file their dissertations by the end of the fifth year of graduate study. MSTP and STAR Program students are expected to file their dissertations by the end of the fourth year of Ph.D. In the second year, students complete any remaining course requirements.

After the oral qualifying exam and advancement to candidacy, students are required to meet annually with their doctoral committee. At each meeting, students give a brief (30-40 minute) oral presentation of their dissertation research progress.

Academic Standing and Disqualification

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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.

A recommendation for academic disqualification is made by the chair of the interdepartmental degree committee, after consultation with the student and the student’s adviser (or the student’s guidance committee). In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification for failure to participate in required elements of the program, or for unsatisfactory performance. Failure to participate in required elements of the program includes laboratory rotations, student seminar presentations, and annual progress report. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the entire interdepartmental degree committee.

Career Paths

At UCLA we aim to train students to become leaders in their chosen fields and their chosen careers. We view graduate training as a critical stepping stone along diverse careers paths that may lead to academic teaching and research, industry research, entrepreneurship, policy analysis, law, and management; among many others possibilities.

Master's Program (M.S.)

To complete the Master Program, in addition to the course requirements, the student must either select a Capstone Plan or Thesis Plan. Either option includes a departmental written examination to be evaluated by a committee of three MBIDP faculty members. Students on the capstone plan can normally expect to receive the master’s degree after four academic quarters (the written examination is given in the Summer Quarter). This assumes the maintenance of satisfactory progress and the absence of deficiencies upon admission to graduate status.

Capstone Plan

In the Capstone plan, the written exam consists of a paper, 5-10 pages in length (single spaced), describing the student’s research project or a rotation project. The paper should be formatted as a research paper, consisting of five sections: 1) An abstract summarizing the project; 2) an introduction section presenting the background that forms the foundation for the project; 3) a results section which presents the results obtained in the project; 4) a discussion section in which the meaning and significance of the results are considered as well as potential problems or criticisms of the experiments and suggestions for future experiments; 5) a reference section listing relevant literature. A materials and methods section describing the detailed methodology is optional. The written portion is graded pass/fail. In the case of a fail, it may be re-taken only one additional time.

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. In the Thesis option, the thesis committee helps the student plan the research, determines the acceptability of the thesis, administers a final examination, and recommends appropriate action on the granting of the degree. In the event of an unacceptable thesis or performance on the final examination (if one is given), the thesis committee determines if it is appropriate for additional time to be granted to rewrite the thesis or to be reexamined.

Upon entering their second year in the Molecular Biology program, the student selects a dissertation research adviser who provides guidance and oversight to the research and thesis.

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