UCLA Graduate Education Programs: Shaping Future Leaders and Innovators
UCLA's graduate programs are globally recognized, consistently ranking among the top 25 across various disciplines. The university hosts over 130 graduate and professional programs, from business and medical disciplines to specialized degrees in over 40 different languages. Graduate education at UCLA blends deep expertise in one field with elements from others, fostering a hybrid approach to knowledge. This multidisciplinary methodology is fundamental to the academic philosophy, preparing the next generation of researchers and professionals to address pressing challenges.
A Century of Excellence in Education
UCLA began as a teacher’s college, awarding its first degree in Education. With over a century of experience championing new viewpoints in education, the Department is a renowned leader in the study and practice of urban education, student testing and assessment, teacher and continuing education and development - particularly in urban communities and multi-ethnic environments. The focus on early childhood development, including issues of access, equity, and quality that face K-12 and higher education, further solidifies UCLA's commitment to educational excellence.
Diverse Graduate Program Offerings
UCLA Ed&IS provides pathways for all, training educators and researchers to cultivate equity and confront systemic inequity, to reshape how classrooms and communities function and who they serve, to frame intellect as a treasure and access to resources as an inherent right. The university offers a range of graduate programs in education to meet the diverse needs of aspiring educators, scholars, and practitioners. These include:
- M.A. in Education: A one-year graduate-level program designed for educators, scholars, and practitioners who seek to deepen their understanding of teaching, learning, leadership, and educational systems. Students interested in preparing for a career in education and potentially pursuing a Ph.D. must complete nine (36 units) graduate (200-series) or upper division (100-series) courses for the degree.
- Ph.D. in Education: A rigorous, research-intensive program designed for scholars, practitioners, and leaders committed to advancing the field of education through original research, critical inquiry, and transformative practice.
- Joint Doctoral Ph.D.: A unique program in collaboration with Cal State LA that prepares graduates to be leaders in the field as university faculty engaging in teacher education and research, or as researchers or administrators in federal, state, or local education agencies or research organizations.
- M.Ed.: Professional Programs in Education promote excellence in the field of medical education through research, professional development, school and community programs, and the cultivation of a community of medical education scholars and practitioners. The academy is committed to refining individuals’ leadership and coaching identities in order to provide equitable and relationship-centered support in systems. Designed for mid-career professionals (faculty and administrators) who seek to extend their leadership and value to their universities.
Student Affairs Program: Preparing Leaders in Higher Education
The Student Affairs program at UCLA is designed for students whose primary career interest is in student affairs in institutions of higher education. The program meets the important need of preparing student affairs professionals for positions in public and private colleges and universities as well as community colleges. The Student Affairs program is a one-year cohort-based M.Ed. (scholar-practitioner focused) housed within the Higher Education and Organizational Change (HEOC) graduate division. The Student Affairs program concentrates on theory, practice, and research in Student Affairs in postsecondary education. The Master of Education in Student Affairs is designed to provide early-career professionals with knowledge, skills, and a social justice perspective in the areas of student development theory, foundations of higher education, student affairs administration, research, and assessment. Students attend classes as a cohort on a full-time basis within a supportive and rigorous environment and participate in three quarters of directed internship. Classes are taught by HEOC faculty and Student Affairs professionals, many of whom are renowned scholars and national leaders in the field.
Key Features of the Student Affairs Program
- One-year intensive program: The MSA program is an intensive four-quarter (11-month) graduate program that begins in early August and concludes mid-June.
- Emphasis on social justice: The MSA community and curriculum prioritize the design and facilitation of democratic and empowering educational opportunities that foster understanding and respect for diversity and cultivate the active engagement of others (students, faculty, colleagues) in social change.
- Three-quarter paid internship: The MSA internship is a three-quarter supervised professional practice experience that provides students with an opportunity to develop firsthand knowledge of student affairs professional roles and responsibilities, gain significant hands-on experience in program development and/or student affairs administration, and receive valuable feedback on the development and demonstration of essential professional skills. The internship is a paid experiential learning opportunity.
In the Student Affairs program, students experience the challenges and opportunities of a world-class research university.
Read also: Funding Your Graduate Education
Information Studies: Advancing the Information Fields
Information Studies offers undergraduate students coursework that is a blend of conceptual and theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on laboratory experiences where they can apply their theoretical insights and practical skills to real-world situations. The Department is home to UCLA’s iSchool and is dedicated to advancing the information fields. iSchools promote an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the opportunities and challenges of information management, with a core commitment to concepts like universal access and user-centered organization of information. The democratization of knowledge creates equity.
Faculty and Research
UCLA boasts a distinguished faculty committed to research and teaching, with excellent research centers and institutes that offer extraordinary opportunities for graduate endeavors. The university has faculty that includes Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur fellows and National Academy members, UCLA receives upwards of $1 billion in competitively awarded research grants and contracts annually. The 2020-2021 fiscal year, during which UCLA received $1.6 billion in research awards, is the eighth year in a row that research funding has increased. Today, more than 5,000 UCLA research projects are answering questions on key topics, from transnational migration to the origins of the universe, and generating inventions, including cellphone microscopes and stem cell therapeutics.
UCLA graduate and professional students take on thousands of original research projects every year, working as part of a team or independently. Dozens of research centers and institutes foster interdisciplinary research as well. Completing a research project before you apply to graduate school can help you be a competitive applicant. The Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) offer upper division undergraduate students with outstanding academic potential the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research projects. The programs are designed for students who wish to learn more about the graduate school experience and possibly pursue an academic career in teaching and research.
Campus Life and Resources
UCLA is located in Westwood, a beautiful neighborhood 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The campus boasts six major performance halls, theaters and playhouses; a planetarium and botanical garden; a five-acre outdoor sculpture garden with works by Rodin, Noguchi, Matisse and Miro; the library where Ray Bradbury wrote "Fahrenheit 451"; and the room from which the first Internet transmission was sent. UCLA has more graduate students than any other UC campus. Support includes seven graduate-student housing complexes, three award-winning childcare centers, the Kinross Recreation Center, a Graduate Writing Center and Graduate Student Resource Center, graduate career services, professional development workshops, counseling services, and a conference travel grant for eligible incoming doctoral students. UCLA is committed to creating an environment that celebrates the rich diversity of our campus and the communities we serve.
UCLA is dedicated to offering support to graduate students from both the United States and beyond. Support based solely on need is also provided through the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office in the form of work-study and loans.
Read also: Graduate Fees at CMU
Location and Opportunities
When you pursue graduate studies at UCLA, you have the opportunity to experience the professional world in a global city like no other. Los Angeles is teeming with variety, energy and industry. The best of food, arts, culture, sports and entertainment are right outside your door at UCLA. UCLA is strategically located in Los Angeles, a city with strong connections to other major academic institutions, public and private research centers, and industry leaders. Students who excel in this environment are those who are innovative, driven and persistent in their pursuit of new solutions and ideas.
Read also: Explore Liberty University's Graduate Programs
tags: #usla #graduate #education #programs
