Advancing to Candidacy

Source: https://grad.ucsd.edu/academics/progress-to-degree/advancing-to-candidacy.html Parent: https://grad.ucsd.edu/academics/progress-to-degree/index.html

You're ready to advance to candidacy. Now what?

Plan I Master's Thesis Students

Your program's graduate coordinator will submit the application to candidacy to the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) using the degree audit (uAchieve form) in TritonLink.  A request to constitute the thesis committee is also submitted on-line by the graduate coordinator. Students should work with their graduate coordinator to ensure submission of both forms. Graduate Coordinators access the online Committee Membership tool here.

The uAchieve form must be filed with GEPA within the first 3 weeks of the quarter in which the degree requirements are to be completed. Ideally, the form is filed when the student is registered in the last of the program’s courses.

Plan II Master's Comprehensive Exam Students

Your program's graduate coordinator will submit the application to candidacy to the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) using the degree audit (uAchieve form) in TritonLink.

The uAchieve form must be filed with GEPA within the first 3 weeks of the quarter in which the degree requirements are to be completed. Ideally, the from is filed when the student is registered in the last of the program’s courses.

Plan III Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Students

Your program's graduate coordinator will submit the application to candidacy to the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) using the degree audit (uAchieve form) in TritonLink.  A request to constitute the thesis committee is also submitted on-line by the graduate coordinator. Students should work with their graduate coordinator to ensure submission of both forms. Graduate Coordinators access the online Committee Membership tool here.

The uAchieve form must be filed with the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) within the first 3 weeks of the quarter in which the degree requirements are to be completed. Ideally, the form is filed when the student is registered in the last of the program’s courses.

Doctoral Students

Doctoral students undertake an oral Qualifying Examination to show they are qualified to advance to candidacy. Advancing to candidacy means you have completed all course and any other program requirements and are ready to research and write a dissertation (this stage is sometimes referred to as “all but dissertation” or ABD). Requirements and standards for advancement vary by program. Students must consult with the program's faculty graduate advisor or coordinator for their specific requirements.

• Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above in upper division and graduate coursework, and no more than eight units of F and/or U grades.
• At least two weeks prior to the qualifying exam, a request to constitute the doctoral committee must be submitted to and approved by the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA). Students work with their graduate coordinator to submit the online form. Graduate Coordinators access the Committee Membership tool here.
• The exam may not be taken prior to receiving written approval of the doctoral committee from the Dean of the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA).
• The preferred means to conduct the qualifying exam is when all committee members are physically present. Graduate Council recognizes that this is not always possible, therefore, they defer to the graduate programs (Department Chair or Program Director) to review requests for exceptions and to make decisions to allow remote participation.
• If the qualifying exam is entirely remote or in a hybrid format, then the graduate program must ensure that the student has agreed to this format.

• All committee members will have synchronous participation. The committee chair, or one co-chair, must participate synchronously in the scheduled exam.

  • If an unavoidable situation arises that affects a committee member’s ability to participate synchronously, the committee chair (or co-chairs) may decide how to proceed.
  • If a committee member must be absent for the scheduled exam, it is permissible for one absent committee member to examine the candidate on a separate date.

• All committee members must sign the Report of the Qualifying Examination and Advancement to Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree form (obtained from the graduate coordinator). Original signatures of each committee member and of the program chair are required (proxy signatures are not accepted).

• Programs that offer the Candidate in Philosophy degree must check "Yes" in response to, "Is student eligible for C Phil degree" on the Report of the Qualifying Examination form.
• Non-resident students: to be eligible for the full reduction of non-resident supplemental tuition, the Report of the Qualifying Examination form must be received by GEPA on or before the first day of instruction. If the form is turned in after the first day of instruction the reduction will be implemented in the following quarter. Non-resident doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy will receive a 100% reduction in non-resident tuition for up to three consecutive years (nine quarters). Requests to extend the tuition reduction for up to three quarters of approved leave of absence may be made in writing to GEPA. Extensions beyond three quarters or other exceptions will not be granted.
• Advancement to Candidacy Date: Students may schedule their Qualifying / Advancement to Candidacy Examination between quarters (including summer) to accommodate their doctoral committee members' schedules. The following information will be listed on an advanced students' transcript:
• The date of the exam (as listed on the Report of the Qualifying Examination).
• For students who take the exam between quarters (excluding summer), the Advancement to Candidacy date will be listed as the first day of instruction of the next quarter.
• For students who take the exam during a registered quarter, the Advancement to Candidacy date will be listed as the date the form is received by GEPA.
• Students receiving a Candidate in Philosophy degree as part of the advancement will have the award date listed as the last day of the quarter. This is consistent with all other graduate degree posting.

The following professional master's degrees do not have an advancement to candidacy requirement: MAS, MBA, MEd, MEng, MIA.

Non Discrimination Statement: In accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, the University of California does not discriminate, or grant preferences, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or other protected categories. More information about Proposition 209 can be found here. More information about the University of California Anti-Discrimination Policy can be found here.

Progress to Degree

• Pre-Candidacy
• Doctoral & Master's Committees
• Advancing to Candidacy
• Spring Evaluations
• Time to Doctorate Policy