June 2, 2023 Paul Erickson Chair, Mechanical and Aerospace

UC DAVIS: ACADEMIC SENATE

GRADUATE COUNCIL

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

June 2, 2023

Paul Erickson

Chair, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

RE: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Degree Requirements

Enclosed is a copy of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering degree requirements as approved by

Graduate Council on June 2, 2023. These degree requirements are now the revised, official document

for the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and will be posted to the Office of Graduate Studies

program webpage: https://grad.ucdavis.edu/programs/gmae.

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of graduate education.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Schank

Chair, Graduate Council

c: Jasmine Bonite, Director of Policy and Programs, Graduate Studies

Will Angel, Project Policy Analyst, Graduate Studies

Duncan Temple Lang, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, Graduate Studies

Melany Miners, Graduate Program Coordinator, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

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Graduate Program in Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering

MS and PhD DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Revised: April 11, 2023

Graduate Council Approval: June 2, 2023

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1 ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Consideration for program admission requires a bachelor’s degree, three letters of

recommendation, official transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL or IELTS score (if applicable) and Office

of Graduate Studies application with fee by the stated admission deadline. A minimum GPA of 3.0

is required. Applicants to the MS program should also have a GRE Verbal percentage of at least

60%, a GRE Quantitative percentage of 80% and an Analytical Writing percentage of at least 50%.

However, admissions decisions are made on a case-by case basis. Meeting some or all of these

criteria does not guarantee admission, but is merely for eligibility.

The decision to recommend admission to the Dean of Graduate Studies will be made by the

Program Admissions Committee on the basis of available space and the competitiveness of

applicants compared to the eligible pool.

a PREREQUISITES:

There are no formal prerequisites for admission. However, applicants not holding a B.S. in

Mechanical and/or Aerospace Engineering (MAE) are required to work with their Major Professor to

determine appropriate undergraduate courses to complete to ensure proficiency in Engineering

Analysis and other fundamental engineering topics relevant to their research. A list of topics and

associated courses offered at UC Davis can be found in the table:

Topic

Coursework

Engineering Analysis

MAT 21ABCD – Calculus

MAT 22A – Linear Algebra

MAT 22B – Differential Equations

Dynamics

ENG 102 - Dynamics

Fluid Mechanics

ENG 103- Fluid Mechanics

EME 106 – Thermo-Fluid Mechanics

Heat Transfer

EME 165 – Introduction to Heat Transfer

Strength of Materials

ENG 104 – Mechanics of Materials

EME 150A – Mechanical Design

EAE 135 – Aerospace Structures

System Dynamics and Control

EME 171 – Analysis, Simulation & Design of

Mechatronic Systems

EME 172 – Automatic Control of Engineering

Systems

Thermodynamics

ENG 105 – Thermodynamics

EME 106 – Thermo-Fluid Dynamics

— 2 —

b DEFICIENCIES:

Course deficiencies should be made up by the end of the first year of enrollment by earning a letter

grade of “B” or better. None of these prerequisite courses may be counted towards the graduate

program requirements.

2 DEGREES OFFERED

The Program offers the following degrees:

• Master of Science, with thesis (Plan I)

• Master of Science, with capstone Project (Plan II) or with capstone Literature Synthesis (Plan

II)

Students must develop their plan of study in consultation with their major professor (Plan I, or Plan

II with Project option) or coursework advisor (Plan II with Literature Synthesis option).

No course that was required for, or used towards completion of another degree (BS/MS, etc.) at UC

Davis or another institution, can be used towards the requirements for this degree.

3 COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 units per quarter to be considered in full-time status. Two

six-week summer sessions may be counted as the equivalent of one regular quarter for purposes of

satisfying the residency requirement if a minimum of two units are taken in each summer session.

The 12 units can be made up of required coursework, seminar (MAE 297), and research units (MAE

290C and 299). Per UC regulations, students should not ordinarily enroll in more than 12 units of

graduate level courses (200) or more than 16 units of combined undergraduate and graduate level

(100, 200, 300) courses per quarter.

The distribution of course credits for the three MS options is summarized in the table below.

Course credit distribution for the MS options

Options

MS Plan I

MS Plan II- Project

MS Plan II- Literature

Synthesis

Total Letter-graded

coursework

Minimum letter-

graded graduate

level coursework

Minimum MAE

course credits

Minimum College of

Engineering (COE)

course credits

MAE297 seminar

MAE 299 research

credits

MAE 290C

Total credits

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a MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH THESIS (PLAN I):

This plan requires a minimum of 38 credit units, which are divided into letter-graded course credits,

and thesis research and seminar credits. This Plan requires more units than the UC Davis

minimum, which are: 30 units of graduate and upper division courses (the 100 and 200 series only),

at least 12 of which must be graduate work in the major field.

At least 24 credits should come from letter-graded coursework. Out of the 24 credits of coursework,

a minimum of 20 units should be at the graduate level. The remaining 4 units of required letter-

graded coursework may be satisfied with graduate or upper division undergraduate coursework in

engineering or any other field that is relevant to the student’s research (e.g. mathematics, biology,

etc.). A minimum of 12 units must be letter-graded graduate courses in MAE, and a minimum of 20

units should be taken within the College of Engineering.

In addition to letter-graded course credits, an individual thesis is required. Students need to be

enrolled in a minimum of 3 MAE 290C graduate research conference units and 9 MAE 299C

research units under their thesis advisor’s section. Requirements associated with the thesis are

described in section 7. Students are also required to take a minimum of 2 MAE297 seminar credits.

b MASTER

OF SCIENCE WITH CAPSTONE PROJECT (PLAN II):

This plan requires a minimum of 38 credit units, which are divided into letter-graded course credits,

and project research and seminar credits. This plan requires more units than the UC Davis

minimum, which are: 36 units of graduate and upper division courses (the 100 and 200 series only),

at least 12 of which must be graduate work in the major field.

At least 32 credits should come from letter-graded coursework. Out of the 32 credits of coursework,

a minimum of 28 units should be at the graduate level. The remaining 4 units of required letter-

graded coursework may be satisfied with graduate or upper division undergraduate coursework in

engineering or any other field that is relevant to the student’s research (e.g. mathematics, biology,

etc.). If a course was used towards a BS degree from any institution, it cannot be counted towards

the remaining 4 units. A minimum of 20 credit units must be letter-graded graduate courses in MAE,

and a minimum of 28 units should be taken within the College of Engineering.

In addition to letter-graded course credits, an individual capstone project is required. Students need

enroll in a minimum of 1 MAE 290C graduate research conference unit and 3 MAE 299C research

units under their project advisor’s section. Requirements associated with the project are described

in section 7. Students are also required to take a minimum of 2 MAE297 seminar credits.

c MASTER

OF SCIENCE WITH CAPSTONE LITERATURE SYNTHESIS (PLAN II):

This plan requires a minimum of 38 credit units, which are divided into letter-graded course credits

and seminar credits. This plan requires more units than the UC Davis minimum, which are: 36 units

of graduate and upper division courses (the 100 and 200 series only), at least 12 of which must be

graduate work in the major field.

At least 36 credits should come from letter-graded coursework. Out of the 36 credits of coursework,

a minimum of 32 units should be at the graduate level. The remaining 4 units of required letter-

graded coursework may be satisfied with graduate or upper division undergraduate coursework in

engineering or any other field that is relevant to the student’s research (e.g. mathematics, biology,

etc.). If a course was used towards a BS degree from any institution, it cannot be counted towards

the remaining 4 units. A minimum of 20 credit units must be letter-graded graduate courses in MAE,

and a minimum of 28 units should be taken within the College of Engineering.

In addition to letter-graded course credits, an individual capstone literature synthesis is required.

Students need to be enrolled in a minimum of 1 MAE 290C graduate research conference credit

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under their advisor’s section during the quarter when they complete the literature synthesis.

Requirements associated with the literature synthesis are described in section 7. Students are also

required to take a minimum of 1 MAE297 seminar credit.

English language requirement: Students who have not obtained a previous degree at an

approved English-medium institution or demonstrated English-language proficiency through an

appropriate exam (e.g. TOEFL) are required to complete appropriate English-language courses, as

described in the policy Graduate Student Course Requirements – English as Second Language

(GC2018-02

). Courses taken in satisfaction of this requirement do not count towards the units

required for graduation.

4 COMMITTEES

a GRADUATE STUDIES ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE:

Once the completed application package, including all supporting materials and the application fee

have been received, the application will be submitted to the Admissions Committee. The

Admissions Committee consists of the Graduate Advisor for Admissions (Chair of the Committee)

and two Graduate Program members who are appointed by the Program Chair.

The role of the Admissions Committee is to review each entire application and to make a

recommendation to accept or decline an applicant’s request for admission. That recommendation is

forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. Notifications of admission decisions

are sent to the applicants by the Office of Graduate Studies. The priority admission deadline is

typically December 15 of the previous calendar year for the next Fall entering class. No applications

are accepted after the final admission deadline. Prospective applicants are advised to consult the

website of the Office of Graduate Studies (gradstudies.ucdavis.edu) for current application

deadlines.

b GRADUATE

STUDIES COMMITTEE:

The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) comprises the Chair of the MAE Graduate

Program/Department (Chair of the committee), the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students, the

Graduate Advisor for Admissions, and at least two Graduate Program faculty members who are

appointed by the Program Chair, and a student representative. The Graduate Program coordinator

is a member of the committee. The Graduate Program Coordinator and student representative are

non-voting members.

The Graduate Studies Committee provides guidance to the MAE Graduate Program faculty on

curricular and student matters. Specifically, the MAE GSC performs the following functions:

1. Steers the Program by ensuring a robust and consistent offering of graduate level courses.

The Committee

a. advises faculty on development of new courses or reconstitution of existing courses

b. provides a structure/process by which new graduate course offerings or existing

graduate course offerings are evaluated

c. makes recommendations regarding degree requirements and drafts changes to the

degree requirements and by-laws for consideration of the Program faculty

2. Evaluates current size of the Program and develops recommendations to Program faculty

on potential programmatic changes to accommodate growth plans

3. Reviews graduate student petitions

4. Appoints standing and ad-hoc committees as necessary to properly administer the activities

of the Program

c COURSE

GUIDANCE COMMITTEE:

Although there is no guidance committee for the MS degree, students are expected to develop their

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plan of study through the advisement of the major professor (for MS Plan I and MS Plan II

Capstone Project) or coursework advisor (MS Plan II- Capstone Literature Synthesis) and the

Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students who approves it by signing the MS Advancement to

Candidacy form. Master’s students must file an Application for Advancement to Candidacy with the

Office of Graduate Studies after completion of at least one-half of the degree requirements and at

least one quarter before completion of all requirements. For students with an overall GPA below 3.0

at the time of application for advancement to candidacy, the application may only be submitted if the

GPA is close enough to 3.0 that successful completion of coursework at the end of the quarter

during which the application is filed will bring the student above the required GPA minimum of 3.0.

d PLAN

I THESIS COMMITTEE:

In consultation with their major professor and graduate advisor, students identify three faculty

members to serve on their Thesis Committee (Plan I). The major professor is the Chair of the

committee and must be a member of the MAE Graduate Program. The other two committee

members may come from any Engineering Graduate Program, and one member may come from

outside Engineering if this individual has a special interest and expertise in the thesis topic. It is

possible, under some circumstances, to suggest a committee member from outside UC Davis.

Typically, this individual would have special expertise and/or qualifications that cannot be duplicated

on campus. In this case, an External Committee Membership form must be submitted for approval.

These nominations are submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for formal appointment in

accordance with Graduate Council policy (GC1998-01

The role of the Thesis Committee is to advise the student on the research topic and methods, and

then to review the final completed thesis for acceptance. Students are expected to meet with the

Chair of their thesis committee regularly. Thesis committee members are expected to read and

comment on a thesis within four weeks from its submission. This time limit policy does not apply to

summer periods for faculty holding nine-month appointments. The student and faculty will

coordinate a timeline for the student to present the thesis to the thesis committee.

This timeline must allow all thesis committee members enough time to fulfill their responsibilities

within the four-week deadline.

e PLAN

II CAPSTONE PROJECT COMMITTEE:

The Plan II-Capstone Project Committee consists of three faculty members in the MAE Graduate

Program, including the student’s Major Professor or Advisor for Coursework. The major professor

(or Advisor for Coursework) is the Chair of the project committee. There is a provision where one of

the three Program faculty members of the committee can be replaced by an external member. Such

external committee members can be substituted with approval of the Chair of the Graduate

Program. Only one of the committee members may be from outside the MAE Graduate Program,

and should be from another Engineering Graduate Program. It is possible, under some

circumstances, to suggest a committee member from outside UC Davis. Typically, this individual

would have special expertise and/or qualifications that cannot be duplicated on campus. In this

case, an External Committee Membership form must be submitted for approval.

The role of the Plan II-Capstone Project Committee is to review the capstone project report, and

provide a recommendation of whether the student earned a passing score on the capstone report,

as described in Section 7b.

5 ADVISING STRUCTURE AND MENTORING

The Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students is a resource for all graduate students in the

Program to provide information and advising on academic requirements, policies and procedures.

The Graduate Advisor’s signature is the only signature recognized as official by the Office of

Graduate Studies on a variety of petitions and forms used by graduate students. In particular, the

Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students is responsible for the following: a) serves on the MAE

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Graduate Study Committee & TA Selection Committee; b) handles all Office of Graduate Studies

and MAE program forms; c) performs periodic review of student progress toward degree objectives;

d) enforces MAE Graduate Procedures and Requirements; e) has responsibility for the content of

MAE Graduate Program Web Pages; and f) assists the Graduate Advisor for Admissions in Block

Grant allocation decisions. The Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students is available for

consultation by direct appointment.

Graduate Advisor for Admissions (Admissions chair ):The Graduate Advisor for Admissions a)

chairs the MAE Graduate Admissions Committee;

b) serves on the MAE Graduate Study Committee & TA Selection Committee; c) is responsible for

new student recruitment; d) is responsible for allocating Graduate Program Fellowship funds, in

consultation with the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students; and e) approves change of major,

change of degree objective and readmission applications.

Initial faculty advisor: The initial faculty advisor serves as a temporary advisor to the student until

the student finds a permanent Major Professor (faculty advisor). Each student is assigned, upon

admission, an initial faculty contact by the Graduate Advisor for Admissions. The initial advisor

advises the student on coursework and guides the student in finding a permanent Major Professor.

The Graduate Program Coordinator must be notified if the student finds a permanent Major

Professor who is different from the initial faculty contact. Note that the permanent Major Professor

should agree to mentor the student.

Major Professor (faculty advisor): The Major Professor is the faculty member who assists the

student in preparing a detailed study program and who supervises the research that forms the basis

for the thesis or dissertation. The Major Professor’s responsibilities include to: a) assist the student

with preparation of program of study; b) supervise student thesis or dissertation research; c) assign

a grade for MAE-299 (research) and MAE-290C (research conference) units; d) serve as the

chairperson of the thesis or dissertation committee; and e) provide a formal assessment of the

student’s progress toward degree requirements on an annual basis. One of the most critical

decisions in a graduate student’s career is the selection of a Major Professor (Thesis Advisor). The

selection of a Major Professor and a research topic requires careful thought because the

thesis/dissertation research is the principal activity of a graduate student and often defines the

future career directions of the student. Each student is assigned an initial faculty contact upon

admission. The Graduate Program Coordinator must be notified if the student decides on a Major

Professor who is different from the initial faculty contact. The Major Professor must be a member of

the MAE Graduate Program.

The Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Graduate Program has adopted the UC Davis Graduate

Council Mentoring Guidelines and has posted them on the website

(https://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk3876/files/inline-

files/mentoring_guidelines.pdf).

6 ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Every student must file an official application for Candidacy for the Master’s Degree and pay the

candidacy fee after completing one-half of their course requirements and at least one quarter before

completing all degree requirements. The Candidacy for the Degree of Master form can be found

online at: http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/forms/

. A completed form includes a list of courses

the student will take to complete degree requirements. If changes must be made to the student’s

course plan after advancement to candidacy, the Graduate Advisor must recommend these

changes to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students must have their Graduate Advisor and thesis

committee Chair sign the candidacy form before it can be submitted to the Office of Graduate

Studies. If the candidacy is approved, the Office of Graduate Studies will send a copy to the Thesis

Committee Chair, the appropriate graduate staff person, and the student. If the Office of Graduate

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Studies determines that a student is not eligible for advancement, the graduate program and the

student will be told the reasons for the application’s deferral. Examples of reasons for deferring an

application include: grade point average below 3.0, outstanding “I” grades in required courses, or

insufficient units.

Students in the MS program are expected to advance to candidacy in their 3

quarter. Students

having to make-up deficiencies are expected to advance to candidacy in their 4

quarter.

7 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION AND THESIS REQUIREMENTS

a THESIS REQUIREMENTS (PLAN I):

The candidate and major professor should meet with the other members of the thesis committee to

discuss progress and any changes in research objectives, as needed.

Research for the thesis is to be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member of the

program and should represent an original contribution to knowledge in the field. The thesis research

must be conducted while the student is enrolled in the program. The student, in consultation with

and final approval by the thesis committee decides the thesis topic, length, format, scope

requirements and research breadth. While it is expected that the thesis will include high-quality

research that can be published in articles, there is no minimum number of articles that are required

to be published before the thesis is completed. The thesis is submitted to the thesis committee at

least one month before the student plans to make requested revisions. All committee members

have four weeks to review the thesis (GC1998-01

). All committee members must approve the thesis

and sign the title page before the thesis is submitted to Graduate Studies for final approval. Should

the committee determine that the thesis is unacceptable, even with substantial revisions, the

program may recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies that the student be disqualified from the

program.

The deadlines for completing this requirement are listed each quarter in the campus General

Catalog (available online at the website of the Office of the Registrar or from the Bookstore). A

candidate must be a registered student or in Filing Fee status at the time of filing a thesis, with the

exception of the summer period between the end of the Spring Quarter and the beginning of Fall

Quarter.

The MAE Graduate Program adheres to the regulations instituted by the Office of Graduate Studies

http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html

b CAPSTONE PROJECT (PLAN II):

Fulfillment of the Capstone Project is the last requirement of the M.S. Plan II. The Capstone

Technical Project and Report Option or Capstone Literature Synthesis Option must be selected by

the student.

Capstone Technical Project and Report Option

The student’s major professor and the other members of the exam committee will decide on what

constitutes an appropriate topic for this project and report. The technical project and report

examines the application of the concepts and methods from various courses taken by the student

during their MS Plan II program. The project and technical report is to be designed and written

under the direction of the major professor who must be a member of the graduate program. This

project differs from a Plan 1 project in that it is more limited in length and scope, and may or may

not include original research. This short technical project, generally not requiring more than one

quarter of work serves as a basis for the technical report.

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Capstone Literature Synthesis Option

The Major Professor or the Initial Advisor will serve as the student’s advisor for coursework.

Fulfillment of the Literature Synthesis is the last requirement of the M.S. Plan II Capstone-Literature

Synthesis option. The student will work independently on the synthesis based on the guidelines set

by the program over a period of three or more weeks, but not exceeding one quarter.

The capstone literature synthesis option examines the application of the concepts and methods

from various courses taken by the student during their MS Plan II program. Literature synthesis

consists of a cohesive summary and discussion of a minimum of 3 archival papers in the chosen

field. Sections should include an abstract, introduction and background, methods, results and

discussion, and conclusions. Clear integration of results amongst the papers, discussion of the

results, and identifying gaps for areas of new research are key aspects of the synthesis. The length

should be no more than 15 pages, including figures, with a minimum length of 10 pages (single

spaced, 1 inch margins, 12 point font).

The student’s exam committee will review the report (project report or literature synthesis) within 4

weeks and provide a recommendation of whether the student earned a passing score. The Exam

committee’s unanimous vote is required to pass a student on the project report. If the exam

committee’s vote is not unanimous it will be forwarded to the Graduate Advisor for Continuing

Students for review and a decision on the result. If a student does not pass, the committee may

recommend that the student submit an amended version of the report. The amended report must be

submitted within one quarter of the first report. The report may not be amended more than once. A

student who does not pass on the second attempt is subject to disqualification from further graduate

work in the program. Disqualification recommendations are reviewed by the Program’s Graduate

Studies Committee and must be approved, when a quorum is established, by a simple majority vote

of the program faculty members which may lead to a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate

Studies that the student be disqualified from the MAE MS program.

Once passed, the Master’s Report form is signed by the Program Graduate Advisor and then

forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies. The deadlines for completing this requirement are

listed each quarter in the campus General Catalog (available online at the website of the Office of

the Registrar). A candidate must be a registered student or in Filing Fee status at the time the

program submits the form, with the exception of the summer period between the end of the Spring

Quarter and the beginning of Fall Quarter. The program must file the report with Graduate Studies

within one week of the end of the quarter in which the student’s degree will be conferred.

8 NORMATIVE TIME TO DEGREE

Normative Time is the elapsed time, calculated to the nearest quarter, that students would need to

complete all requirements for the degree, assuming that they are engaged in full-time study and

making adequate progress. There are two parts to Normative Time: Normative Time to

Advancement to Candidacy and Normative Time in Candidacy. For Plan I, Normative Time in

Candidacy represents the number of quarters that are recommended for completion of the thesis.

Students who enter without a BS degree in Mechanical and/or Aerospace Science and Engineering

may need additional time.

a MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH THESIS (PLAN I):

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 3 quarters

Normative Time to Degree: 6 quarters

b MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH CAPSTONE PROJECT (PLAN II):

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 3 quarters

Normative Time to Degree: 4 quarters

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9 TIMELINE AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Full-time students in the M.S. program are expected to broadly adhere to the following timeline. The

numbers indicate the consecutive quarter of enrollment:

Plan I

Plan II-

Capstone

Take coursework 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4

Select Faculty Research Advisor or Project Mentor (if

different than assigned advisor)

2 2

Select a Master’s Thesis committee (Plan I) 2 n/a

File an Application for Candidacy which includes a

plan of study

3 3

Submit the Plan II project (Plan II) n/a 4

File a Master’s Exam Report Form – Plan II n/a 4

Complete the thesis, gain approval from the

committee and submit to the Office of Graduate

Studies (Plan I)

6 n/a

10 SOURCES OF FUNDING

Funding is provided in the following forms: Departmental Fellowships, Graduate Student Research

Assistantships (GSR), Teaching Assistantships (TA), Reader positions.

11 PELP, IN ABSENTIA, AND FILING FEE STATUS

a PLANNED EDUCATIONAL LEAVE PROGRAM (PELP):

The Planned Educational Leave Program is designed to allow students to suspend their programs of

study for good cause to leave the campus, and to be guaranteed the right to return later to resume

academic work with a minimum of procedural difficulty. Examples of good cause for PELP include

illness, temporary departure from the University for employment or research away from campus,

preparing for examinations if doing so at a distance from campus, under financial hardship, or with

otherwise prohibitive personal problems. PELP is recommended for those students who are certain

of the quarter in which they plan to return and who are intending to be away no longer than three

quarters. If a student is not certain of the return date, filing an Application for Readmission is

suggested instead.

Students on PELP cannot Advance to Candidacy (for either the M.S. or Ph.D.), take the

Comprehensive Examination, or file a thesis until they have returned from PELP to registered status.

More information about PELP can be found in the Graduate Student Guide:

http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

— 10 —

b IN ABSTENTIA STATUS:

Information about In Absentia status (reduced fees when researching out of state) can be found

in the Graduate Student Guide: http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

c FILING FEE STATUS:

Normally, candidates for the MS Plan I degree will file a final approved copy of their thesis with the

Office of Graduate Studies during their final quarter of residence on campus, and candidates for the

MS Plan II degree will submit a final comprehensive exam to their comprehensive exam committee

during their final quarter of residence on campus. Filing Fee status is designed for MS students who

have completed all other requirements (such as coursework, laboratory work/research, preparation

of the thesis, and have Advanced to Candidacy), and who may not require an additional quarter in

residence to prepare the final thesis or dissertation manuscript. In this case, filing fee would replace

regular registration. Students on filing fee are expected to make no demands upon faculty time other

than the time involved in reading the thesis or grading the comprehensive examination.

A student must have been in full-time residence for a minimum of 3 quarters to be eligible. A student

will be allowed to stay on filing fee for a maximum of 1 quarter. An extension of an additional quarter

is possible under unusual and compelling circumstances, but is rarely approved by Graduate

Studies. In order to be a registered student again after being on filing fee status, it will be necessary

to file a Readmission application. Please note that a student is expected to graduate once the filing

fee period has elapsed. Students in non-registered status, such as Filing Fee, will be allowed one

quarter of employment without request for exception.

Exceptions beyond this one-quarter period are rarely granted.

More information about Filing Fee status can be found in the Graduate Student Guide:

http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

Filing Fee application

To apply for filing fee status, a student must submit the filing fee request form with the Major

Professor’s signature to the Graduate Program Coordinator. Accompanying this form must be the

College of Engineering Supplemental Filing Fee signature form with signatures of all members of the

committee stating that they have read a draft of the thesis or dissertation. The student will be

charged a one-time fee. The completed form, with appropriate signatures and payment, must be

submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by no later than the first day of the quarter filing fee is to

become effective.

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DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1 ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Consideration for program admission requires a bachelor’s degree, three letters of recommendation,

official transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL or IELTS score (if applicable) and Office of Graduate

Studies application with fee by the stated admission deadline. Admission to graduate standing

normally requires a minimum of 3.5 (out of 4.0) GPA including a minimum of

3.5 (out of 4.0) for all coursework taken in a completed master’s program. The applicant should also

have a GRE Verbal percentage of at least 60%, a GRE Quantitative percentage of 80% and an

Analytical Writing percentage of at least 50%. However, admissions decisions are made on a case-

by case basis. Meeting some or all of these criteria does not guarantee admission, but is merely for

eligibility. The decision to recommend admission to the Dean of Graduate Studies will be made by

the Program Admissions Committee on the basis of available space and the competitiveness of

applicants compared to the eligible pool. A master’s degree is not required as a prerequisite for the

doctoral degree. For current MAE master’s students, completion of the M.S. requirements does not

guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program; a change of degree objective form must be submitted for

consideration.

a PREREQUISITES:

There are no formal prerequisites for admission. However, applicants not holding a B.S. in

Mechanical and/or Aerospace Engineering (MAE) are required to work with their major professor to

determine appropriate undergraduate courses to complete to ensure proficiency in Engineering

Analysis and two other fundamental engineering topics relevant to their dissertation research and

preliminary exams. A list of topics and associated courses offered at UC Davis can be found in the

table:

Topic

Coursework

Engineering Analysis

MAT 21ABCD – Calculus

MAT 22A – Linear Algebra

MAT 22B – Differential Equations

Dynamics

ENG 102 - Dynamics

Fluid Mechanics

ENG 103- Fluid Mechanics

EME 106 – Thermo-Fluid Mechanics

Heat Transfer

EME 165 – Introduction to Heat Transfer

Strength of Materials

ENG 104 – Mechanics of Materials

EME 150A – Mechanical Design

EAE 135 – Aerospace Structures

System Dynamics and Control

EME 171 – Analysis, Simulation & Design of

Mechatronic Systems

EME 172 – Automatic Control of Engineering

Systems

Thermodynamics

ENG 105 – Thermodynamics

EME 106 – Thermo-Fluid Dynamics

Course deficiencies should be made up by the time an applicant takes the preliminary exams by

auditing the course or earning a letter grade of “B” or better. Proficiency will be demonstrated by the

student when they pass their preliminary exams. None of these prerequisite courses may be

counted towards the graduate program requirements.

— 12 —

2 DISSERTATION PLAN

The only dissertation plan offered is Plan B as described under Section 520 of the Davis Division

Academic Senate Regulations. It includes a required three-member (minimum) dissertation

committee, an optional final oral examination (made on an individual student basis by the dissertation

committee), and a required exit seminar.

3 COURSE REQUIREMENTS (51-53 UNITS)

** No course that was required for, or used towards completion of an undergraduate degree or

another Doctoral degree at UC Davis or another institution, can be used towards the

requirements for this degree.

a) Primary and Secondary Areas Coursework

b) A Doctoral Program of Study must contain a minimum of 48 units of coursework taken

on a letter grade basis for students entering the program. Of these 48 units at least 24

must be graduate courses (200 level) taken at UC Davis in MAE. At least 40 units must

be earned in graduate level courses. Letter-graded courses taken during a Master’s

program, either at UCD or elsewhere can be part of the 48 unit total if these courses fit

the proposed program of study. A minimum of 3 units of MAE 297 Seminar is required

after completion of the Master’s degree from any institution and before advancing to

candidacy. Students admitted directly into the doctoral program after the B.S. degree are

required to complete at least 5 units of MAE 297. Students with a Master’s degree from

a different institution are required to complete 3 units of MAE 297.

— 13 —

Minimum Coursework Requirements for PhD Students

PhD without prior MS

PhD with prior MS

Total Letter-graded

coursework

Minimum letter-

graded graduate

level coursework

Minimum MAE

course credits

MAE297 seminar

MAE 299 research

credits

As needed

MAE 290C

As needed

Total Minimum

credits

The 48 units of required coursework are divided between a 24-unit primary area of study and two

complementary 12-unit secondary areas of study, or alternatively, between a 32-unit primary area of

study and with one complementary 16-unit secondary area of study. These units are exclusive of

seminar and research units. Each student selects a primary field of study and either one or two

secondary fields of study. Primary and secondary fields should be selected from the following tracks:

Aerospace; Biomechanical Engineering; Computational Fluid Dynamics; Controls and Mechatronics;

Design, Manufacturing, and Materials; Dynamics and Design of Mechanical Systems; Energy

Systems; Micro and Nanotechnology; and Thermo/Fluids. However, in order to provide some

flexibility in tailoring doctoral programs that meet interdisciplinary objectives, it is possible, on an

exceptional basis, for students to define, in concert with their guidance committee, primary and

secondary fields of study outside this list.

These defined primary and secondary fields of study are subject to the approval of the Program’s

Advisor for Continuing Students. The Program of Study may not be approved if the primary and

secondary fields are too closely related or if some fields are so loosely defined that the courses lack

cohesiveness. Students must develop their plan of study in consultation with their course guidance

committee (Section 5c).

Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 units per quarter to be considered as in full-time status. Two

six-week summer sessions may collectively be counted as the equivalent of one regular quarter for

purpose of satisfying the residency requirement if a minimum of two units are taken in each summer

session. Residence for the MS degree at UC Davis can be used to satisfy the residency

requirements for a doctoral degree.

4 ENGLIGH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Students must meet the English as Second Language requirement, if applicable. This policy can be

found on the UC Davis Graduate Studies website. Coursework taken for English as Second

Language requirements cannot be used toward the degrees.

5 COMMITTEES

a GRADUATE PROGRAM ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE:

Once the completed application package, including all supporting material, and the application fee

have been received, the application will be submitted to the Admissions Committee. The Admissions

Committee consists of the Graduate Advisor for Admissions (Chair of the Committee) and two

— 14 —

Graduate Program members who are appointed by the Program Chair.

The role of the Admissions Committee is to review each entire application and to make a

recommendation to accept or decline an applicant’s request for admission. That recommendation is

forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. Notifications of admission decisions

are sent to the applicants by the Office of Graduate Studies. The priority admission deadline is

typically December 15 of the previous year for the next Fall entering class. No applications are

accepted after the final admission deadline which is April 1. Prospective applicants are advised to

consult the website of the Office of Graduate Studies (gradstudies.ucdavis.edu) for other application

deadlines.

b GRADUATE STUDIES COMMITTEE:

The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) comprises the Chair of the MAE Graduate Program (Chair

of the committee), the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students, the Graduate Advisor for

Admissions, and at least two Graduate Program faculty members who are appointed by the Program

Chair, and a student representative. The Graduate Program coordinator is a member of the

committee. The Graduate Program Coordinator and student representative are non-voting members.

The Graduate Studies Committee provides guidance to the MAE Graduate Program faculty on

curricular and student matters. Specifically, the MAE GSC performs the following functions:

1. Steers the Program by ensuring a robust and consistent offering of graduate level courses.

The Committee

a. advises faculty on development of new courses or reconstitution of existing courses

b. provides a structure/process by which new graduate course offerings or existing

graduate course offerings are evaluated

c. makes recommendations regarding degree requirements and drafts changes to the

degree requirements and by-laws for consideration of the Program faculty

2. Evaluates current size of the Program and develops recommendations to Program faculty on

potential programmatic changes to accommodate growth plans

3. Reviews graduate student petitions

4. Appoints standing and ad-hoc committees as necessary to properly administer the activities

of the Program

c COURSE GUIDANCE COMMITTEE:

A doctoral student must declare the Ph.D. Guidance Committee within one quarter after passing the

Ph.D. Preliminary Examination. This committee is chaired by the Major Professor and is made up of

at least two other members. The majority of this committee must be members of the MAE Graduate

Program. These may be, and usually are, the same faculty members who eventually become

members of the student’s Dissertation Committee. All faculty who are members of the UC Davis

Academic Senate are automatically eligible to serve on doctoral guidance committees. Eligibility of

non-members of the UC Davis Academic Senate for service on a Doctoral Guidance Committee,

and all committees herein, is subject to the Graduate

Council Policy on Service on Advanced

Degree Committees (GC1998-01). If eligible, the appointment of these individuals must also be

approved by the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students

The responsibility of this committee is to guide the student through their program of study until the

PhD Qualifying Examination is taken. These members sign their approval of the coursework on the

Ph.D. Program of Study form within one quarter of passing the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination.

d PH.D. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION COMMITTEE:

Each subject of the PhD Preliminary Exam is written by a committee of three faculty members, each

with a selected Chair. These committees are selected by the Graduate Advisor for Continuing

Students. (See Section 8a for detailed information on the PhD Preliminary Examination).

— 15 —

e QUALIFYING EXAMINATION COMMITTEE:

In consultation with their major professor and graduate advisor, students identify faculty members to

serve on the Examination Committee. The committee consists of five members, with the majority

being members of the MAE Graduate Program. One member external to MAE is required. The

doctoral student’s Major Professor (Research Advisor) may not be a member of the Qualifying

Examination committee. These nominations are submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by the

Graduate Advisor for formal appointment in accordance with Graduate Council policy (DDB

80.Graduate Council, B.1.).

f DISSERTATION COMMITTEE:

The Dissertation Committee is a three-member committee selected by the student, in consultation

with the Major Professor. The majority of the committee should be from MAE. The composition of the

dissertation committee is entered on the Advancement to Candidacy Form, which is submitted to

Graduate Studies. The Dissertation Committee is appointed by Graduate Studies in accordance with

policies of the Graduate Council.

The role of the Dissertation Committee is to advise the doctoral student on the research topic and

methods, and then to review the final completed dissertation for acceptance. The Committee

Chairperson (usually the Major Professor) should determine the desires of the individual members

regarding assistance with the research and dissertation review at the time the dissertation committee

is constituted. Students are expected to meet with the Chair of their dissertation committee regularly.

Dissertation committee members are expected to read and comment on a dissertation within four

weeks from its submission. This time limit policy does not apply to summer periods for faculty

holding nine-month appointments. The student and faculty will coordinate a timeline for the student

to present the thesis to the dissertation committee. This timeline must allow all dissertation

committee members enough time to fulfill their responsibilities within the four-week deadline.

6 ADVISING STRUCTURE AND MENTORING

Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students: The Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students is a

resource for all graduate students in the Program to provide information and advising on academic

requirements, policies and procedures. The Graduate Advisor’s signature is the only signature

recognized as official by the Office of Graduate Studies on a variety of petitions and forms used by

graduate students. In particular, the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students is responsible for the

following; a) serving on the MAE Graduate Study Committee & TA Selection Committee; b) handling

all Office of Graduate Studies and MAE Program forms; c) performing periodic review of student

progress toward degree objectives; d) enforcing MAE Graduate Procedures and Requirements;

e) maintaining the content of MAE Graduate Program Web Pages and f) assisting the Graduate

Advisor for Admissions in Block Grant allocation decisions. The Graduate Advisor for Continuing

Students is available for consultation by direct appointment.

Graduate Advisor for Admissions (Admissions Chair): The Graduate Advisor for Admissions a) chairs

the MAE Graduate Admissions Committee;

b) serves on the MAE Graduate Study Committee & TA Selection Committee; c) is responsible for

new student recruitment; d) allocates Graduate Program Fellowship funds; and e) approves change

of major, change of degree objective and readmission applications.

Initial faculty advisor: The initial faculty advisor serves as a temporary advisor to the student until

the student finds a permanent Major Professor (faculty advisor). Each student is assigned an initial

faculty contact upon admission by the Graduate Advisor for Admissions. The initial advisor advises

the student on coursework and guides the student in finding a permanent Major Professor. The

— 16 —

Graduate Program Coordinator must be notified if the student finds a permanent Major Professor

who is different from the initial faculty contact. Note that the permanent Major Professor should

agree to mentor the student.

Major Professor (faculty advisor): The Major Professor (faculty advisor) is the faculty member who

assists the student in preparing a detailed study program and who supervises the research that

forms the basis for the thesis or dissertation. The major professor is responsible for a) assisting the

student with preparation of Program of Study; b) supervising student thesis or dissertation research;

c) assigning a grade for MAE-299 (research) and MAE-290C (research conference) units; d) serving

as the chairperson of the thesis or dissertation committee; and e) providing a formal assessment of

the student’s progress toward degree requirements on an annual basis. One of the most critical

decisions in a graduate student’s career is the selection of a Major Professor (Dissertation Advisor).

The selection of a Major Professor and a research topic requires careful thought because the

thesis/dissertation research is the principal activity of a graduate student and often defines the future

career directions of the student. Each student is assigned an initial faculty contact upon admission.

The Graduate Program Coordinator must be notified if the student decides on a Major Professor who

is different from the initial faculty contact. The Major Professor must be a member of the MAE

Graduate Program.

The Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Graduate Program has adopted the UC Davis Graduate

Council Mentoring Guidelines and has posted them on the website

(https://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk3876/files/inline-

files/mentoring_guidelines.pdf).

7 ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

The student is eligible for Advancement to Candidacy after successful completion of all graduate

program degree requirements and after passing the Qualifying Examination. The student must file

the appropriate paperwork with the Office of Graduate Studies and pay the candidacy fee in order to

be officially promoted to Ph.D. Candidacy. A student on academic probation is not eligible to

advance to candidacy. Students entering the doctoral program with a BS only are expected to

advance to candidacy in their 8

quarter. Students entering the doctoral program with a MS with

Thesis (Plan I) are expected to advance to candidacy in their 6

quarter. Students entering the

doctoral program with a MS with Thesis (Plan II) are expected to advance to candidacy in their 7

quarter.

8 DISSERTATION REQUIREMENTS

a PH.D. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS:

The Preliminary Examination is the first evaluation of doctoral students by the graduate program

membership. The objectives of this evaluation are to determine the probability of a student

successfully completing the doctoral program and to test the student’s understanding of fundamental

concepts in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the upper division undergraduate level. All

doctoral students in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are required to take the Preliminary

Examination.

Students who have passed the Mechanical Engineering-specific Fundamentals of Engineering (FE-

Mechanical Engineering) Exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering

and Surveying (NCEES) (https://ncees.org/engineering/fe/) are exempt from taking the preliminary

examination. If opting for this exemption, proof of successful completion of the must be submitted to

the Graduate Program before the first offering of the preliminary exam. Beyond those administered

by NCEES, there are no limitations regarding attempts or timing for exercising this exemption.

— 17 —

One session of the PhD Preliminary Examination is offered each year in the Spring quarter. All

students entering the doctoral program are required to take the exam at the first opportunity.

Candidates must take three subject exams. Engineering analysis is required of all, and candidates

must choose two other subjects from the following: Dynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer,

Strength of Materials, System Dynamics and Controls, and Thermodynamics. The examination is

based on material normally covered in these subject areas in upper division undergraduate courses.

Outlines of material and past exam questions are available. Each subject exam is administered by a

committee consisting of three faculty members of the Graduate program and comprises a mandatory

written component and an optional oral catch-up component.

In order to pass the PhD Preliminary Examination, candidates must obtain a passing grade in each

subject. Candidates who pass all three written subject exams on their first attempt have passed the

PhD Preliminary Examination. If a candidate fails in the written exam in their first attempt at the

preliminary exam, the candidate may or may not be invited for an oral examination. The failure

threshold for the written problems and invitation to the oral exam will be decided by the faculty in the

preliminary exam committee. If the candidate fails in the written exam in their second attempt at the

preliminary exam, the candidate will be given a chance to take the oral examination.

Failure to obtain a passing grade in all three subjects after the second attempt will lead to a

recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies that the student be disqualified from the MAE

doctoral program. Disqualification recommendations are reviewed by the Program Graduate Studies

committee and must be approved by a vote of the program faculty members.

Candidates must be registered during the quarter taking the preliminary exam. Master’s students

who are contemplating doctoral work may also take the preliminary examination before completing

the Master’s program. It is advisable to discuss taking the examination with both the Major Professor

and the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students. Passing the preliminary examination does not

guarantee admission to the doctoral program.

b DOCTORAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Successful completion of the Preliminary Examination (or an FE exam exemption) and an

approved Ph.D. Program of Study are prerequisites for taking the Qualifying Examination.

• The student must have completed all coursework with a 3.5 GPA and removed all academic

deficiencies before taking the exam.

• The qualifying exam may be scheduled during a quarter in which the student is taking the

final 1 or 2 courses in his or her program of study. If that is the case, the student will not be

allowed to advance to candidacy until it can be verified that the student has passed the

courses and thereby satisfied all program requirements.

• The Qualifying Examination will consist of written and oral examinations.

• A student on academic probation may not take the Qualifying Examination.

• Student must be registered the quarter in which they take the exam.

• The written research proposal should be provided to members of the committee at least two

weeks prior to the exam. The exam should be taken by the 6

quarter and no later than the

end of the 9th quarter after admission to the Ph.D. program.

• Passing this exam makes the student eligible for advancement to candidacy.

(i) Written Component of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination:

The Doctoral Qualifying Examination is essentially a critical review by a committee of examiners of a

student’s research proposal as well as an evaluation of how well the student is prepared to carry out

the proposed research. Sufficient progress on the dissertation to allow the formulation and defense

of a viable research proposal is also required.

— 18 —

The written portion of the exam consists of the research proposal including, but not restricted to, an

independently prepared proposal of up to 15 pages describing the student’s dissertation- specific

research aims, background information and bibliography on the research the student is proposing to

conduct, research objectives, some preliminary results and a plan and preliminary timeline indicating

how and when the research objectives will be met. Furthermore, the research proposal will provide

information that may be discussed during the oral exam. The Research Proposal must include the

signature of the Major Professor (Research Advisor) indicating approval of the Research Proposal.

(ii) Oral Component of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination:

The research proposal is the object of a detailed oral presentation by the candidate to the Qualifying

Exam Committee. This presentation is followed by questions and comments by the members of the

examination committee. The oral portion of the qualifying exam is intended to demonstrate the

student's critical thinking ability, powers of imagination and synthesis, and broad knowledge of the

field of study.

(iii) QE Outcomes

Regardless of the outcome, the QE committee chair shall provide the QE report to Graduate Studies

within 72 hours. The QE committee, having reached a unanimous decision, shall inform the student

of its decision as "Pass" (no conditions may be appended to this decision), "Not Pass" (the Chair's

report should specify whether the student is required to retake all or part of the examination, list any

additional requirements, and state the exact timeline for completion of requirements to achieve a

"Pass") or "Fail". If a unanimous decision takes the form of "Not Pass" or "Fail", the Chair of the QE

committee must include in the 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", the student may attempt the QE one additional time. After a second examination, a vote

of "Not Pass" is unacceptable; only "Pass" or "Fail" is recognized. Only one retake of the qualifying

examination is allowed. If the committee is unable to reach a unanimous decision, the Chair’s report

to Graduate Studies (within 72 hours) shall include brief statements of the majority and minority

opinions of the committee.

c DISSERTATION

REQUIREMENTS:

Filing of a Ph.D. dissertation with the Office of Graduate Studies is normally the last requirement

satisfied by the candidate. The deadlines for completing this requirement are listed each quarter in

the campus General Catalog (available online at the website of the Office of the Registrar or from

the Bookstore). A candidate must be a registered student or in Filing Fee status at the time of filing a

dissertation, with the exception of the summer period between the end of the Spring Quarter and the

beginning of Fall Quarter. The student, in consultation with, and final approval by the dissertation

guidance committee decides the dissertation topic, length, format, scope requirements, and research

depth and breadth. While it is expected that the dissertation will include high-quality research that

can be published in articles, there is no minimum number of articles that are required to be published

before the dissertation is completed.

The PhD. Dissertation will be prepared, submitted and filed according to regulations instituted by the

Office of Graduate Studies http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html

Satisfaction of this requirement must be verified by the Dissertation Committee Chair.

An exit seminar is required of each candidate. This is a formal public presentation of the student’s

research before the program faculty and students. It is recommended that this presentation take

place during the MAE 297 seminar. The Dissertation Committee will not sign the Dissertation until

after the exit seminar has taken place. Adequate scheduling of the exit seminar is the responsibility

of the student.

9 NORMATIVE TIME TO DEGREE

— 19 —

Normative Time is the elapsed time, calculated to the nearest quarter, that students would need to

complete all requirements for the degree, assuming that they are engaged in full-time study and

making adequate progress. There are two parts to Normative Time: Normative Time to

Advancement to Candidacy and Normative Time in Candidacy. The first represents the number of

quarters needed to complete all of course requirements and pass any required Preliminary and/or

Qualifying Exams. The second represents the remaining quarters that are recommended for

completion of your dissertation.

a STUDENTS ENTERING THE PHD PROGRAM WITH A BS (ONLY):

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 8 quarters

Normative Time to Degree: 15 quarters

b STUDENTS ENTERING THE PHD PROGRAM WITH A MS PLAN I:

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 6 quarters

Normative Time to Degree: 12 quarters

c STUDENTS ENTERING THE PHD PROGRAM WITH A MS PLAN II:

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 7 quarters

Normative Time to Degree: 13 quarters

10 TIMELINE AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

The expectation is that full-time students in the Ph.D. program will broadly adhere to the following

timeline. If students enter without a BS in Mechanical and/or Aerospace Science and Engineering,

this timeline may be longer. The number is the consecutive quarter of enrollment:

Entering

with BS

Entering

with MS I

Entering

with MS II

Select Faculty Research Advisor (if different from

assigned advisor)

2 2 2

Complete the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination 2 2 2

Select a Doctoral Guidance Committee 3 3 3

Develop a Ph.D. Program of Study with Doctoral

Guidance Committee (within one quarter of

passing Ph.D. Preliminary Examination)

3 3 3

Select a Qualifying Examination Committee 7 5 6

Submit a research proposal to the Qualifying

Examination Committee and an application for the

exam to the Graduate Program Coordinator; take

the qualifying exam

8 6 7

Select a Dissertation Committee 8 6 7

File an Application to Advance to Candidacy after

passing the Qualifying Examination

8 6 7

Complete the dissertation, receive approval

from the

committee and submit to the Office of Graduate

Studies

13 11 12

Schedule an Exit Seminar

14 12 13

— 20 —

11 SOURCES OF FUNDING

Funding is provided in the following forms: Departmental Fellowships, Graduate Student Research

Assistantships (GSR), Teaching Assistantships (TA), Readership positions.

12 PELP, IN ABSENTIA, AND FILING FEE STATUS

a PLANNED EDUCATIONAL LEAVE PROGRAM (PELP):

The Planned Educational Leave Program is designed to allow students to suspend their programs of

study for good cause to leave the campus, and to guarantee the right to return later to resume

academic work with a minimum of procedural difficulty. Examples of good cause for PELP include

illness, temporary departure from the University for employment or research away from campus,

preparing for examinations if doing so at a distance from campus, under financial hardship, or with

otherwise prohibitive personal problems. PELP is recommended for those students who are certain

of the quarter in which they plan to return and who intend to be away no longer than three quarters.

If a student is not certain of the return date, filing an Application for Readmission is suggested

instead.

Students on PELP cannot Advance to Candidacy (for either the M.S. or Ph.D.), may not take the

Preliminary or Qualifying Examinations or file a dissertation until they have returned from PELP to

registered status. Time spent on PELP is counted towards the three-year limit for Non- Resident

Tuition remission after advancing to candidacy.

More information about PELP can be found in the Graduate Student Guide:

http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

b IN ABSENTIA STATUS

Information about In Absentia status (reduced fees when researching out of state) can be found in

the Graduate Student Guide: http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

c FILING FEE STATUS:

Normally, candidates for the Ph.D. degree will file a final approved copy of their dissertation with the

Office of Graduate Studies during their final quarter of residence on campus. Filing Fee status is

designed for students who have completed all other requirements (coursework, laboratory

work/research, preparation of the thesis, and have Advanced to Candidacy) and who may not

require an additional quarter in residence to prepare the final thesis or dissertation manuscript. In

this case, filing fee would replace regular registration. It is expected that students on filing fee will

make no demands upon faculty time other than the time involved in reading the thesis.

A student must have been in full time residence for a minimum of 3 quarters to be eligible. A student

will be allowed to stay on filing fee for a maximum of 1 quarter. An extension of an additional quarter

is possible. In order to be a registered student again after being on filing fee status, it will be

necessary to file a Readmission application. Please note that it is expected that a student will

graduate once the filing fee period has elapsed. Students in non-registered status, such as Filing

Fee, will be allowed one quarter of employment without request for exception. Exceptions beyond

this one-quarter period are rarely granted.

More information about Filing Fee status can be found in the Graduate Student Guide:

http://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/publications/

— 21 —

Filing Fee application

To apply for filing fee status, a student must submit the filing fee request form with the Major

Professor’s signature to the Graduate Program Coordinator. Accompanying this form must be the

College of Engineering Supplemental Filing Fee signature form with signatures of all members of the

committee stating that they have read a draft of the thesis or dissertation. The student will be

charged a one-time fee. The completed form, with appropriate signatures and payment, must be

submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by no later than the first day of the quarter filing fee is to

become effective. A student who has not enrolled in any coursework or has not in any way incurred

registration fees has until the last day of late registration to submit the filing fee application.

13 LEAVING THE PROGRAM PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE PHD REQUIREMENTS

Should a student leave the program prior to completing the requirements for the PhD, they may still

be eligible to receive the Masters if they have fulfilled all the requirements and not previously

obtained an MS in the same subject (see Masters section). Students can use the Change of Degree

Objective form available from the Registrar’s Office:

http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/PDFFiles/D065PetitionForChangeOfGraduateMajor.pdf

14 DEGREE REQUIREMENTS EXCEPTION POLICY

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department recognizes that PhD and MS students may

request an exception to the Degree Requirements, in consultation with their major advisor, in order

to tailor their program of study to best suit the needs of their studies.

In such circumstances, the student and their major advisor much submit to the Mechanical and

Aerospace Engineering’s Graduate Study Committee (GSC):

1) A program of study that includes the proposed coursework. The Course Guidance

Committee and major professor do not have to sign off on the program of study before being

submitted to GSC.

2) A letter of support from the major advisor explaining why the student is requesting an

exception and why they support this request.

Both of these items will be reviewed by GSC. On a case-by-case basis, GSC may request that the

major advisor attend a GSC meeting to present and explain the exception.