Frequently Asked Questions about Degree Programs
How do I request an application for graduate programs?
Can I apply to more than one program?
What exams am I required to take to apply for a graduate program?
Is a writing sample required to apply?
Do you accept applications for Spring?
Is there an interview required for admission?
How many students are admitted to the graduate program each year?
When are decisions made?
Is it possible to transfer coursework?
Are there any prerequisite courses required to apply?
Can I enroll in a program on a part-time basis?
What kind of financial support is available?
How can I contact faculty?
How do I go about getting a teaching credential?
How do I request an application for graduate programs?
Our application for graduate admission is available on-line at www.gdnet.ucla.edu
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Can I apply to more than one program?
No. You may apply to only one program at the University per year.
What exams am I required to take to apply for a graduate program? Applicants pursuing an advanced degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., M.L.I.S., M.A., or M.Ed.) must take the GRE General Test. The GRE should be prior to your programs application deadline allowing ETS 14 business days to report the scores to admissions. For GRE information, please visit www.gre.org. The only exception to this requirement is the Teacher Education Program (credential and M.Ed.) applicants that are required to take the CBEST and CSET, not the GRE
International applicants whose first language is not English must certify their proficiency in English. Such applicants must submit scores received on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as part of their application. The Department of Information Studies requires the TOEFL and TWE. International applicants who hold a bachelor's or higher degree from a university located in the United States or in another country in which English is the spoken language and the medium of instruction, or who have completed at least two years of full-time study at such an institution, are exempted from the TOEFL exam. In this case, the GRE is required in lieu of the TOEFL exam.
Is a writing sample required to apply?
The Department of Education does not require a writing sample for the application to it's programs. The Department of Information Studies' Ph.D. program is the only application that requires a writing sample. Please do not upload a writing sample to the online application unless you are applying to the IS Ph.D. Writing samples submitted to programs that do not require them will not be reviewed.
Do you accept applications for Spring?
No. We accept applications to advanced degree programs for the fall quarter only. The application period begins in September and will end on December 1st for most programs. Please refer to the How to Apply section of our website to determine your programs deadline.
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Is there an interview required for admission?
The Department of Information Studies conducts interviews for their Ph.D. applicants. The Principal Leadership Institute, Teacher Education Program, and Educational Leadership Program hold group process sessions for applicants.
For other programs, interviews are not required of qualified applicants, although the admission committee may elect to interview applicants. You will be contacted if an interview is required.
How many students are admitted to the graduate programs each year?
Typically, 60 M.A. applicants are admitted to Master of Arts programs and approximately 100 Ph.D. applicants are admitted to our various Ph.D. programs in the Department of Education. The Department of Information Studies will admit 90 applicants to the MLIS program and six to eight doctoral applicants are admitted each year.
Please contact the graduate advisor for the program you are applying to find out programs specifics.
When are decisions made?
Admission decisions are usually made by mid-February to mid-March. Master's decisions within the Department of Information Studies are made between March 1 and the end of May.
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Is it possible to transfer coursework?
Coursework cannot be transferred into any of our master's programs within the Department of Education. Doctoral applicants may petition to have prior coursework transferred to their Ph.D. program, on a case by case basis. This is dependent on the division and is handled upon admission to the program.
No coursework may be transferred to the PhD program in the Department of Information Studies. MLIS applicants may petition to have prior coursework applied to their specialization. Such courses might include historical studies, musicology, legal research and writing, courses in the sciences or in literature, or similar work applicable to particular specializations. To do so, applicants must have selected an area of specialization, and the petition must clearly show the relationship of the prior coursework to the chosen specialization. Thus, although students with advanced degrees in subject fields may find that their mastery of a specific subject will be a help in the field of librarianship, they should not anticipate that their curriculum at IS will be automatically shortened or any part of it omitted. Ordinarily the degree requirements are reduced by no more than 8-units.
Are there any prerequisite courses required to apply?
There are no prerequisite courses required to apply to our graduate programs in Education. All courses are taken once you are admitted.
Please contact OSS for a list of entrance requirements for the master's program in Information Studies.
Can I enroll in a Graduate program on a part-time basis?
No. The graduate programs in GSE&IS requires full-time enrollment, which constitutes at least three courses or 12 units per quarter. Graduate courses are offered during the day except for the PLI, ELP, and Masters in Urban Teaching programs.
Students should be aware that the graduate fees are assessed per quarter and not on a per unit basis.
What kind of financial support is available?
The financial support available varies from program to program and from student to student. Please contact the graduate advisor for the program you are interested in applying to to find out more information.
How can I contact faculty?
All faculty are listed on the department website for Education & Information Studies. They may be reached via e-mail or phone.
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How can I go about getting a teaching credential?
Click here for information related to teacher credentialing in the State of California.
