Departmental Scholar Program

(updated 10/13/2024)
*Subject to Change*

GENERAL INFORMATION


The Departmental Scholar Program (DSP) for The Samueli School of Engineering allows exceptional juniors and seniors to pursue their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees simultaneously.  The program offers advanced students permission to enroll in graduate classes (numbered 200 and above) and an opportunity to do graduate-level research under the direct supervision of the School’s distinguished faculty.  Departmental Scholars remain undergraduate students who may apply graduate level courses toward the Master’s Degree.

  • No course may be used to fulfill the requirements of both these degrees.
  • Only graduate-level courses taken in the Department Scholar’s effective term
    or later can be applied toward the M.S. degree.
  • both the BS and MS requirements must be fulfilled before either degree can be awarded.

Enrollment in Graduate Level Courses:  Departmental Scholars are granted permission as undergraduates to take graduate level courses and do not need to file petitions for approval with OASA.  However, because all graduate level courses are system restricted to graduate students, Departmental Scholars do need to request PTE (permission to enroll) numbers directly from the instructors.

Graduate Record Exam:  Departmental Scholars are not required to take the GRE. However, students planning to apply to the PhD program or other programs/universities are required to take the GRE general test. We recommend you research the programs from other schools to verify their GRE requirements.

Note: The Computer Science Department is unable to accept DSP applications at this time.

CRITERIA AND ELIGIBILITY

To apply for the Departmental Scholars Programs, students must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Completed 24 Courses or 96 quarter units at UCLA, or the equivalent at another institution
  • A minimum 3.700 CUMULATIVE GPA (UC COURSES ONLY)
  • A minimum 3.700 MAJOR FIELD UPPER DIVISION GPA (UC COURSES ONLY)
  • Have an engineering major and Technical Breadth Area officially declared

The Departmental Scholars Program is only for the department in your current major. For example, a student working towards a B.S in Electrical Engineering would become a Departmental Scholar for an M.S in Electrical and Computer Engineering.  Note: The Computer Science Department is unable to accept DSP applications at this time.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • General Application (required) – Complete the Engineering Departmental Scholar Application Form via MyUCLA
  • Statement of Purpose (required) – Include a Statement of Purpose (you will include your statement through the Departmental Scholar Application Form via MyUCLA).  Guidelines for writing your statement is available at: https://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/seasoasa/Statement-of-Purpose.pdf
  • Faculty Letter of Recommendation (required) – Include ONE (1) faculty letter of recommendation from a professor in your Major Department.
    The letter must on the Department’s letterhead, and must include the faculty’s full name, title, Department, and signature.  You will upload the letter via the Departmental Scholar Application Form vi MyUCLA.
  • BS+MS Degree Plan (currently optional). 
    We highly recommend you put together a time to degree plan that outlines the remaining required BS courses + the required MS courses.  You may review MS requirements on the HSSEAS General Catalog.  For assistance with BS plannning connect with your OASA undergraduate counselor. For assistance with MS planning connect with a graduate department student advisor.

Upon submitting the required materials your application will enter the Application Review Process so that a formal application packet can be forwarded by OASA to the Division of Graduate Education (DGE).  The following materials will be evaluated as part of the Application Review Process:

  • Your general application form
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Faculty Recommendation Letter
  • Your UCLA Transcript*
  • Your Degree Audit Report (DARS)*

* NOTE: The Office of Academic and Student Affairs (OASA) will obtain your transcript and DARS to verify your GPAs and unit requirements and complete an overall assessment of your record.  Students should make sure to review their Degree Audit Report (DARS) and check for accuracy, including ensuring your Technical Breadth Area (TBA) is declared and that you meet the 3.7000 required gpas before submitting an application.

For students who meet the criteria and are identified as Departmental Scholars, OASA  will obtain an additional letter of support from the Department’s Graduate Vice Chair, which will be added to their application packet.   All documents will then be submitted for review to the Division of Graduate Education (DGE) and the Associate Dean of Graduate Education. Subject to Graduate Education approval, and the Office of Academic & Student Affairs (OASA), the student will be formally admitted to the Departmental Scholar Program and notified by email by DGE.

Please allow up to 3 months for the review process after your initial submission as it takes time to review academic records and obtain additional letters of recommendation and final review by DGE.

DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLAR PROGRAM CONTACTS

Questions about the Departmental Scholar Program can be referred to Myrna Reneau (myrna@seas.ucla.edu) and/or Michel Campbell (michel@seas.ucla.edu) in the Office of Academic & Student Affairs (OASA).

Questions about the B.S. requirements can be referred to your OASA Counselors:
https://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/counselors/

Questions regarding M.S. requirements can be referred to the department’s graduate student advisors listed below.

Graduate Department Contacts

Graduate Student Advisors

Department Contact Room Email Phone
Bioengineering Lili Bulhoes 5121L ENGR V lili@seas.ucla.edu  (310) 794-5945
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Lesly Navas 5531 Boelter Hall cbesao@seas.ucla.edu (310)825-1203
Civil & Environmental Engineering Mimi Baik 5732A Boelter Hall mimi@seas.ucla.edu (310)825-1851
Computer Science NOT OPEN TO DSP      
Electrical and Computer Engineering Deeona Columbia 57-127 ENGR IV    
Materials Science & Engineering Marilou Hatanaka 3121L ENGR V mhatanaka@seas.ucla.edu 310-825-8916
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Abel Lebon Martha Contreras 46-127J ENGR IV abel@seas.ucla.edu marthac@seas.ucla.edu (310) 825-7780 (310) 825-7793
         
         
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Where can I find requirements for the M.S. Degree?

Requirements for the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degrees are detailed in the HSSEAS announcement catalog: https://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/hsseas-announcements/

When can I count graduate level courses toward the M.S.?

Only graduate-level courses taken in the Department Scholar’s effective term or later can be applied toward the M.S. degree.  For example: If you are approved to be a departmental scholar effective Fall 2024, only graduate-level courses taken Fall 2024 and later can be applied to the M.S. degree.

Can I double count courses?

No course may be used to fulfill the requirements of both the B.S. and M.S. degrees.