IV.

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1 ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Consideration for program admission requires three letters of recommendation, official
transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL score (if applicable) and Office of Graduate Studies application
with fee by the stated admission deadline. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. 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 merely 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:
In addition applicants are expected either to hold a B.S. in Mechanical and/or Aerospace
Engineering or to have the equivalent of the following 11 UC Davis courses.
Davis courses:
ENG 102
ENG 103
ENG 104
ENG 105
EME 106
EME 107A
lab
EME 107B
lab
EME 150A
EME 165
lab
EME 171
lab
EME 172

Dynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Mechanics of Materials
Thermodynamics
Thermo-Fluid Dynamics
Experimental Methods

4 units
4 units
4 units
4 units
4 units
3 units/1 unit

Experimental Methods

3 units/1 unit

Mechanical Design
Heat Transfer

4 units
4 units/1 unit

Analysis, Simulation & Design of Mechatronic Sys

4 units/1 unit

Automatic Control of Engineering Systems

4 units

b DEFICIENCIES:
Applicants who do not have a B.S. in MAE will be required to fill out the Prerequisite form and
submit it to the program graduate adviser who will determine which courses in the list of
prerequisites above the applicant will be required to take to make-up deficiencies. Course
deficiencies should be made up before advancing to candidacy by earning a letter grade of B
or better and may not be counted toward the graduate program requirements

2 DEGREES OFFERED
The Program offers the following degrees:
Master of Science, with thesis (Plan I)
Master of Science, with Comprehensive Examination (Plan II).

3 COURSE REQUIREMENTS

* No course that was required for, or used towards completion of another degree (BS/MS, etc)
at UCD or another institution, can be used towards the requirements for this degree

a MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH THESIS (PLAN I):

Students must develop their plan of study in consultation with their major professor (Section 5c).
A minimum of 38 units and a thesis are required. Of these 38 units, 24 must come from
coursework with a letter grade, including a minimum of 20 units of graduate courses (200 level)
from an engineering graduate program, and a minimum of 12 units from MAE graduate level
courses. 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 students research (e.g. mathematics, biology, etc.). These 4 units may not be
from the list of courses required for the BS degree, but rather from electives. The remainder of
the 38-unit requirement consists of a minimum of 2 units of MAE 297 Seminar and a minimum
of 12 thesis research (MAE 299, 290C series) units and/or additional coursework. Requirements
associated with the thesis are described in section 8.
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).

b MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (PLAN II):

Students must develop their plan of study in consultation with their major professor (Section 5c).

A minimum of 38 units and successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination are

required. 36 units of coursework must be taken for a letter grade. These 36 units must include
a minimum of 32 units of graduate courses (200 level) from an engineering graduate program,
with at least 18 of the 32 units from MAE courses. The remaining 4 units of required lettergraded coursework may be satisfied with graduate or upper division undergraduate coursework
in engineering or any other field that is relevant to the students research (e.g. mathematics,
biology, etc.). These 4 units may not be from the list of courses required for the BS degree, but
rather from electives. In addition to the 36 units of coursework, a minimum of 2 units of MAE
297 Seminar are required, for a total of 38 units. Requirements associated with the
Comprehensive Examination are described in section 8.
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).

4 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
There are no special requirements.

5 COMMITTEES
a GRADUATE STUDENT 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 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 applicants request for admission. That
recommendation is forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. Notification 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, typically
February 15 of the year of the Fall quarter for which admission is sought. 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, two Graduate Program members who are appointed by
the Program Chair, and a student representative.
The GSC is responsible for a) making recommendations regarding requirements for graduate
degrees and other programmatic proposals for consideration by Program faculty; b) assisting
the Department/Program Chair and the two Advisers in administering the graduate program; c)
making fellowship decisions and d) appointing 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 plan of study through the advisement of the major professor who approves it by signing the
MS Advance to Candidacy form. Masters 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 THESIS COMMITTEE (PLAN I) AND COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION COMMITTEE (PLAN II):

In consultation with their major professor and graduate advisor, students nominate three faculty
members to serve on their Thesis Committee (Plan I). The major professor, who is the Chair of
the committee, is recommended or assigned for the student by the Graduate Advisor for
Admissions upon admission. However, the student may decide to choose a different advisor at
any time. 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 (DDB80, Graduate Council B.1.).
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.
The Comprehensive Examination Committee (Plan II) consists of three MAE Graduate Program
members, including the students project mentor and two other Graduate program members
selected by the student.
The role of the Comprehensive Examination Committee is to administer the Comprehensive
Examination as described in Section 8b.

6 ADVISING STRUCTURE AND MENTORING

The Graduate Adviser 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 Advisers 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 Adviser for Continuing Students is responsible for the following: a)
serves on the MAE 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 Adviser for Admissions in Block Grant allocation decisions. The Graduate Adviser for
Continuing Students is available for consultation by direct appointment.
The Graduate Adviser 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 Block Grant funds, in consultation with
the Graduate Adviser for Continuing Students; and e) approves change of major, change of
degree objective and readmission applications.
The Major Professor (faculty adviser) 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 professors responsibilities include: a) assists the student
with preparation of program of study; b) supervises student thesis or dissertation research; c)
assigns a grade for MAE-299 (research) and MAE-290C (research conference) units; and d)
serves as the chairperson of the thesis or dissertation committee. One of the most critical
decisions in a graduate students career is the selection of a Major Professor (Thesis Adviser).
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 & Aeronautical Engineering Graduate Program has adopted the UC Davis
Graduate Council Mentoring Guidelines and has posted them on the website
(http://mae.ucdavis.edu/programs/grad_studies/).

7 ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY
Every student must file an official application for Candidacy for the Masters Degree 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 students
course plan after advancement to candidacy, the Graduate Adviser must recommend these
changes to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students must have their Graduate Adviser 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 Studies determines that a student is not eligible for advancement, the
graduate program and the student will be told the reasons for the applications 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 3rd quarter. Students
having to make-up deficiencies are expected to advance to candidacy in their 4th quarter.

8 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION AND THESIS REQUIREMENTS

a THESIS REQUIREMENTS (PLAN I):
Filing of an M.S. thesis 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 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 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (PLAN II):

Fulfillment of the Comprehensive Examination is the last requirement of the M.S. Plan II. A
student may take the comprehensive examination once they have advanced to candidacy.
However, it is important that the capstone requirement be completed at or near the end of the
coursework for the Masters degree; for most students, the exam is taken at the end of the 3rd
quarter.
The comprehensive examination requirement includes both the submission of a technical report
to the Comprehensive Examination committee (see section 5d) and passing a one-hour oral
exam administered by that same committee. The technical report is to be written under the
direction of a faculty mentor, who must be a member of the graduate program.
The scope of the oral exam is the candidates coursework as well as the project work.
The Exam committees unanimous vote is required to pass a student on the exam. If a student
does not pass the exam, the committee may recommend that the student be reexamined one
more time, but only if the Graduate Adviser concurs with the committee. The second exam must
take place within one quarter of the first exam. The format of the second exam is the same as
that of the first exam and may include the submission of an amended version of the report. The
examination may not be repeated more than once. A student who does not pass on the second
attempt is subject to disqualification from further graduate work in the program.
Once passed, the Masters Report Form is signed by the Program Graduate Adviser 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 or from the Bookstore). 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
students degree will be conferred.

9 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.

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 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (PLAN II):

Normative Time to Advancement to Candidacy: 3 quarters
Normative Time to Degree: 4 quarters

10 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:

MS
Plan I

MS
Plan II

with
deficiencies

1, 2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Select Faculty Research Advisor or Project

Mentor (if different than assigned advisor)

per plan

Select a Masters Thesis committee (Plan I)

n/a

per plan

File an Application for Candidacy which

includes a plan of study

per plan+1

Pass the Comprehensive Examination (Plan

II)

n/a

per plan+1

File a Masters Exam Report Form Plan II

n/a

per plan+1

Complete the thesis, gain approval from the

committee and submit to the Office of
Graduate Studies (Plan I)

n/a

per plan+1

Take coursework

11 SOURCES OF FUNDING
Funding is provided in the following forms: Departmental Fellowships, Graduate Student
Research Assistantships (GSR), Teaching Assistantships (TA), Reader 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 be guaranteed the right to return
later to resume academic work with a minimum of procedural difficulty. Example 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, financial
hardship, or personal problems. PELP is recommended for those students who are certain of
the quarter in which they plan to return and who plan to be away no longer than three quarters.
If a student is not certain of the return date, filing an Application for Readmission Application is
suggested instead. Check the application deadline in the campus General Catalog (available
online at the website of the Office of the Registrar or from the Bookstore).
The minimum Planned Educational Leave is one full quarter and the maximum is three quarters.
Readmission is guaranteed assuming the student resumes regular academic work at the
agreed-upon date and removes any holds that may have been placed on registration. Students
who do not return at the agreed-upon date and who do not officially extend their leave will be

automatically withdrawn from the University. International students should consult with SISS
Office concerning VISA issues.
PELP applications are processed via email through the Graduate Program Coordinator. Once
the Graduate Adviser for Continuing Students approves the petition, it will be forwarded to the
Office of Graduate Studies for final approval. The e-mail chain will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar and the student will be charged a fee. Applications for PELP should be filed no later
than the first day of instruction for a full refund of any fees and tuition paid. Applications filed
after the tenth day will not be approved. If a PELP application is filed late, fees will be refunded
on a pro-rated basis according the Office of the University Registrars schedule.
Students are ineligible for PELP if they are using University facilities to perform their research.
A student on PELP shall not be eligible to receive normal University services except as follows:

Placement and Student Employment Services

Advising and counseling
Housing - check with the Housing Office for stipulations
Financial Aid - grants and other financial aid are discontinued for the period of leave, but
financial aid counseling is available
Optional Health Services - the student may purchase a Health card which will entitle him/her
to full student health benefits before the first day of the quarter in which PELP begins
Academic Credit - students on PELP are not eligible to enroll in concurrent courses on the
Davis campus and shall not earn academic credit at Davis during the period of leave
Employment - a student on PELP may not be employed on the Davis campus while on
PELP

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.

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 MS degree will file a final approved copy of their thesis with the
Office of Graduate Studies 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.
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 1quarter. An extension of an
additional quarter is possible under unusual circumstances. 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.

Students on Filing Fee are not eligible for the privileges accorded regularly enrolled students. In
particular, students on Filing Fee:
May not make use of University educational facilities (such as libraries, laboratories, or
computers) or possess keys to University space;
The student may purchase a health card which will entitle him/her to full student health
benefits for the first quarter on Filing Fee; this action must be taken before the first day of
the quarter in which Filing Fee begins
Are not eligible for University Housing;
May not take coursework of any kind;
May not make use of faculty time except as noted above.
Filing Fee application
To apply for filing fee status, a student must submit the filing fee request form with the Major
Professors 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.

V. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1 ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Consideration for program admission requires three letters of recommendation, official
transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL 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 masters 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, merely 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 masters degree is not required as a prerequisite for the
doctoral degree. For current MAE masters 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:
In addition applicants are expected either to hold a B.S. in Mechanical and/or Aerospace
Engineering or to have the equivalent of the following 11 UC Davis courses.
Davis courses:
ENG 102
ENG 103
ENG 104
ENG 105
EME 106
EME 107A
lab
EME 107B
lab
EME 150A
EME 165
EME 171
EME 172

Dynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Mechanics of Materials
Thermodynamics
Thermo-Fluid Dynamics
Experimental Methods

4 units
4 units
4 units
4 units
4 units
3 units/1 unit

Experimental Methods

3 units/1 unit

Mechanical Design
4 units
Heat Transfer
4 units/1 unit lab
Analysis, Simulation & Design of Mechatronic Sys 4 units/1 unit lab
Automatic Control of Engineering Systems
4 units

b DEFICIENCIES:
Applicants who do not have a B.S. in MAE will be required to fill out the Prerequisite form and
submit it to the program graduate adviser who will determine which courses in the list of
prerequisites above the applicant will be required to take to make-up deficiencies. Course
deficiencies should be made up before advancing to candidacy by earning a letter grade of B
or better and may not be counted toward the graduate program requirements

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

* No course that was required for, or used towards completion of an undergraduate degree or
another Doctoral degree at UCD or another institution, can be used towards the requirements
for this degree.

a DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.) PROGRAM OF STUDY

(i)

Students entering the program with a BS or a MS Plan I (thesis)

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 with a BS (unless they choose to earn a MS
plan II while working on their PhD, see section ii below), for students entering the program with
a MS plan I (thesis), and for PhD students who earn a MS plan I (thesis). 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 Masters program
(plan I) either at UCD or elsewhere can be part of the 48 unit total if these courses fit the
proposed program of study. In addition to the 48 units of coursework, a minimum of 3 units of
MAE 297 Seminar is required after completion of the Masters degree and before graduation.
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 Masters degree from a different
institution are required to complete 3 units of MAE 297.
The 48 units of required coursework are divided between a 24-unit major and two
complementary 12-unit minor areas. Alternatively, a single 32-unit major can be chosen with
one 16-unit minor. These units are exclusive of seminar and research units. Each student
selects a major field and either one or two minor fields. Major and minor fields should be
selected from the following tracks: Aeronautics; 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, major and minor fields outside this list. These defined
major and minor field are subject to the approval of the Programs Advisor for Continuing
Students. The Program of Study may not be approved if the major and minor 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 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. Residence for the MS degree can be used to satisfy the residency
requirements for a doctoral degree.

(ii)

Students entering the program with MS Plan II (coursework

only)

A Doctoral Program of Study must contain a minimum of 56 units of coursework taken on a

letter grade basis for students entering the program with a MS plan II (coursework only), and for
PhD students who earn a MS plan II (coursework only). Of these 56 units at least 24 must be
graduate courses (200 level) taken at UC Davis in MAE. At least 48 units must be earned in
graduate level courses. Letter-graded courses taken during a Masters program (plan II) either
at UCD or elsewhere can be part of the 56 unit total if these courses fit the proposed program of
study. In addition to the 56 units of coursework, a minimum of 3 units of MAE 297 Seminar is
required after completion of the Masters degree and before graduation. 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 Masters degree from a different institution are required to
complete 3 units of MAE 297.
The 56 units of required coursework are divided between a 24-unit major and two
complementary 16-unit minor areas. Alternatively, a single 36-unit major can be chosen with
one 20-unit minor. These units are exclusive of seminar and research units. Each student
selects a major field and either one or two minor fields. Major and minor fields should be
selected from the following tracks: Aeronautics; 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, major and minor fields outside this list. These defined
major and minor field are subject to the approval of the Programs Advisor for Continuing
Students. The Program of Study may not be approved if the major and minor 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 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. Residence for the MS degree can be used to satisfy the residency
requirements for a doctoral degree.

4 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
There are no special requirements.

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 is 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 applicants request for admission. That
recommendation is forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. Notification 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, typically February 15 of
the Fall quarter for which admission is sought. 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) is comprised of the Chair of the MAE Graduate
Program/Department (Chair of the committee), the Graduate Advisor for Continuing Students,
the Graduate Advisor for Admissions, two Graduate Program members who are appointed by
the Program Chair, and a student representative.
The GSC is responsible for a) making recommendations regarding requirements for graduate
degrees and other programmatic proposals for consideration by Program faculty; b) assisting
the Department/Program Chair and the two Advisers in administering the graduate program; c)
making fellowship decisions and d) appointing 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 students 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 is subject to approval by the Graduate Adviser 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 to four 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).

e QUALIFYING EXAMINATION COMMITTEE:

In consultation with their major professor and graduate advisor, students nominate faculty
members to serve on the Examination Committee. The committee ordinarily consists of five
members, with the majority being members of the MAE Graduate Program. One member
external to MAE is required. The doctoral students Major Professor (Research Adviser) may not
be a member of the Qualifying Examination committee. These nominations are submitted to the
Office of Graduate Studies for formal appointment in accordance with Graduate Council policy
(DDB 80.Graduate Council, B.1.).

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
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

The Graduate Adviser 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 Advisers 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 Adviser for Continuing Students is responsible for the following; a)
serves on the MAE 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) is
responsible for the content of MAE Graduate Program Web Pages and f) assists the Graduate
Adviser for Admissions in Block Grant allocation decisions. The Graduate Adviser for
Continuing Students is available for consultation by direct appointment.
The Graduate Adviser 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 Block Grant funds; and e) approves change of major,
change of degree objective and readmission applications.
The Major Professor (faculty adviser) 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 and d)
serves as the chairperson of the thesis or dissertation committee. One of the most critical
decisions in a graduate students career is the selection of a Major Professor (Dissertation

Adviser). 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 & Aeronautical Engineering Graduate Program has adopted the UC Davis
Graduate Council Mentoring Guidelines and has posted them on the website
(http://mae.ucdavis.edu/programs/grad_studies/).

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 8th quarter. Students entering the
doctoral program with a MS with Thesis (Plan I) are expected to advance to candidacy in their
6th quarter. Students entering the doctoral program with a MS with Thesis (Plan II) are expected
to advance to candidacy in their 7th 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 students understanding of
fundamental concepts in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at the upper division
undergraduate level. All doctoral students in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering are
required to take the Preliminary Examination.
Two sessions of the PhD Preliminary Examination are offered each year, Session I in the winter
quarter and Session II in the spring quarter. Students entering the doctoral program with a
Masters degree are required to take the exam at the first opportunity; students entering the
doctoral program with only a Bachelors degree must take the examination no later than its first
offering in their second year in the program.
Candidates must take three subject exams. Engineering analysis is required of all, and
candidates must choose two other subjects from the following: Aerodynamics and Flight
Mechanics, 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 to four 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. Those who do not, have the option to take an oral
catch-up exam in the subject(s) they did not pass. Candidates who choose not to take the oral

catch-up exam and those who fail it must retake the appropriate subject exam at the very next
offering (typically Session II).
Failure to obtain a passing grade in all three subjects by the second session will lead to the
candidates disqualification from the MAE doctoral program. Disqualification decisions are
reviewed by the Program Graduate Studies committee and must be approved by a vote of the
program faculty members. An application for readmission into the program will not be
considered until at least three years have elapsed without student status (i.e. registered student,
on Planned Educational Leave or Filing Fee) in the MAE Graduate Program.
Candidates must be registered during the quarter taking the preliminary exam. Masters
students who are contemplating doctoral work may also take the preliminary examination before
completing the Masters program. It is advisable to discuss taking the examination with both the
Major Professor and the Graduate Adviser for Continuing Students. Passing the preliminary
examination does not guarantee admission to the doctoral program.

b DOCTORAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS:

(i)

Successful completion of the Preliminary Examination 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 form 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 6th quarter and no later than the
end of the 9th quarter after admission to the Ph.D. program.
According to university policy, graduate students cannot hold an academic title (e.g., TA,
GSR) for more than 9 quarters before passing their Qualifying Exam; However, MAE and
other Engineering departments have been granted an exception to this rule by the Graduate
Council, so students are allowed 12 quarters of academic employment before passing their
Qualifying Exam.
Passing this exam makes the student eligible for advancement to candidacy.

Written Component of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination:

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

of a students 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.
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 students dissertationspecific 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 Adviser) 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

A 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 its 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.

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 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
students 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

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: 14 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 TIME LINE AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

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

than assigned advisor)

Complete the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination.

Select a Doctoral Guidance Committee

Develop a Ph.D. Program of Study with

Doctoral Guidance Committee (within one
quarter of passing Ph.D. Preliminary
Examination)

Select a Qualifying Examination Committee

Submit a research proposal to the Qualifying

Examination Committee and an application for
the exam to the Graduate Program Coordinator.
Take the qualifying exam.

Select a Dissertation Committee

File an Application to Advance to Candidacy

after passing the Qualifying Examination

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

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 (i.e. illness, temporary departure from the University for
employment or research away from campus, preparing for examinations if doing so at a
distance from campus, financial problems, personal problems), leave the campus, and be
guaranteed the right to return later to resume academic work with a minimum of procedural
difficulty. PELP is recommended for those students who are certain of the quarter in which they
plan to return and who plan to be away no longer than three quarters. If a student is not certain
of the return date, it is suggested that the Readmission Application be used.
The minimum Planned Educational Leave is one full quarter; the maximum is three quarters.
Readmission is guaranteed assuming the student resumes regular academic work at the
agreed-upon date and removes any holds that may have been placed on registration. Students
who do not return at the agreed-upon date and who do not officially extend their leave will be
automatically withdrawn from the University. International students should consult with SISS
concerning VISA issues.
PELP applications are processed via email through the Graduate Program Coordinator. Once
the Graduate Adviser for Continuing Students approves the petition, it will be forwarded to The
Office of Graduate Studies for final approval. The e-mail chain will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar and the student will be charged a fee. Applications for PELP should be filed no later
than the first day of instruction for a full refund of any tuition paid. Applications filed after the
tenth day will not be approved. If a PELP application is filed late, fees will be refunded on a prorated basis according the Office of the University Registrars schedule.
Students are ineligible for PELP if they are using University facilities to perform their research.
A student on PELP shall not be eligible to receive normal University services except as follows:

Placement and Student Employment Services

Advising and counseling
Housing - check with the Housing Office for stipulations
Financial Aid - grants and other financial aid are discontinued for the period of leave, but
financial aid counseling is available
Optional Health Services - the student may purchase a Health card which will entitle
him/her to full student health benefits
Academic Credit - students on PELP are not eligible to enroll in concurrent courses on the
Davis campus and shall not earn academic credit at Davis during the period of leave
Employment - a student on PELP may only be employed on the Davis campus for one
quarter of the PELP leave time

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 NonResident Tuition remission after advancing to candidacy.

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 MS 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 2 quarters. An extension to a third
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.
Students on Filing Fee are not eligible for the privileges accorded regularly enrolled students. In
particular, students on Filing Fee:

May not make use of University educational facilities (such as libraries, laboratories, or
computers) or possess keys to University space
The student may purchase a health card which will entitle him/her to full student health
benefits for the first quarter on Filing Fee; this action must be taken before the first day of
the quarter in which Filing Fee begins
Are not eligible for University Housing;
May not take coursework of any kind
May not make use of faculty time except as noted above

Filing Fee application

To apply for filing fee status, a student must submit the filing fee request form with the Major
Professors 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 (see Masters
section). Students can use the Change of Degree Objective form available from the Registrars
Office: http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/PDFFiles/D065PetitionForChangeOfGraduateMajor.pdf