SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR M.A. STUDENTS
SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR M.A. STUDENTS
FIRST YEAR
SUMMER
□ Set up password on My UCLA homepage (www.my.ucla.edu)
□ Register for Fall courses online via URSA (www.ursa.ucla.edu)
1) Start looking during late June and early July for your enrollment appointment.
2) Courses that don’t begin with the title “AFRO-AM” may have enrollment restrictions.
*Contact the individual professor teaching the course in order to enroll in these courses. Enrollment in courses that require special permission usually proceeds the start of the quarter.
□ Secure housing
1) Search for and secure housing off-campus.
2) Call UCLA Graduate Housing to inquire about possible last minute vacancies at (310) 398-4692. * The earlier the better.
□ Get Bruin Card at Kerckhoff Hall Room 123 *available early September
1) If you have any questions, check the website www.bruincard.ucla.edu, or send an email to bruincard@finance.ucla.edu.
□ Keep in mind: Low cost Big Blue Bus ($0.25 travel with your Bruin Card) starts mid-September
□ If possible, read!
FALL
□ Download MA Checklist to track required courses
Take core courses
1) AAS 200A (Historiography). in Fall or as soon as available
2) AAS 270A (Afro-American Studies Research Methods) course. in Fall or as soon as available
3) Register for Winter courses online via URSA, starting in late November
It is recommended that you take only 3 courses per quarter.
□ Arrange initial meeting with assigned advisor and schedule additional meetings as necessary
□ Language requirement
1) If already completed 2 full years of a foreign language, submit undergrad transcript, get petition from SAO, return for IDP approval and send completed petition to grad division.
2) If not yet completed: Basic language exam offered through the History Dept. in November. Check with History Dept. graduate advisor to determine dates and languages offered. Also check with Afro-Am office.
3) If further preparation is needed to pass the test, make arrangements (courses, etc.).
□ Fellowship applications for second year
1) Check Fall deadlines.
2) Download applications.
3) Talk with an advisor.
4) Update letters of recommendation.
5) Update Statement of Purpose.
□ Check deadlines for services on My UCLA homepage: www.my.ucla.edu
WINTER
□ Continue to complete core courses (3 per quarter)
□ Register for Spring courses online via URSA *Recommended: 3 courses per quarter
□ Advising
1) Arrange meeting with advisor and schedule additional meetings as necessary.
2) If necessary, change advisor.
□ Decide on your disciplinary specialization and begin taking courses in that department
□ Language requirement
1) If not already completed, make arrangements.
2) If necessary, take a brush-up Language course. Do not take for credit but audit or take "Pass/No Pass" or take a course at a community college during the summer.
□ Teaching/Research Assistant – Investigate possibilities for second year teaching assistant or research assistant positions
□ If possible, gear course papers toward thesis research
SPRING
□ Secure housing for upcoming year
□ Take 3 more courses
□ Arrange meeting with advisor and schedule additional meetings as necessary
□ Submit very rough thesis outline or abstract to possible committee members and IDP
□ Plan to rewrite a course paper during the summer for a conference
□ Complete Language Requirement
1)Basic language exam offered through the History Dept. in April. Check with History Dept. graduate advisor to determine dates and languages offered.
2)Or if necessary, take language course or plan to take a language course over the summer. Intensive courses are available at UCLA.
SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR M.A. STUDENTS
SECOND YEAR
SUMMER
□ Register for Fall courses online via URSA
1) Call UCLA Graduate Housing to inquire about possible last minute vacancies at (310) 398-4692
□ If necessary, sign up for on-campus parking
*Apply online: http://www.parking.ucla.edu/appmain.htm
□ If possible, begin reading books for Fall courses
□ If you know your thesis topic, begin researching
□ Submit a conference paper, if possible.
1) Rewrite your best course paper to submit for a conference.
2) Determine if partial funding is available from Afro-American Studies or the Ralph J. Bunche Center for conferences
3) Secure a faculty reader for draft conference paper before mailing.
□ Consider whether you will apply to a Ph.D. program, research the right programs for you, and begin studying for the GRE subject test, if necessary. Approach professors about recommendation letters, look into fee waivers, and work on personal statement.
FALL
□ Take remaining disciplinary specialization courses
□ Register for Winter courses online via URSA in November
□ Check on Advancement to Candidacy requirements and relevant deadlines
(For Spring graduation, most deadlines are second week of Spring quarter)
□ M.A. committee – See list of approved committee members in IDP office
1) Meet with advisor and finalize members
2) Submit petition to Grad Division
3) Get the form in PDF format at: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/nominintro.htm
□ Foreign Language Requirement
1) Basic language exam offered through the History Dept. in November. Check with History Dept. graduate advisor to determine dates and specific languages. Upon successful completion, submit petition to Grad Division.
□ Fellowship applications for Ph.D.
1) Check Fall deadlines
2) Download applications
3) Talk with advisor
4) Update letters of recommendation
5) Update Statement of Purpose
□ Decide - Thesis or Exam?
1) Submit final decision to IDP.
□ Thesis Preparation: Human Subjects
1) If you plan to do interviews, take mandatory UCLA Human Subjects prep.
2) Fill out Human Subjects questionnaire and petition.
3) Submit to Human Subjects Office.
4) File approved petition with Grad Division.
WINTER
□ If necessary, finish taking disciplinary specialization courses
□ If necessary, register for Spring courses online via URSA
*Ideally, all coursework should be completed during Winter quarter.
□ You may also register for AAS 597 Comp Exam Prep or AAS 598 Thesis Exam Prep while studying or researching. You must obtain IDP approval.
□ Thesis Option
1) Check for information about Thesis writing filing procedures and meetings. You should attend the thesis meeting in the quarter you intend to file. http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/thesisintro.htm
2) Submit rough abstract to committee members and IDP.
3) You may begin writing a draft of a thesis. Now is a great time to take an independent study with a thesis committee member and work on research, if necessary.
□ Thesis Preparation:
1) Finalize thesis outline and abstract with all committee members.
□ If time permits, give a conference paper at a Grad Student conference.
□ Check on Advancement to Candidacy requirements and relevant deadlines
(For Spring graduation, most deadlines are second week of Spring quarter)
SPRING
□ Advancement to Candidacy – by the end of the second week of this quarter. In order to advance you must have:
1) Coursework completed.
2) Language requirement completed.
3) Graduation Check with SAO.
4) Obtain Advance to Candidacy form from SAO and complete. Submit for IDP approval, and then turn in to the registrar’s office in Murphy Hall.
§ You may also register for AAS 597 Comp Exam Prep or AAS 598 Thesis Exam Prep while studying or researching.
1) Ideally, this quarter should be devoted ONLY to thesis writing or taking comprehensive examination.
□ Thesis research: First two weeks:
1) Finalize all research.
2) Complete all interviews.
□ Thesis writing: Week Five:
1) Write thesis draft – complete by Week Five of quarter.
2) Begin showing committee members drafts, if not sooner.
□ Thesis writing: Weeks Six and Seven
1) Plan meetings with committee chair to go over changes.
Allow two weeks for thorough faculty responses –by Week Eight or Nine.
2) Begin revisions as soon as you receive first faculty response.
□ Thesis writing: Last two weeks
1) By the end of Week Nine, return revised final draft to committee, at the latest.
2) Thesis is due in YRL before the end of the term, usually the first Monday in June. Check the paperwork you received from your thesis filing meeting or contact the thesis librarian for the exact date.
□ Thesis writing: Final Week
1) File Thesis and final paperwork with Grad Division.
2) File Thesis with YRL Thesis Librarian (Check her hours—not available every day).
□ File copy for microfilming (mandatory)
□ Mandatory Thesis filing – IDP
1) Submit an electronic version and a hard copy of thesis to Bunche Center Library.
□ Attend graduation – Congratulations!
