Current Graduate Student Resources

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Current MS Students

MS Degree Planner (pdf)

  • Program of Study
  • The program of study will be adjusted to individual needs by the Biostatistics Graduate Adviser. This is a M.S. Plan II program which requires a comprehensive exam (no thesis). A minimum of 49 units is required (graduate and upper division), of which at least 18 must be graduate courses in the major field (according to university regulations). Not more than 9 units of research (299 or equivalent) may be used to satisfy the 18-unit requirement. 

    See a typical timeline on the MS Program in Biostatistics page.

    Full-time students must enroll in 12 units per quarter including research, academic and seminar units. Courses that fulfill any of the program course requirements may not be taken S/U unless the course is normally graded 
    S/U. Once course requirements are completed, students can take additional classes as needed, including a research class (299), seminars, or additional electives, approved by your faculty Graduate Advisor.

    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 undergraduates and graduate level (100, 200, 300) courses per quarter.
  • Comprehensive Exam
  • Students in the M.S. program must attempt the comprehensive exam when nearly all coursework is complete, typically in the last quarter in the program. Every M.S. student needs to pass the comprehensive exam in a maximum of two attempts. If a student fails the first attempt, the second attempt must be made before the end of the next quarter; in particular, if the first attempt is made in Spring, the second attempt must be made over the summer. Failure to pass the comprehensive exam at the second attempt will result in a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies for disqualification of the student from the graduate program.

    The M.S. Comprehensive Examination consists of a written technical report and an oral defense on a scientific project involving the application of Biostatistical theory and methods. This project should be well written and should have the potential to be publishable in a scientific journal. The chair of the committee will provide the student with a scientific project involving real-life study design and/or data analysis. The student will have at most four weeks to complete the project and write the written technical report. The final written report should be submitted to the comprehensive exam committee at least one week prior to the pre-determined exam date. The exam committee will schedule an oral defense with the candidate in which the candidate presents the project and answers questions about the work. After this oral defense, the committee will make a decision on whether to pass the candidate. Each student will receive a written evaluation on the performance on the examination, which will be discussed with the Biostatistics Master Graduate Adviser.

    As an alternative to satisfy the MS comprehensive examination requirement, students who pass
    the PhD preliminary written examination (see the PhD degree requirements, section 8.a for details) at the masters level (a threshold set by the preliminary written examination committee) will meet this requirement. Any attempt to pass the PhD preliminary written examination by a MS student will be counted as a first attempt to pass the MS comprehensive exam at the MS level and also the PhD preliminary written examination at the PhD level. Failure at the PhD level counts as a failed first attempt of the PhD preliminary written examination, and failure at the MS level as a failed first attempt at the MS comprehensive exam. Any graduate student has at most two attempts at this exam, regardless of the program the student is enrolled in.

    Summary of Student Responsibilities:   Detailed instructions found here (pdf)!

    1 – Identify your exam Chair

    2 – Notify your advisor, the Dept Chair and the Program Coordinator of who the Chair will be

    3 – Schedule your oral exam.  Please include all 4 committee members on the emails for scheduling, so you can get availability for all 4.  Danielle will make the determination of the committee for each student based on availability

    4 – Review relevant literature, analyze data & write up a report

    5 – Send report to the committee 1 week prior to the oral portion of the exam

    6 – Provide report abstract to Program Coordinator at least 1 week before oral exam

    7 – Prepare presentation for oral exam

  • Getting Ready to Graduate - Forms & timeline
  • Plan II M.S. Candidates (that's you!) file an Advancement to Candidacy form after completing approximately one-half of their course requirements (or once your degree plan is set) and at least one quarter before completing all their degree requirements.  

    AFTER COMPLETING HALF OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
    1 - Candidacy form - fill out and send to Andi (ask Andi for a list of your courses!).  
    2 - Pay the candidacy fee and send Andi the email receipt

    DUE THE QUARTER OF GRADUATION:

    3 - Exit form - fill out and send to Amy
    4 - Take the department exit survey - We'd love your input and want to keep in touch!

  • I Graduated, Now What?!

  • Congratulations!  All of that hard work paid off!  Here are some FAQs to hopefully answer, "Now what?"

    Q: Will I be notified about my graduation?  What happens with all of that candidacy & graduation paperwork I turned in?
    A: Your graduation paperwork will be processed by the Graduate Studies office and you'll receive an email with confirmation of your degree and a conferral letter approximately a month after the quarter ends. 

    Q: When will I get my diploma?
    A: Diplomas are mailed about 4 months after the quarter ends.  In the degree confirmation email Graduate Studies sends out, there will be instructions about the diploma.  But, if you want to get a head start, please see the information on the Registrar's site.  Fill out the diploma mailing address change form at the end of the quarter (at least one month before the diploma will be distributed (see distribution dates here). 

    Q: Can I keep my UC Davis email address?
    A: Graduates after 2009 will continue to have access to their UC Davis email account, although technical support converts from the campus' IT Express to Google.
     

    If you want to forward your UC Davis email address a different email account, fill out a request form on the IET website to redirect your UC Davis emails to an external email address of your choice.

    If your deadline to retain a UC Davis email address has lapsed, you may obtain an alumni email account by becoming a CAAA member and contacting member services to set up an email account.

    Existing DavisMail account holders may use this link to access their UC Davis email account.

 

Current PhD Students

PhD Degree Planner (pdf)

  • Program of Study
  • The program of study will be adjusted to individual needs by the Biostatistics Graduate Adviser. A minimum of 58 units is required. Every full time graduate student must register for a minimum of 12 units per quarter. These 12 units can be made up of a combination of required coursework as described below, additional elective coursework if any, and 299’s.
  • Milestone Timeline
  • Year 1: take PhD Preliminary written exam in Spring quarter after completing STA 231A and STA 231B and BST 222 and BST 223.
    Year 2: Dissertation Research and PhD Qualifying exam in Spring.
    Years 3 - 6: Complete requirements for the PhD degree, including practicum, dissertation and defense (final oral exam).

    Detailed information on Practicum and exams can be found on the PhD Program page.
  • Qualifying Exam Committee & Dissertation Committee
  • Qualifying Examination Committee: the examining committee consists of five members, at least three but no more than four of whom are members of the GGB. Members will be appointed in accordance with the policies of the Graduate Council and Office of Graduate Studies at the recommendation of the Graduate Adviser who consults with the student prior to making the recommendation. The Major Professor (if already identified) is not eligible to serve on the QE committee. Conversely, faculty serving on the QE committee are ordinarily ineligible to serve as the Major Professor.

    Dissertation Committee: the student, in consultation with their Major Professor, nominates three faculty to serve on the Dissertation Committee, one of whom is the Major Professor who serves as Chair of the 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.).
  • Advising Structure & Mentoring
  • The major professor is the faculty member who supervises the research and dissertation; this person serves as the Chair of the Dissertation Committee.  A Ph.D. student will select an area of specialization and will choose a dissertation adviser (Major Professor) from the Graduate Group in Biostatistics faculty working in that area, usually in the second or third year of study after passing the Ph.D. preliminary written examination. The Master Graduate Advisor, in consultation with the Committee of Advisors, assists students with identifying a major professor and ensures that each student finds his/her major professor in the area of student’s research interest.
    The Master Graduate Advisor is identified by the chair of the program from among the appointed Graduate Advisors, assists graduate students in developing a study plan, and has signatory authority for the Master’s and Ph.D. programs.  

    Biostatistics program faculty are committed to high quality mentoring of the graduate students. As such, we have adopted the following mentoring guidelines.
  • Advancement to Candidacy
  • The student is eligible for advancement to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree upon completion of all course requirements and after passing the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, usually within two to three quarters of passing the Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination. Well-prepared students with sufficient statistical/biostatistical background prior to enrollment in the Graduate Group are expected to advance to candidacy by the end of the six quarter in the program. Otherwise, students are expected to advance to candidacy by the end of the ninth quarter in the program.

    Fill out the Plan A candidacy form.  Pay the $90 fee online.  Send the form and receipt to Andi Carr (abcarr@ucdavis.edu) in the Grad Office.
  • Getting Your MS Along the Way
  • Once you pass the PhD Preliminary exam, you have the option to file to receive your MS degree in Statistics.  Here's the process:

    AFTER PASSING THE PRELIM EXAM:
    1 - Candidacy form - fill out and send to Andi (abcarr@ucdavis.edu; ask Andi for a list of your courses, if needed)
    2 -     Pay the $55 candidacy fee and send Andi the email receipt
    3 - Tell Andi the date of your Prelim exam and the name of the exam Chair

    4 - Exit form - fill out and send to Andi even though you are not actually exiting (write "continuing PhD student" on the form)

    NOTE: If you are an international student, please consult with SISS before applying for your MS.  There may be implications for OPT and it may be best to wait and get your MS at the same time as your PhD.

  • Filing to Graduate
  • Graduate Studies has a comprehensive guide to filing your dissertation here.  Fill out this Department exit survey.  We'd love your input and want to keep in touch!
  • I Graduated, Now What?!
  • Congratulations!  All of that hard work paid off!  Here are some FAQs to hopefully answer, "Now what?"

    Q: Will I be notified about my graduation?  What happens with all of that candidacy & graduation paperwork I turned in?
    A: Your graduation paperwork will be processed by the Graduate Studies office and you'll receive an email with confirmation of your degree and a conferral letter approximately a month after the quarter ends. 

    Q: When will I get my diploma?
    A: Diplomas are mailed about 4 months after the quarter ends.  In the degree confirmation email Graduate Studies sends out, there will be instructions about the diploma.  But, if you want to get a head start, please see the information on the Registrar's site.  Fill out the diploma mailing address change form at the end of the quarter (at least one month before the diploma will be distributed (see distribution dates here). 

    Q: Can I keep my UC Davis email address?
    A: Graduates after 2009 will continue to have access to their UC Davis email account, although technical support converts from the campus' IT Express to Google.
     

    If you want to discontinue your UC Davis email account and redirect future incoming emails to a different email account, fill out a request form on the IET website to redirect your UC Davis emails to an external email address of your choice.

    If your deadline to retain a UC Davis email address has lapsed, you may obtain an alumni email account by becoming a CAAA member and contacting member services to set up an email account.

    Existing DavisMail account holders may use this link to access their UC Davis email account.


Funding and Financial Support

  • Sign up for Direct Deposit

  • All students who will be employed at UCD or who receive funding through MyBill will need to enroll in the new (as of Fall 2022) Direct Deposit system.

    To sign up for Direct Deposit, please go to MyBill and click on the “Refunds” tab.  Here's a step-by-step reference guide to walk you through the enrollment process.

    Questions? Please contact Student Accounting at 530-752-3646 or myaccount@ucdavis.edu. Please include your student ID when emailing Student Accounting.
     

    Why Enroll in Direct Deposit?

    Any payment or refund made to students through MyBill are eligible for direct deposit. We strongly encourage you to enroll for direct deposit as it expedites these payments by transferring funds electronically into a bank account of your choice. It’s the fastest, most secure way to receive refunds at UCD. Direct Deposit also greatly minimizes the chances of problems since there are no checks to be misplaced, lost or stolen, and there is no delay in receipt of funds, even if you are out of town.

    What Happens if I Don’t Enroll in Direct Deposit?

    Any payment or refund made to you will be issued as a paper check and you will have to pick it up in-person at the Student Accounting office during regular business hours. This will likely cause a delay in receiving your funds.

  • Financial Assistance at UC Davis
  • Sign up for Direct Deposit for reimbursements and refunds
    Financial Aid office (Dutton Hall, 1st floor): campus grants, loans, scholarships & work study 
    Student Accounting:  Dutton Hall, 2nd Floor. 
    Complete your FAFSA!  (must be U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen)  Opens October, priority deadline of March but fill it out at any time.  You may be eligible for a $600 campus grant just by filling out your FAFSA.
    UCD Financial Systems info: Answers: Which accounting system? Is it visible on MyBill? Is tax withheld? 
    Emergency, Short-term and Assistant Loans
  • Fellowships and Awards at UC Davis
  • Grad Studies internal fellowships: Review each one and apply for ones in which you’re eligible. Annual deadline of January 15th
    Grad Studies Travel Awards – for travel to present a research paper at professional meetings.  Due annually on March 15th and October 15th   
    GSA (Grad Students Assoc) funding opportunities 
     
  • Tax Resources
  • Student employees: Your W2 and 1095 (health coverage statement, if you need it) should be in UCPath (log in with your kerberos ID and password) but your 1098-T (Tuition/Fellowship/Reimbursement/Stipend Statement) should come via email from UCD Student Accounting. 

    Students in VITA (the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) is a student organization that gives free tax advice.

    Tax info on UC Davis sites: W2 information & Tax information from Student Accounting

Academics & Registration

  • Academic Information from Grad Studies at UCD
  • Full-time students must register for 12 units per quarter including research, academic and seminar units. Courses that fulfill any of the program course requirements may not be taken S/U unless the course is normally graded 
    S/U.

    Information on how to register, late enrollment, etc.

    Academic Services from Grad Studies (registration, finishing your degree & filing deadlines, academic probation, policies and forms!)
  • PELP, In Absentia & Filing Fee
  • Cheat sheet below.  More information found for PELP & Filing Fee and In Absentia on the Graduate Studies site.
     
      In Absentia PELP Filing Fee
     

    Indep Research or enrolled at another Univ outside of CA.

    Planned Education Leave Program: Suspend academic work for personal reasons.

    		 Dissertation is in final draft form. Must graduate at the end of the quarter.
    Benefit? Reduced fees while out of CA doing research or finishing diss. No fees while you take a break from the program for various personal reasons. Reduced fees while finalizing diss & paperwork to graduate.
    Deadline to Apply 10th day of instruction 10th day of instruction 1st day of the quarter
    Keep SHIP? Yes May purchase health cards that entitle you to full student health benefits for 1 quarter**. Yes
    Duration allowed? 6 Qtrs for PhD, 3 Qtrs for Masters 3 (new grad students not eligible); Extension may be requested.

    One quarter. Extensions rare, case by case.
    Eligibility PhDs must be AC; MS must be 2nd year. All Must be AC.
    Fees 15% of tuition, 15% of Stud Svcs Fee, Full SHIP, Full out-of-state fees. No fees - not a registered status. $162
    Summer, too? No, only F/W/S NA No
    Eligible to receive fellowship? Yes No No fellowships or financial aid.
    Academic Appt?

    GSR: Yes; TA/AI/Reader/Tutor: No

    		 No Yes: GSR or TA/AI/Reader/Tutor
    Misc No in-person collab with UC faculty  

    If you go on FF in Spring, you could file in Sept. 

    Must be a registered student in prior quarter (not PELP).
    FF at same time? Yes No  
    Registered Student? Yes No (do not register) No

    ** If students are out of the area, they may purchase an optional health insurance plan to provide coverage. If students intend to continue UC SHIP benefits, they must notify Student Health & Counseling Services before the first day of the quarter in which PELP status begins.

Health & Wellness

Around Davis - Local Resources

Graduate Students with Families