Guidance Manual

Transportation Technology and Policy (TTP) Program Structure
General Policies for Master’s and Doctoral Students
Master’s Degree Requirements
Transfer from Master’s to Doctoral Program
PhD Degree Requirements
Financial Information
General Policies and Procedures

TTP PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Faculty Chair and Graduate Adviser: Susan Handy currently serves as the Chair for the Transportation Technology and Policy (TTP) Graduate Group, while Susan Handy and Professional Researcher Gil Tal are Graduate Advisers for the TTP graduate group.

Faculty Members of the TTP Graduate Group join on a case-by-case basis. They are either members of the Academic Senate (Professor and Lecturer series titles) or Academic Federation (Researcher series titles) or are more or less permanently affiliated with the Institute of Transportation Studies. Academic Senate members usually have a “traditional” departmental home (e.g., Environmental Studies, Statistics) in addition to their TTP affiliation.

Executive Committee: Current members of the TTP Executive Committee are Profs. Susan Handy (Chair), David Bunch, Scott Hardman, Miguel Jaller, Kari Watkins and the student representative.

Faculty Advisor: You are initially assigned to a faculty member close to your interests. During your first quarter of study, the Faculty Advisor assists in formulation and approval of a coherent course of study and also signs the first quarter “Graduate Study List“. The Faculty Advisor can be changed by the consent of all parties. Typically the Faculty Advisor is the person who will oversee your research and progress during your degree program – i.e. your major professor. It is common for the Faculty Advisor to chair your guidance committee and your thesis/dissertation committee, and to serve on your examination committee (if you are an MS Plan II or PhD student). See “Committees“. This Faculty Advisor completes and signs the annual “Graduate Student Progress Report“, discusses it with you, and returns it to the Graduate Coordinator after obtaining your signature as well.

TTP Student Representative: TTP students have a student representative to the TTP Graduate Group Executive Committee. The student representative to the TTPGG Executive Committee will represent student views to the Committee and the faculty as a whole on matters relating to curriculum, by-laws, invitation of faculty members to join the group, marketing the group, general policies relating to admissions and financial aid, and qualifications of prospective personnel. The election of the student representative takes place in the spring quarter. The term of office is from July 1 to June 30. A maximum of two consecutive terms is possible, subject to re-election. The criteria for eligibility to be student representative are: A student in the grad group; in or beyond second year (fourth quarter) of graduate school at UCD when term begins; making satisfactory academic progress; and UCD graduate GPA of 3.6 or higher. Carolina Lecompte, mlecompte@ucdavis.edu, is our TTP student representative until June 30, 2024.

Graduate Coordinator: JoAnna Lewis is the Graduate Program Coordinator for TTP. She handles administration of all required paperwork, graduate student questions and referrals, schedules seminars and courses, and along with the Financial Assistants, administers the financial aid programs for the TTP students. JoAnna may be reached at jrlewis@ucdavis.edu.

GENERAL POLICIES FOR MASTER’S AND DOCTORAL STUDENTS

(This section applies to all students enrolled in the TTP Graduate Program)

Student Responsibilities: You are responsible for meeting all Program, Graduate Studies, and Registrar’s requirements set forth in this Guidance Manual, the General Catalog, and the Class Schedule and Directory. Selected requirements are tabulated below for your convenience. The Graduate Studies’ Graduate Advisers’ handbook is available at https://www.gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/facstaff/GS202_AdvisersHandbook.pdf. We suggest starting here for answers to your questions- that’s what we often do! Another extremely valuable source of information on campus policies (for faculty) are the Registrar’s faculty pages, and (for student information) the Registrar’s general pages. For general graduate student information and polices, please visit the Graduate Student Guide.

Prerequisites: Calculus 1 and 2, Probability/Statistics (with calculus) and Microeconomics (preferably with calculus) must be completed before entering the program or as soon afterward as possible. Courses taken to meet the prerequisites will not count toward the TTP degree.These prerequisites may be taken on a pass/fail basis, but we caution you that a firm grasp of these subjects (at the level of an A or B letter grade) is important as a foundation for courses you will take in this program. A form documenting your fulfillment of these requirements must be completed both at the time application is made to TTP and (if not all requirements had been met when you applied) after enrolling at UC Davis for the first time. FAQs about these prerequisites can be found at here.

Curriculum: The TTP curriculum allows flexibility in creating a course of study crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries. Students complete three core courses in Transportation Technology, Transportation Policy, and Data Science and choose one of three tracks in which to specialize: Vehicles & Fuels, Demand & Behavior, or Infrastructure & Operations. The program gives students the flexibility to develop high-level skills in disciplines of their choosing to best support their interests and career goals.

Seminar Requirement: You are expected to register for and attend the TTP 281 Weekly ITS-Davis Seminar Series, a one unit S/U seminar course, each quarter for the first two years of your graduate study in transportation. To receive an S grade you must attend at least seven of the (typically) eight seminars, and sign the attendance roster. (Remote viewing policy). TTP 281 units do not count toward the total units required for the degree. Other courses always take precedence, however, and for any quarter in which you have a declared course conflict the seminar requirement is waived, while we expect you to “make up” the missed quarter by attending the seminars for an equal number of quarters beyond the two-year requirement (assuming you have not yet completed your degree, naturally). You should notify the TTP graduate program coordinator at the beginning of any quarter for which you have a systematic conflict hindering your ability to attend seven of the seminars, and you should not register for the seminar in that quarter.

Course Load: To be a full-time student, you must register for at least 12 units a quarter (see exceptions under “Full-Time Status” and “Part-Time Status“). This is really important, as any form of support you receive from the university is contingent upon your being a full-time student. For a 49% graduate student researcher, a typical course load is 2-3 courses a quarter (6-9 units of coursework). You should register for one unit of TTP 290C (S/U grading) each quarter, regardless of how many other units you take. There will be a different Course Registration Number (CRN) for each faculty member, and you should register for the one associated with your particular Faculty Advisor. This is a record-keeping device that allows the university quickly to identify each student’s advisor, and list all the advisees of any particular faculty member. All students should also register for some number of research units every quarter (TTP 299s), as needed to complete at least 12 units a quarter, for the entire program. First year students must register for the TTP 282 Transportation Orientation Seminar in the fall. The seminars and research requirement provide you with an opportunity to broaden your knowledge of transportation and to integrate the knowledge and skills you gain in your different courses. Exceptions will be made for cases of unavoidable course conflicts. These courses are all graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis and do not count toward the total units required for the degree, except that up to 6 units of TTP 299 can count toward the MS IF the Plan I (thesis) option is exercised.

Standards of Scholarship: Only courses in which A, B, C, or Satisfactory are earned may be counted in satisfaction of degree requirements. A grade-point average of at least 3.0 must be maintained for all upper division and graduate courses. A course in which you receive a D+ grade or lower does not count towards meeting the unit requirements, but does count in computing the grade point average. Lower division courses are excluded in calculating the graduate GPA and do not count for graduate degree credit. Application for advancement to candidacy may be made if the average is only slightly below 3.0 and if you are currently enrolled in course work, the successful completion of which will give you the required 3.0 average. Even if advanced to candidacy, you must attain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 before the degree will be awarded.

Course Registration Numbers (CRNs): All TTP classes have Course Registration Numbers (CRNs) assigned to them and you will need these numbers to register for all classes. The CRNs change each quarter and the assigned numbers will be posted on the TTP web site and sent via e-mail to ttpstudents@ucdavis.edu

Committees: Two or three faculty committees are appointed for each student at various points in the degree program. You form these committees by obtaining agreement from the people you want to be on them, subject to the guidelines below and elsewhere in this manual. Every student requires a three-person guidance committee who approves your Program of Study, and is responsible for monitoring your progress in the program. MS Plan I students will require a three-person thesis committee, who advises the student on the thesis research and signs the thesis when it is satisfactorily completed. MS Plan II students will require a three-person examination committee, who administers the comprehensive exam and determines whether the student passes and receives the degree. (See details on MS Plan I and II below.) PhD students will require a five-person qualifying examination committee, who administers the qualifying examination and determines whether the student advances to candidacy, and a three-person dissertation committee, who advises the student on the dissertation research and signs the thesis when it is satisfactorily completed.

Members of all committees must be recommended by the student’s Faculty Advisor, in consultation with the student, and must be approved by the Graduate Adviser. Membership of the examination committee (for MS Plan II and PhD students) and thesis/dissertation committee (for MS Plan I and PhD students) must be approved by Graduate Studies; by TTP policy, the Chair of each committee must be a member of the TTP Graduate Group; by campus policy, the Chair of each committee will normally be a member of the Academic Senate; Academic Senate or Federation members of TTPGG (“Faculty Members of Graduate Group in TTP”) are automatically eligible to serve on any of these committees. Non-voting members of TTP can serve on thesis/dissertation committees upon written approval by the Graduate Adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies, and on guidance committees without special approval; and at least two members of the guidance committee must be Academic Senate members.
When a proposed committee member is not a member of the TTP Graduate Group, committee membership must be approved by the Graduate Adviser and then (for examination and thesis/dissertation committees) the Dean of Graduate Studies before the committee begins to discharge its duties.

Program of Study: Consult with your Faculty Advisor to select a guidance committee as soon as possible, but no later than the end of your second quarter of study. The guidance committee is responsible for guiding you in formulating your “Program of Study”. In consultation with your guidance committee, develop a “Program of Study” no later than the second quarter of study. All “Programs of Study” must be approved by the Graduate Adviser, but it is understood that they are subject to change as your studies evolve.

Mentoring Guidelines: We believe that the personalized attention offered by faculty to students in the TTP program is one of its greatest strengths, and we want to continue to foster those close relationships. The Graduate Council guidelines here describe what you should be able to expect from your mentors here at UC Davis, and your reciprocal responsibilities in that relationship.

MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Residence Requirements: Candidates for the Master’s degree must be in residence at least three academic quarters. Two six-week summer sessions may be counted as the equivalent of one regular quarter for purposes of satisfying the residence requirement for the Master’s degree. A minimum of two units must be taken in each session.

Committees for Master’s Students: All students have a three-person guidance committee who approves and signs the Program of Study. For MS Plan I students, a three-person thesis committee recommended by the Graduate Adviser and officially appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies, must approve and sign the thesis. For MS Plan II students, a three-person examination committee, approved by the Graduate Adviser, administers the comprehensive examination.

Advancement to Candidacy: Every Master’s student must file an official application for advancement to candidacy after completion of at least one-half of the course requirements for the degree and at least one quarter before completion of all degree requirements. The forms are available from the campus Graduate Studies office, or may be downloaded from https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/forms/index.html. After the candidacy form has been signed by the Graduate Adviser and thesis chairperson (if Plan I, thesis plan), it is to be returned to Graduate Studies. Graduate Studies sends formal notices of advancement to candidacy to the chair of the committee. A copy of the candidacy application is sent to the Graduate Coordinator for the program files, and to the student. If you are not eligible for advancement, the department and you will be informed that action on the application has been deferred and of the reasons for the deferral (e.g. grade point average below 3.0). On the candidacy application you and the Graduate Adviser agree to and submit a statement of how you will complete the requirements for the degree under either Plan I or Plan II. If changes need to be made in your program for the degree after advancement to candidacy, recommendations for such changes must be made in writing to Graduate Studies by the Graduate Adviser.

MS Plan I (Thesis) Requirements: Requires completion of 36 units of coursework at the upper division and graduate levels, including the core requirements and submission of a thesis. At least 2/3 of the units must be at the graduate level. Beyond the core requirements, students may choose electives from those recommended in the core matrix or from the subsequent approved list of courses for the TTP program, with no restrictions on category (track). Up to 6 units of Thesis/TTP 299 Research Group Study can count as part of the 36.

Preparation of Thesis: The MS Plan I Thesis Committee ensures that the quality of the thesis is appropriate for the degree. The topic should be acceptable to all three members of the committee, when they agree to serve. Expectations on length and level of scholarship appropriate to master’s theses vary across faculty, and it is in your interest to ascertain these expectations from your committee members at the time you invite them to serve. For the thesis to be acceptable for degree conferral, all members must sign the title page certifying that you have completed your thesis to their satisfaction. In case the committee members cannot reach a unanimous decision to accept the thesis but a majority is favorable, the majority and minority should report their separate opinions of its merits to the Dean of Graduate Studies who will make the final decision according to the procedures outlined by Graduate Studies for dealing with divided graduate committees. If the thesis is regarded by the committee to be of less than acceptable quality, you should be given an appropriate period of time, clearly specified by the committee, in which to improve your work. If, after that period of time (usually a quarter or more), the thesis is still unacceptable to a majority of the committee, the committee may recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies that you be disqualified from further graduate study in this program. TTP cannot support the use of staff time or equipment for word processing or photocopying of theses and reports, unless all costs are covered through research grants or by the student. Computers and printers are available in the student lab for research or course-related work.

Filing of Thesis: Detailed instructions on the preparation of theses are available at: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html. Deadline dates for filing are printed at: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/calendar.html. Dates are also printed in the UCD General Catalog. You are responsible for observing the filing dates and for preparing the thesis in proper form. The thesis must be accompanied by a “University Library Agreement” form and the “Program Exit” form.

MS Plan II (Comprehensive Examination) Requirements: Requires completion of 36 units of coursework at the upper division and graduate levels, including the core requirements, and satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination. At least 2/3 of the units must be at the graduate level. Beyond the core requirements, students may choose electives from those recommended in the matrix or from the subsequent approved list of courses for the TTP program, with no restrictions on category (track). The comprehensive examination may be written or oral or both. You should ascertain in advance the general subject matter on which your committee will examine you and who will be on your committee. The MS exam is not “just a formality” and you should take it seriously. Obviously it is to your advantage if you have actually taken the core classes in question from the committee members themselves. In addition, your Faculty Advisor may not be the Chair of the examination committee. When asking for the Graduate Adviser’s approval of the committee composition, you should clearly indicate what areas each member of the committee will be planning to cover on the exam. The Comprehensive Exam Committee Request form needs to be completed and returned to the Graduate Coordinator. You should not appear for this examination until you have been advanced to candidacy by Graduate Studies.

The comprehensive examination committee examines you on your transportation and related knowledge, including coverage of core courses and other courses in your Program of Study. Upon completion of the comprehensive examination, the Chair of the Committee must notify the Graduate Coordinator, indicating the following:

When you took the exam;
the committee members in attendance;
and the recommendation to pass or not pass.

Graduate Studies requires a unanimous vote of the committee to pass you on the comprehensive examination. If you do not pass the examination, the committee may recommend that you be reexamined one time. If the Graduate Adviser concurs, you may be reexamined. Changes in the composition of the committee may be made only for reasons of clear necessity, e.g. the extended absence of a member from the campus. The examination may not be repeated more than once. If you do not pass on the second attempt you are thereby subject to disqualification from further work as a graduate student in this program. The results of all Master’s comprehensive examinations must be reported to Graduate Studies.

Second Master’s Degree: You are permitted to work towards a second Master’s degree if the Graduate Adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies determine that the degree will not be a duplication of the previous degree, whether earned on the Davis campus or at another institution. See here for information about working on degrees in two UCD programs simultaneously. See the rules regarding the transfer of credits from other programs (“Transfer of Credit“). You must spend a minimum of two quarters in regular graduate standing in the second UC Davis master’s program to meet the residency requirements of UC Davis. You must also complete a separate thesis or examination for each degree program.

Required Forms to File: All forms should be completed with the guidance of your Faculty Advisor, and the Graduate Adviser will generally be the last one to sign. Completed forms should be returned to the Graduate Coordinator for appropriate signature and/or approval for processing, unless stated otherwise on the form:

“Graduate Study List” – Required of NEW STUDENTS ONLY, this is a form asking for the list of classes being taken the first quarter, which will be filled out by you, signed by your major professor, and turned in to the Graduate Coordinator within the first two weeks of classes starting. The form will come with a summary of the TTP program requirements, to remind your major professor (and you) of those requirements as s/he gives course advice. The purpose is to ensure that communication between you and a faculty member takes place very soon after you begin classes. There is nothing binding about the major professor you select at that early time; the major professor can change as your interests, and other opportunities, evolve.
“Program of Study” – Required of ALL STUDENTS, this is a form that lists all the courses you will be taking (or have taken) to fulfill the UCD graduate degree. You will need to complete it and have it signed by a Guidance Committee comprising three TTP faculty subject to the guidelines presented elsewhere in this document. So that your Guidance Committee can see where you stand with respect to completing the program prerequisites, a copy of your prerequisite form that was submitted at the time you applied to the program should be attached, as well as a current transcript. The Program of Study will need to be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator by no later than the end of the second quarter of study. The purpose of this requirement is to provide a mechanism for you to obtain early input from a variety of faculty members, and to begin to establish relationships with them. Your Program of Study can be revised as needed at key points, especially when advancing to candidacy.
“Graduate Student Progress Report” – This is provided to you annually. You must review your progress with your Faculty Advisor, obtain her or his signature, and return the form to the Graduate Coordinator.
“Application for Candidacy” – Submit application form to the Graduate Coordinator no later than the middle of the quarter preceding the quarter in which you intend to graduate (see Campus Catalog and Class Schedule and Directory for filing deadlines). The Graduate Coordinator will obtain the signature required of the Graduate Adviser.
“Request for Approval of Comprehensive Exam (MS Plan II) Committee Members” – Complete the request form, obtain the Graduate Adviser’s signature and return to the Graduate Coordinator.
“Degree Completion Update Form” – This form will be sent to you by Graduate Studies. You must complete and return it to Graduate Studies no later than the beginning of the quarter preceding the quarter in which you wish to graduate (see Calendar and Deadlines for filing deadlines).

TRANSFER FROM MASTER’S TO DOCTORAL PROGRAM

Transferring from a Master’s program to a Doctoral program is not automatic. The request for continuation into the Doctoral program is initiated by filing a “Petition for Change of Degree Objective” form. This petition will normally not be entertained before the student has completed at least 1/2 of the coursework units required for the MS. This form is available from Graduate Studies. The Graduate Adviser will review the form. The minimum requirements are four of the following five criteria:

Undergraduate GPA > 3.2
Graduate GPA > 3.5
Quantitative GRE score in the 90th percentile
Strong letter of recommendation from student’s Faculty Advisor
Strong letter of recommendation from the faculty member in TTP likely to be advising the student in doctoral work

At this time, a preliminary examination is not required by TTP but that is subject to change. As a Master’s student, if you have any inclination to pursue doctoral studies, speak to your Faculty Advisor or the Graduate Adviser about preparing a Program of Study with that in mind. It may save valuable time in the long run.

PhD degree requirements

Curricular Requirements: PhD students are required to complete 54 total units, including units completed toward a relevant MS, but excluding any research units. PhD students must complete three core courses as well as at least two in the chosen track and three skill area courses. Beyond the core requirements, students may choose electives from those recommended in the matrix or from the subsequent approved list of courses for the TTP program. At least 2/3 of all credits must be at the graduate level. Also see “Course Credit by UC Davis Open Campus Enrollment, Examination, and Transfer“.

Residence Requirements: Students working toward a doctorate must be registered and in University residence for a minimum of six regular quarters. Two consecutive regular Summer Sessions may be counted as the equivalent of one regular quarter if at least two units are taken in each Summer Session.

Qualifying Examination: The Chair of your three-person research/dissertation committee (i.e. your Faculty Advisor) cannot be your Chair of the examination committee; and the five-person examination committee normally is composed of three or four people representing your Program of Study. All committee members should carry an educational role in their job titles, and at least three members of the examination committee must be voting members of the TTP Graduate Group. Per campus requirement, no fewer than three members of the QE committee shall be voting members of the Academic Senate of University of California (includes Professors, Lecturers with Security of Employment, Professors in Residence and Professors of Clinical “__”). The Graduate Council policy on the Qualifying Exam is here. Tips from Graduate Studies for succeeding on the Qualifying Exam are here. To be eligible for the examination, you must have satisfied all program requirements (e.g. course work), have removed all deficiencies, and must have at least a “B” average in all work undertaken in graduate standing. You must be registered in the quarters in which you take any portion of the qualifying examination. In principle, the exam can cover any aspect of the coursework included in your program of study. In practice, naturally, time constraints and the collective expertise of the committee will limit the subjects that are likely to be covered on the exam. To ensure that the committee is capable of covering your Program of Study, we require that you complete a form documenting the members of your committee and the areas of the core that each committee member is responsible for. You should indicate those areas in consultation with the respective committee members. This form is available here.

Advancement to Candidacy: Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination, you receive an “Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Plan B”.

Dissertation: Upon completion of the above requirements, a research (dissertation) committee is selected. Your major professor is usually the Chair of this three (or more)-person committee. The other two members are selected based on their interest and involvement in your research. Two of the three members must be members of the Academic Senate. A 4-person dissertation committee may be composed of two Academic Senate members and two research scientists. This committee provides guidance to you in formulating and carrying out a doctoral research project. A dissertation on a subject chosen by you, the candidate, bearing on the principal subject of study, and of such character as to show ability to prosecute independent investigation must be approved by the committee in charge of the dissertation and by Graduate Studies before the degree will be recommended. Special emphasis will be on this requirement, and the degree will in no case be granted merely for the faithful completion of a course of study, however extensive. The dissertation will address a subject chosen by the student and contain the following elements: It must be original; It must demonstrate creative and independent work and be of publishable quality for a peer-reviewed journal; It must contribute to the body of knowledge in transportation technology or policy; All aspects must be defensible, including hypothesis(es), quality of data, methods, results and interpretation; The work must be primarily that of the student; the student should be primary author of all chapters or manuscripts included in the dissertation; The dissertation must be tied together by a unifying theme. A monograph format may be used if deemed appropriate by the student’s Dissertation Committee; however, a rule of thumb is that the dissertation should contain sufficient appropriate material for at least three peer-reviewed journal articles. It is recommended that at least one manuscript derived from the dissertation be submitted (not necessarily accepted) for publication in a peer-reviewed journal before the dissertation is approved. Detailed instructions on the format of the dissertation and abstract are located at the following web site: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/filing.html Deadline dates for filing are found at: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/students/calendar.html You shall then file with the Dean of Graduate Studies the original of the dissertation approved by the committee in charge, not later than three weeks before the close of the quarter in which the degree is to be conferred (see the General Catalog for the exact dates). An abstract of the dissertation must be filed by the same date. At the time of filing the dissertation, you must sign an agreement with ProQuest, to digitally archive the dissertation and print the abstract in Dissertation Abstracts. Arrangements for copyrighting the dissertation and for obtaining reprints of the abstract, if desired, must also be made at this time.

Required Forms to File: All forms should be completed with the guidance of your Faculty Advisor. Completed forms should be returned to the Graduate Coordinator for appropriate signature and/or approval for processing, unless stated otherwise on the form:

“Graduate Study List” – Required of NEW STUDENTS ONLY, this is a form asking for the list of classes being taken the first quarter, which will be filled out by you, signed by your major professor, and turned in to the Graduate Coordinator within the first two weeks of classes starting. The form will come with a summary of the TTP program requirements, to remind your major professor (and you) of those requirements as s/he gives course advice. The purpose is to ensure that communication between you and a faculty member takes place very soon after you begin classes. There is nothing binding about the major professor you select at that early time; the major professor can change as your interests, and other opportunities, evolve.
“Program of Study” – Required of ALL STUDENTS, this is a form that lists all the courses you will be taking (or have taken) to fulfill the UCD graduate degree. You will need to complete it and have it signed by a Guidance Committee comprising three TTP faculty subject to the guidelines presented elsewhere in this document. So that your Guidance Committee can see where you stand with respect to completing the program prerequisites, a copy of your prerequisite form that was submitted at the time you applied to the program should be attached, as well as a current transcript. The Program of Study will need to be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator by no later than the end of the second quarter of study. The purpose of this requirement is to provide a mechanism for you to obtain early input from a variety of faculty members, and to begin to establish relationships with them. Your Program of Study can be revised as needed at key points, especially when advancing to candidacy.
“Graduate Student Progress Report” – This is provided to you annually. You must review your progress with your Faculty Advisor, obtain her or his signature, and return the form to the Graduate Coordinator.
“Application for Qualifying Examination” – This can be submitted as soon as the majority of your course work is completed. Graduate Studies should be notified of the date of your qualifying examination one month in advance. However, the examination itself may not take place until all course work is completed. In any case, regardless of the total number of units in your approved Program of Study, you cannot take your qualifying examination until at least 54 units of your program have been completed.
“Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Plan B” – This will be signed by the Chair of your qualifying examination committee and returned to you upon successful completion of the qualifying examination. Submit the form to the Graduate Coordinator for signature of the Graduate Adviser before sending on to Graduate Studies. A validation fee is required to process the form. This payment should be made to the cashier in Dutton Hall before submitting the form to Graduate Studies.
“Degree Completion Update Form” – This form will be sent to you by Graduate Studies. You must complete and return it to Graduate Studies no later than the beginning of the quarter preceding the quarter in which you wish to graduate (see the General Catalog and Class Schedule and Room Directory for filing deadlines).

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Fellowships: Using this application for admission, UC Davis awards a select few prestigious fellowships to prospective graduate students. The fellowship descriptions may be found at /ssupport/prospectivefellowships.html. To be considered for one of these fellowships, you must submit your application for admission by January 15. These fellowships are awarded based solely on your application for admission, as there is not a separate fellowship application for these specific UC Davis graduate student fellowships.

At the program level, various fellowships may be awardable using the application for admission. You will be notified as any additional fellowship opportunities become available.

Elimination of Nonresident Tuition for PhD Candidates: Nonresident doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy by the first day of the term will have the nonresident tuition charge waived. This waiver is in effect for a maximum of three years beginning with the first academic term following advancement to candidacy and ending three calendar years later. Any such student who continues to be enrolled or who re-enrolls after receiving the waiver for three years will be charged the full nonresident tuition rate that is in effect at that time.

California Residency for Tuition Purposes: When initially admitted to UC Davis, you were asked in your admissions letter from Dean Gibeling to provide a Statement of Legal Residence to the Office of the University Registrar as soon as you had made your decision to attend UC Davis. Hopefully you have already done this. If not, please do so now. For more information about establishing residency, see https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/tuition/residence/processes/slr-basics.cfm. We strongly advise (and expect) that you establish California Residency for tuition purposes as soon as possible. If you feel that you cannot, in good conscience, meet the “intent to make California your home” requirement for establishing residency, you must let us know NOW. We would not want you to take an action that violates your conscience, but at the same time, the reality is that our resources are finite, and we cannot guarantee funding for nonresident supplemental tuition (NRST) fellowships beyond your first three quarters of study as funds spent on NRST for one student reduce the funding available for others. We will try to help as much as we can, but the sooner we know about your intentions, the more options there may be to help work things out. If we do NOT hear from you right away to the contrary, we will assume you are in the process of establishing residency, and we will plan future years’ budgets accordingly. Adult citizens, permanent residents of the USA (green card holders), refugees, asylees, and students with visas of type A,E,G,I,K or L can establish legal residency. Physical presence in the state solely for educational purposes does not constitute establishment of California residence regardless of the length of stay. You must document your intent to make California your permanent home. Actions that document such intent include, but are not limited to: obtaining a California driver’s license (or ID card if a non-driver); registering to vote and voting; using a California permanent address on all records; and paying income taxes as a resident of California from the date of arrival in the state. (Avoid filing a full-year resident tax return in another state if claiming California residence for part of the year.) Vehicles must be registered in California within twenty days of your arrival in the state. Contact the Residency Deputy in the Registrar’s office to confirm residency status during the summer after your first year in the program.

Graduate Student Researcher Assistantships: Graduate Student Researcher Assistantships are awarded from research projects with available funding by individual faculty members. The research project often forms the basis of the student’s thesis. Normally, Graduate Student Researchers are expected to work 10-20 hours per week, and receive a 25-49 percent time appointment during the academic year. Full-time appointments during the summer are possible if funding is available. Appointment as a Graduate Student Researcher at 25% or greater, entitles you to a fee remission that covers all in-state fees for each quarter that you are employed. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0.

Teaching Assistantships: At this time, there are no Teaching Assistantships regularly available in TTP. Occasionally, opportunities arise for a TTP student to TA a departmentally-based course (e.g., Civil Engineering) offered by a TTP faculty member. However, departments normally give preference to their own students in filling these limited positions.

FAFSA and Work-study Program: Graduate Student Researcher Assistantships are also available for students under a federally funded work-study program. This program offers funds that are partially subsidized by the federal government, thereby reducing the amount a faculty member’s research project must contribute. Students must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and also have a demonstrated financial need before they can participate in the work-study program. Students may receive an award for 25-49 percent and may be awarded one or more quarters depending on the number of awards available. All students must have filed the FAFSA form before the March 1 deadline in order to qualify for any funding for the next academic year. FAFSA’s web site (including the required forms) is located at: https://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

TTP Fellowship Funding: TTP Fellowship Funding is awarded as fellowship support for graduate students. These funds give graduate programs discretionary authority to allocate funds to individual students within their program. These funds are often packaged with other types of support and may be awarded to both new and/or continuing domestic and international graduate students to pay stipends, in-state fees, and/or nonresident tuition. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0. Most of TTP’s limited fellowship fund is used in recruiting new students, although eligible existing students are occasionally funded when the funds are available.

Purchases with University-controlled Funds: Please contact the Financial Assistant at ITS before you purchase or agree to purchase anything with research or program funds. A purchase request must be submitted in advance of any purchase, with the appropriate signatures, before a purchase order will be generated. Any purchase without the proper paperwork is considered an “unauthorized purchase,” and you may be held responsible for the amount owed. Policy is to allow a two-week turnaround time for processing any purchase request. The UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual 350-10 states in part: “…An “Unauthorized” purchase is a purchase, letter of intent to purchase, or request for scheduling in advance of an order that is made by a person who lacks the proper authorization to commit University-controlled funds. Unauthorized purchases are a violation of University Policy and the individual who purchases goods or services can be held responsible for payment of charges incurred.”

Travel Grants: Travel grants to conferences are available through Graduate Studies and ITS. You must be presenting a paper you have written or co-authored. Please contact the Graduate Coordinator for the necessary forms. The Friends of ITS-Davis program also support student programs.

GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

(Including issues that arise for some but not all students)

Full-Time Status: You must enroll for a minimum of 12 units (including 290C and 299) per quarter to be considered in full-time status unless you are officially designated a part-time student.

Part-Time Status: Part-time student status has been re-instituted by Graduate Studies only for those students who have full-time employment, health constraints, or family obligations. Part-time students may enroll in not more than six units of credit, including 290C and 299, during any quarter. Approved part-time students pay the full Registration Fee, the Health Insurance fee, Memorial Union fee, ASUCD fee, and one-half the Educational Fee. Applications for part-time status are available at Graduate Studies or from the Graduate Coordinator. The Registrar’s deadlines for applying for part-time status cannot be waived.

Elective Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grades: As a rule, you may not take on an elective Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis, any letter-graded courses that are used to satisfy the degree requirements given under, “MS Plan I (thesis) Requirements”; “MS Plan II (comprehensive examination) Requirements”; and “Degree Requirements”. Doctoral students may not take any letter-graded courses that appear on their Program of Study on an S/U basis. However, rare exceptions to these policies may be made by petition to Graduate Studies through the Graduate Adviser in advance. Aside from courses used to satisfy degree or program requirements as either a Master’s or Doctoral degree student, you may take normally letter-graded courses on an elective S/U grading basis. However, in accordance with Graduate Studies policy, you may take only one course per quarter on this basis. After you have completed all the courses on your Program of Study and have been advanced to candidacy for the MS or PhD degree, you may, with the approval of the Graduate Adviser, take an unlimited number of courses on an S/U grade basis. If you wish to elect Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading in any letter-graded course, you must file a petition for that course. These petitions must be approved by the Graduate Adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies. If you accumulate a combination of more than eight units of “Incomplete” and/or “Unsatisfactory” grades before Advancement to Candidacy, you will be placed on academic probation. If you elect the S/U grading option, you are initially assigned a letter grade by the instructor on the same basis as other students in the class. In a graduate course, if you earn a grade of B- or higher, an S is shown on the record; in an undergraduate course, if you earn a grade of C- or higher, then S is shown on the record.

Non-elective S/U Grades (i.e. courses only offered on an S/U basis): At the current time, the program has not placed a limit on the number of S/U-only courses that can count toward the degree. The expectation is that the number of such courses will be small.

Course Credit by UC Davis Open Campus Enrollment, Examination and Transfer: There are potentially three ways in which to apply credits to the unit requirements for the TTP Graduate Program other than standard enrollment in UC Davis courses. Acceptance of credits through any of these ways is not automatic. Approval must be sought in the form of a petition to Graduate Studies, signed by the Graduate Adviser and supported by your Faculty Advisor. Note that not all transfer options can or should be exercised for a single person’s degree. A UC Davis degree should obviously denote that the bulk of the course units have been earned at UC Davis. Please consult with the Graduate Studies Office for a complete list of transfer credit regulations specific to each degree.

UC Davis Open Campus: Prior to admission into the TTP graduate program, you may take regular courses through the UC Davis Open Campus program (see https://extension.ucdavis.edu/open_campus) operated by the UC Davis Extension. A letter from the Graduate Adviser indicating approval of the transfer must be sent to Graduate Studies before the transfer can be made. You will be required to submit an official copy of the Extension transcript if one is not already on file in Graduate Studies. You will receive both unit and grade point credit for relevant courses taken through the Open Campus program. Up to 12 of these units will be counted toward a graduate degree if you are eventually admitted into our graduate program. Courses taken through the Open Campus program after you have been admitted for graduate study may not be used for degree credit.

Credit by examination: You must be registered and in good academic standing. If you have not taken a required course but feel you have gained the knowledge (either through work experience and/or university-related courses) necessary to pass an examination on the course material, you may apply to receive credit for the course through an examination. The petition is available from the Office of the Registrar and must have the approval of the appropriate instructor, the Graduate Adviser, and the Dean of Graduate Studies before being returned to the Registrar. Approval is contingent upon the student presenting adequate evidence of her or his ability to prepare for the examination. A $5.00 fee is assessed for each petition.

Transfer of credits from other universities: With the consent of the Graduate Adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies, limited units taken at another accredited institution may be credited toward degree requirements. Master’s Program:

The sum of the units transferred from UC Davis Open Campus courses may not exceed 12.
The sum of units transferred from a non-UC institution may not exceed 6.
There is no campus limit on the number of units credited by examination.
Up to six course units taken outside the UC system and while in graduate standing may be transferred if they were not used in satisfaction of the requirements for another completed degree.
Up to six 200-series course units that were taken in undergraduate status at UC Davis may be transferred, so long as they were not used to satisfy any requirements for the bachelor’s degree.
Up to 15 (for MS Plan I) or 18 (for MS Plan II) units may be transferred from another campus of the University of California, if they were not used in satisfaction of the requirements for another completed degree.
Students who have been accepted into a double major or second master’s program may share a total of 12 units between both academic programs with the approval of the Graduate Adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Units of work taken elsewhere than the University of California may not be used to reduce the minimum residence requirement or the minimum requirement in the 200-series courses taken at the University.
Requests for transfer credit are usually made prior to or at the time of advancement to candidacy. You should prepare a request for the Graduate Adviser to send to the Dean of Graduate Studies specifying the units and courses involved, and provide an official transcript for the courses.

PhD Program:

In your Program of Study, the sum of the units earned in UC Davis Open Campus courses and courses satisfied by examination may not exceed 12.
Up to 27 units taken at another accredited university as part of a related master’s degree may be counted toward the PhD, even if used to satisfy the requirements for a master’s degree. You should be prepared to provide a syllabus or other extended course description to the Graduate Adviser for any course you propose transferring.

Change of Major or Double Major: If you wish to change your major, you must file a Petition for Change of Graduate Major or for Double Major form, which will need to be signed by your present Graduate Adviser and the new program Graduate Adviser. The form is then forwarded to Graduate Studies for their approval. If you wish to work on two programs simultaneously, you must submit a regular graduate admission application and official transcripts of record along with the Petition for Change of Graduate Major or for Double Major form. You must also submit your Program of Study to Graduate Studies indicating how you plan to accomplish your two degree programs. The Dean of Graduate Studies makes the final decision on your acceptance or denial into a double major program. International students must complete their request for change of degree objective or change of major before completion of their present degree program. If you are an international student on an F-1 visa, you must certify that you have sufficient funds to support your first year in the program. Contact Services for International Students and Scholars if you fall in this category.

Filing Fee Option: If you have completed all coursework and residence requirements, and all laboratory and other research work, you are eligible to pay a one-time reduced fee instead of registering as a regular student. The “Filing Fee” petition must be filed before ceasing to register as a regular student. Please note: With the employment exception noted below, students electing to go on “Filing Fee” status are no longer eligible to purchase health insurance or use any UC Davis facilities, including office desk space, faculty time (except for the final reading of the thesis), computers, mailboxes, library privileges, etc. As long as you haven’t worked while on PELP status (see below), you may be employed by UC Davis for one quarter while on filing fee status as a blanket exception, to the policy that individuals holding academic appointments must be registered graduate students. Requests for a second quarter of appointment will be approved only under exceptional circusmtances and must include compelling documentation. Requests for a third quarter of appointment will not be approved under any circumstance.

Planned Educational Leave Program (PELP): The Planned Educational Leave Program (PELP) is designed to allow students to suspend their program of studies for good cause (i.e. illness, temporary departure from the University for employment or research away from the campus, preparing for examinations, if doing so at a distance from the 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. A $40.00 fee is charged for application to this program. The signature of the Graduate Adviser on the PELP application guarantees the student readmission for the quarter specified on the form. In giving approval for the leave, the Adviser is certifying that there will be space available for the returning student. The minimum time to be on PELP status is one quarter and the maximum is three quarters. You must submit the application to Graduate Studies by the first day of the quarter in which you will be absent so that the Registrar does not hold you liable for fees. (A detailed comparison of PELP with Filing Fee Status is here.)

Continuous Registration Policy The University of California has a continuous registration policy for graduate students. This policy means that students must be registered (either as a regular student or in-absentia), on PELP or on Filing Fee status from the time they first enroll until the time they complete all of their degree requirements. Graduate Studies considers Summer to be an extension of Spring Quarter for registration purposes. Students have the same academic rights and privileges in Summer as were afforded by their registration status in Spring. Thus, students who were on PELP in Spring Quarter may not submit a thesis or dissertation, take an oral examination or advance to candidacy during Summer unless they enroll in Summer Quarter and pay fees for 12 units.

Research Conducted at Off-Campus Locations: Research for the thesis may be conducted at an on or off-campus location provided that:

The planning, execution of the research and resolution of the data are essentially an independent effort by the student.
Members of the thesis committee have access to the research area.
The results of the research may be published in full, in unrestricted journals.
University patent policies are recognized.
The student is enrolled in a 299 course so that a faculty supervisor is formally appointed and budgetary credit can be obtained for (a) the faculty member’s effort; (b) support by other University personnel; and (c) use of University facilities. No research involving the use of University facilities or supervision by faculty members is to be conducted by the student when he or she is not enrolled in a 299 course. Exceptions may be made for research conducted during the summer. After the research has been completed, and with the concurrence of the thesis committee, a student may write his or her thesis without enrolling in a 299 course. The thesis committee may require that the student give a defense of the research to establish that the research is completed.
All other policies regarding 299 courses apply.

Graduate Student Desk Space: One of the purposes of graduate student offices is to foster communications among students, and between students and faculty. TTP’s graduate student office space is located in West Village. There is limited desk space, and in many cases students may need to share a desk with one another. Our intent is to find desk space for all students who indicate a need for one and sharing is one solution.

Assigned lockers are available for every student. Please see the Graduate Coordinator for locker. Any student on Filing Fee status is not eligible for locker unless holding a Graduate Student Researcher appointment. Students who have a teaching assistantship for one or more quarters may not conduct TA office hours in West Village student space out of consideration for the other graduate students sharing the room. The departmental home for the course being TAed should offer space in which to hold office hours and other TA activities.

ITS-Davis Offices: ITS office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding recognized UC Davis holidays.

Medical Coverage: You must purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless you are able to prove comparable coverage under another insurance plan. This fee is automatically paid for you if you are a registered graduate student and are employed as a Graduate Student Researcher or GSR at 25% or more. Teaching Assistants receive partial remission if they are employed 25% or more.

Timesheets: Timesheets for Graduate Student Researchers are emailed to you between the 15th & the 20th of each month, and must be completed, including signature, by you, and returned to the ITS Payroll Processor by the date specified in the email in order to receive your paycheck on time.

Paychecks: Assistantship payment processing will be done by the ITS Payroll Processor. Monthly checks are available on approximately the first business day of each month. The checks are either directly deposited (provided you have made previous arrangements) or will be at the front desk in the ITS office for distribution.

Ethics in Authorship: With respect to professional ethics, integrity, and fairness, the authorship of any scholarly work implies the following:

That each author has made a substantial intellectual contribution to the work;
that each author accepts responsibility for her or his contribution to the collaborative effort; and
that each author accepts responsibility for the scholarly conclusions appearing in the publication.

“Substantial intellectual contribution” is interpreted by Graduate Studies to mean input beyond that of only providing instruction; granting use of laboratory space or equipment; provision of financial support; or dissertation guidance by a faculty member. It means a considerable degree of involvement with the development of the work, the generation and interpretation of data, the drawing of conclusions, and/or the actual writing of the manuscript. “Responsibility” means that an author understands the methodology involved, the relationship to other research of a similar nature, and the significance and implications of that contribution to the publication. Responsibility implies the ability to defend the individual’s contribution against academic challenge. Authorship should not be taken by students or faculty if they do not understand these aspects of the work, are unwilling to accept responsibility for them, or do not agree with the conclusions made in the report.

Academic Dishonesty: Academic work is concerned with developing students’ own scholarly and professional capabilities and their respect for the work of others. Undisclosed collaborations, un-cited use of other’s work, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty corrode development of professional and scholarly skills and demonstrate lack of respect for the works of others. Appropriately, faculty, students, the TTP program administration, and the UC Davis campus treat any such behavior with the utmost seriousness. Such cases are referred to Student Judicial Affairs https://sja.ucdavis.edu/. If you have any doubts about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please discuss the matter with one of the program faculty, the Graduate Advisor, or Student Judicial Affairs.

Transportation Technology & Policy Graduate Group