Completing a Masters Degree

MSBI graduate students must apply for advancement to candidacy. This application is available online, UCSF Graduate Division.The application includes the plan of study for the degree, that is, whether the student will work in a lab, collect data, and write and publish a thesis – Plan I or take an oral comprehensive examination (or an oral research defense, should the student have taken the Research Elective during the Spring Academic Quarter and begun a research project during that time) – Plan II. In the case of a thesis, there must be at least three faculty member committee to supervise the research, as well as review and comment on the thesis prior to its publication. The Advancement to Candidacy Form is reviewed and approved by either the Director of the MSBI Program or the Director of Graduate Studies. Subsequently, it is filed by the MSBI Administrator with the Graduate Division. The application is checked to make certain that the plan for the degree will enable the student to meet all University requirements for the Masters of Science degree. Students must be registered for courses in the quarter in which they advance to candidacy. And, applications for advancement to candidacy must be received by the first day of the academic quarter in order to be effective for that quarter. A student must register in full-time status for one quarter as a candidate before the degree is conferred and the application for candidacy must be filed no later than the first day of the last quarter during which the student will be registered for course work at UCSF. Students with a more than one provisional Incomplete (I) grade will not be allowed to advance to candidacy. Candidacy for the Masters of Science degree is lapsed if a student has not completed the requirements for the degree within three quarters (exclusive of the summer academic quarter) after advancement to candidacy. Leaves of absence count against this time. Students must either be registered or on filing fee for the quarter in which they graduate.

Under the following conditions, a petition to the Graduate Division needs to be made:

A. Change in path (i.e., Plan I v. Plan II)
B. Change of composition of committee members
C. Change of Thesis Title

Petitions are typically written by the MSBI Program Administrator and filed with the Graduate Division on behalf of the student.

Submit the following prior to March 28 of each year:

• Title of research project
• Faculty member (or industry alternate) supervising the project; work with your supervisor to identify members for you thesis/defense committee.
• One paragraph (half-page) summary identifying the hypothesis, scope, and projected endpoint/s of the proposed research project.

Course Evaluation:

• For Plan I (Thesis) Students, the formalized report and faculty evaluation will be used for grading.
• For Plan II (Non-Thesis) Students, the research report should be no more than 4 pages (single spaced, 11-point font, 0.5 inch margins) and include the specific hypothesis that you will be testing, relevant background, methods, results, discussion and conclusion.

For thesis students, the formalized report should be a preliminary thesis with an introduction, anticipated methods, and preliminary or expected results. At the end of the Spring Academic Quarter, thesis students will undergo a “qualification examination”, which will present/defend their planned summer research, while non-thesis students will undergo a “comprehensive exam”, which will be a defense of their spring research project. Reports are due typically during the first week of June and examinations will be convened the following week.

Committees appointed to supervise the research and writing of the Masters of Science degree thesis, or to conduct the oral qualifying examination are composed of members of the Academic Senate. In cases where it is to the advantage of the student to have a member of a committee who is not a member of the Academic Senate, approval by the Graduate Division Dean and Vice Chancellor of Student Academic Affairs is required. In no case may a non-Senate person be appointed the Chair of a committee for a graduate degree. A non-Senate person may serve as co-chair, provided that the other co-chair is a member of the Academic Senate. For the Masters of Science degree thesis committees, at least two members should be Academic Senate faculty. A student may petition to have a non-Senate faculty member on any committee where it is desirable and recommended by the Graduate Advisor. The petition must be accompanied by appropriate documentation as to the individual’s expertise and qualifications for appointment. If it becomes necessary to make a change in the composition of a committee, the student may petition for a reconstitution of the committee.

All Plan I (research-thesis) MSBI students are eligible for a 10-week paid appointment as a GSR concurrent with the summer academic quarter during which they work in imaging labs. No paperwork is required for MSBI students that are US Citizens or Permanent Residents - but, these individuals must have previously been issued a United States Social Security Number. International students, who are on a J- or F- type of student Visa must also hold a United States Social Security Number before receiving fee remission. Additionally, they must also complete the following tax documents: Certificate of Foreign Status for Federal Tax Withholding (UC W-8BEN), Withholding Exemption Certificate (CA 590), Employee's Federal-State Withholding Allowance Certificate  (UC W-4/DE 4), and the Non-Payroll Student Deposit Request (only if the student wants direct deposit of these monies to their bank account). Otherwise, per the latter, students must apprise the MSBI Program Administrator of their current mailing addresses and these monies will be sent via live checks directly to them in the mail.

Tax implications for students:

• US Citizens and Permanent Residents will be subject to Federal and/or State withholding at the time that they begin their GSR appointments. Tax liability will be at 14% (Federal) and 7% (State) of gross earnings. Social Security witholding will also apply.
• International students will be taxed at 14% (Federal) and 7% (State) and these amounts need to be reported on Form 1042-S (Federal) and Form 592-B (State). However, if you come from a country that has entered into a tax treaty with the United States (e.g., the People's Republic of China), these tax rates will not apply. Those International Students who qualify for this exemption must complete Section G (see: Form UC-W-8BEN) and submit this form prior to receiving fee remission. They must also complete/submit, a Form CA 590.

For Plan I students, an opportunity to present research findings to one another, MSBI Faculty, the greater University community, as well as family and friends is provided each year near to the end of the Summer Academic Quarter. Typically, an entire afternoon is reserved for this and the symposium concludes with a reception immediately following.

Committees appointed to supervise the research and writing of the Masters of Science degree thesis or the oral comprehensive examination are composed of members of the Academic Senate. In cases where it is to the advantage of the student to have a member of a committee who is not a member of the Senate, approval by the Graduate Division Dean and Vice Chancellor of Student Academic Affairs is required. In no case may a non-Senate person be appointed the Chair of a committee for a graduate degree. A non-Senate person may serve as co-chair, provided that the other co-chair is a member of the Academic Senate. For the master’s thesis committees, at least two members should be Academic Senate faculty. A student may petition to have a non-Senate faculty member on any committee where it is desirable and recommended by the graduate advisor. The petition must be accompanied by appropriate documentation as to the individual’s expertise and qualifications for appointment, such as a current CV. If it becomes necessary to make a change in the composition of a committee, the student may petition for a reconstitution of the committee. A petition to the Graduate Division is used for this purpose and is generated and conveyed to them by the MSBI Program Administrator. The comprehensive examination should demonstrate the student’s mastery of the major field and ability to think critically. The nature and matter of the examination are determined by the faculty of the MSBI Program. Students must either be registered or on filing fee for the quarter in which they submit their comprehensive examination. Students will receive a Pass, Fail, or Adjourn at the conclusion of their oral comprehensive examination. A student who fails the comprehensive examination is allowed to take a second examination after a suitable period of additional preparation. A student who fails the comprehensive exam a second time is no longer eligible to receive the Masters of Science degree. Students who receive an adjourn are typically asked to redress their weakness and provide a written response within a week.