Student Services

GRADUATE STUDENT PETITIONS

Department Petition: Guidelines | Department Petition Form

Graduate Division Petition: Guidelines | Wording

University "Blue" Petition: Guidelines | Instructions | Wording

DEPARTMENTAL PETITION: Click here to download petition.
Instructions for Departmental Petitions are on the Departmental Petition form. Use a Departmental Petition to request an exception to anyof the following:

Master’s/Doctorate
Doctorate	All petitions for courses and to fulfill departmental requirements, i.e. course substitutions, exemptions, etc.
Master’s	Course substitutions at the same level, i.e. a 200-level course to substitute for another 200-level course.
Both	Exemption or substitution of a departmental requirement
Both	Change areas within the same department, i.e. ethno to systematic.
Master’s	Waive completion of the master’s to go straight to the doctorate.
Doctorate	Any changes in the departmental qualifying exams.

GRADAUTE DIVISON PETITION: www.gdnet.ucla.edu
Language Petition / Master's Degree Petition / Nomination of Doctoral Committee
Use a Graduate Division form to petition any item under the Graduate Division’s jurisdiction. This would include the following:

Master’s/Doctorate
Both	Fulfill the language requirement, including departmental exam, as well as the following: by coursework, at UCLA or elsewhere by language department placement exam in a language not on the normal list with English or your native language
Master’s	Transfer coursework from another school
Master’s	Extension of Advancement to Candidacy (This is filed ONLY on the day you actually finish, not before.)

Top

UNIVERSITY "BLUE" PETITION: Obtain from graduate advisor.
Use a University or “blue” “Student Petition to request an exception to the following:

Master’s/Doctorate
Doctorate	To have someone from outside UCLA on your doctoral committee

Instructions for Blue Petitions:

1. Type if at all possible. Your College/School/Division is “Grad”. Don’t put in your “Degree Expected Term” unless you are finishing this term.
2. Plan out the wording for your request and reason before you put it on the form.
3. Use the suggested wording below: Much of this language has been worked out with the Graduate Division. Individual variations to suit specific situations may be necessary.
4. Attach supporting documentation only with a paper clip. Do Not Staple.
5. Do Not get signatures below the line that says “Petitioner: Do not write below this line”. This will be taken care of in the department.
6. Turn the petition and documentation in to the graduate advisor for departmental approval. Keep the last copy (white) for your records.

Petition Wording
Brackets [ ] indicate where you need to fill in information.

Subject	Wording	Sample Reason	Documentation
Transfer a course from another school	To have course [department & number] taken at [school] during [term] count as [course or requirement] on the [degree].	The course had the same content as Music 204.	Official transcript from the school
Fulfill language with coursework	To have course(s) [department and number] taken at [school] count as fulfilling the requirement of one language on the [degree].	“The completion of these courses is a Graduate Division approved means of fulfilling the language requirement in” Music	If UCLA, nothing; if not UCLA, official transcript and course syllabus
…by placement exam	To have Placement into level [level number] of [language] count as fulfilling the requirement of one language on the [degree]	The completion of Level 5 “of these courses is a Graduate Division approved means of fulfilling the language requirement in” Ethnomusicology.	copy of score notice
To use English as a foreign language	To have English count as fulfilling the requirements of one language on the [degree].	“English is not my native language. Therefore, for me this is a Graduate Division approved means of fulfilling the language requirement in” Music.	Completion of at least ESL 33C or copy of notice that you are exempt from further English study.
…your native language	To have [native language] count as fulfilling the requirement of one language on the [degree].	Cantonese “is my native language. Therefore, for me this is a Graduate Division approved means of fulfilling the language requirement in” Ethnomusicology.”	If you are not still a citizen of your native country, we will need a copy of your high school or other diploma.
…a language other than one listed	To have [method of completion] in [language] count as fulfilling one language on the [degree]	[Why you want to use a different language.]	documentation of completion.
Extension of Advancement	To have my Advancement to Candidacy be extended from [original date of Advancement] to [new date of graduation].	My thesis took longer than I thought it would.	None
Outside person on my doctoral committee	To have Prof. [name] of the [department] at [school] serve as [role] on my doctoral committee	His expertise is directly pertinent to my dissertation. He is a world authority on the topic.	Professor’s CV [NB: The bio won’t do; it must be a CV.]

TOP