The following are policies and guidelines relevant to the governance and administration of graduate education on the UC Davis campus. The policies listed below are both academic and administrative in nature. Academic policies are those developed by the Graduate Council and coded as "GC." Administrative policies are those developed by Graduate Studies and coded as "GS."
Graduate Studies has recently revised these policies which are now in effect:
- GS2014-04: Policy on the Implementation of Admissions Requirements and Exceptions (policy)
(6/12/2026) Update to reflect revised ETS TOEFL scale
Policies Affecting:
Graduate Students
- Academic Leaves of Absence (GS2024-01)
- Administration of Filing Fee (GS2022-02)
- Admission Requirements and Exceptions (GS2014-04)
- Author Affiliation (GC2018-04)
- Co-authorship (GC2015-01)
- Conflict of Interest in Graduate Studies Policies (GC2017-01)
- Continuous Registration and Filing Fee (UCOP 1969)
- Course Requirements – English as Second Language (GC2018-02)
- Policy on Academic Recovery, Disqualification and Appeal (GS2025-02)
- Doctoral Qualifying Examinations (GC2005-02)
- Double Submission of a Thesis or Dissertation (GC2005-03)
- Facilitating Publication of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Work (GS2022-01)
- Family and Medical Leave Accommodation for Graduate Students with Funding (GS2015-01)
- Graduate Students Transferring from other Institution with their Major Professors (GC2004-01)
- Human Subjects Research (UCD Office of Research website)
- In Absentia Registration Policy (GS2022-03)
- Master’s Degree Capstone Requirement (GC2012-02)
- Theses/Dissertations, Mandatory Electronic Filing (GC2010-01)
- Planned Educational Leave Program (PELP) (GS338)
- Regulations for Graduate Students Receiving Fellowships (GS501)
- Remission of Graduate Student Tuition and Fees (GS2014-02)
- Residence and Transfer Credit (GC2011-03)
- Second Ph.D. Candidates (GC2002-01)
- S/U Grading Option (GC2006-01)
- Time to Degree (GC2000-01)
Graduate Student Financial Support & Employment
Appointment/Employment
- Student Academic Employment and Appointments
- Appointment of Graduate Students to Academic Positions (Academic Personnel Manual Section UCD APPENDIX II-B)
- Appointment Requirements for Teaching Assistants and Associates In (GS2011–01)
- Graduate Student External Fellowship Matching Commitment (GS2012-01- rev.02)
Graduate Programs
- Bylaws
- Bylaws for Graduate Programs (GC2011-02)
Bylaws Template (2024)
Quorum and Voting Rights & Responsibility (GC2011-04) - Degree Requirements
- Degree Requirements (GC2005-04)
Degree Requirements Template
Dissertation Plans A, B, And C Explained (DDR 520 Regulation, Rev. 2007)
Doctoral Qualifying Examinations (GC2005-02)
Legacy Degree Requirements (GC2000-02) - Designated Emphasis Programs (DEs)
- Designated Emphases and Proposal Guidelines (GC1988-01)
Template for Proposing DE Revisions
Ph.D. Program Affiliation with an Existing Designated Emphasis Program
Bylaws Template for Designated Emphasis Programs (2024)
Designated Emphasis Chair Appointment (GS2015-03) - Graduate Academic Certificates (GACs) and Graduate Academic Unit Certificates (GAUCs)
- Graduate Academic Certificate Program (GAC) and Graduate Academic Unit Certificate (GUAC) (GC2007-01)
GAC/GAUC Course Requirements Template (2024)
GAC Program Description and Current List
Memo from CCGA Regarding GACs (2009) - Graduate Groups
- Appointment and Review of Graduate Group Chairs (Academic Personnel Manual Section UC Davis 245B)
Changing a Graduate Group Lead Dean (GC2018-05)
Relation of ASR 600(B) to Graduate Groups (GC2012-01) - Joint Doctoral Programs
- Collaborative/Joint Graduate Programs (August 2000)
Joint UC/CSU Doctoral Programs, CCGA Handbook, August 2016 Revision, Appendix U, pages 80-81 - Management of Graduate Education
- Conversion from a Graduate Group to a Department-Based Program (GC2018-03)
Diploma or Record Notation (November 12, 1998)
Notifying Graduate Council of Changes in Administrative Structures (GC2009-02)
Objectives for Graduate Education (March 28, 2005)
Oversight of Graduate Programs in Professional Schools (GC2009-01)
Small Graduate Programs Memo (December 13, 2004)
Strategic Planning and Administrative Restructuring (November 2, 2009)
Voluntary Suspension of Admissions to a Graduate Program (GS2006-02)
Procedures for CIP code changes (December, 2019) - New Graduate Program or Group Proposals
- Procedures for New Graduate Degree Program (GC2008-02)
Online Masters Graduate Degree Program Approval and Review Process (GC2018-01) - Program Review (Graduate Degree Programs, DEs, GAUCs and GACs)
- Program Review Guidelines
Program Review Schedule (including DEs, GAUCs and GACs)
Program Review Subcommittee
Program Review Closure Subcommittee
Review of Designated Emphases (DEs) (GC2000-03)
Review of Graduate Academic Certificates (GACs) (GC2018-06)
Programmatic Changes Submitted for Review by Graduate Council (GC2000-04) - Self-Supporting Degree Programs
- Graduate Studies Policy on Self-Supporting Degree Programs (GS2014-01)
UCOP Policy on Self-Supporting Degree Programs (UC-AA-16-0300)
Postdoctoral Scholars
Graduate Faculty and Staff
- Faculty Serving as Presenters at Commencement (GS2013-01)
- Mentoring Guidelines (July 2023)
- Membership in Graduate Programs (GC1998-02)
- Service on Advanced Degree Committees (GC1998-01)