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Degree Requirements

Overview

The full degree requirements approved in 2025 for the Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Group (ASGG) are available through the link below:

Atmospheric Sciences Graduate PhD and MS Degree Requirements (2025)

These requirements are summarized in the sections below, but students and faculty are encouraged to read the full text in the pdf file linked above. Students who entered the ASGG in the Fall of 2025 or later will follow the 2025 requirements. 

Students who enrolled in the group prior to the Fall of 2025 can use different degree requirements depending on their year of enrollment. See UC Davis Graduate Studies GATS for older degree requirements.

Minimum GPA
Graduate students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average in all upper division and graduate courses in order to remain in a graduate program or to be awarded a graduate degree.

 M.S. Thesis Plan Requirements

ASGG M.S. Thesis Plan Course Plan Form (2025) 

Here is a brief overview of the M.S. Thesis Plan requirements:

1. Course Requirements (30 total units)

  1. Core Requirements (15-20 units). At least one class from each of the five core categories: Dynamics, Climate, Atmospheric Chemistry / Air Quality, Biometeorology / Boundary Layer, and Atmospheric Physics.  The classes in each category, and the required initial classes, are listed in the full degree requirements. A “B” grade average or better is required for the core courses.
  2. Elective Courses (10-15 units).  Additional graduate and upper division elective units to complete the 30-unit total courses requirement.  This will include at least 12 units of graduate-level courses in atmospheric science, at least 2 units of ATM 290, and at least one formal in-class oral presentation in ATM 290.

2. Advancement to Candidacy

  • Every student must file an official application for Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Science after completing one-half of their course requirements and at least one quarter before completing all degree requirements.  The MS Candidacy form can be found online at www.grad.ucdavis.edu/forms/.

3. Master’s Thesis

  • Research for the Master's thesis is to be carried out under the supervision of an ASGG faculty member and must represent an original contribution to knowledge in the field.  The thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to pose a sound scientific hypothesis, test the hypothesis using scientific methods, and reach logical conclusions. The thesis must be written in accordance with the rules issued by Graduate Studies and be acceptable to the 3-member Thesis Committee.  The thesis must be filed in a quarter in which the student is registered or on filing fee.
  • See past ASGG Theses on Proquest.

4. Exit Seminar

  • The student is required to present the results of the thesis work in an exit seminar, preferably as part of ATM 290.​​​​

 M.S. Examination Plan Requirements

ASGG M.S. Exam Plan Course Plan Form (2025) 

Here is a brief overview of the M.S. Examination Plan requirements:

1. Course Requirements (36 total units)

  1. Core Requirements (15-20 units). At least one class from each of the five core categories: Dynamics, Climate, Atmospheric Chemistry / Air Quality, Biometeorology / Boundary Layer, and Atmospheric Physics.  The classes in each category, and the required initial classes, are listed in the full degree requirements. A “B” grade average or better is required for the core courses.
  2. Elective Courses (16–21 units).  Additional graduate and upper division elective units to complete the 36-unit total courses requirement.  This will include at least 12 units of graduate-level courses in atmospheric science, at least 2 units of ATM 290, and at least one formal in-class oral presentation in ATM 290.  

2. Advancement to Candidacy

  • Every student must file an official application for Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Science after completing one-half of their course requirements and at least one quarter before completing all degree requirements.  The MS Candidacy form can be found online at www.grad.ucdavis.edu/forms/.

3. Comprehensive Examination

  • The student is required to successfully pass the written M.S. Comprehensive Examination.  This should be taken once all, or nearly all, of the required coursework has been completed.  To pass the exam, a student must demonstrate strong proficiency in all but one of the tested subjects and cannot show any major deficiencies in the remaining subject.  The exam must be taken in a quarter during which the student is registered. More information is available in the ASGG Comprehensive Examination Guidelines.

 

 Ph.D. Requirements

ASGG Ph.D. Course Plan Form (2025) 

Here is a brief overview of the Ph.D. Thesis Plan requirements:

1. Course Requirements (36 total units)

  1. Core Requirements (15-20 units). At least one class from each of the five core categories: Dynamics, Climate, Atmospheric Chemistry / Air Quality, Biometeorology / Boundary Layer, and Atmospheric Physics.  The classes in each category, and the required initial classes, are listed in the full degree requirements. A “B” grade average or better is required for the core courses.
  2. Elective Courses (16-21 units).  Additional graduate and upper division elective units to complete the 36-unit total courses requirement.  This will include at least 12 units of graduate-level courses in atmospheric science, at least 2 units of ATM 290, and at least one formal in-class oral presentation in ATM 290.
  3. Classes taken prior to enrollment in the Ph.D. program can count towards the core and elective courses if they meet the requirements listed in the full degree requirements.

2. Qualifying Examination (QE)

  1. Overview
    • ASGG Qualifying Examination Guidelines (September 2021)
    •  
    • The primary purpose of the QE is to validate that the student is academically qualified to conceptualize a research topic, undertake scholarly research and successfully produce the dissertation required for a doctoral degree. The Qualifying Examination should be taken by the 8th quarter, and no later than the end of the 9th quarter, after enrollment in the Ph.D. program.  Before taking the exam, the student must fulfill all course requirements. The QE committee is composed of 5 members. The student’s major professor may be a member of the committee but may not be the Chair.
    •  
    • Students should submit their QE Committee Form at least one month prior to the QE date through GradSphere.
    •  
    • The Qualifying Examination has two parts: a written prospectus and an oral examination.
    •  
  2. Dissertation Prospectus
    • ASGG Prospectus Guidelines (June 2017)
    • Example ASGG Prospectus 1
    • Example ASGG Prospectus 2
    • The Prospectus is a description of a student’s planned dissertation research. It cannot exceed 12 single-spaced pages - including figures, tables and appendices – using a font size no smaller than 11-point Times Roman (or equivalent). References are not included in the 12-page limit. In general, a prospectus should include: an introduction to the topic (including a survey of the relevant literature), a hypothesis or set of questions to be addressed, methods, preliminary results, expected advancements to atmospheric sciences from the research, and cited references. Concepts within the research proposal can be discussed with others, but the writing of the proposal should be solely by the student. The Prospectus must be submitted to the QE Committee at least ten working days prior to the date of the Oral Exam.
    •  
  3. Oral Examination
    • The oral portion of the qualifying exam will be 2-3 hours in length and will be administered by the QE Committee.  The exam is intended to demonstrate the student's critical thinking ability, powers of imagination and synthesis, and broad knowledge of the field of study. The first part of the exam is a student presentation of the prospectus, which should be prepared as a 20–30 minute talk. The actual presentation will take significantly longer because of questions from the Committee. The second part of the exam will be oral questions by the Committee regarding the prospectus, general knowledge of Atmospheric Sciences, and the depth area of study.

3. Advancement to Candidacy

  • Successful completion of the qualifying exam, followed by filing the application for Advancement to Candidacy with Graduate Studies, promotes the student to a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

4. Ph.D. Dissertation

  • The Ph.D. dissertation must be an original and substantial contribution to knowledge in the student’s major field. It must demonstrate the ability to carry out a program of advanced research, relying extensively upon one’s own initiative and skills, and must report the results in accordance with standards observed in recognized scientific journals.
  • See past ASGG Dissertations on Proquest.

5. Dissertation Defense

  • The defense is composed of two parts:
  • a. An exit seminar open to students, faculty, and the public
  • b. A closed-door oral examination that is administered and evaluated by the Dissertation Committee.​​​​