Master of Science Degree Program

Our graduate program is targeted at work towards the Ph.D.; the Master’s program is not considered an entrée into the doctoral program, nor is a Master’s degree a requirement for admission into the Ph.D. program. Students interested in the Ph.D. should contact UCLA ACCESS for admissions information.

While the Department does not encourage enrollment for the Master’s degree, a small number of Master’s students are occasionally admitted. A student electing to pursue the masters program must obtain faculty sponsorship and a research project prior to submitting an application. The department requires that an M.S. thesis be written based on laboratory research. Certain minimal course requirements set by the University must also be completed.

The program emphasizes research at the molecular level and includes studies of basic cell and molecular biology, as well as investigation into the mechanisms of pathogenesis. All tools available from molecular biology to morphological methods are applied to these problems and use a wide array of approaches and techniques to explore the realm of molecular genetics, microbial physiology, virology, immunology, and microbial pathogenesis. Faculty within the department are studying regulation and development of the immune system, immune response to infectious agents and cancer, the molecular and cellular bases of viral and bacterial pathogenesis, mechanisms underlying protein sorting and signal transduction, and the regulation of gene expression. Their explorations result in both theoretical advances and practical applications, placing UCLA at the forefront on international research efforts.