Supporting Your Success

Table of Contents

Advising Structure

Mentorship

General Academic Timeline

QEs

Finishing Your Degree

Student Progress Assessments

Academic Standing

Academic Leaves

Navigating Conflict

Advising Structure

The faculty and staff at UC Davis are here to support you throughout your academic journey. Below are some folks you will encounter:

  • Major Professor 
  • Major professors are the primary day-to-day research mentor for students. They serve as chair of dissertation or thesis committee.
    Sometimes called PI.
  • Academic Advisor
  • Academic Advisors provide coursework and research mentor guidance for students prior to candidacy, and maintain contact with students after candidacy to ensure good progress and a working relationship with the research mentor. Advisors have program signature authority to approve certain forms, petitions and nominations of student committees.
    Sometimes called graduate advisor or faculty advisor.
  • Graduate Program Coordinator
  • Graduate Program Coordinators are staff who manage the day-to-day operations of their respective graduate groups and provide students with assistance. Coordinators help students navigate the university and to connect with faculty in each program who can provide academic and research guidance.
  • Graduate Program Chair
  • Chairs are responsible for the overall administration and operation of the graduate group. Chairs can assist with high-level and confidential matters. 
  • Director of Graduate Academic Programs
  • The Director works within the College of Biological Sciences and is available to meet with students who do not want to discuss matters with their direct graduate group (for any reason). The Director determines administrative policy for graduate groups within the College and provides general oversight.
  • Senior Academic Advisor
  • Senior Academic Advisors are staff advisors within Graduate Studies available to meet with students who want to discuss matters with a neutral third party.

When in doubt, meet with your academic advisor for academic matters and questions; meet with your graduate program coordinator for administrative and resource matters. 

Mentorship

Many graduate students enter graduate school imprinted with the experience of their undergraduate programs. While undergraduate programs are typically very structured and centered on a progression of coursework, graduate school is centered on learning to perform independent research, which can feel very unstructured and isolating. 

There are two main steps to developing an expanded mentoring or developmental network: one is to assess your needs and what gaps you are experiencing in your mentoring, and the other is to find out where you might find such mentors at UC Davis. The Council of Graduate Schools has a great resource to help you identify what you're looking for in a mentor.

Finding mentors to address various needs may require making your way to new parts of campus you have not yet explored. 

  • Academic Mentorship
  • There are mentors who might have special insights into aspects of your academic or research life not captured in your existing advisor or thesis committee. They might be faculty you meet in class or at seminars, or in graduate group activities such as committee work, colloquia, or campus professional development workshops. 
  • Career Mentorship
  • These are mentors who have career experience outside of the ones represented in your existing mentors. It could be a career advisor at the Career Center, a presenter in the Grad Pathways Institute, an alumnus of CBS from LinkedIn groups, or a professional already in your field of interest. 
  • Personal and Community Mentorship
  • These are mentors you turn to for personal support and validation. You may be the first in your family to attend college (let alone graduate school), and you might benefit from the UC Davis First Gen Initiative to identify first-gen staff and faculty available for support. You may have grown up in a cultural environment very different from UC Davis or your graduate group, and might seek out faculty or staff who share that with you, whether through the Cross-Cultural Center, or the Services for International Students and Scholars. Attending open houses, events, and socials, may help you identify additional personal support mentors.

General Academic Timeline

While milestones vary by graduate group and individual progress, the general framework below serves as a roadmap to help you navigate your experience.

Year 1

Complete the majority of your graduate coursework. Complete any deficiencies or missing pre-requisites before Spring Quarter. Select a major professor before Spring Quarter. Decide if you want to join a Designated Emphasis. 

Check your graduate group's degree requirements for a full list of required courses. 

Pre-Requisites

As soon as possible--ideally in summer before arrival to UC Davis--you should reach out to your faculty academic advisor to determine if there are any required pre-requisites or deficiencies you should take before proceeding in core graduate coursework. These pre-requisites and deficiencies will help ensure you have the necessary background knowledge to succeed in your coursework and eventual QE prep and research. Because each program and student are unique, only your academic advisor is able to assist in identifying these courses.  

Year 2

Finish remaining coursework. If your program requires it, serve as a teaching assistant to develop teaching skills. Prepare for your Qualifying Exam in the first half of the year; take your Qualifying Exam in the second half of the year. 

Qualifying Exam Basics

The primary purpose of the Qualifying Examination (QE) is to validate that you are academically qualified to conceptualize a research topic, undertake scholarly research, and successfully produce the dissertation required for a doctoral degree. The QE must evaluate the breadth and depth of knowledge in the field and must not focus exclusively on the proposed dissertation research.

Each graduate group has a different process for assigning QE members, so please check with your academic advisor and graduate program coordinator. QE committees consist of 4-5 faculty; your major professor cannot serve on your QE committee. 

  • QE Scheduling and Application

  • As soon as the QE committee has been assigned, you should work with your committee to schedule the exam. You should also work with the QE chair to determine which, if any, emergency QE plans will be utilized (see Graduate Council QE policy for full information on emergency plans:)

    Remote exam - exam is held entirely remotely (no hybrid participation)

    Backup Date/Time - at the time of scheduling the original exam, a second "backup" exam time is scheduled

    Alternate Member - a pre-determined alternate member replaces a member who cannot attend due to an emergency (chair cannot be replaced by alternate member)

    Once the exam has been scheduled, you should complete the QE Application in GradSphere. This application mustbe submitted at least 30 days before the scheduled exam. 

    Students are responsible for scheduling a room for the Qualifying Exam. Your major professor and/or QE chair may be able to suggest a room.

  • Before and During the Exam

  • At least ten days before the exam, you should contact your committee to confirm the date, time, and location of the exam. You should also send them your unofficial transcripts (obtained here). Many programs require written research proposals for QEs; check your program degree requirements to see if this is required and the timing on sending it to your committee. 

    At the start of the exam, you will be asked to leave the room while the Chair discusses the exam proceedings with the committee and organizes the order of the exam questions such that each committee member gets approximately 15-20 minutes of individual questions.  

    At the end of the exam, you will be asked to leave the room while the committee members deliberate and make a decision. The chair will present the decision to you and complete necessary paperwork.

    There are three possible outcomes to the exam:

    Pass  - The committee unanimously decides the student passed the exam. The student may submit an Advancement to Candidacy application in GradSphere.

    Retake - The committee unanimously decides some or all parts of the exam must be retaken. A memo with specific details of retake requirements and timeline for completion of the retake will be provided to the student.

    • Retakes are not uncommon, so students should not fear this outcome! The committee will work closely with the student to help them understand what areas of improvement are needed for the second exam.
       

    Fail - This outcome is incredibly uncommon. The committee unanimously determines the student failed the exam due to significant deficiencies, and the student is not currently prepared to continue in the doctoral program.  A unanimous fail on either the first or second exam is a recommendation of the student’s disqualification from the degree objective. 

  • Advancing to Candidacy (After the Exam)

  • This process is completed as a smart-form in GradSphere. If you type in your email address, the rest of your information will auto-complete. If you are enrolled in both the MS and PhD, be sure to select the PhD.

    You will be asked to list the members of your doctoral thesis (dissertation) committee; for more guidance on how to do so, see the student-written guide on understanding dissertation committees. 

    After you initiate the form, it is sent to your academic advisor for approval, followed by the Chair of any Designated Emphases in which you are enrolled, your Graduate Program Coordinator, and finally your Senior Academic Advisor at Graduate Studies. You should receive an automated email from GradSphere when your candidacy application has been processed and approved. 

Years 3 and Beyond

Research and write your dissertation! Make sure to meet with your dissertation committee and complete your Student Progress Assessment each year. 

  • Exit Seminars

  • All College of Biological Graduate Groups--except Animal Behavior*--require an exit seminar. The Exit Seminar is a formal public presentation of the student’s research before the program faculty and students. The Dissertation Committee will not sign the Dissertation until after the exit seminar has taken place.

    Students should work with their dissertation committee to determine a date and time for the seminar. It is up to the student to reserve a location for the seminar. There are also rooms available in Green Hall, Walker Hall, Tupper Hall, and Genome Center. Because faculty and room schedules fill quickly, it is recommended that students schedule their exit seminars at least two months prior to their intended seminar date.

    One month prior to the seminar, the student should email details to the graduate program coordinator for advertisement. 

    *Animal Behavior students have an oral defense in place of the exit seminar. Animal Behavior students should discuss this requirement with their dissertation chair

  • Filing Your Dissertation

  • Filing deadlines vary each quarter, so check dates carefully. 

    Graduate Studies oversees the filing process. Their website explains the process in great detail. Additionally, Graduate Studies offers quarterly Filing Workshops and individual appointments to help students understand the process. 

    The Graduate Studies Academic Services unit will email you a PDF degree conferral letter after they have received your final documents, accepted your thesis or dissertation in ProQuest ETD, and have filed you to graduate. The conferral letter, signed by the Dean of Graduate Studies, confirms you have completed all graduation requirements and will be awarded your master's or doctoral degree on the conferral date.

Do you need a little more time to complete final edits after the filing deadline? Filing fee may be an option for you. Contact your graduate program coordinator for assistance. 

The median PhD time-to-degree degree in the College of Biological Sciences is 5.7 years. 

Student Progress Assessment

The Student Progress Assessment (SPA) is an online tool that communicates and documents an evaluation of a graduate student’s progress in their degree program.  The tool promotes productive discussions and the setting of clear goals and expectations for graduate students. The SPA, which was created in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association to foster meaningful feedback and communication, includes questions (for all involved) about professional development plans, coursework requirements, exam or thesis/dissertation progress, goals and expectations, and meeting/communication expectations.

As a student, this annual process begins with you. You first complete your sections of the SPA form, and then meet with your mentors to assess your accomplishments and plans. Your major professor will review and provide an assessment, which will then flow to your faculty academic advisor for review and final approval. You will have two weeks to view and acknowledge your SPA report, after which it will route automatically to Graduate Studies.

Annual SPAs are required for all students and completed in Spring Quarter. As needed, interim SPAs are available to document expectations in Summer, Fall, or Winter Quarter. Please contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to launch an Interim SPA.

Outcomes of the SPA

  • Satisfactory - Student is making adequate progress towards completing their degree.
  • Marginal - Student is making some progress, but there are opportunities for improvement. Marginal SPAs should be very detailed and include specific information on what expectations are not being met, how satisfactory progress can be achieved, and a timeline for action.
    • Marginal SPAs do NOT have an impact on student standing (i.e. student is not on probation or subject to dismissal). A second SPA should be completed after a Marginal rating to review progress towards satisfactory standing.
  • Unsatisfactory - Student is not making adequate progress towards their degree, and immediate improvements are required. Unsatisfactory SPAs should be very detailed and include specific information on what expectations are not being met, how satisfactory progress can be achieved, and a timeline for action. In cases where the graduate student is registered in 299 units, unsatisfactory progress related to research should be reflected in both the research grade (S/U) and the SPA.
    • No student will be disqualified based on one unsatisfactory progress report. The student must have at least one quarter to remedy whatever is unsatisfactory about their work. A second SPA should be completed after an Unsatisfactory rating to review progress towards satisfactory standing. Graduate Studies explains more information about outcomes of an Unsatisfactory SPA.

Best Practices

  • Discuss expectations and progress early often. Students and faculty should not wait until SPA season to begin conversations about progress. It should be happening year round.
  • Interim SPAs are a great way to document meetings about expectations and progress, even when progress is satisfactory. The SPA helps ensure all parties are in agreement and have a written record of ongoing goals and expectations.
  • Be specific in SPAs. Use objective, factual language that clearly evaluates the student’s progress. Provide detailed action items with clear deadlines.
  • Faculty should not assess students on:
    • Personal issues (medical/mental health, pregnancy/family obligations).  Faculty should refer any student who needs support to campus resources.
    • Conduct (plagiarism, behavior). Faculty should report these issues directly to OSSJA.
    • Employment issues with no academic component for the student (such as TA performance).  Faculty should report these issues to Academic Personnel by emailing Tracey Pereida at [email protected].

Additional instructions and information are available on the Graduate Studies SPA webpage and the Student Progress Assessment help page.

Academic Standing

The vast majority of graduate students will be in Good Academic Standing for the entirety of their degree. 

Academic Notice (formerly called Academic Probation) is a student status alerting you that some academic improvements are needed to return to Good Standing. Students are placed on Academic Notice for one or more of the following reasons:

  • term GPA below 3.0
  • cumulative GPA below 3.0
  • 9+ total units of Incomplete or Unsatisfactory coursework 

How do I return to Good Standing? 

If you are on Academic Notice due to term or cumulative GPA, you must take additional letter graded courses to earn a term and cumulative GPA above 3.0. 

If you are on Academic Notice due to Incomplete units, you must complete those units. You must work directly with the instructor of record for the course(s) to change your grades from Incomplete.

If you are on Academic Notice due to 9+ units of Unsatisfactory coursework, you will return to Good Standing after completing a quarter with Satisfactory units and do not accumulation any additional U grades. 

What do I do right now if I'm on Academic Notice? 

You should meet with your major professor and academic advisor to discuss next steps, including recommended coursework and/or expectations for 299 units. 

If you are employed as a TA or GSR, you will need to complete a Petition for Exception to Policy (PEP) to maintain employment eligibility. More information about the PEP process is below. 

PEP Process

  1. Complete the top and middle sections of the PEP Application.
  2. Meet with your major professor to discuss how to return to Good Standing. Your major professor should record these plans in a letter of support they will attach to your PEP Application. 
  3. Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your plan and letter of support. Have them sign your PEP Application and add any additional helpful information to your letter of support. .
  4. Send your signed and completed PEP Application and letter of support to your hiring department. They will complete the final steps. 

The vast majority of PEP Applications are approved, so do not fret if you don't hear back immediately. Full review can take a few weeks. Work with your hiring department to determine if you can work while awaiting PEP approval. 

Academic Leaves

Life happens, and we understand that! Planned Academic Leave Program (PELP) is available if you need to take a leave from classes before the 10th day of instruction. 

Students may apply for one quarter of PELP at a time, for a maximum of three quarters during your academic career (extensions available with exception). Students should alert their graduate program coordinator if they plan on utilizing PELP as soon as possible to discuss options and avoid tuition charges. If you are an international student, you must consult with SISS before applying for PELP. 

While on PELP, you are not an active student. That means you do not have access to campus resources, do no qualify for financial aid, and cannot hold student employment. You may purchase Voluntary SHIP while on PELP. 

Navigating Conflict

While conflict can elicit a number of negative emotions, conflict is a natural part of relationships. Learning to manage conflict is an important skill, and there are a number of resources to assist with achieving management and/or resolution. Few conflict situations are improved by ignoring them, and conflicts tend to grow if not addressed. Like fire, conflict can have positive attributes, but if left unattended, can lead to escalation and damage. Graduate school is very hierarchical, and students often feel disadvantaged by the power differential between them and faculty, creating potential for very complex conflicts. 

Conflict with mentors can happen at any time during your academic career. The goal of this conflict guide is to help students understand how to navigate conflict, and connect with the resources to assist them through conflict. 

Prevention

While it is impossible to predict all possible sources of conflict, it is possible to prevent conflict by defining mutual expectations early. The previous section on “What kind of PI or lab would work best for you?” listed tools to define and self-assess your needs. Early discussions on what type of mentoring works best for you, and what you can expect from your major professor, can help minimize the chances of future conflict. 

Many conflicts stem from miscommunication. We encourage students and faculty to start their mentor/advisee relationship with  an intentional conversation about communication style, preferences, and expectations. There can be a number of factors that could generate a misalignment between preferences and expectations. Examples include, but are not limited to: work location, meeting schedules, frequency of one-on-one meetings, project deadlines, project roles and assignments, lab/group dynamics, reporting and manuscript writing assignments, publication authorship, funded research and dissertation work, field work and travel, or taking time off. Written expectations can go a long way to preventing conflict, by defining expectations for such things as coursework and study time, work hours and space, experimental design, and authorship. 

Recognizing Conflict

Earlier, we introduced the idea that conflict is like fire. Like fire, conflict can have different temperatures. The sooner conflict is addressed, the less it can escalate into “hotter” and more complex conflict. Misunderstandings or misalignment of expectations can be minor at first, and grow into larger issues if left unaddressed. 

Here are some examples of different types of conflict that might arise:

  • Avoidance/neglect - not responding to emails, not meeting, not communicating
  • Different expectations/unmet expectations 
  • Personality clashes
  • Mismatched goals or priorities
  • Issues with delivering or receiving feedback
  • Distrust
  • Bullying or abusive behavior
  • Authorship issues

When Conflict Starts

  • Address the issue early.  
  • Misunderstandings or misalignment of expectations can be minor at first, and grow into larger issues if left unaddressed. If you feel comfortable, we highly encourage open and honest dialogue between the mentee and the mentor. 
  • Consider documenting signs of conflict to assess the frequency and intensity of issues. 
  • As you work through the conflict, also document discussions and agreed plan/goals, and share with your mentor to ensure understanding. The Graduate Studies Mentee Resources page also has some helpful online tools if you want to start processing this yourself prior to talking to others. 
  • Seek resources to help you have a direct and non‐defensive conversation with your mentor. 
  • Your academic advisor can help you look at the situation’s different angles, and how your major professor might respond. The Ombuds Office is a confidential resource for any member of the campus community to talk through conflict situations and develop strategies for management and resolution. 
  • As you look at different resources, keep confidentiality in mind. 
  • Some offices on campus are confidential, and other offices/people are mandated to report certain issues, including but not limited to: child and elder abuse, certain crimes on and around campus, sexual harassment and sexual violence, and threats to self and others.

Meeting with Your Mentor

  • Understand Expectations: 
  • Ask up front how frequently you should be checking in with each other. Bring challenges to their attention as soon as you can. Request clear feedback frequently.
  • Prepare an agenda for every meeting: 
  • A clear agenda allows everyone to focus on the problems that need to be resolved.
  • Explain the problem and leave your emotions out of the discussion:
  • Describe the problem by stating the facts and explain how it is interfering with your work. The person you have a conflict with may not be familiar with the minute details of your work.
  • Define in advance how you would like the problem to be resolved: 
  • Come to the meeting with one or more proposals to resolve the problem. It is important that the person you have a conflict with understands you are looking for a solution rather than complaining.
  • Listen to your supervisor’s viewpoint and brainstorm about mutually beneficial solutions:
  • Do not take criticism of your ideas personally or get defensive. Look at the problem from their viewpoint and brainstorm about solutions that will meet both of your needs.
  • Put important agreements in writing: 
  • Miscommunication is a major source of conflict. Avoid miscommunication by following up each meeting with an email that summarizes what you have agreed upon and your action items.
  • Always follow through on your end of the deal: 
  • Be sure that you keep your commitments, and if you are not able to let your supervisor know as soon as possible.

Finding Support

In addition to the graduate group chairs, coordinators, and faculty advisors, there are many campus resources to help students through a conflict:

 

  • Escalation options:

  • We encourage students to connect with people within MCIP as their next step in finding support. This point of contact may depend on what relationships you have already established, and your level of trust and comfort with those individuals. 

    Depending on the situation, you may want to speak with someone outside of the program. That is okay too. Your Senior Academic Advisor in Graduate Studies is a good place to start. 

  • Remember that different people will give different advice based on their own background and experiences.  
  • You may want to seek advice from more than one person or campus resource before taking action.
  • Confront the issue:
  • With the support of your network, consider the outcomes that you hope to see, and start formulating a plan on how to make that happen. Think about practicing the conversation first, and know that individuals have different communication styles, and different points of view of the same situation.
  • Seek resolution: 
  • Throughout the process, try to stay open to hearing the other side(s) of the story. This will help in finding a beneficial solution. 

    Depending on the conflict, there could be several outcomes. Some conflicts may not lend themselves to resolution. While some have been able to resume productive relationships with their mentors, others have changed major professors, or changed their degree objective. These outcomes are generally rare, but provide additional options. These are difficult decisions that will likely require extensive conversations and planning with your Academic Advisor and the program Chair.

Changing Your Major Professor

  • Notify the program - chair, advisor, coordinator - of your desire to change mentors.
  • Approach other faculty you think would be good possible mentors.
  • Determine your financial support needs and employment opportunities with new mentors.
  • Express to your mentor you would like a change.
  • Create a timeframe/timeline to complete work with your current major professor. 
  • Discuss any implications on research, data, authorship, space, etc. Document any agreements to share data or continue authorship together.
  • Fill out appropriate paperwork with your program and/or Graduate Studies.