Student Resources

Master's Degree Plan II

Plan II requires a minimum of 36 units of graduate and upper division courses, of which 18 units must be graduate courses in the major field. Not more than 9 units of research (SPH 298 or equivalent) may be used to satisfy the 18-unit requirement. The M.P.H. degree requires more units (56 units) than the University minimum (36 units) for master’s degrees.

No thesis is required. Students in the M.P.H. program complete a Practicum Placement as the Capstone/Culminating Experience and write a Final Report at the end of coursework, typically in the Spring Quarter of the first year. More details found at https://grad.ucdavis.edu/passing-masters-examination. 

Advancement to Candidacy

Every student must file an official application for Candidacy (Plan II) for the Master of Public Health Degree after completing one-half of their course requirements and at least one quarter before completing all degree requirements. Students typically Advance to Candidacy during Winter quarter of year one if they plan on graduating in Spring quarter. More details about candidacy can be found on the Master's and Doctoral Candidacy page. The Advancement to Candidacy form is found and completed on GradSphere.

Normative Time to Degree

The normative time for the M.P.H. degree is Summer Session II, Fall, Winter, Spring and an additional summer session or academic quarter. Part-time students or students enrolled as a UC Staff member can choose to complete the program in two years. More information at https://grad.ucdavis.edu/normative-time.

PELP, in Absentia, and Filing Fee Status

Information about PELP (Planned Educational Leave), In Absentia (reduced fees when researching out of state), and Filing Fee status can be found at https://grad.ucdavis.edu/registration.