Policies & Procedures
- Academic Standing & Probation
- Duplication of Degree
- Grade Changes
- Repetition of Courses
- Transferring Credit
Normally, duplication of advanced academic degrees—MA, MS, PhD—is not permitted. A duplicate academic degree is one at the same level (e.g., a second master’s degree or second PhD), regardless of the discipline or the specialization awarding the degree. A professional degree at the master’s or doctoral level(e.g., AuD, DMA, EdD, MAS, MBA, MCEPA, MEd, MEng, MF, MFA, MIA, MPAc, MPP, MD, PharmD) is not regarded as a duplicate of an academic degree.
Students who already hold an advanced academic degree may be admitted to UC San Diego to pursue a second advanced academic degree at the same level only under limited circumstances, and only with the consent of the Graduate Council. Recognizing that there are circumstances in which it is appropriate for a student to pursue a second degree, the Graduate Council will consider the following criteria when reviewing requests for permission to do so at UC San Diego:
If the decision of the Graduate Council is that the student should be admitted to a particular department or program for a master’s degree alone, the student is barred from requesting permission to continue for a PhD in that department or program.
Departments and programs that award an MA or MS in the course of progress toward the PhD may confer the master’s degree on any enrolled PhD student who has met the departmental and university requirements for the degree, unless the student already holds an MA or MS in the same or related field. In particular, departments and programs may confer the MA or MS on a PhD student who holds a master’s degree in a different discipline without the need for a petition to the Graduate Council or the dean of the Graduate Division.
Departments and programs are encouraged to consider waiving precandidacy requirements for students who already hold a master’s degree in the same or related field in order to decrease the time to degree.