UCLA ACCESS to Programs in the Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences

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Detailed Information

UCLA ACCESS represents a program of maximal choice in research opportunities in the molecular and cellular life sciences on the UCLA campus. It provides incoming graduate students with the opportunity to choose from 290 faculty members, comprising twenty affinity groups, for studies leading to the Ph.D. degree. The first-year program for ACCESS students consists of three 1-quarter laboratory rotations together with a highly flexible interdisciplinary curriculum. At the end of this period, students choose their thesis adviser, thereby becoming a member of the corresponding department or interdepartmental program (IDP).

In addition to the first-year curriculum, requirements include training in teaching for two quarters (in years two and three, respectively), as well as fulfilling the examination requirements of the thesis adviser’s department or IDP. These generally include an oral qualifying examination, a midstream seminar, and submission of a dissertation based on the results of original research. Most students complete their research and receive their Ph.D. degree near the end of the fifth year.

Admission to UCLA ACCESS is the mechanism whereby students can ultimately become affiliated with the following departments: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics; Molecular Biology IDP; Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology; and Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology within the College of Letters and Science as well as Biological Chemistry, Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Human Genetics, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Molecular Toxicology, Neurobiology, and Oral Biology within the School of Medicine.

Laboratories of UCLA ACCESS faculty members are conveniently clustered within a Life Science/Health Science complex on the southern end of the UCLA campus. Facilities within the College of Letters and Science as well as the School of Medicine provide students with state-of-the-art laboratories, equipment, core services, and computer and library resources.

Student support is guaranteed for five years and is derived from a variety of University sources, including individual fellowships, training grants, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. The 2009–10 annual stipend (four quarters, or twelve months) was $27,500. Student registration fees and nonresident tuition (where applicable) were also paid in full. Students who receive funding from outside agencies (minimum amount to be determined) are awarded an annual bonus for the duration of the fellowship. In addition to the stipend and fee awards, funds to support research supplies and scholarly travel are also available to graduate students.

As outlined in the Financial Aid section, costs are covered for graduate students in the programs.

University-owned town homes, in the heart of Westwood Village, are available for rental. In addition, convenient University-owned apartments are available for both single and married students. Numerous non-University-owned rentals are available adjacent to the campus in Westwood as well as in local outside communities, such as Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Mar Vista, and Beverly Hills. For additional information, students should contact the Housing Assignment Office at 310-825-4271.

The diverse student population of UCLA is made up of 24,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate and professional students. UCLA ACCESS admits approximately 60 students per year. During the first year, students associate with small faculty and student affinity groups until a thesis adviser and department are chosen.

UCLA is located at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains, 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in one of the most attractive and affluent suburban neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Within a short driving distance are local ski resorts, the high desert, and numerous bike trails, beaches, and other recreational amenities. Lively interactions exist between UCLA and other outstanding universities and research institutes in southern California, including Caltech; Salk and Scripps institutes; the UC campuses at San Diego, Irvine, Riverside, and Santa Barbara; and the University of Southern California.

Known for its academic excellence, UCLA ranks among the top ten research universities, and many of UCLA’s programs are rated among the best in the nation. UCLA is ranked in the top six nationwide for extramural research funding. The UCLA library is ranked third among all research libraries in the nation and contains more than 5 million volumes.

Applications are accepted for the fall quarter only. The deadline is December 15, and applicants are encouraged to apply early. Students are also urged to apply for the National Science Foundation and Ford Foundation fellowships, if eligible, by the deadline in November. The application comprises official transcripts, scores on the GRE General Test (the Subject Test is optional), three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. International students whose native language is not English must submit results of the TOEFL. Applications are available online and can be completed at the UCLA ACCESS Web site.

• ACCESS offers research leading to the Ph.D. through the following affinity-group areas. For further information, students should consult the Web site at http://www.uclaaccess.ucla.edu.
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Cell Biology
• Cell Physiology and Biophysics
• Developmental Biology
• Gene Regulation
• Genetics and Genomics
• Immunology
• Microbial Physiology and Pathogenesis
• Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
• Molecular Basis of Disease
• Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology
• Molecular Evolution and Computational Biology
• Molecular Parasitology
• Neurobiology
• Plant Molecular Biology
• Stem Cell
• Structural Biology and Proteomics
• Tumor Cell Biology and Signal Transduction
• Virology and Gene Therapy

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