Bren School of Environmental
Science & Management
University of California, Santa Barbara
Graduate Student Handbook
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BREN SCHOOL GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK
SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BREN MESM AND PHD STUDENTS 6
WHO’S WHO IN THE BREN SCHOOL ................................................................. 6
FACULTY .....................................................................................................................6
STAFF ........................................................................................................................7
RESEARCHERS .............................................................................................................8
COMMITTEES AND COUNCILS .........................................................................................8
ADVISORY COUNCILS AND PARTNERS ............................................................................10
BREN CURRICULUM ........................................................................................ 11
CURRICULUM PLAN ....................................................................................................11
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS ..............................................................................................11
COURSE NUMBERING ..................................................................................................11
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES................................................................................................11
BOOKS .....................................................................................................................12
GAUCHOSPACE ..........................................................................................................12
COMMUNICATION CENTER (BH 3310) ..........................................................................12
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.................................................................... 12
COLLOQUIA ...............................................................................................................12
CAREER DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS ................................................................................13
STUDENT STATUS ........................................................................................... 13
ACADEMIC STANDING/STANDARDS OF SCHOLARSHIP ......................................................13
ESTABLISHING CALIFORNIA RESIDENCY ........................................................................13
ENGLISH FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS (EMS) .............................................................13
LEAVE OF ABSENCE .....................................................................................................14
LAPSED STUDENT STATUS............................................................................................14
WITHDRAWING FROM THE PROGRAM ............................................................................14
ADDING A SECOND DEGREE OR EMPHASIS......................................................................15
REGISTRATION & ENROLLMENT .................................................................... 15
ACADEMIC CALENDAR .................................................................................................15
ENROLLMENT IN CLASSES WITH DISCUSSIONS/LABS .......................................................15
APPROVAL CODES ......................................................................................................15
CLASS SIZE ...............................................................................................................15
NUMBER OF UNITS .....................................................................................................16
TRANSFERRING CREDIT ..............................................................................................16
VARIABLE UNIT COURSES ............................................................................................16
ESM 595 GROUP STUDIES ..........................................................................................17
ESM 596 DIRECTED READINGS AND RESEARCH .............................................................17
INSTRUCTOR CODES ...................................................................................................17
AUDITING A COURSE ..................................................................................................17
SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS ............................................................................................17
VERIFYING YOUR SCHEDULE ........................................................................................18
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REGISTRATION FAQ ...................................................................................................18
COURSE EVALUATIONS ................................................................................................18
GRADES ........................................................................................................... 19
CORE COURSE GRADES ...............................................................................................19
ELECTIVE COURSE GRADES ..........................................................................................19
S/U AND P/NP GRADES .............................................................................................19
INCOMPLETE GRADES .................................................................................................20
IN PROGRESS GRADES ................................................................................................20
NO GRADE (NG) & NO RECORD (NR)...........................................................................20
PETITIONS ...................................................................................................... 21
BREN SCHOOL PETITION .............................................................................................21
GRADUATE STUDENT PETITION ....................................................................................21
ACADEMIC CONDUCT...................................................................................... 21
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT .............................................................................................21
INTEGRITY ................................................................................................................22
CONFLICT OF INTEREST...............................................................................................22
USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS ...........................................................................................23
FINANCIAL SUPPORT ..................................................................................... 23
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID ..............................................................24
RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE AWARDS ..............................................................................24
UNIVERSITY-BASED FELLOWSHIPS................................................................................25
STUDENT ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS.............................................................................25
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS ........................................................................................25
GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCHERS ..............................................................................26
CONFERENCE FUNDING ...............................................................................................26
STUDENT OFF-CAMPUS TRAVEL INSURANCE ...................................................................26
CAREER DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................. 27
CAREER CENTER (BH 2524) .......................................................................................27
BREN STUDENT RESOURCES .......................................................................... 27
MAIL/MAILBOXES .....................................................................................................27
COPY MACHINES ........................................................................................................28
PRINTING .................................................................................................................28
FAX MACHINES ..........................................................................................................28
MEDIA EQUIPMENT AND CONFERENCE PHONES ...............................................................29
EMAIL ......................................................................................................................29
BREN-ALERTS ...........................................................................................................29
EMAIL ALIASES..........................................................................................................30
EVENTS ....................................................................................................................30
BREN-RANDOM .........................................................................................................30
REQUEST QUEUES ......................................................................................................30
CORPORATE TIME CALENDARS .....................................................................................31
SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH FACULTY AND STAFF .........................................................31
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BREN SCHOOL LOGO...................................................................................................31
TRAINING VIDEOS FOR OFFICE AND ADOBE ....................................................................31
BREN HALL ...................................................................................................... 32
STEWARDSHIP OF BREN HALL ......................................................................................32
EMERGENCIES/SAFETY ...............................................................................................32
KEYS .......................................................................................................................32
BUILDING SECURITY ..................................................................................................33
EVENING LIGHTING ....................................................................................................33
CLASSROOMS/MEETING ROOMS...................................................................................33
STUDENT MEETING ROOMS..........................................................................................34
DAVIDSON STUDENT COMMONS (BH 3330) ..................................................................34
STUDENT COMPUTING FACILITY (BH 3022) ..................................................................35
READING ROOM (BH 3312)........................................................................................35
INTERACTION ROOM/KITCHEN/PATIO (BH 3328) .........................................................35
MESM STUDENT LOCKERS ..........................................................................................36
DECKERS DECK ..........................................................................................................36
SMOKING .................................................................................................................36
ALCOHOL SALE AND SERVICE .......................................................................................36
BICYCLES AND BIKE RACKS .........................................................................................36
BIKE LOCKER ............................................................................................................36
SURFBOARD AND WETSUIT STORAGE AREA ....................................................................37
SHOWER...................................................................................................................37
BUILDING MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................37
LOST AND FOUND .......................................................................................................37
RECYCLING ...............................................................................................................37
SECTION II: MESM PROGRAM GUIDELINES .................................................. 39
REQUIRED UNITS .......................................................................................................39
CORE COURSES..........................................................................................................39
DEFERRING A CORE COURSE ........................................................................................39
WAIVING A CORE COURSE ...........................................................................................40
SPECIALIZATIONS ......................................................................................................41
FOCI ........................................................................................................................42
MASTER’S PROJECTS ..................................................................................................44
STUDENT ADVISING AND SUPPORT ...............................................................................47
PROGRAM OF STUDY (POS) ........................................................................................47
GRADUATE (GRAD) CHECK FORM .................................................................................51
SUMMER INTERNSHIP FELLOWSHIPS .............................................................................52
MESM TIME TO DEGREE .............................................................................................52
EARLY GRADUATION ...................................................................................................52
TRANSFER/CONTINUATION TO THE PHD PROGRAM .........................................................53
SECTION III: PHD PROGRAM GUIDELINES ................................................... 55
PHD TIMELINE CHECKLIST ..........................................................................................55
REQUIRED UNITS .......................................................................................................56
GRADE POINT AVERAGE ..............................................................................................56
CORE COURSES..........................................................................................................56
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PHD TIME TO DEGREE ................................................................................................57
DOCTORAL LEVELS .....................................................................................................57
PHD ADVISOR ...........................................................................................................58
PHD COMMITTEE .......................................................................................................58
ANNUAL REVIEW .......................................................................................................58
STAGE 1: FORMING YOUR PHD COMMITTEE .................................................................59
STAGE 2: WRITTEN EXAMINATION ..............................................................................60
STAGE 3: YOUR DISSERTATION PROPOSAL AND ORAL EXAMINATION ................................61
STAGE 4: THE DISSERTATION AND DEFENSE .................................................................63
BREN SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT ...................................................................................64
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SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BREN MESM AND PHD STUDENTS
The purpose of this guide is to present Bren School policies and procedures and other
relevant information for Bren Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM)
and PhD students. While this guide references some University of California policies,
procedures, etc. applicable to all graduate students, it does not duplicate all of the
information in the UCSB Graduate Student Handbook. If you have any questions or
concerns about any of the information below, please contact the Bren Student Affairs staff
at gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu.
WHO’S WHO IN THE BREN SCHOOL
Faculty
A list of Bren School faculty is located on the Bren website under People/Faculty.
Ladder track faculty are those faculty that have full-time tenured or tenure-track
positions and are members of the UC Academic Senate. The UC-System (and especially
UCSB) operates under a strong tradition of shared governance between faculty and
administration. This means that University operates under a dual-track system of authority
and responsibility which presumes that faculty members are best qualified to charge the
University’s education course and administrators are most competent to direct its finances
and organization. In practice, these domains are overlapping and interdependent.
Nonetheless, faculty (not deans) are primarily responsible for governance and decisionmaking in regards to academic matters.
Bren School faculty are deeply committed to educating students and to being superb
instructors. However, it is important that students calibrate their expectations of faculty
appropriately. Since this is a research University, ladder track faculty are expected to invest
at least 50% of their time in research, to build reputations as superior scholars and
researchers in their area of expertise and to publish their research findings. This is partly
what makes UCSB/Bren a premier institution and why a degree from here is so valuable.
Your education is being overseen and your classes are being taught by individuals who are
working at the cutting-edge of knowledge creation as well as policy development and
implementation.
Faculty are entitled to take a quarter of sabbatical leave after every three years of service
(or they can accumulate and take a full year). As such, it is possible that a particular faculty
member may not be in residence for all or part of a year. In 2013-2014, the following
faculty will be on sabbatical: Tom Dunne (all year) and John Melack (Spring 2014).
In addition, periodically faculty are presented with opportunities that are mutually beneficial
for them and the University which require them to spend a quarter or more on leave from
the University. In 2013-2014, the following faculty are on administrative leave: Frank
Davis (100% to serve as the Director of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and
Synthesis or NCEAS); Trish Holden (50% time to serve as the Director of the UC Natural
Reserve System); Bruce Kendall (50% time to serve as the Associate Dean of the
Graduate Division).
Adjunct faculty are individuals that have their main affiliation elsewhere and are not part
of the UC Academic Senate but are involved in teaching and research at UCSB.
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Affiliated faculty are ladder track faculty in other UCSB departments (or other UCs) with a
0% appointment in Bren because they interact and engage with Bren faculty and students
in mutually beneficial ways.
Each year, the Bren School hires a number of lecturers and visiting professors who are
professionals and from other Universities, and who teach courses to enhance our curriculum
and Bren students’ educational experiences.
Staff
The Bren School staff provides services to Bren faculty, researchers, graduate students, and
others in the areas of administration, academic programs, financial services, career
services, communications and outreach, computing services, development, events, facilities,
and special programs. A list of Bren School staff is located on the Bren website under
People/Staff.
Name
Title
Office
Phone
Email
Steve Gaines
Doris Bleecher
Dean
Dean’s Assistant;
Academic Personnel
Coordinator
Assistant Dean,
Academic Programs
Student Affairs Manager
Graduate Program
Assistant
Business Officer
Finance Manager
Payroll/Personnel/Travel
Coordinator
Purchasing Coordinator
Resource Coordinator
Director of Career
Development and Alumni
Relations
Assistant Director,
Career Development and
Alumni Relations
Coordinator, Career
Development and Alumni
Relations
Media Liaison
Director of Information
Technology
Manager of Desktop
Computing
Help Desk Manager
Director of Development
Development Assistant
Senior Events Manager
Building Manager
Program Manager, EcoEntrepreneurship
Program Manager, UC
Center for Energy and
Env Economics
BH 2410
BH 2433
805-893-4339
805-893-7363
gaines@bren.ucsb.edu
doris@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2424
805-893-3387
airame@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2510
BH 2512
805-893-4886
805-893-7611
corlei@bren.ucsb.edu
dori@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2516
BH 2514
BH 2522
805-893-3540
805-893-7457
805-893-6114
kim@bren.ucsb.edu
aburgard@bren.ucsb.edu
fsoares@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2522
BH 2400A
BH 2520
805-893-6114
805-893-8452
805-893-5938
briny@bren.ucsb.edu
dee@bren.ucsb.edu
david@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2518
805-893-2743
kristen@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 2518
805-893-2743
christine@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 3412
BH 3045
805-893-5049
805-893-7794
james@bren.ucsb.edu
simpson@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 3045
805-893-7794
brad@bren.ucsb.edu
BH
BH
BH
BH
BH
BH
3045
2439
2400D
2508
1021
3406
805-893-7794
805-893-3712
805-893-4589
805-252-0552
805-448-0028
805-893-4583
gjewel@bren.ucsb.edu
Andrew@bren.ucsb.edu
lindsey@bren.ucsb.edu
bjdanetra@bren.ucsb.edu
sage@bren.ucsb.edu
ecotter@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 4324L
805-893-2497
dkleinpeter@bren.ucsb.edu
Satie Airamé
Corlei Prieto
Dori Molnar
Kim Fugate
Amy Burgard
Frank Soares
Briny Litchfield
Dee White
David Parker
Kristen
Robinson
Christine Yi
James Badham
Jason Simpson
Brad Hill
Geoff Jewel
Andrew Krupa
Lindsey Kaplan
bj danetra
Sage Davis
Emily Cotter
Debbie
Kleinpeter
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Isaac Pearlman
Leslie Sanchez
Coordinator, Latin
American Fisheries
Fellowship Program
Coordinator, Sustainable
Water Markets
Fellowship program;
Education & Outreach
Coordinator, UC CEIN
BH 4528
805-893-4058
ipearlman@bren.ucsb.edu
BH 4025
805-893-2607
lsanchez@bren.ucsb.edu
Researchers
There a number of individuals housed in Bren who are engaged solely in the conduct of
research, either working independently or for a Bren School faculty member. In addition,
each year we have a number of visiting researchers from other Universities or organizations
who come to the Bren School to engage in scholarly research interactions with Bren School
faculty and students.
Committees and Councils
Many Bren School committees have student representatives who share feedback from the
student perspective with the administration, faculty and staff, and help to shape the future
of Bren School programs. If you are interested in serving as a student representative
on a Bren School committee, please contact the Student Affairs staff. Committees
with student representatives are described below. A complete list of Bren School
Committees and their members may be found on the Bren website under Internal
Services/Committees.
Dean's Advisory Council (DAC)
DAC serves as liaison between the administration and students and is a body that works
with administration to make the Bren School to create a supportive and positive
environment for students. DAC represents the entire student body and explores a diversity
of student opinions and views. DAC serves as an information conduit between students and
the administration. Typically, DAC includes three 1st-year MESM, three 2nd-year MESM, and
one or two PhD students who are elected by their peers in a fall quarter election. DAC is
responsible for scheduling meetings, creating their own minutes, defining their processes
and procedures. Meetings are held at least once/quarter and at most once/month. DAC is
responsible for taking the lead on identifying the recipient of the annual Bren faculty
teaching award. DAC may also take the lead on other school-wide functions that involve the
student body.
Colloquium Committee
The Colloquium Committee consists of faculty, staff, and PhD and MESM students who plan
the community colloquium speaker series. In spring quarter, up to 3 students are
nominated and selected from both the MESM and PhD programs. The students work with
faculty and staff to identify and invite up to 6 community colloquium speakers. Staff
arranges travel and logistics, and approves travel expenditures for colloquium speakers. The
primary staff contact for the Colloquium Committee is the Senior Events Manager.
PhD Program Committee
The PhD Program Committee consists of faculty, staff and up to 2 PhD student
representatives who oversee the PhD program. The committee sets standards for and policy
on PhD education; provides advice and consent on matters of policy, programs, and practice
that impact the quality of the PhD educational program and the educational experience of
PhD students. According to University rules, the student representative cannot be a voting
member (only faculty that are members of the faculty Senate can be voting members).
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Nonetheless, the student can play an important and valuable role. The Committee does
reserve the right to have Executive Sessions that exclude the student if there is need to
discuss confidential personnel issues or issues related to specific students. The primary staff
contact for the PhD Program Committee is the Academic Programs Coordinator.
MESM Program Committee
The MESM Program Committee consists of faculty, staff and a MESM student representative
who oversee the MESM program. In spring quarter, the MESM student representative is
nominated from the 1st year class and serves on the committee during his/her 2 nd year of
study. The committee sets standards for and policy on MESM education; provides advice
and consent on matters of policy, programs, and practice that impact the quality of the
MESM educational program and the educational experience of MESM students. According to
University rules, the student cannot be a voting member (only faculty that are members of
the faculty Senate can be voting members). Nonetheless, the student can play an important
and valuable role. The Committee does reserve the right to have Executive Sessions that
exclude the student if there is need to discuss confidential personnel issues or issues related
to specific students. The primary staff contact for the MESM Program Committee is the
Academic Programs Coordinator.
Group Project Committee
The Group Project Committee consists of faculty, staff and three 1st year MESM students
who oversee the Group Project process. In fall quarter, MESM students are nominated from
the 1st year class and serve on the committee during the winter quarter of the 1 st year of
study. The committee reviews and selects Group Project proposals. The faculty and staff
guide Group Project policy and communicate guidelines to students. The primary staff
contact for the Group Project Committee is the Academic Programs Coordinator.
Eco-E Project Committee
The Eco-E Project Committee consists of faculty and staff who oversee the Eco-E Project
process. The committee mentors students in Eco-E Projects, provides feedback to Eco-E
groups through quarterly lessons-learned presentations and Eco-E Project defenses, and
allocates funding for Eco-E student recruitment, internships and prototypes. The primary
staff contact for the Eco-E Project Committee is the Eco-E Program Manager.
Recruitment, Admissions, and Support (RAS) Committee
The Recruitment, Admissions and Support Committee consists of faculty and staff who
oversee all aspects of recruitment and admission of students to Bren School programs, and
distribution of funds for student support. The staff contact for the RAS Committee is the
Student Affairs Manager.
Recruitment Activities Council
Students who are interested in playing a role in recruitment of new students to the Bren
School have the opportunity to sign up for this council during the fall quarter. The goal of
the council is to help the Bren School attract prospective students interested in applying to
the Bren School. Students work closely with the Student Affairs Manager in developing
marketing strategies, assist in coordinating fellow classmates to communicate with
prospective students, and assist in developing informational forums and/or orientations. The
staff contact for the Recruitment Activities Council Committee is the Student Affairs
Manager.
Computing Committee
The Computing Committee consists of faculty, staff and MESM and PhD student
representatives who oversee the computational environment, recommends policies and
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procedures related to the computational environment, monitors and develops the Bren
School web presence. In fall quarter, MESM and PhD students may be nominated and
elected to serve as representatives on the Computing Committee. The staff contact for the
Computing Committee is the Director of Information Technology.
Bren School Sustainability Committee
The Bren School Sustainability Committee (BSSC) is comprised of a diverse set of people,
including Bren School MESM and PhD students, who have an interest in creating a more
sustainable community at Bren, UCSB and greater Santa Barbara. Combining the talents of
members, BSSC is always involved in interesting activities that promote sustainable action
and education. To join BSSC, provide feedback, or make a recommendation send email to
bssc@lists.bren.ucsb.edu. To join the BSSC listserv, please visit:
https://ic.ucsb.edu/mailing_lists/bren/.
Earth Day Community Council
The goal of the Earth Day Community Council is to celebrate the Earth with educational
demonstrations and music, and to educate the community about conservation and
sustainability. In fall quarter, up to two 1st-year MESM, two 2nd-year MESM students, and
two PhD students will be elected to this council by their peers. The Bren School creates and
maintains one or two booths at the Earth Day Festival. It is the responsibility of members to
initiate meetings to discuss ideas and execution of projects for the Earth Day booths.
MESM Class Chairs
The MESM Class Chair or co-Chairs facilitate communication between alumni in each class
and the Bren School. Class Chairs provide meaningful feedback to the school and open
doors to internships, employment opportunities, and matching gifts. Each year Class Chairs
play a leadership role in rallying classmates to provide annual support to the school in the
form of personal contributions. It is through the support of our alumni and friends that the
school and its programs provide some of the best comprehensive, cutting-edge approaches
to environmental science and management. For more information please visit the alumni
and class chairs webpage under Giving/Alumni and Class Giving. MESM Class Chairs are
usually selected via an election by their peers in early winter quarter. Please contact the
Bren School Development Assistant Lindsey Kaplan (lkaplan@bren.ucsb.edu) for further
application and election details.
Advisory Councils and Partners
The Dean's Council was created to support, promote, and guide the Bren School in
achieving its objectives while also serving as the primary conduit between the school and
the local community.
The Eco-Entrepreneurship Advisory Council provides perspective and guidance to students
pursuing the Eco-E focus and Eco-E Projects within the master's curriculum.
The Council of Legal Advisors provide advice to the dean and faculty on the legal training of
Bren students, occasional student mentoring, and legal insights for Master’s Project teams.
Council members or other senior partners from their firms also provide half- and full-day
seminars and workshops in their areas of expertise.
The Corporate Partners Program creates mutually beneficial collaborations with a range of
visionary companies and organizations. They bring a commitment to making environmental
sustainability a key component of their business activities, while also providing additional
real-world perspectives and professional pathways for Bren students.
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BREN CURRICULUM
Curriculum Plan
The Bren School curriculum plan is typically available in late summer and is posted to the
Bren website under Academic Programs/Class Schedule. The curriculum plan provides a
complete listing of the courses that will be offered during the following academic year. There
may be changes to the curriculum plan if courses are added, instructors are not available, or
enrollment is inadequate.
Bren courses typically are offered the same quarter from one year to the next, but this is
not guaranteed. Courses may shift to another quarter to accommodate faculty sabbaticals
and to ensure that there is an adequate distribution of courses throughout the year as new
courses are added when new faculty are hired (or removed when faculty leave). An annual
history of course offerings is available on the web under Academic Programs/Schedule of
Classes.
Course Descriptions
Bren School (ESM) course descriptions may be found on the Bren website under Academic
Programs/Courses.
Descriptions of courses offered by other departments at UCSB may be found in the
University Catalog. You are strongly encouraged to explore offerings in other departments
and to take courses in other departments that will help you build depth in your area of
specialization.
Course Numbering
Graduate courses at UCSB are numbered 200-599. Upper-division undergraduate courses
are numbered 100-199. Lower-division undergraduate courses, numbered <100, can NEVER
count towards satisfying graduate degree requirements. However, with approval, up to 8
units of upper-division undergraduate course work can count toward MESM degree
requirements.
Schedule of Classes
The official and up-to-date Bren schedule of classes is on the Bren website under Academic
Programs/Class Schedule. GOLD generally should reflect the current schedule but may differ
and be inaccurate if the registrar has not yet processed any requested changes. If you see a
mistake or problem with the Bren schedule of classes, please email
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu to report it.
Bren School courses typically are scheduled on Monday through Friday, and occasionally on
Saturday and Sunday. Regular quarter-long courses (e.g., core and elective courses) are
typically offered on Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm.
We must offer two to three courses at a time in order to provide the full range of course
offerings. The Academic Programs staff makes every effort to minimize the likelihood that
students will encounter schedule conflicts between courses. However, it is inevitable that a
few students will experience a schedule conflict. It may be possible to work with the
instructor to schedule an alternative time if the class is relatively small and all of the
students are agreeable to a new time.
The Bren School offers some courses taught by visiting professors in an intensive format,
which means that they are compressed into a week or two, meeting every day or every
other day. Intensive courses typically are offered in the late afternoons on Monday through
Thursday (e.g., 4:00 – 7:00 pm) and Fridays (e.g., 8:30 – 11:30 am or 1-4 pm). Labs,
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workshops, intensive courses, seminar courses and field trips may be scheduled on Friday
(8:30 – 11:30 am or 1-4 pm) and occasionally on Saturday and Sunday.
Books
The textbook list is posted on the website under Academic Programs/Schedule of Classes.
Most Bren students obtain textbooks from online sources. Two copies of each required
MESM core course text are located in the Bren Reading Room (BH 3312). The Bren School
does not typically purchase copies of books for elective classes.
GauchoSpace
GauchoSpace is the course content management system for UCSB. Course syllabi, reading
materials, assignments, etc. typically can be accessed on each course's individual
GauchoSpace page. Faculty members will set up a GauchoSpace page for the course(s) they
are instructing and students will be able to view the pages for courses in which they are
enrolled. We also post the most up-to-date description and syllabus for each course on the
Bren website at Academic Programs/Courses.
Communication Center (BH 3310)
The Communication Center (BH 3310) is a space where Bren graduate students can meet
with communication tutors to get feedback to improve papers and presentations. The tutors
offer 20 hours of service per week to Bren graduate students during the academic year. This
service is FREE to Bren graduate students. The tutors can help you generate ideas,
organize information, visualize data, revise drafts, and polish your documents in a
supportive one-on-one environment. To make an appointment, send a message to
writing@bren.ucsb.edu or drop by during office hours (posted on the website at
http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/academics/comm_center.htm). The Communication Center also
sends writing tips by email, and maintains a website with useful information related to
writing and other forms of communication.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The Bren School offers students many extracurricular opportunities to enrich their
educational experience. Most of these opportunities do not provide academic credit.
Nevertheless, every Bren student is expected to participate in some extracurricular
opportunities as they relate to your academic training and professional development.
Colloquia
Colloquia are lectures on diverse topics relevant to the mission of the Bren School presented
by visiting speakers or UCSB faculty and students. Colloquia typically are on Mondays and
Wednesdays at 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. No other activities are scheduled at this time so
that students have the opportunity to attend the colloquia that are of interest to you.
Colloquia are an important part of the Bren School education because they offer not only a
learning experience, but also an opportunity to network with environmental professionals.
 Community colloquia are arranged by a committee of Bren students, faculty and
staff. The student representatives solicit nominations for speakers and select, invite
and host up to 6 colloquium speakers per year.
 Once a quarter, the Bren School typically hosts a Zurich Financial Services
Distinguished Visitor on Climate Change. The Zurich Distinguished Visitors are
prominent leaders engaged in research, policy, management or other aspects of
climate change. Zurich Distinguished Visitors give a community colloquium and also
typically teach an intensive course for academic credit. The Zurich Distinguished
Visitors program is supported by a generous gift from Zurich Financial Services.
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
Research colloquia are typically hosted by a Bren faculty member and focus on
research in a particular area of environmental science and management.
Career Development Seminars
The Bren School Career Development office hosts numerous speakers throughout the year.
Career talks typically are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. No
other activities are scheduled at this time so that students have the opportunity to attend
the career talks that are of interest to you. These talks help students to explore career
opportunities in a variety of sectors and/or develop professional skills and networks.
STUDENT STATUS
Academic Standing/Standards of Scholarship
To remain in good academic standing, a student must make timely progress toward degree
completion and satisfactorily meet the following standards of scholarship established by the
University and campus Academic Senate regulations and Graduate Council rulings:

Maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0. If your cumulative
GPA drops below a 3.0 for one quarter, you will be placed on Academic Probation. If
your GPA remains below a 3.0 for three consecutive quarters, you may be dismissed
from the University.

Keep your transcript free of excessive unfinished coursework, defined as 12 or more
units of Incomplete (I), No Grade (NG), and/or No Record (NR) grades.

Complete the MESM degree within the normative time of two years and/or complete
the PhD degree within the normative time of five years.

In special circumstances, students may work with the Assistant Dean for Academic
Programs to develop a study program that exceeds the normative time.
Establishing California Residency
California residency is valuable since out-of-state residents must pay approximately
$15,000 more per year for UCSB tuition than California residents. Living in California for
more than one calendar year (366 consecutive days) is usually (but not always) sufficient to
establish California residency. Immediately upon arrival in Santa Barbara, you should take
the necessary steps to establish intent of residency. Please see the Registrar’s website
(http://registrar.sa.ucsb.edu/residenc.aspx) for the basic components of the residency
determination process. Your actions during the academic year and summer will affect the
decision that is made regarding your residence status. Since the final authority on residency
rests with the Residence Deputy in the Office of the Registrar, students should seek
counseling on residency questions from the Residence Deputy at 805-893-3033
(residency@sa.ucsb.edu or SAASB 1105).
English for Multilingual Students (EMS)
The UCSB Graduate Division requires that all non-native speakers of English must meet
proficiency standards in both spoken and written English before they will be awarded a
degree at UCSB. During Orientation, non-native English speakers are required to take both
the written and oral portions of the English Language Placement Examination (ELPE). Based
upon the results of this exam, students will be (1) exempted from EMS courses, or (2)
referred to specific English for Multilingual Students (EMS) courses.
Please do not delay taking EMS courses. Students lacking adequate written and oral
communication skills often have difficulty with their Bren courses, which may jeopardize
successful degree completion. Your first priority should be to develop language proficiency.
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If you need to take EMS courses, you may have to defer some MESM or PhD core courses
until your 2nd year. If you plan to defer any core courses, please arrange to meet with the
Bren Student Affairs staff to discuss which core courses and/or elective courses would be
best to defer. You also may want to consider requesting an extension for your time-todegree past the normal two years for MESM and five years for PhD so that you can take the
necessary EMS courses to develop English language proficiency. Further information on EMS
classes including scheduling can be found at www.ems.ucsb.edu.
Leave of Absence
UCSB requires continued registration of all graduate students until completion of all
requirements for the degree. In extraordinary circumstances, a student who has registered
for and completed at least one quarter and is in good academic standing may petition and
be approved for a Leave of Absence. The circumstances for which students may apply for a
Leave of Absence include:

Documented medical/health difficulties that would reasonably inhibit graduate
studies

Pregnancy/parenting needs for a child up to the age of 12 months or up to the first
12 months of adoption placement in the home

Family emergencies of an unusual and unanticipated nature

Military service required by a student’s country
More detailed information on Leave of Absence Requirements and Petition are in the UCSB
Graduate Student Handbook. The leave of absence petition can be found on the Graduate
Division website under Forms and Petitions. If you intend to petition for a Leas of Absence,
it is strongly recommended that you meet with an Advising Assistant at the Graduate
Division to discuss your particular situation. To make an appointment, call the Graduate
Division at 805-893-2277.
Lapsed Student Status
Students who do not register and do not have an approved Leave of Absence on file will be
on “lapsed status” with UCSB and will lose all student privileges (financial aid, library,
student health, etc.). Graduate students who wish to register after a break in enrollment
must petition for reinstatement with the Graduate Division. Reinstatement is not automatic
and requires the approval of the student's academic department; the student’s record will
be evaluated in terms of academic performance and timely completion of the degree.
Withdrawing From the Program
If you are considering withdrawing from the program, please schedule a meeting with the
Student Affairs Manager so that we can provide you information and advice as you explore
this decision.
If you decide to leave the Bren School, you must send an email to the Student Affairs
Manager stating your intention so that we can request that the Graduate Division closes
your degree objective. If a MESM student withdraws after beginning a Group Project or EcoE Project, you must notify your faculty advisor and group members of your withdrawal. If
you have any IP grades, you will need to retroactively drop any associated classes because
they will ultimately convert to F grades if you do not.
If you decide to withdraw after you have enrolled and paid student fees, you must officially
withdraw from the program and cancel your registration to obtain a full or partial refund.
Withdrawal forms can be obtained from Bren Student Affairs (BH 2510) or the Registrar’s
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Office. More information on withdrawing from the University can be found on the
Registrar’s website.
Adding a Second Degree or Emphasis
If the Bren School or another department approves you to pursue a second degree, then
you will need to submit a Graduate Division Graduate Student Petition. If you are going to
pursue the GPMP certificate program (discussed in the Eco-Entrepreneurship Focus section),
you will need to submit this petition to add this additional degree objective.
REGISTRATION & ENROLLMENT
In-depth information about enrollment may be obtained from the Registrar’s website
(http://registrar.sa.ucsb.edu/index.aspx) so it is not repeated in this guide. All new Bren
graduate students should thoroughly review the Registrar’s Information for New Graduate
Students.
It is your responsibility to keep track of your registration pass times, to enroll in your
courses accurately and on time, and to pay your fees by the deadlines posted on the UCSB
Academic Calendar. Failure to meet the deadlines can result in costly late fees.
If you have questions or concerns related to registration or grades, you should email
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. Instructors are not registration experts. Please check with staff
at scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu about registration issues, especially those that are out of the
ordinary.
Academic Calendar
Bren classes follow the Registrar’s Academic Calendar unless otherwise noted in the Bren
schedule of classes. In other words, all Bren classes start on the “first day of classes”
according to the Registrar’s calendar unless otherwise noted on the Bren Schedule of
Classes.
Enrollment in Classes with Discussions/Labs
For classes with more than one instructional component (i.e. discussion section/lab), you
will enroll in the discussion/lab and this will automatically enroll you in the lecture portion of
the class as well.
Approval Codes
An approval code is required to enroll in a course with restricted registration or if you are
adding a course after the first full week of the quarter. When registering, you will be
prompted for this 4-digit code after entering the enrollment code. These codes are coursespecific and can be used only once. Approval codes for Bren classes can be obtained by
contacting scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. In many cases, an approval code will be required to
enroll in a non-Bren class. If you need an approval code for a non-Bren class, you should
contact the instructor of the course to find out how to obtain a code.
Class Size
The Bren School philosophy is to try to accommodate all Bren graduate students who want
to take a particular Bren course. In rare cases, instructors may have to limit enrollment in a
Bren course. If you try to enroll in a course and GOLD indicates that the course is full,
please email scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu and request the opportunity to add the course. If
possible, the Academic Programs staff will increase the maximum enrollment and, if
necessary, move the course to a larger facility to accommodate greater enrollment.
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If you try to enroll in a discussion/lab section for a course that has multiple discussion
sections and GOLD indicates that the section is full, then you should enroll in an alternative
section. You would only be able to enroll in a section that is full if all open sections overlap
with other courses that you are taking. In this case, please email scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu
and explain the problem. If your schedule conflict is verified, then you will receive an
approval code to enroll in the full section.
Number of Units
Graduate Division requires each graduate student to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units
per quarter. However, there is no loss of privileges as long you are enrolled in at least 8
units.
Transferring Credit
Credit for upper-division and graduate courses may be transferred to UCSB under certain
circumstances. Most importantly, you can only transfer credit that you earned as a graduate
student enrolled in a degree program for which you never earned the degree. In other
words, if you started graduate school somewhere else but left before finishing, you might be
able to transfer some unit credit. Students must complete one quarter of enrollment at
UCSB before they can petition Graduate Division (using a Graduate Student Petition) to
transfer any units. Courses applicable to the MESM or PhD degree and your
particular specialization are the only courses that will be considered for unit
transfer.
Students may only count courses taken through Extension toward their degree
requirements if they took the courses AFTER they applied to the Bren MESM or PhD
Program. Students cannot transfer unit credit for courses that they took before applying. If
you took a course through Extension prior to applying to the program, the units for the
course cannot count toward the minimum degree requirements. You will not have to take
the course again but will have to make up those units by taking another course.
For specific requirements and regulations concerning transferring credit, please see the
Graduate Division’s Graduate Handbook.
Variable Unit Courses
Variable unit courses typically are 1-4 units, depending on the number of contact hours with
students. If you enroll in a variable unit course, you must enroll in the correct number of
units specified in the Bren School Schedule of Classes. GOLD does not provide the correct
number of units for variable unit courses, so it will allow you enroll in more or less than the
correct number. Every quarter, some students are enrolled in the wrong number of units.
You should verify your schedule on GOLD before the 15th day of the quarter and again
before the last day of classes to make sure that it is accurate.
Examples of Bren School variable units courses include but are not limited to:
 ESM 293 Advanced Special Topics in Climate and Energy
 ESM 294 Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Law
 ESM 296 Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Management
 ESM 297 Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Policy
 ESM 298 Advanced Special Topics in Eco-Entrepreneurship
 ESM 299 Advanced Special Topics in Environmental Science
 ESM 430 Workshops in Environmental Science and Management
Most courses at the Bren School are non-variable. They are offered for a specific number of
units and the number of contact hours (and resulting workload) is not flexible. These non16
variable unit classes cannot be taken for more or less than the number of specified units. If
you have a question about registration, please contact scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu.
ESM 595 Group Studies
ESM 595 Group Studies in Environmental Science and Management is offered as ESM 595A595Z and 595AA-595ZZ. Single letter 595 courses are open to both MESM and PhD
students. Double letter 595 courses are restricted to PhD students. Instructor approval is
required for MESM students to obtain an exception to this enrollment policy. ESM 595 can
be taken only for an S/U grading option. ESM 595 is a variable unit course depending on the
workload determined by the faculty member; most ESM 595 courses are 2 units. See the
Bren School Schedule of Classes (http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/academics/sched.asp) on the
website to see which ESM 595 courses will be offered and the number of units.
ESM 596 Directed Readings and Research
ESM 596 is an independent study course under the supervision of a Bren School faculty
member. A faculty member from another department cannot supervise ESM 596. ESM 596
is a variable unit course and may be taken for a letter grade or S/U. Registration in ESM
596 requires an ESM 596 Petition approved and signed by the faculty member who has
agreed to oversee your independent study. You must discuss the registration options
(number of units and grading option) with your sponsoring faculty member; indicate the
options chosen on your ESM 596 petition. Then, submit the petition to the Assistant Dean
for approval preferably before the start of the quarter. No ESM 596 petitions will be
accepted after the 3rd week of the quarter.
MESM students may only apply a maximum of 4 units in ESM 596 towards their MESM
degree. MESM students will not receive credit towards the MESM degree for any ESM 596
course completed without a petition.
PhD students should register on GOLD for the appropriate number of units of ESM 596 to
maintain a course load of at least 12 units per quarter. If you are not taking any other
courses, then you should enroll in 12 units of ESM 596. If you are taking other courses,
then you may subtract the unit count of your other courses from 12 and register for the
appropriate number of units of ESM 596.
Instructor Codes
Once you have received approval from the Bren faculty sponsor and the Assistant Dean,
then you should register in GOLD for ESM 596 for the appropriate number of units and
grading option. Registration in ESM 596 requires an instructor code that can be found on
the Bren School website, the UCSB Schedule of Classes, or on GOLD.
Auditing a Course
There is no official way to audit a course at UCSB. You must have the instructor’s approval
to “sit in” on a course. If you “sit in” on a course and do not take it for credit, then the
course will not appear on your transcript.
Schedule Adjustments
UCSB policy allows students to add a course up until the last day of classes. After the first
week of classes, an approval code is required to add a class using GOLD. You may request
an approval code from scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. You CANNOT use GOLD to add a course
after the 15th day of the quarter. After the 15th day of classes (3rd week of the quarter), any
additions to your schedule can be made only by completing a Schedule Adjustment Form
(SAF). Students typically do not add courses after the 3rd week of the quarter because they
already would have missed a substantial amount of the coursework.
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UCSB policy allows students to drop a course using GOLD until the last day of instruction.
You may not drop a course after this date without getting special approval for a retroactive
drop from the Graduate Division Dean. Please keep in mind that Bren faculty and visiting
instructors plan course activities based on the number of enrolled students. If you plan to
drop a course, please carefully consider your reasons for dropping and discuss them with
your instructor prior to dropping the course. Your instructor may be able to address your
concerns so that you do not need to drop the course.
Schedule Adjustment Form
The Schedule Adjustment Form (SAF) is available on the Bren School website
(http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/academics/sched.asp) or you may obtain a hard copy from in
the Office of the Registrar’s or Bren student mailroom, or from Academic Programs or
Student Affairs staff. You must complete the Schedule Adjustment Form and then obtain
signatures of the instructor and Assistant Dean. If you cannot obtain the signature of the
instructor, please note this on your form and the Assistant Dean will sign on his/her behalf.
Submit the completed form to the Office of the Registrar. Complete your schedule
adjustments prior to the end of the 3rd week of the quarter to avoid having to complete a
Schedule Adjustment Form. Retroactive adjustments (made after the quarter is over)
require the Graduate Division Dean’s signature.
Verifying Your Schedule
Each quarter, you should verify your schedule on GOLD at the beginning of the 3rd week of
classes and again during the last week of instruction. Students may inadvertently register
for the wrong number of units or forget to add or drop a course. If these problems are not
addressed, then they can result in failing grades on your transcript. No changes are allowed
after the last day of instruction and additions after the 15th day of classes require a
Schedule Adjustment form.
Registration FAQ
Why won’t GOLD let me register for ESM XXX?
Are you trying to register before the end of the first week of classes?
ANSWER: The class is probably full; please email scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu so that the
maximum enrollment can be increased and class moved to a bigger room if necessary.
However, if it is a discussion or lab section that is full, you need to enroll in a different
section unless this is the only one you can take because of conflicts with your other classes.
In the latter case, email scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu to obtain an approval code for the
section you must enroll in.
Are you trying to register after the first week but before the 15th day of instruction?
ANSWER: You cannot enroll after the first week unless you obtain an approval code by
emailing scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu.
`
Are you trying to register after the 15th day of instruction?
ANSWER: Please try to add all and drop classes before the 15th day of instruction. The only
way to add a class after the 15th day of instruction is to use a Schedule Adjustment Form.
Course Evaluations
Course evaluations typically are conducted on the last day that a class meets. Bren staff
distribute and gather the evaluations. UCSB provides the set of questions for evaluation and
requires hand written comments to confirm authenticity of student comments. Bren staff
type all hand written comments to ensure student anonymity. Instructors receive
evaluations only after grades are assigned.
18
Please provide thorough and constructive feedback for each instructor and course. If you
share a criticism, please also describe options that could resolve the problem. Evaluations
are reviewed by both the instructor and the administration and are given careful
consideration. Course evaluations are reviewed by UCSB’s Academic Personnel office as part
of faculty merit reviews and reappointments of visiting professors and lecturers. Student
comments and scores influence whether or not a faculty member receives a promotion and
a visiting professor or lecturer is rehired.
GRADES
Letter grades assigned at UCSB are A, B, C, D, and F, all with plus/minus (i.e. A+, A, A-).
Non-letter grades are S (satisfactory), U (unsatisfactory), P (passed), NP (not passed), I
(incomplete), and IP (in progress).
Core Course Grades
University policy requires that graduate students earn a grade of B or better in all core
courses. If you receive a B- or lower in a core course, you will have to repeat the course
the following year. There are no exceptions to this requirement. There are no other courses
that can substitute for the core requirements.
MESM core courses include ESM 201 Ecology of Managed Ecosystems, ESM 202
Environmental Biogeochemistry, ESM 203 Earth System Science, ESM 204 Economics of
Environmental Management, ESM 206A and B Statistics and Data Analysis for
Environmental Science and Management, ESM 207 Environmental Law and Policy, ESM 210
Business and the Environment, ESM 241 Environmental Politics and Policy, and ESM 251
Economics and Environmental Policy Analysis.
PhD core courses include ESM 595SS Faculty Research Speaker Series, ESM 595SB Proposal
Writing, ESM 595PB Collaborative Interdisciplinary Research (manuscript writing). PhD
students must take ESM 595SB for a letter grade in order to establish a Grade Point
Average (GPA) in your first quarter.
Elective Course Grades
The lowest letter grade the University will allow a graduate student in an elective course is a
C. Any grade below a C (including C-) is considered failing and will not count towards your
degree requirements.
S/U and P/NP Grades
Non-letter grades are S (satisfactory) and U (unsatisfactory) for graduate level courses and
P (passed) and NP (not passed) for undergraduate courses. For graduate courses, any
grade less than a B (even a B-) will be recorded as U if you selection the S/U option.
Students who register for an undergraduate level class with P/NP grading option receive a P
for C or better work and a NP for less than C work.
Instructors do not know students’ grading options so they typically enter letter grades in
eGrades (the University’s grade reporting system). The registrar automatically converts
letter grades entered into eGrades into S/U or P/NP for students enrolled for a non-grade
option. Students may change their grading option until the last day of the quarter. No letter
grade can be changed to S/U or P/NP if the student has registered for the letter grade
option (and vice versa) after this date.
19
Incomplete Grades
An Incomplete (I) grade may be placed on a student’s record only if:

There is a compelling reason for the incomplete coursework (i.e., family or medical
emergency); and

A petition for an Incomplete grade (available from Bren Student Affairs office or the
Registrar’s Office) is completed and signed by the course instructor; and

The petition for an Incomplete grade is on file in the Registrar’s Office by the last day
of classes. In the absence of a petition, a grade of F, NP, or U will be recorded.
If the coursework is not completed by the end of the following quarter, the I grade will turn
into an F, NP, or U. With instructor approval, an I grade can be extended for one more
quarter by submitting an Incomplete Extension Petition (available from Bren Student
Affairs or the Registrar’s Office) to the Registrar before the end of quarter.
In Progress Grades
In Progress (IP) grading is used for a series course where a letter grade is assigned only at
the end of the last course in the series, as if the whole series were one long course. When
the student completes the last course in the sequence a letter grade is assigned, which
replaces the IP grades for the earlier quarters, and gives the same letter grade to each
course in the series. An example of a Bren School course that uses the IP grading option is
the MESM Group Project courses (ESM 401B and C) and Eco-E Project courses (ESM 402B
and C). The IP grade is assigned to ESM 401B or ESM 402B. When the student completes
ESM 401C or ESM 402C, a letter grade is assigned which replaces the IP grade for the other
quarter, giving the same letter grade to both of the courses. [Note: a separate grade is
earned for ESM 401A or ESM 402A].
Any student who leaves the program without completing all required quarters of an IP series
has not fulfilled the requirements for the course, and the IP grade will turn into an F at the
end of the series. If, for some reason, it becomes necessary to leave the MESM or PhD
program, students should drop all series courses that were not completed to avoid having
an F grade on their transcripts.
No Grade (NG) & No Record (NR)
No Grade (NG) is a grade given by the Registrar when an instructor has not submitted a
grade for a student and there is no Incomplete Petition on file (or the instructor submits an
“I” and there is not an Incomplete Petition on file). Usually this is because the student did
not complete the requirements for the course. Under some circumstances (e.g., family
emergency on the day of the final), an instructor will not report a grade and will submit a
Grade Change Report once the student has completed the course requirements.
Students should contact their instructor and the Bren staff at scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu
immediately if they receive an NG and think it is a clerical error. An NG will convert to an F
at the end of the subsequent quarter unless the instructor submits a Grade Change to the
Registrar before the end of the subsequent quarter. Once an NG is converted to an F it
cannot be changed. If you have an NG on your record because you failed to complete the
requirements of the course for some reason, you should make sure that you complete them
by the end of the subsequent quarter or you will have a failing grade on your transcript.
No Record (NR) is a grade given by the Registrar when the instructor has not submitted the
course grades by the grade reporting deadline. This usually occurs when the instructor
needs more time to grade final exams or assignments. As soon as the instructor reports the
grades, NR will be replaced by the grade submitted. If there is some question about the
20
receipt of NR, students should contact the instructor or the Bren staff at
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. However, there is no need to worry about a NR grade unless a
few weeks have lapsed since the end of the quarter and NR is still on the record.
Students are allowed to carry NG and NR only for one quarter beyond when the course was
originally undertaken before the NG or NR automatically reverts to a failing grade (F). This
brings the grade notations of NG and NR in line with the policy governing Incomplete
grades, except students are not able to petition for extensions of NG and NR as can be done
with Incompletes.
If you have 12 or more units of unfinished coursework, you will receive an advisory letter
from the Graduate Division and be placed on Academic Probation. Excessive units of
unfinished coursework will block appointment to an academic apprenticeship (Teaching
Assistant or Graduate Student Researcher).
PETITIONS
Bren School Petition
A Bren School Petition form must be submitted to the Assistant Dean any time you request
an exception to a Bren School policy or procedure. Examples of requests include
deferral or waiver of a core course, or course substitution. The Bren School petition form
can be found on the Bren School web site under Academic Programs/Class Schedule.
Graduate Student Petition
Requests involving exceptions to University policy and procedure (Graduate Division or
Registrar policies) require a Graduate Student Petition. Examples of requests include change
of student status, leave of absence, adding/removing a degree objective, transferring units,
or adding another UCSB degree program.
Graduate Student Petition forms are available in the Bren School Student Affairs office (Bren
Hall 2510) and at the Graduate Division reception desk (Cheadle Hall 3117). The petition
should be submitted to the Student Affairs Manager for appropriate signature. The signed
petition will be returned to your mailbox. You must take it to the Billing Office (SAASB
1212), pay a $20 processing fee, and submit the form to the appropriate office.
ACADEMIC CONDUCT
The University of California has standards for academic conduct and the Bren School
expects students to fully uphold and to adhere to these standards. A guidance document on
Academic Conduct can be found on the web at Internal Services/Academic and Student
Affairs/General Information. The Bren School is required to report known instances of
inappropriate academic conduct and there can be dire consequences for students that do
not uphold the standards. It is your responsibility to have 100% academic integrity. It is not
your instructors’ responsibility to make sure you do so by setting up deterrents and
obstacles to limit or prevent dishonesty.
Academic Misconduct
There are three general categories of academic misconduct:
Cheating: Cheating is using or attempting to use materials, information, study aids, or
commercial “research” services not authorized by the instructor of the course. For most
students, cheating is obviously wrong. However, bear in mind that some acts of cheating
are less blatant than peeking at another person’s test and copying answers. For example, all
21
of the following are also cheating: working with others when you are not supposed to;
working with more than one other person when you only have permission to work in pairs;
asking your roommate or peer about a question on a take-home exam.
Collusion: Collusion occurs when you help others to engage in academic dishonesty OR you
willingly allow it to occur. The University makes no distinction between those that cheat
and/or plagiarize versus those who willingly allow it to occur. If you witness academic
dishonesty, it is your responsibility to report it to the instructor or Assistant Dean.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is knowingly taking the words or ideas of another author and
representing them as your own. This is an increasing problem throughout universities, even
at the graduate level. It is imperative that you thoroughly understand what it means to
engage in plagiarism. Increasing numbers of incidents of plagiarism suggest that many
students are unclear about what it is. You are strongly encouraged to review the section on
plagiarism in the Academic Conduct guidance document on the Internal Services/Academic
and Student Information webpage.
Integrity
Our expectation is that Bren students will have the highest level of integrity. This means
that students must be true to their word 100% of the time! While it is essential to maintain
your academic integrity, it also is important to be accurate and honest regarding other
matters, such as social events and recreational activities.
There are many events and activities at Bren that require you to respond whether or not
you will be able to come. You should respond promptly and accurately. If you respond that
you are coming, then you should make every effort to participate. If you become ill or an
emergency arises and you are not able to participate, then please notify the host as soon as
possible to let him/her know that you will not be able to come. If you are not able to attend,
then please respond appropriately. In the past, some students have either not responded or
have not accurately responded, causing two significant problems: (1) Students do not
respond so the host does not plan for them, and then they attend anyway, and (2) students
respond that they are coming and then they do not come. An accurate response is essential
so that the host can plan an appropriate venue and, for some events and activities, food
and other refreshments. Please respect the time and money involved in planning for events
and activities at Bren and follow through when you commit to attending.
Conflict of Interest
The policy regarding Conflict of Interest (COI) in Graduate Education affirms joint student
and faculty responsibilities, as members of the University of California, in relationship to
potential conflicts of interest and provides mechanisms to ensure that outside activities are
consistent with University policy. Students and faculty members may need to file COI forms
if they are engaged in activities that present a conflict of interest. These may include, for
example, working on a research project with a faculty member if the project is may result in
financial gain for the faculty member (e.g., a private business venture outside of the
university).
Specifically, this policy seeks to identify cases where a faculty member's financial interest
may have negative effects on a student's academic interests. It also seeks to ensure that a
students’ participation in research projects with the private sector enhance their educational
experience and not unduly influence or restrict their academic choices.
The full policy may be found on the Graduate Division website at
www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/conflict-of-interest.aspx.
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In order to protect a student's academic interests, faculty members and students need to
disclose certain agreements or arrangements where conflicts with these interests may arise.
Such disclosure should take place at any time the agreements or arrangements set forth
below arise. When these agreements or arrangements are disclosed, procedures will be
initiated to determine whether the agreements or arrangements are consistent with the
student's academic interests. If not, consideration will be given to methods of resolution of
these conflicts. The following agreements or arrangements should be disclosed to the Dean
of the Graduate Division as soon as the student becomes aware of the facts giving rise to
the disclosure obligation:

Agreements or arrangements between a student and a private entity involving
research activities by the student, where the University or a
mentor/research/thesis/dissertation advisor is a party to the agreement or
arrangement, and the student's mentor/research/thesis/dissertation advisor has a
financial interest in the private entity.
And one or more of the following is true:

The research activities are related to the student's thesis/dissertation, or

There are restrictions on the student's ability to publish, present, or otherwise
disclose the findings from their research activities.

When students enter into any private arrangements, they should take into account
obligations they may have to the University (such as employment) and ensure that
conflicts do not arise which could violate those University obligations.
If you have any concerns or questions about potential conflicts of interest, please see the
Student Affairs Manager.
Use of Human Subjects
Faculty and students who engage in research involving human subjects must first obtain
prior approval from the UCSB Human Subjects Committee (HSC). "Human Subject" means a
living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting
research obtains (a) data through intervention or interaction with the individual or (b)
identifiable private information. If you are planning to conduct any type of survey of
human subjects, you MUST obtain HSC approval in advance. Approval is required no
matter whom you will be interacting with - even your friends or family!
If you will use human subjects, please review the Office of Research website at
www.research.ucsb.edu/compliance/human-subjects/. To proceed with human subjects
research, you must understand and abide by the University policies and procedures
governing human subjects research. It can take some time to complete the training, submit
your protocol, and obtain approval, so plan well in advance. Under no circumstances may
human subjects be used if prior approval has not been obtained.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The Bren website provides financial information for students under Prospective
Students/PhD/Financial Information and Prospective Students/MESM/Financial Information.
The UCSB Financial Aid Office (http://www.finaid.ucsb.edu), not the Bren School, is the
primary student resource for information about student loans and federal financial aid.
Most MESM students fund all or a significant portion of their education with loans or
personal savings. Since the MESM program is full time (40-50 hours per week), most MESM
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students find it difficult to work and only a few (extremely motivated and well-organized
students) work more than 10 hours/week. We generally advise that 1st year MESM students
should not work during the first quarter to assess whether or not they have the time and
energy for both the MESM program and a job.
When students are admitted to the Bren PhD program, they are informed of the extent of
their financial support from the Bren School in the letter of admission. Typically, 1st year
PhD students receive a recruitment incentive award from the Bren School or Graduate
Division, or already have a fellowship from an outside organization, or in some cases may
be appointed as a Student Academic Appointment (TA or GSR). Faculty advisors typically
guide their PhD students to apply for grants and fellowships to support dissertation
research. The Bren faculty advisor, not Bren staff, is the primary contact regarding financial
support for continuing PhD students. The quarterly non-resident tuition fee is waived for
three years for doctoral students (including international students) who have advanced to
candidacy. A PhD student may request a Filing Fee Leave of Absence, which allows for
reduced fees, for the quarter in which he/she plans to defend and file the final dissertation.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
MESM and PhD students who are U.S. citizens or residents should submit a Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required if you want to be considered for any
federal, university-based, or Bren-based financial support. The FAFSA is used to compile a
“need analysis” to determine all financial support packages, including grants, fellowships,
work-study, and loans. The application is available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and the
deadline for the subsequent fall quarter is typically in early March. All domestic Bren PhD
students should fill out a FAFSA every year to be considered for funding.
Recruitment Incentive Awards
The Bren School receives some funds (block grant) from the Graduate Division that are
used for recruitment incentive awards to pay academic fees, non-resident tuition, health
care and/or stipends. In addition to the block grant, the Bren School has some funds from
generous donors who have provided the school with gifts and/or endowments to be used
for student fellowships.
Recruitment incentives typically are allocated to (a) incoming MESM students who have
demonstrated academic excellence at the undergraduate level and (b) incoming PhD
students. Incoming students who receive financial support in the form of block grant
and/or donor funds need to remember that the award is a recruitment incentive and is for
the first year only.
Recruitment incentive awards that pay for academic fees, non-resident tuition, and health
care are distributed directly through the students’ BARC accounts and these awards are
non-taxable. Some students also may a stipend as part of their recruitment incentive
award. The stipend is distributed via hard copy check and may be picked up at the Billing
Office in SAASB.
Due to the process required to synchronize financial procedures at the Bren School,
Graduate Division and Registrar’s Office, these awards may not appear on BARC until the
first day of classes. If you do not see a credit for your recruitment award after the first day
of classes, please notify the Student Affairs staff.
If you received a recruitment incentive award and subsequently secure a TA or GSR
appointment, please notify the Student Affairs staff as soon as possible. Student academic
appointments at least 25% time pay for the student’s academic fees and health care in
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addition to salary, and may require the Student Affairs staff to modify or defer the
recruitment incentive award.
University-based Fellowships
The UCSB Graduate Division provides a number of university-based fellowship awards to
qualified new and continuing PhD students. Some of these are based on nomination by the
school and review by a central faculty fellowship committee. For other fellowships,
continuing students may apply directly to the Graduate Division. For more information
about university-based and other fellowships, you should review the financial information
available on the Graduate Division’s website at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/financial/.
Student Academic Appointments
At UCSB, student academic appointments include Teaching Assistant (TA), Tutor, Reader,
and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions. If a student is employed at less than
25% (or less than 100 hours) per quarter, then the student will receive a salary only for
an academic appointment. If a student is employed at least 25% time (or more than 100
hours) per quarter, then the employer (e.g., Bren School for a TA, tutor or reader, or a
faculty member for GSR) is responsible for paying the student’s salary, academic fees and
health care. Student academic appointments typically do not cover non-resident tuition.
Students may be employed up to 50% time in an academic appointment if the student is
in good standing. If a student wishes to pursue an appointment at 51-75% time, then the
student must contact the Assistant Dean to request a departmental exception. Students
are not permitted to have more than 75% time employment through academic
appointments. When accepting a new academic appointment, students must disclose to
the employer (Bren School or faculty member) whether or not they already hold an
academic appointment and, if so, at what percent time.
Teaching Assistantships
The Bren School offers approximately fifteen 50%-time TA positions per year primarily to
support MESM core and lab courses. Only PhD students may be employed as TAs and
Readers at the Bren School. No MESM students may be employed as Bren TAs or Readers.
UCSB policy prohibits MESM students from serving in a capacity in which they must formally
evaluate (i.e., grade) other MESM or Master’s students. MESM and PhD students may hold
academic appointments in other UCSB departments that offer undergraduate courses (such
as Environmental Studies). MESM and PhD students also may serve as Bren tutors who
provide guidance and advice but no formal evaluation, or GSRs who work on research
projects with a particular faculty member.
If you are a PhD student and you are interested in a TA position at the Bren School, it is
strongly recommended that you enroll or sit in on the course(s) during your first (or second)
year. To apply for a TA position at the Bren School, please respond to the call for support
for continuing PhD students circulated by the Student Affairs staff in winter quarter. Please
complete the request for support and indicate the courses you would like to TA and your
qualifications. Bren TA assignments for the following academic year typically are completed
in the prior June.
If you are interested in serving as TA in another department on campus (such as the
Environmental Studies undergraduate program), please contact the department’s Student
Affairs staff or Graduate Advisor in that department for guidance on how to apply. The
UCSB Academic Student Employee Positions page has contact information for all
departments that have TA positions available.
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Graduate Student Researchers
A graduate student researcher (GSR) is a graduate student who assists a faculty member
with scholarly research and is paid from extramural funds that the faculty member has
secured through funding agencies. Often, a GSR collaborates in the publication of research
results, as determined by supervising faculty members. As such, GSRs are selected for
their high achievement and promise or for their productive scholarship. GSRs are not
assigned teaching, administrative, or general assistance duties. The number of GSRs
available each year depends upon the level of extramural support that has been secured
through proposals submitted by the faculty.
GSR positions are arranged on an individual basis between the student and a faculty
member who is the Principal Investigator on a research grant. The Bren School (at the
school/department level) does not offer GSR positions to students. However, the Bren
School faculty (and faculty at other UCSB departments) may offer GSR positions. Students
arrange GSR positions by speaking directly with the faculty member who is managing the
research project. Only the faculty member who has been awarded the funding can award a
GSR position to a student.
Conference Funding
The Bren School has $15,000 per year of funding from Corporate Partners to support
student participation in professional conferences. Except under unusual circumstances, only
students that are presenting a paper (oral or poster) are eligible for this funding. Unusual
circumstances might include (but are not limited to) opportunities such as being invited to
participate as an active member of a working group meeting or winning an award to be
presented at a conference. The Bren School is not able to fund requests to attend
conferences solely for the purpose of networking, gaining knowledge and skills, helping to
advance career goals. Maximum funding awarded for travel to a domestic conference
typically is $500, but less may be granted. Maximum funding awarded for international
travel may or may not exceed $500, depending on the circumstances. To apply for an
award, students must complete a Conference Funding Request Form on the Bren website at
Internal Services/Students and Academic Affairs. Please read and complete the application
and attach all relevant materials, including the conference brochure, the acceptance letter
indicating that you have been selected to present a paper or poster at the conference, and
receipts or estimates of the allowed travel expenses (registration, airfare, rental car, train,
mileage on a personal vehicle, and hotel). Meals may not be included in requests for
conference travel funding. Students who receive Bren funding to attend a conference likely
will not be funded again in the same year. PhD students who have advanced to candidacy
may apply once to the Graduate Division for funding to present a paper or poster at a
conference.
Student Off-campus Travel Insurance
Students participating in off-campus activities sponsored and supervised by the University
are covered worldwide, 24 hours a day, when traveling out-of-state or overseas by ACE
USA.
Coverage benefits include:
 Emergency Medical Evacuation: If you are injured or become ill and cannot be
treated locally, ACE will provide emergency transportation to the nearest hospital
where you can be effectively treated.
 Out-of-Country Medical Expenses: If you are overseas and need to be treated
because you are sick or injured this coverage will pay your medical expenses
($10,000 max/occurrence).
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

Security Extraction: If you are in a dangerous situation outside your control, ACE will
work to get you out of danger.
Travel Assistance Services: If you need to find a hospital, lose your passport, need
temporary financial assistance, you can call ACE and they will help.
To be covered students participating in UC-sponsored programs and traveling out-of-state
or overseas must register their travel plans prior to departure. Students register by going to
www.uctravel.org and filling out the "Business Traveler Insurance" form. Upon registration,
you will receive a Confirmation of Coverage card, which should be carried by the traveler
until you have returned from the trip. Please contact the campus Risk Management office at
805-893-2860 if you have questions or required additional information.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The Bren School Career Development program offers valuable services to Bren School MESM
and PhD students. Services provided to current Bren MESM and PhD students, and alumni
include:
 workshops on resume design, cover letter design, networking, and interviewing
 speaker series with professionals in environmental science and management
 access to job postings
 feedback on resumes, curriculum vitae, and cover letters
 access to career resources offered through the Career Center and Periodical Room
 access to the Alumni Network
 assistance with the job search process, including contact information for potential
employers
 access to resources offered through the career development section of the Bren
School website
Career Center (BH 2524)
The Career Center (BH 2524) contains a few computers for student use, a small table and a
library of books on careers, job search, etc. The Career Center can be used as a quiet room
(in addition to a place for career development exploration) but it cannot be used for
meetings (unless you are meeting with Career staff regarding internships and jobs). Contact
a Career Development staff member about any issues related to the Career Center.
BREN STUDENT RESOURCES
Mail/Mailboxes
Each Bren student has a mailbox located in the Student Mailroom (BH 2406). The mailroom
is open on Monday-Friday at 8:00-5:00. The most common use for these mailboxes is for
professors and TAs to return homework assignments and exams. You are responsible for
getting to the mailboxes before the room is locked, and for checking your box regularly.
Faculty and staff mailboxes are located in BH 2530. Staff members with offices in the
Dean’s Suite also have boxes conveniently located next to the copy machine in the Dean’s
Suite. The faculty and staff mailroom, and the Dean’s Suite are open on Monday-Friday at
8:00–5:00, except for occasional early closures for special events.
Incoming and outgoing mail is limited to official University business only. No stamped mail
is accepted to the outgoing mailbox in the Instructional and Scheduling Assistant’s cubicle in
the Dean’s Suite (BH 2400C). All off-campus mail must have a budget code marked on the
envelope so that the correct account is charged for the mailing expense. UCSB Mail Services
will not process stamped personal mail.
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To process personal mail, a United States Post Office is located in the UCen, and the nearest
mailbox for stamped personal mail is behind the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL)
building.
When you leave the University (temporarily or permanently), the United States Postal
Service (USPS) will not forward your mail addressed to the University of California.
Submitting a “Change of Address” to the USPS for a University address will not work.
Therefore, you need to change your address well in advance of your departure from the
University, as the Bren School will not be able to forward your mail to you.
Copy Machines
The Bren School’s photocopier for student use is located in the Davidson Student Commons.
The copier/printer in the Student Mail Room (BH 2530) is for staff and faculty only.
Problems with the copiers should be reported to the Bren School’s Purchasing Coordinator
(purchasing@bren.ucsb.edu; BH 2522).
Each student is assigned a copy code, which consists of the last 5 digits of your perm
number. To activate your code, please see the Purchasing Coordinator
(purchasing@bren.ucsb.edu; BH 2522). Logout by pressing ACCESS A (on the right-hand
side of the machine), and press LOGOUT on the touch screen.
Copy usage will be billed to your BARC account on a monthly basis. Group Project copy use
also is billed on a monthly basis. Copies are $0.05 each, and double-sided copies count as
two copies. There is no limit on the amount of copies you can make, but you will have to
pay for them.
The closest public copiers are located in the Davidson Library and the UCen (Alternative
Digital Printing).
Printing
Printing costs are: $0.06 for black and white, and $0.13 for color. Pages are double-sided by
default and charges are per page of the document, not per piece of paper. MESM students
receive $20 per year of free printing. This is to cover light printing and printing mishaps
(jams, double prints). Printing expenditures over $20 will be billed to your BARC account
monthly. Refunds will not be given for unused funds from print allocations or from added
funds. Funds are not transferable. Cancelled jobs and errors, even those caused by machine
error, cannot be credited -- so make sure you really want to print your job before hitting the
print button. Monthly printing reports will NOT be sent. If you wish to inquire about how
much you have printed, please send an email to request@bren.ucsb.edu. Financial
managers for Group Projects and Eco-E Projects may move funds from the group’s account
to an individual's print account so that person can print on behalf of the group. It is not
possible to print as a project, only as an individual.
Fax Machines
The fax machine is located in the Dean’s Suite and is available for business use on MondayFriday at 8:00-4:00. The machine may not be used for personal faxes.
To use the fax, please see Bren Resources Coordinator Dee White (BH 2400A). You must
provide to Dee your materials, fax number and budget number to be charged. Dee will send
the fax for you and bill the account. If you do not provide a budget number, then you will
not be able to send the fax. The closest public fax machine is in the UCen (Alternative
Digital Printing).
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Students may receive faxes using the Bren School’s fax machine. The number for incoming
faxes is 805-893-7612. Make sure the sender identifies you as a “Bren School Student” and
includes your name on the fax coversheet. You will need to go to the Dean’s Suite to collect
the fax.
Media Equipment and Conference Phones
The Bren School has a variety of media equipment (e.g., conference phones, laptop
computers, LCD projector) available for instructional purposes, special presentations, and
committee and research-related conference calls. This equipment must be reserved at
least 48 hours in advance by contacting scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. Priority is given to
instructional uses of the equipment, and there is no overnight checkout. Feel free to ask for
instruction on how to use the equipment.
You are responsible for picking up the equipment, setting it up, and immediately returning it
after use. Equipment use is timed so everyone has access to the equipment they need at
the right time, so please return equipment immediately for the next user. You will be held
accountable for any lost or damaged items. If you suspect there is a mechanical problem
with the equipment, please notify a Bren School staff member immediately.
To use phones for calling out of the Bren School, you will need an authorization code that
can only be generated if you have an account to charge (e.g. a Group Project, Eco-E Project
or other research account). There is no charge for receiving calls so, if you do not have an
authorization code, the caller will need to call you at the Bren School.
If you are using a projector in a classroom, it is imperative that you log off the computer
and turn the projector off before leaving. To turn off the projector, press the POWER button
on the remote control twice! If you only press POWER once, the projector will remain ON.
Projector bulbs are extremely expensive ($500/bulb) and we cannot afford unnecessary
replacements.
Email
Please review the email use policies posted on our website under Internal
Services/Computing/Computing Policies/Email Use Policy. Email is used frequently to
communicate among Bren faculty, staff and students. To help reduce inefficiencies caused
by excess or abundant email, please cc others only when they really need to know. In most
cases, if an email is requesting action, it is best to address the email to only one person
(and cc others as appropriate) so it is clear who needs to take responsibility. Please be
consistently professional in your email correspondence and realize that your email message
may be forwarded to others. Forward emails with extreme care and respect. If you are
forwarding email written by someone else, it is generally best to get their approval before
you share it with others. If at all possible, communicate in person (not by email) if the
subject matter has the possibility of creating conflict or controversy, has the potential to be
misunderstood, or to fuel anger or upset.
Bren-Alerts
Bren-alerts is an email listserv used to announce Bren events that are open to the public.
All Bren MESM and PhD students are automatically subscribed to bren-alerts. If you would
like an announcement sent electronically, please send it to media@bren.ucsb.edu and it will
be distributed appropriately. Students may not distribute messages through bren-alerts.
Announcements of non-public events are made the email aliases described below.
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Email Aliases
A number of aliases have been set up to ease email communicate with large groups within
the Bren School. For example, an email sent to grad2013@lists.bren.ucsb.edu will be
distributed to all MESM students in the Class of 2013. A list of the most common Bren
School aliases can be found on the Bren website. Please note that these aliases are for
business use and are not for advertising products for sale, expressing personal opinions,
seeking rides, announcing a personal party, etc. Generally, students should NOT send email
to all@bren.ucsb.edu. If you have a question about how to send an email message to a
large group at Bren, please contact the Student Affairs staff.
Events
The schedule of public events (and all recent events) can be found on the Bren School
website under Events & Media/Events. In addition, an announcement is distributed to all
MESM and PhD students via bren-alerts in advance of the event. Events not open to the
public but open to Bren MESM and/or PhD students will be announced using an appropriate
alias.
Each week, “THIS WEEK AT BREN” (or “TWAB”) is distributed by email by the Academic
Programs Coordinator. THIS WEEK AT BREN is a single email message where you will find
announcements for upcoming talks, workshops, short courses and activities, as well as
deadlines and other important information for students. There is a link at the bottom of
each THIS WEEK AT BREN email to a Google calendar that includes events and workshops
happening at Bren each week. Feel free to submit a message to scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu
with information that is relevant for THIS WEEK AT BREN.
Printed announcements and flyers may not be posted on walls or elevators in Bren Hall. All
notices should be posted on the bulletin boards in the Interaction Room (Student Kitchen,
BH 3328), the Student Mailroom (BH 2406) or the Faculty/Staff Mailroom (BH 2530). Please
do not post flyers in other campus locations unless you have explored the rules for proper
posting.
Bren-Random
The Bren-random listserv has been established for Bren students, faculty and staff who
would like to send and/or receive personal email (e.g., advertising products for sale,
expressing personal opinions, seeking rides, etc.) other than official Bren business. If you
would like to subscribe to Bren-random, please follow the instructions on the Bren website
under Internal Services/Computing/Email & Scheduling. While personal messages may be
distributed on Bren-random, there are a few guidelines for use. Failing to follow the
guidelines may result in your removal from the Bren-random listserv. Your communication
on Bren-random may be viewed by a wide range of individuals since it is available to anyone
in the Bren community (including current students, alumni, faculty, staff, community
members and potential employers). You should consider how others, in the Bren community
and beyond, may perceive you based on your communication via Bren-random. The Bren
School does not allow use of profanity or language that is disrespectful to others in the Bren
community on Bren-random. We reserve the right to remove students who violate these
guidelines from Bren-random.
Request Queues
The Bren School has established request queues for help, repairs, and frequently needed
services. Please use these e-mail queues for your requests so they can be properly directed
and handled. Normally, more than one staff member monitors these queues so your email
will not be missed if one person is out sick or on vacation. Common Bren School request
queues include:
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





admissions@bren — to obtain information about the Bren MESM and PhD programs,
apply to one of these programs, and inquire about visiting the Bren School.
brenhall@bren — to request repair or maintenance of Bren Hall systems, as well as
lab and field work designs and equipment.
media@bren — to request distribution, via bren-alerts, of potentially newsworthy
information that promotes the Bren School, its students, and/or its faculty. Also, to
submit questions/queries related to print or electronic communications and
materials, such as newsletters, press releases, photographs, and Bren logos.
request@bren — to report issues relating to networks or computers or other
hardware/software problems at the Bren School.
gradasst@bren — for current students to obtain information and/or request
assistance from the Student Affairs staff.
scheduling@bren — for Bren students, staff, and faculty to request use of a room in
Bren Hall and to receive assistance regarding the schedule of classes, registering for
classes, grade reporting, and other instructional support issues.
webmaster@bren — to request changes to or report problems with the Bren website.
Corporate Time Calendars
UCSB uses a calendaring program called Corporate Time (CT). CT allows users to set up a
meeting with one or more people in Bren and/or across campus or to identify possible
meeting times. It also is used for scheduling of some rooms (see below). A request for a CT
account will be submitted for each student at the beginning of the program. Typically, it
takes at least two weeks after the quarter for the request to be processed and for an
account to be set-up. Please review the information on the website under Internal
Services/Computing/Email & Scheduling for guidance on how to use CT.
Scheduling Meetings with Faculty and Staff
Meetings with the Dean should be scheduled through the Dean’s Assistant Doris Bleecher
(doris@bren.ucsb.edu; BH 2433) Direct scheduling of faculty and staff using Corporate Time
should NOT be done without their permission. You should use Corporate Time to identify
date/times of possible meeting times. Please email faculty or staff to request a meeting
date/time. You should suggest a few possible dates/times that might work based on your
review of Corporate Time calendars. If you do not get a response after a reasonable amount
of time, then please follow up with a second message.
Bren School Logo
The Bren School logo is the graphical representation of the Bren School. Students may use
the Bren School logo, for example, on posters, project briefs, and other academic materials
generated at the Bren School. However, the Bren School logo must be used in its entirety
and may not be altered in any way (e.g., shape, color, background). The Media Liaison
James Badham (james@bren.ucsb.edu) provides guidelines and the logo for Bren student
use.
Training Videos for Office and Adobe
There are Microsoft Office 2007 and Adobe training videos available for one-day checkout.
These may be checked out from the Academic Programs staff (scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu)
in the Dean's Suite (BH 2400). Videos are available for the following programs:
 Access 2007
 Word 2007 - discs 1 & 2 and formatting long documents
 Illustrator CS4
 InDesign CS4
 Dreamweaver CS4
 Photoshop CS4
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BREN HALL
Stewardship of Bren Hall
Bren Hall was built in 2002 and is platinum certified as both LEED™ (Leadership in
Environmental and Energy Design) Platinum and LEED™ EB (existing building) Participant.
Currently, Bren Hall is the only building in the world that holds this distinction. We are proud
of our building and appreciative of the wonderful educational and work environment that it
provides.
The Bren School exhibits a commitment to a higher standard of maintenance and
cleanliness than most of campus. These days, the University provides extremely limited
janitorial support. Thus, Bren Hall occupants (faculty, staff, and students) must maintain
the cleanliness and tidiness of our building so that we have a clean and comfortable
workspace. Bren School staff (including the Assistant Dean, Director of Development,
Director of Career Development and Alumni Relations, Finance and Operations Manager and
all other Bren staff members) comprehensively clean Bren Hall before fall quarter and over
spring break. Students must do your part to keep the building clean, pick up after
yourselves, and maintain student spaces. Many tours of Bren Hall are given throughout the
year, so it is important that the building stays clean at all times. Occasionally, individuals
who are touring the building also are considering a gift to the School to support students,
programs, and/or research activities.
Emergencies/Safety
If there is an emergency, including an emergency security problem, call 9-911 from a
campus phone. For non-emergencies, call the UCSB police at 3446 from a campus phone.
Please do not hesitate to report suspicious activity or people in or around Bren Hall.
Community Service Organization (CSO) Escorts may be arranged by calling 2000 from a
campus phone.
First Aid kits are located in the Student Interaction Room/Kitchen (BH 3328) and Dean’s
Suite Kitchen. Please report any health or safety incidents to our Department Safety
Representative at brenhall@bren.ucsb.edu.
If an alarm sounds, you MUST vacate Bren Hall even if you know that it is a test. Some
potentially dangerous chemicals are used in Bren Hall, so we insist that everyone
immediately leave the building once an alarm sounds. University police may ticket people
who do not vacate the building when the alarm sounds.
During an alarm, Bren Hall occupants should meet between Bren Hall and Harold Frank Hall
(Engineering) near the bike path. By gathering in one location during an emergency,
administrators will better be able to assess whether or not all occupants are out of the
building and emergency personnel (wearing red vests) will provide instructions.
Keys
If you lock yourself out of a room, please see the Resource Coordinator Dee White in the
Dean’s Suite (BH 2400A) during business hours. Please be careful not to lock yourself out of
the building after hours. If you a key for an office, lab or meeting room, please ask your
faculty or staff sponsor to send an email to Dee (dee@bren.ucsb.edu) to authorize your
request because Dee cannot issue a key to a student until she has received the
authorization.
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Building Security
After regular business hours, the security code/fingerprint recognition system is required for
entry into the Bren Hall laboratory wing. The fingerprint recognition system also is required
after hours to enter the Davidson Student Commons, Student Computing Facility (computer
lab), Bonsai Room, and to operate the elevators. Bren graduate students will receive a
security code and have their fingerprint scanned during Orientation.
To keep the elevator open for an extended period of time, use the DH (door hold) button.
Holding the doors open manually causes the elevators to freeze, and maintenance will need
to come to unfreeze and allow the elevator to function again. Doors should NEVER be
propped open after regular business hours.
Evening Lighting
For safety and security reasons, the hallway lights must be on at night. The hallway lights
are connected to a single entire circuit, so we cannot turn off one light without turning off all
of them. While this issue has been resolved in the construction of newer buildings on
campus, Bren Hall is stuck with this problem.
Classrooms/Meeting Rooms
Bren Hall has a variety of classrooms and labs where almost all Bren courses are held, and
meeting rooms to support collaborative academic projects. Students may reserve Bonsai
(BH 4402), Manzanita (BH 4024), and the Visitors Center via Corporate Time. To schedule
another meeting room, please send your request to scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. The Dean’s
Conference Room is generally reserved for administrative meetings and occasional classes
and, typically is not available for student meetings, except in rare cases. Classrooms and
meeting rooms in Bren Hall include:
1st floor:
 Colloquium (BH 1414)
 Seminar (BH 1424)
 Sycamore (BH 1510)
 Oak (BH 1520)
 Visitors Center (BH 1410)
2nd floor:
 Dean’s Conference Room (BH 2436)
3rd floor:
 Pine (BH 3526)
4th floor
 Bonsai (BH 4402)
 Manzanita (BH 4024, lab wing)
Classrooms and meeting rooms are generally locked around 4:45 pm by janitorial or Bren
staff. If a room is locked during regular business hours and you need access, please come
to Dean’s Suite for assistance or send email to scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu. When you are
finished with a room, please make sure that you leave the room clean and tidy. Please turn
off the data projector when you are finished. To turn off the projector, press the POWER
button on the remote control twice. If you leave the projectors on, the bulbs will burn out
much more quickly. Since each bulb costs $500, we cannot afford unnecessary
replacements. If you use a room after hours, be sure it is locked when you leave.
33
Student Meeting Rooms
Students are responsible for scheduling their own rooms for academic meetings, including
Group Project or Eco-E Project meetings, PhD committee meetings, PhD defenses, and other
academic purposes. Three rooms are officially designated as student meeting rooms: Bonsai
(BH 4402), Manzanita (BH 4024), and the Visitors Center. All rooms are equipped with a
computer have a wall mounted screen for video display. The Bonsai room is equipped with a
conference call phone, and the Visitors Center has Skype conference calling capabilities.
Manzanita does not have a phone line. The Visitors Center and Manzanita are only available
during business hours but Bonsai is available anytime since it is equipped with a code lock,
which uses the same code as the Bren Hall lab wing and computer facilities.
To schedule Bonsai, Manzanita or the Visitors Center:

Open Corporate Time.

Click on “File,” then “Agenda,” then “Open.”

Replace your name with “r:esms”. You will see a list of Bren resources (rooms and
equipment).

Scroll down to the room you want to schedule (Bonsai, Manzanita, or Visitor Center).

Double click to open the calendar for that room.

Schedule your meeting if the room is free at the desired time.

List your name and email in the title of the meeting so that you can be contacted if
there is a conflict.
Regular student meetings (such as Group Project or Eco-E Project meetings) should
NOT be scheduled at 11:30 am – 12:30 pm on Monday-Thursday since this is the
time for Colloquia and Career talks.

The scheduler MUST confirm room availability before scheduling, and NEVER schedule over
an existing reservation. If the meeting is canceled, the reservation should be removed from
Corporate Time IMMEDIATELY since other students may want to schedule the room.
If Bonsai, Manzanita and the Visitors Center are booked and you need another meeting
room for academic purposes, please send a request to scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu.
Davidson Student Commons (BH 3330)
The Davidson Student Commons is a room for Bren students to study, relax, and meet with
groups, etc. UCSB graduate Jim Davidson (1990) made a generous gift to the Bren School
to furnish the room with tables, couches, chairs, cabinets, and artwork made from recycled
metal. Please do not tape anything to the Commons walls because it degrades the surfaces.
The computers in the Davidson Commons are assigned to specific MESM groups working on
Group Projects and Eco-E Projects. While all Bren graduate students are free to use the
Davidson Commons, priority for use of a specific computer must be given to the MESM
group that has been assigned to that computer. Computers are assigned to MESM groups in
spring quarter of the 1st year. When the Group Projects and Eco-E Projects are completed at
the end of the winter quarter of the 2nd year, the groups must vacate their computers and
leave their associated spaces clean for the next group. When a group member is not
working on their computer, it may be used by any Bren graduate student.
The Davidson Commons also may be used to study or meet in groups, when necessary.
However, the noise level should be kept reasonable, so students on the computers can
concentrate. Like all common spaces in Bren Hall, students are responsible for keeping the
Davidson Commons clean!
34
Student Computing Facility (BH 3022)
The Student Computing Facility or SCF (BH 3022) is a computer lab solely for Bren
students. The SCF is unlocked during business hours and is available for Bren student
access after business hours with a security code. For more information on computer
accounts, security, and computing policies please the Bren website under Internal Services/
Computing. If you encounter problems with the computing hardware or software, please
send an email to request@bren.ucsb.edu.
Infrequently, Bren labs or workshops are scheduled in the SCF. This may happen during the
discussion sections of some of the MESM core courses. In this event, students will be asked
to leave the SCF during the period of instruction. Students may access other computers in
the GIS lab or the Davidson Commons.
Our expectation is that students will have utmost respect for people and property
throughout Bren and will conduct their activities in a professional manner and with a high
degree of integrity. Food and drinks in spill-proof containers are allowed in the SCF, as long
as trash is disposed of properly and nothing is spilled on the computers. The Compute Team
reserves the right to ban food and drinks from the SCF if computers are ruined or the room
is not kept clean.
Students have the responsibility to regulate the noise level in the computer labs. Typically,
more discussion and a moderate noise level have been appropriate for the SCF, while a low
noise level has been expected in the GIS lab. This provides opportunities for students to
work together and engage in discussion (SCF), while other students are able to concentrate
more deeply and quietly on individual work (GIS lab). We recommend that students adhere
to this unwritten, student-initiated policy for regulating noise. If noise becomes an issue and
a student-initiated solution is not found, please communicate your concerns to your Dean’s
Advisory Council (DAC) representatives.
Reading Room (BH 3312)
The Reading Room (BH 3312) is a quiet space, reserved for individual studying only.
Students are not allowed to talk, hold meetings or study sessions, or store personal items in
this room.
There are many books and periodicals available for student use in the Reading Room. The
Academic Programs staff will place at least one copy of each required textbook or reader for
core courses in the Reading Room. There also may be copies of books for elective courses if
we receive free copies from the publisher or donated copies from faculty and students. You
are welcome to use these materials, but they MAY NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE READING
ROOM. Please return all materials to the proper shelf when done.
Do NOT leave donated books in the Reading Room. If you have a book that might be an
appropriate donation, please contact the Academic Programs staff at
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu.
Interaction Room/Kitchen/Patio (BH 3328)
The Interaction Room is an informal space for Bren School students and contains a kitchen
area and lockers for MESM students. The patio is a common space that can be used for
lunch, study sessions, etc. Surfboards and wetsuits are NOT allowed on the patio. Rather,
students should store these items in the surfboard and wetsuit storage area behind Bren
Hall.
35
Lack of cleanliness in the kitchen can easily become a problem with so many students using
one small space. Students are responsible for cleaning up after themselves, including spills
in microwave, refrigerator, or counter top. The refrigerator is available for use on a daily
basis but is not intended for long-term food storage.
It is the students’ responsibility to keep the Interaction Room, kitchen and patio clean, and
free of trash, dirty dishes, old food, clothes, etc. Please recycle your cans, bottles, plastics,
office paper, newspaper, and cardboard. There are a variety of cleaning supplies located
under the sink in the kitchen.
If you experience a recurring problem that is preventing student areas from being kept
clean, please contact the Student Affairs staff at gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu. We also
recommend reporting the problem to your Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) student
representatives.
MESM Student Lockers
The Bren School owns and maintains 120 lockers in the Bren Kitchen (BH 3328) for use by
currently enrolled Bren MESM students. For more information and to apply for a locker, you
must please complete and sign a locker request form, which will be sent out by the Student
Affairs staff, and is due by the date/time specified by the Student Affairs staff.
Deckers Deck
Many Bren events are held on Deckers Deck overlooking the ocean. Students are welcome
to use Deckers Deck unless a private event is in progress as indicated by signs at both
entrances to the deck. Please be keep noise levels low on the deck to minimize disruption to
ongoing work conducted in Dean’s Conference Room and the dean’s and staff offices
adjacent to the deck.
Smoking
University policy prohibits smoking in or near buildings (including the Michael J. Connell
Courtyard and Deckers Deck).
Alcohol Sale and Service
The Bren School strictly adheres to UCSB regulations related to sale and service of alcohol.
We do not allow the serving of alcohol in Bren Hall except at Bren-sponsored events that
have a purpose beyond the consumption of alcohol. It would not be appropriate, for
example, for students to bring alcohol to the University and serve and consume it to
celebrate the end of a challenging class. All service of alcohol must be approved by the Bren
School administration.
Bicycles and Bike Racks
We encourage the use of bicycles as a mode of transportation to and from school.
However, bikes cannot be stored in or around Bren Hall; they must be locked in designated
bike rack areas. If you do lock your bike around or on Bren Hall, you may receive a ticket
from the University Police and/or your bike may be confiscated.
Bike Locker
The Bren School has a bike locker located behind Bren Hall. We have approximately 8
spaces for student use. Spaces in the bike locker are available for a year via a lottery.
Resource Coordinator Dee White will send information on the bike locker lottery to students
at the beginning of fall quarter.
36
Surfboard and Wetsuit Storage Area
The outdoor surfboard and wetsuit storage area was the class gift from the MESM Class of
2011. This area, located between Bren Hall and Parking Lot 1, has limited space for
students, staff, and faculty to store their surfboards and wetsuits, and also a shower to
rinse the sand and saltwater from yourself and your gear. Surfboard and wetsuit storage is
NOT allowed in Bren Hall as the building and shower have been degraded by salt water and
sand on the floors and in the elevators. Please rinse well before entering Bren Hall and keep
your surfing gear in the storage area. The storage facility will remain locked and can be
accessed with a key kept in a lock-box by the door. Space in the locker will be determined
by a quarterly lottery. Bren Hall Building Manager Sage Davis will send information about
the lottery each quarter.
Shower
A shower for students, faculty, and staff is available on the 3rd floor of the Bren Hall lab
wing across from the restrooms. The shower is for a quick rinse after exercising, not for
daily personal hygienic use or any other purposes. The custodial staff is responsible for
cleaning the showers. Be sure to take your personal items with you after showering;
personal items left in the shower area will be disposed of. Please do not track any sand into
the shower; it corrodes the pipes and will quickly ruin this resource. If sand is tracked into
the shower, facilities will close the shower to further use. To remove sand after surfing,
running or other beach recreation, please rinse off thoroughly with the shower provided in
the surfboard storage area. As noted in the section on the surfboard storage area, all
wetsuits and surfboards must be stored in the surfboard storage area and NOT in the Bren
Hall shower or kitchen balcony.
Building Maintenance
The Bren Hall Building Manager is Sage Davis. All issues related to the building (burned out
lights, leaks, heating/cooling malfunctions, problems with locks, etc.) should be reported
immediately to the Building Manager at brenhall@bren.ucsb.edu. Please do not assume that
someone else has reported a problem. It is better for the Building Manager to receive too
many reports about the same incident than to not get any.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found is managed by Resource Coordinator Dee White (dee@bren.ucsb.edu) in BH
2400A.
Recycling
The Bren School has a strong commitment to maintaining an effective recycling program,
which requires that we recycle accurately.
Description
Bin Type
Location
High Grade paper
Printer paper
White envelopes (windows OK)
Manila folders
Bound books w/ high grade paper
Office Paper
Newsprint
Nexus
Independent
Other Paper
SCF
GIS
3L kitchen
Davidson Commons
Mail Rooms
Print Rooms
Admin reception
3L kitchen
Mail and print rooms
Admin reception
37
Description
Bin Type
Location
Shredded Paper
Other Paper
Glossy paper
Magazines
Catalogs
Other Paper
Pasteboard
Cereal boxes
Frozen food boxes
Notepad backs
Milk Cartons
Corrugated Cardboard
Shipping boxes
Pizza boxes (only if clean)
Other Paper
Any Hard Plastic
Plastic, Glass, and
Aluminum
Styrofoam
Any Metal
Aluminum cans
Steel cans (“Tin” cans)
Aluminum foil (Clean, please)
Food Glass
NO!
Plastic, Glass, and
Aluminum
3L kitchen
Mail Rooms
Print Rooms
Admin reception
3L kitchen
Mail Rooms
Print Rooms
Admin reception
3L kitchen
Mail Rooms
Print Rooms
Admin reception
NOT RECYCLABLE
3L kitchen
Mail Rooms
Print Rooms
Admin reception
3L kitchen
Staff kitchen
Print Rooms
NOT RECYCLABLE
3L kitchen
Staff kitchen
Print Rooms
Lab Glass
Electronics
Batteries
CD’s, DVD’s, diskettes
Cell Phones
Waste Food; Tear or cut large pieces
No dairy, meats, or citrus
CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights)
NO!
Techno Trash
Techno Trash
Techno Trash
Cell Phone bin
Food collection bin
NO!
Other Paper
Plastic, Glass, and
Aluminum
Off campus
38
3L kitchen
Staff kitchen
Print Rooms
NOT RECYCLABLE
3L kitchen
3L kitchen
3L kitchen
3L kitchen
3L kitchen refrigerator
Staff kitchen fridge
Home Depot
SECTION II: MESM PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The Master of Environmental Science & Management (MESM) program is a two-year
professional degree program designed for individuals who plan to work in interdisciplinary
science and management or policymaking in the private, public or non-profit sectors. The
program focuses on application and problem solving and has three parts: core courses,
specialization electives, and the Group Project or Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E) Project.
Required Units
Each student in the MESM program is required to complete a minimum of 80 units as a
partial requirement for the MESM degree. The units include core courses (32 units), group
project OR Eco-E project courses (12 units), and an approved set of elective courses
(minimum of 36 units).
MESM students may take up to 8 units of their 36 required elective units as S/U (graduate
courses) or P/NP (undergraduate courses) rather than for a grade if they choose. It is NOT
recommended that you take primary courses for your specialization S/U. Any units taken
above and beyond the 80 units required to earn a MESM degree do not have to be taken for
a letter grade.
A normal course load for MESM students is 16-18 units per quarter. MESM students are
strongly discouraged from taking more than 18 units. MESM students should reduce the unit
load in winter quarter since you will be actively engaged in internship exploration during
winter quarter of your first year and you will be preparing your Master’s Project defenses
and final products during winter quarter of your second year.
Core Courses
MESM students are required to take 9 core courses and complete a Master’s Project.
Typically, MESM students take all core courses in their 1st year. MESM core courses are:
 ESM 201: Ecology of Managed Ecosystems (4 units)
 ESM 202: Environmental Biogeochemistry (4 units)
 ESM 203: Earth System Science (4 units)
 ESM 204: Economics of Environmental Management (4 units)
 ESM 206A&B: Statistics & Data Analysis (2 units each)
 ESM 207: Environmental Law & Policy (4 units)
 ESM 210: Business and the Environment (4 units)
 ESM 241: Environmental Politics and Policy (2 units)
 ESM 251: Economics and Environmental Policy Analysis (2 units)
 ESM 401A, B, & C: Group Project (4 units each) OR
 ESM 402A, B, & C: Eco-E Project (4 units each)
MESM students must earn a grade of B or better in all core courses. This is a Graduate
Division requirement; we are NOT able to grant exceptions to this rule. In addition, there
are no classes that can substitute for these requirements. If you earn less than a B in a core
course, you will have to re-take the course and improve your grade before you will be
eligible for graduation.
Deferring a Core Course
If you are pursuing the Eco-E focus or taking an elective that is offered every other year,
you may want to discuss with your specialization advisor or the course instructor the
possibility of submitting a petition to defer a core course. If you would like to defer a core
course, you must complete a Bren School Petition (available from the Student Affairs office
or on the website at Academic Programs/Schedule of Classes). On the petition, you must
39
explain why you would like to defer the core course and confirm your commitment to
earning a B or better in the course. You must submit the completed petition to the Student
Affairs staff and they will arrange for a review of your petition by the Assistant Dean. If your
petition is approved, then you may defer the core course to your 2 nd year.
It is not advisable to defer a core course because some core courses are prerequisites for
electives. You should check the prerequisites guide on the website at Academic
Programs/Schedule of Classes to confirm the prerequisite for the elective courses you would
like to take. Another consideration is that if you do not earn a B in the deferred core course,
then you will need to retake the course in a 3rd year of study.
The following courses may not be deferred (except under unusual circumstances): ESM 251
Economics and Environmental Policy Analysis (which is a prerequisite for ESM 204
Economics of Environmental Management), 206A&B: Statistics and Data Analysis, and ESM
401A Master’s Group Project or ESM 402A Eco-E Project.
Waiving a Core Course
If you already have a SUBSTANTIAL portion of the knowledge and skills that the core course
provides, then you may want to discuss with the instructor the possibility of submitting a
petition to waive a core course. First, you should review the course syllabus on the website
at Academic Programs/Courses to confirm that you possess a substantial portion of the
knowledge and skills provided by the course. If you believe that a waiver is justified, then
you must complete a Bren School Petition (available from the Student Affairs office or on
the website at Academic Programs/Schedule of Classes). On the petition, you must list
related courses you have taken, indicate the grades you earned in those courses, attach the
syllabi, and describe your related work experience or other knowledge of the field. You must
submit the completed petition and supporting materials to the Student Affairs staff and they
will arrange for a review of your petition by the Assistant Dean and course instructor.
The Student Affairs staff will notify you regarding whether or not you may proceed with an
evaluation or examination to confirm your knowledge and skills. If so, you must arrange
with the course instructor a date and time to take the evaluation or examination. Different
instructors use different methods for evaluation; the instructor will explain his/her method.
Following the evaluation or examination, the instructor will determine whether or not you
are qualified to waive the core course.
Ideally, the petition and evaluation process should be completed at least two weeks
before the start of the quarter that the course is offered. If you have not received
approval to waive a course before pre-enrollment, then you should enroll in the course and
then make alterations to your schedule later if the petition is approved. If your petition is
approved, then you do not need to take the core course but you must take another elective
to meet the 80-unit minimum requirement for the MESM degree. In other words, a waived
core course carries 0 units toward the 80-unit minimum.
If a waiver is not approved, then you will be required to take the course. Students have the
right to appeal the decision to the MESM Program Committee. In this case, you would need
to submit explanation of why you feel that the instructor’s evaluation was not accurate or
fair to the Student Affairs office. An appeal review usually takes at least three weeks.
All waivers for core courses must be approved by the end of spring quarter of the
1st year in the MESM program. A petition for a waiver will not be considered after this
time.
40
Specializations
MESM students must develop depth of knowledge in one of seven specialization areas. Your
specialization is the area in which you develop depth of knowledge.
 Coastal Marine Resources Management (CMRM)
 Conservation Planning (CP)
 Corporate Environmental Management (CEM)
 Economics and Politics of the Environment (EPE)
 Energy and Climate (EC)
 Pollution Prevention and Remediation (PPR)
 Water Resources Management (WRM)
Specializations are NOT formal degree programs defined by the Graduate Division; they are
areas of study shaped by Bren School faculty expertise. You will need to declare a
specialization to complete a Program of Study (POS) form (see below) by the end of winter
quarter of your 1st year and a Graduate Check form in spring quarter of your 2 nd year. Your
specialization will not be identified on your diploma. Your diploma will confirm your
completion of the Master of Environmental Science and Management (or MESM) degree.
Each area of specialization has a faculty advisor or co-advisors. Although you may consult
any Bren faculty regarding your elective courses, your specialization advisor must review
and approve your POS form. The Bren School website at Internal Services/Committees has
a current list of faculty advisors for each specialization.
For each specialization, there is a specialization description on the Bren website under
Academic Programs/Master’s that describes the recommended curriculum, the training
objectives and the career opportunities. At the beginning of fall quarter, specialization
advisors lead an information session about each specialization, which offers students the
opportunity to learn more about each specialization and ask questions. Students may attend
as many specialization information sessions as you like.
Each student is required to take at least 36 units of electives to complete a specialization.
The requirement for the MESM degree is a single specialization and 80 units, including 44
units of core courses and Master’s Project and 36 units of specialization electives. Typically,
specializations require a small set of primary electives that almost all students in that
specialization will take. However, each specialization offers a tremendous flexibility and
students should work with specialization advisors to plan a Program of Study that is
appropriate for you. Typically, MESM students begin taking specialization electives in the
spring quarter of their 1st year and they finish in the 2nd year.
First year MESM students must declare a tentative specialization by the end of the 2 nd week
of winter quarter to guide the section of Master’s Group Projects. This informal statement of
intent does not preclude you from changing specializations. You must choose a primary
specialization (required for graduation with the MESM degree) by the end of winter quarter
of your 1st year.
Some students may be interested in pursuing two specializations. If you intend to pursue
two specializations, then you will need to complete 36 units of electives within each
specialization in addition to the core courses and Master’s Project. This does not mean that
you will take 72 units of specialization electives, however. Most specializations have overlap
among requirements. While you will take all required primary electives for each
specialization, you may be able to count some electives (e.g., technical courses such as
modeling or GIS) toward two specializations. If you are planning to pursue a secondary
specialization, then you need to complete another supplemental POS form that describes
41
the electives that you plan to take. You will need to meet with the faculty advisor for your
secondary specialization and he/she will need to review and approve your proposed POS for
the secondary specialization. The secondary specialization form is available on the website
at Internal Services/Academic and Student Affairs.
Specialization Listservs
There are specialization listservs to which students may self-subscribe. These listservs
provide a convenient way for specialization advisors to contact students within each
specialization. Students who have not yet chosen a specialization or are pursuing two
specializations should feel free to subscribe to more than one list.
The link and instructions to subscribe to any list is below:
https://ic.ucsb.edu/mailing_lists/bren/
1) If you don't already know your Bren/ICESS Mailing Lists account password:
a. Click "First Login?"
b. Type in your email address
c. Click "Send me my password"
d. Check your email for the password you need to log into the Mailing Lists web
page
2) Login to the Mailing Lists web page.
3) Click 'list of lists' tab at the top of the page.
4) Click on the specialization list(s) to which you wish to be subscribed.
5) In the right hand column, there will be a link called "Subscribe"; click on it to
subscribe
6) NOTE: You will need to repeat the above process if you wish to be unsubscribed from
the list
If you have any questions, please contact request@bren.ucsb.edu.
Foci
Any Bren graduate student may supplement their program of study with courses in a
particular focus. The focus does not substitute for the core, specialization of Master’s
project. Instead, the focus is complementary and supplemental to the required coursework,
and provides students with the opportunity to learn important professional skills. The Bren
School offers a focus on Strategic Environmental Communication and Media
(Communication focus) and Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E focus).
Strategic Environmental Communication & Media Focus
Any one of the seven specializations can be enhanced by adding a special focus in Strategic
Environmental Communication and Media, a joint initiative between the Bren School and the
Carsey-Wolf Center. Students in this focus pursue additional coursework to learn how to
communicate effectively and strategically around environmental issues. To add the
Communication focus, students must take the required courses, listed below and on the
Communication focus webpage.
The Communication Focus is supplemental to and may not substitute for the MESM core
courses, specialization electives and Master’s Project. Some of the required classes for the
Communication focus may serve as acceptable electives for a student’s chosen
specialization if they contribute to the goals and objectives of the specialization and build
depth of knowledge and skills relevant to the specialization. With approval from the
specialization advisor, one or more courses from the Communication focus may be included
in the POS as specialization electives.
42
Students who intend to pursue the Communication focus must complete the supplemental
form for the Communication focus, which is posted to the Internal Services/Academic and
Student Affairs website. On the form, students should list the courses they plan to complete
to satisfy the requirements of the focus. Once the student has completed the form, he/she
should arrange to meet with the Communication Program Manager (currently the Assistant
Dean) to review the focus requirements and receive a signature of approval. The
supplemental form to declare the Communication focus is signed by the Communication
focus Program Manager, not the specialization advisor. Any communication courses that
have been approved by the specialization advisor for inclusion on a student’s POS should be
listed on both the primary POS and on the supplemental Communication focus form.
Communication Focus Coursework
The Communication focus consists of 12-units of required coursework: two required primary
courses (4 units each), plus a minimum of 4 elective units. Bren students pursuing the
Communication focus must take the following primary courses:
 ESM 440: Introduction to Strategic Environmental Communication (4 units)
 ESM 449: Environmental Communication Practicum (4 units)
Students must take at least 4 units of electives to supplement the primary coursework for
the Communication focus. Communication electives include:
 ESM 269: Survey Design and Environmental Public Opinion (2 units)
 ESM 441: Introduction to Environmental Media Production (2 units)
 ESM 442: Grassroots Organizing and Campaigning (2 units)
 ESM 444: Writing about the Environment for the Public (2 units)
 ESM 445: Social Media and the Environment (2 units)
 TMP 244: Entrepreneurial Marketing (2 units)
Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E) Focus
Any one of the seven specializations can be enhanced by adding a special focus in EcoEntrepreneurship (Eco-E), a joint initiative between the Bren School and the Technology
Management Program (TMP) of the College of Engineering. Eco-E students pursue additional
coursework and activities that provide them with skills and support to launch new ventures,
products, and technologies that address society's environmental and resource problems. To
add an Eco-E focus students must take the required classes and participate in the required
activities described on the Eco-E information page on the website.
The Eco-E Focus is supplemental to and may not substitute for the MESM core courses,
specialization electives and Master’s Project. Some of the required classes for the Eco-E
focus may serve as acceptable electives for a student’s chosen specialization if they
contribute to the goals and objectives of the specialization and build depth of knowledge
and skills relevant to the specialization. Electives for the Corporate Environmental
Management (CEM) specialization have substantial overlap with courses for the Eco-E focus.
Some Eco-E electives also may be relevant to other specializations. With approval from the
specialization advisor, one or more courses from the Eco-E focus may be included in the
POS as specialization electives.
Students who intend to pursue the Eco-E focus must complete the supplemental form for
the Eco-E focus, which is posted to the Internal Services/Academic and Student Affairs
website. On the form, students should list the courses they plan to complete to satisfy the
requirements of the focus. Once the student has completed the form, he/she should arrange
to meet with the Eco-E Program Manager to review the focus requirements and receive a
signature of approval. The supplemental form to declare the Eco-E focus is signed by the
43
Eco-E Program Manager, not the specialization advisor. Any Eco-E courses that have been
approved by the specialization advisor for inclusion on a student’s POS should be listed on
both the primary POS and on the supplemental Eco-E focus form.
Eco-E Focus Coursework
The Eco-E focus consists of a 10-unit series of primary Eco-E courses at the Bren School and
at least 4 units of Eco-E electives at the Bren School and TMP. Bren students pursuing the
Eco-Entrepreneurship focus must take the following courses:
 ESM 256A: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (2 units)
 ESM 256B: New Venture Opportunity Analysis (4 units)
 ESM 402A: New Venture Formation (2 units)
Students must take at least 4 units of Eco-E electives to supplement the primary
coursework for the Eco-E focus. Eco-E electives include:
 ESM 230: Strategic Planning for Non-Profit Ventures (4 units)
 ESM 269: Survey Research Design and Evaluation (2 units)
 ESM 279: Financial Management and Environmental Accounting (4 units)
 ESM 285: Environmental Markets (4 units)
 TMP 240: Business Strategy and Leadership Skills* (4 units)
 TMP 241: Managing for Innovation* (4 units)
 TMP 244: Entrepreneurial Marketing* (3 units)
 TMP 246: New Venture Finance* (3 units)
 TMP 250: Managing Operations (3 units)
 TMP 251: Patents and Intellectual Property (3 units)
 TMP 252: Business Planning for New Ventures (4 units)
 TMP 255: New Product Development* (4 units)
*Also a course requirement for the Graduate Program in Management Practice (GPMP)
certificate offered by the TMP (see below).
If you are considering pursuit of the Eco-E Focus, please review the recommended schedule
for Eco-E students.
Graduate Program in Management Practice Certificate
Several electives for the Eco-E focus (those marked with asterisks above) also are part of
the curriculum for the Graduate Program in Management Practice (GPMP), a UC-recognized
certificate offered by the TMP. Eco-E students at the Bren School may take a few additional
classes to earn the GPMP certificate. The GPMP requires 16 units of coursework and also
requires that students practice the concepts they have learned by participating in either an
internship (160 hours in a management role) or the New Venture Competition. To earn the
certificate you also must fill out a Graduate Student Petition to officially add GPMP as an
additional degree objective. You will need to obtain the required signatures, including the
Bren Graduate Advisor (currently the Assistant Dean) and the GPMP Certificate Program
Advisor. If you would like to add the GPMP Certificate as a degree objective, you should
complete the coursework and submit the Graduate Student Petition at least one quarter
before graduation.
Master’s Projects
The Group Projects and Eco-E Projects are the Bren School’s equivalent of a master’s thesis.
All MESM students are required to complete EITHER a Group Project and the associated
courses ESM 401A, B, and C, OR an Eco-E Project and the associated courses ESM 402A, B,
and C. There are no exceptions.
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Group Projects
Primary contacts for matters related to Group Projects are:

Academic Programs Coordinator

James Frew, Professor, Chair of the Group Project Committee (frew@bren.ucsb.edu)
Associated courses: ESM 401A, B, and C
The Group Project Guidelines are on the Bren School web site under Internal
Services/Academic & Student Affairs/Master’s Projects.
In mid-fall quarter, the Group Project Committee chair and staff will present a 1-hour
information session about Group Projects for 1st year MESM students. The information
session will be announced by email. The information session will focus on how to write a
Group Project proposal and also will provide an opportunity for students to ask questions
about Group Projects.
In fall quarter, the Bren School solicits Group Project proposals. We welcome proposals from
any person or organization. Group Project proposals should identify an environmental
problem and propose to develop a solution based on science and technology. The solution
should be applied in some capacity, for example, through recommendations, models, policy,
legislation, business practices, etc. For information on submitting a Group Project proposal,
please see the Group Project RFP posted to the website under Research & Projects/Master’s
Projects. To view examples of last year’s successful proposals, please see our current Group
Projects webpage. The deadline for submitting a Group Project proposal for the 2014-2015
academic year is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014. Proposals or questions about
submitting a proposal should be directed to the Academic Programs Coordinator and the
Assistant Dean at projects@bren.ucsb.edu.
MESM student submission of a Group Project proposal is OPTIONAL. However, there are a
number of reasons why you might want to propose a Group Project, including: 1) you want
to work on a project in specific area; 2) you have a research question that you want to work
on and that fits the criteria for a Bren Group Project; 3) you want to work with a particular
firm, agency, or organization; 4) you want to gain experience in proposal writing; 5) you
want to have greater control over the Group Project assigned to you.
Up to two student proposers of accepted projects are guaranteed spots on the project if
they want it. Please note that if more than two students work on a proposal for an accepted
project only two of them (identified by the group or, if necessary, randomly by the Group
Project Committee) are guaranteed assignment on that project.
Project selection is a competitive process (just like the real world), whereby a committee of
faculty and students select the projects that best fit the Bren School criteria and student
interests. If you prepare and submit a proposal, there is a chance that your project may
NOT be selected. The Bren School typically receives at least twice as many proposals as
projects pursued, so the odds of selection can be less than 50%.
The primary factors in proposal selection are the quality of the proposal, its alignment with
Bren educational objectives, and the value of the educational opportunity that it presents.
While student-initiated proposals are valued, the best proposals (regardless of the affiliation
of the author or co-authors) are selected by the Group Project Committee.
In fall quarter, three 1st year MESM students are elected by their peers to serve with faculty
and staff on the Group Project Committee. The committee evaluates and selects
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proposals in February. Members of the Group Project Committee that have submitted
proposals MUST recuse themselves from evaluation and voting on their proposed project.
Students who are on the committee do not have a greater likelihood of getting their project
selected.
Once the committee has completed the selection process, accepted proposals are made
available and the students on the Group Project Committee conduct a project overview
session for their peers about the selected projects.
Master’s Project assignments (including Group Projects and Eco-E Projects) are made near
the end of winter quarter. Students are assigned to projects by a computer-based
optimization routine. Students must allocate 100 points across projects, with a maximum of
80 points for any one project and a minimum of 4 project options. Students also may
allocate points to more than 4 projects. The optimization routine determines the optimal
overall groupings based on students’ revealed preferences determined by their point
allocation. Groups are typically limited to 5 participants. Inevitably, not all students will be
assigned to their first choice so it is important for students to identify several projects of
interest. Almost every student gets his/her first or second choice and, typically, only a few
students get their third or fourth choice. Please be prepared for this outcome.
It is important to remember that the process of managing and completing a project is more
important than the actual topic of the project. As a professional you will have to work on a
range of different projects, and, in most cases, you will not get to choose what you work on.
You will need to do a great job on all of projects, even those that are less exciting to you.
In spring quarter of the first year, MESM students working on Group Projects begin
research, write a workplan, and host a meeting with their faculty advisor, client and
external advisory committee. In the fall quarter of the second year, the groups continue
working on research and product development, and host a second meeting with their faculty
advisor, client and external advisory committee. MESM students prepare a defense of their
group project, reviewed by two independent Bren faculty members, in mid-winter quarter of
their second year. On the second Friday of spring quarter, the Bren School hosts Public
Presentations during which all second-year MESM students give oral presentations and
posters on the findings of Group Projects and Eco-E Projects.
Past group project reports and policy briefs are also posted on the Bren website under
Research & Projects/Master’s Group Projects/Past Group Projects.
Eco-E Projects
Primary contacts for matters related to Eco-E Projects are:
 Emily Cotter, Eco-E Program Manager, ecotter@bren.ucsb.edu
Associated courses: 402A, B, & C
The Eco-E Project Guidelines are on the Bren School web site under Internal
Services/Academic & Student Affairs/Master’s Projects.
MESM students have the option to complete either a Master’s Group Project or an Eco-E
Project to fulfill core requirements. The Eco-E Project prepares students for careers as
solution-oriented environmental entrepreneurs who can identify opportunities where market
demands overlap environmental solutions. Students who complete an Eco-E Project will
develop a business model, build a prototype concept, and create a go-to-market strategy
for a new environmental venture.
46
Eco-E Project goals are for students to 1) gain training and experience in developing a
business model in preparation for launching a real enterprise; 2) develop agile thinking
skills to serve market needs and solve complex environmental problems; and 3) learn
leadership skills and build effective teams.
Bren MESM students who intend to submit a proposal for an Eco-E Project must enroll in
ESM 256B New Venture Opportunity Analysis during the winter quarter of their first year.
Students engaged in an Eco-E Project are encouraged to supplement their Eco-E Project
coursework with the GPMP coursework offered by TMP during the spring quarter of their first
year and the fall quarter of their second year.
Students working on an Eco-E Project will prepare a defense of their work in fall quarter of
their second year.
Students who complete Eco-E Projects also are required to participate in the Bren Net
Impact New Venture Competition and the UCSB New Venture Competition during the winter
of their second year. These two events give students experience pitching new ventures in a
competitive setting and provide potential opportunities for real funding. Presentation for the
Bren Net Impact New Venture Competition also will be reviewed by Bren faculty members
on the Eco-E Project Committee, who will provide evaluations and feedback to students
engaged in Eco-E Projects.
On the second Friday of spring quarter, the Bren School hosts Public Presentations during
which all second-year MESM students give oral presentations and posters on the findings of
Group Projects and Eco-E Projects.
Student Advising and Support
The Bren Student Affairs office is the primary contact for all Bren School MESM students,
applicants, and potential applicants. You may contact the Student Affairs staff (Dori Molnar
and Corlei Prieto) at gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu. If you need advice, information, assistance
on any school-related matters, or just need to talk, please contact them. They will assist
you or refer you to other individuals or resources as necessary and/or appropriate.
You are also welcome to contact staff members who oversee specific program or activities.
For example, if you have questions related to course or room scheduling, grades,
registration, or group projects, you may contact the Academic Programs staff at
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu.
The MESM degree is not like an academic master’s degree in which you work closely with a
particular faculty member who guides your education and oversees your research activities.
Instead MESM students are advised by their Group Project or Eco-E Project advisor and their
specialization advisor (who must approve their Program of Study), and by any other Bren
faculty and staff, as appropriate.
MESM students should actively manage their education and be proactive in developing
relationships with faculty and staff, and seeking academic and career development advice.
Program of Study (POS)
Each MESM student designs an individualized Program of Study (POS) that is appropriate for
his/her chosen specialization, given the student’s particular background, interests, and
goals. The POS form includes the core courses (32 units), Group Project or Eco-E Project
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(12 units), and electives for a primary specialization (a minimum of 36 units). The POS form
also includes a course workload plan for each quarter beginning the spring of the first year
of study. The POS form must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate specialization
advisor. A digital copy and a hard copy signed by the specialization advisor must be
submitted to the Student Affairs office (gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu) by the last day of
instruction of winter quarter of the 1st year of study (March 14, 2014).
Some students also may choose to pursue a secondary specialization. In this case, the
student must complete a Supplemental POS form for the secondary specialization and meet
with the appropriate specialization advisor to build a suitable Program of Study that includes
at least 36 units of relevant coursework for the secondary specialization. Some courses
(e.g., technical courses such as GIS) may count toward both the primary and secondary
specializations.
MESM students should not declare three specializations unless they plan to extend their
Program of Study over a period of three or more years. There is not sufficient time within
two years of study to complete core courses, a Group Project or Eco-E Projects and more
than two specializations.
The steps for developing your POS are as follows:
1. Review the example POS for your chosen specialization(s)
A sample POS for each specialization is available on the Bren web site under Internal
Services/Academic and Student Affairs. These are examples; your POS does not
have to include the same courses, the same number of categories, or even the same
categories as the sample POS. There are also sample POS plans for each
specialization posted on the web page for that specialization.
2. Download the MESM Program of Study Form
The MESM Program of Study form may be downloaded from the Bren web site under
Internal Services/Academic and Student Affairs/MESM Programs of Study. You must
use the POS form for your class. DO NOT use the sample POS forms. If you plan to
pursue a second specialization, you also will need to download the Supplemental POS
form for a secondary specialization.
3. Develop options for electives in your chosen specialization(s)
The specialization description on the Bren website under Academic
Programs/Master’s should guide the development of your POS. Each specialization
has “key” courses that all students in that specialization generally take. The
specialization advisor will likely not approve a POS lacking key courses. While some
courses are strongly recommended for a particular specialization, generally the POS
is quite flexible to accommodate the student’s interests within the specialization
area. Students also may take other electives of interest which may or may not be
approved for the primary specialization.
For guidance on the courses and course schedule, please see the Bren Listing of
Courses and Curriculum Plan as well as course listings in other UCSB departments.
Your POS form does not need not be limited to ESM courses. You may and are
encouraged to take courses from other departments.
4. List categories of study and elective courses on the POS form
The POS form provides space to identify general categories of study within each
specialization (e.g., key courses, technical courses, policy electives, science
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electives, etc.). Students should list a few options for electives that may be taken in
each category of study to maintain sufficient flexibility.
For each of the categories in your POS:
 List the possible courses you plan to take.
 Please note how many courses and the number of units in that category
which you plan to take.
If you list only the courses that you think you will take and do not provide any
options, then likely will need to meet with your specialization advisor again to gain
approval for a revised POS. However, if you list several options for electives in each
category and indicate how many units from each category that you will take, then
you can pursue the options of greatest interest to you (or those that work best in
your schedule) without having to schedule another meeting with your specialization
advisor.
You should not list all of the courses that are possible to take in the specialization
because that does not provide sufficient specificity for your advisor to consider.
Remember, the primary objective of a strong program of study is to build depth of
knowledge in a particular area. Blending a few courses from several different
specializations does not constitute sufficient depth of understanding to qualify as a
specialization.
As part of the POS form, you will need to complete the tables to indicate your
proposed course workload in spring of your first year and each quarter of your
second year. On this section of the form, you must list all of the courses that you
plan to take, including core courses, Group Project or Eco-E Project courses (ESM
401A,B, and C or ESM 402A, B, and C), electives for your primary specialization and
(optional) secondary specialization, and (optional) Eco-E focus and Communication
focus. You should plan to take approximately 16-18 units per quarter. If you
would like to take more units, then you will need to discuss the proposed workload
with your specialization advisor.
5. Plan to take a minimum of 80 units
Your POS should include the coursework that will bring your total number of units to
a minimum of 80, including core courses (32 units), Group Project and Eco-E Project
(12 units), and electives for your primary specialization (at least 36 units).
MESM students may take additional coursework to broaden your education and build
new skills. However, you should include on your POS form only your core courses,
Group Project or Eco-E Project and electives for your primary specialization.
Supplemental coursework (including any courses that count toward a secondary
specialization or the Eco-E or Communication focus) should only be listed in the last
section of the POS that indicates your course workload by quarter.
6. Schedule a meeting with your specialization advisor(s) before the end of winter
quarter of your 1st year
Once you have drafted your POS, you must meet with your specialization advisor(s)
either individually or in a small group of students in the same specialization. You
should contact the specialization advisor directly to arrange your meeting. Your
specialization advisor will review your proposed Program of Study and provide
suggestions. Your specialization advisor can help you select electives that will help
build the skills that you will need for your future career. Once the advisor has
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confirmed that you have met the requirements for the specialization, he/she will
approve and sign a hard copy of the POS form.
7. Submit your approved POS form by the end of winter quarter
Once the specialization advisor has approved and signed your POS form, you must
submit a digital copy and the signed hard copy to the Student Affairs office
(gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu) by the last day of instruction of winter quarter (March 14,
2014).
8. (Optional) Complete a Supplemental POS form for a secondary specialization, if
desired
While some students may want to pursue two specializations, it is not the norm and
not necessarily better than single specialization. Depending upon a student’s
background, experience, and goals, developing greater depth in a single area of
specialization may be a better career development strategy than adding a second
specialization. Please discuss the pros and cons thoroughly with both specialization
advisors before proceeding with a second specialization.
Students who would like to add a secondary specialization will need complete a
Supplemental POS form, which may be downloaded from the Bren website at
Internal Affairs/Academic and Student Information. The supplemental form should
include only electives that count toward the secondary specialization. To complete a
secondary specialization, students must take at least 36 units of electives that
count toward the secondary specialization. As noted above, some electives (e.g.,
technical courses such as GIS) may count toward both the primary and secondary
specialization. If that is the case, then these electives should be listed on both the
POS form and the supplemental POS form.
9. (Optional) Adding a focus
Any student may choose to add a focus to supplement his/her POS. The focus is
supplemental and does not substitute for core requirements, specialization electives
or Group Project or Eco-E Project. MESM students may add a focus in Eco-E or
Communication. The Eco-E focus requires 14 units of coursework and the
Communication focus requires 12 units of coursework. To add the specialization,
complete the supplement form for the intended focus and schedule a meeting with
the Eco-E Program Manager (Emily Cotter) or the Communication Program Manager
(currently the Assistant Dean). The program managers serve as advisors for the foci
and will review your proposed POS. The program manager’s approval and signature
are required on the supplement form. Once you have obtained the approval and
signature, please submit the supplement focus form to the Student Affairs office. In
some cases, the courses required for the focus may also count toward the primary
and/or secondary specializations. If that is the case, then students may list the focus
electives on the POS, supplemental POS and supplemental focus forms, as
appropriate. Any proposed coursework for a focus must be included on the POS form
in the quarterly workload section.
10. Making changes to your POS
It is likely that you will need or want to make changes to your POS. Keep in mind
that your POS is like a contract with the Bren School; any changes to it require the
approval of the specialization advisor. You should not take a course if it is not on
your POS. You would not want to find out after that fact that is not approved for
inclusion. Rather, if you want to take a course that is not on your POS, you should
first seek approval for an updated version of your POS. Simply send an electronic
50
version of your updated POS (clearly indicating the changes) to your specialization
advisor for approval and once you obtain approval forward the email along with the
updated POS, to the Student Affairs office (gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu). Alternatively,
you can submit a new signed hard copy of the modified form.
11. Check-in meeting with primary specialization advisor in fall quarter of the 2nd year
MESM students are required to schedule an individual or small group meeting with
your primary specialization advisor in the fall quarter of your second year. Plan the
meeting in early or mid-fall quarter because faculty advisors tend to be busy with
finals and papers at the end of the quarter and may not be able to accommodate a
meeting at that time. Bring your revised POS form to your fall check-in meeting. You
should discuss any proposed changes to make sure that you will meet the minimum
requirements of your primary specialization (36 units). Also plan to discuss your
course workload (number of units per quarter) and other responsibilities (e.g., parttime work or a student club). Your specialization advisor can help you develop
strategies for managing your workload. Your specialization advisor will need to sign
your revised POS form and then you should submit a digital copy and the signed
hard copy of your revised POS form to the Student Affairs office
(gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu). You must submit your revised and signed POS to
gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu on the last day of instruction of the fall quarter
(December 6, 2013).
Graduate (Grad) Check Form
The Grad Check Form is required by the Graduate Division in order to confirm that you
have successfully completed your approved POS and you are eligible for a MESM degree. All
2nd year MESM students must submit a Grad Check Form in digital and hard copy to the
Student Affairs office (gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu) no later than the 3rd week of spring
quarter (April 19, 2014). The Grad Check Form is posted on the Bren School website
under Internal Services/Academic & Student Affairs/MESM Programs of Study.
The first page of the Grad Check Form is exactly the same as the POS form. The second
page of the Grad Check Form is a single table where you must list your completed or inprogress coursework from your primary specialization only. You should not list any
courses that count toward a secondary specialization, Eco-E focus or Communication focus
UNLESS your primary specialization has approved those courses to count toward your
primary specialization.
You can copy and paste the information from the digital copy of your approved final POS to
your Grad Check Form rather than retyping all the information. However, you should
reformat the pasted tables so that you have only a single table with one header and a
subsequent list of courses from your primary specialization. You must include the course
number, course name, quarter and year when you completed the course and your grade for
all courses (except your final quarter grades for courses in progress). The total unit count
toward your primary specialization must be 36 or more.
Student Affairs staff will compare your Grad Check Form to your approved final POS to
confirm that you have completed the requirements of the MESM degree, including core
courses (32 units), Group Project or Eco-E Project (12 units), and your primary
specialization (at least 36 units). After the Grad Check Forms have been reviewed, the
Assistant Dean will sign the forms and the Student Affairs staff will deliver the signed Grad
Check Forms to the Graduate Division for a final confirmation that students have met the
MESM degree requirements.
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Summer Internship Fellowships
The Bren School places a strong emphasis on professional experience and expects all MESM
students to complete internships between their first and second year of study. Since summer
internships may be unpaid or low-paying, the Bren School has established Summer Internship
Fellowship funding opportunities. Students may apply for Summer Internship Fellowship
funding if they have an excellent summer internship opportunity that will create a financial
hardship, if accepted. The Career Development staff will distribute fellowship applications and
detailed information in winter quarter.
Fellowship applications are evaluated using the following criteria:





Ability to demonstrate financial hardship and degree of financial hardship
Quality of internship experience
Performance, accomplishments, and community service/involvement as a MESM
student
Geographic location of internship
How well the internship aligns with career objectives and the Bren School mission
Both “Donor Funded Summer Internship Fellowships” and “Corporate Partners Summer
Internship Fellowships” are awarded. Students are evaluated for both fellowships through
one application. A student may be awarded one or both fellowships.
A Donor Funded Summer Internship Fellowship is $1,000. Guided by the Office of
Development, recipients interact with their donors via letters of thanks throughout the
second year. In fall, the recipients are invited to meet their donors and share about their
summer internship experiences at the Annual Donor Recognition Dinner.
A Corporate Partners Summer Internship Fellowship is an award ranging from $100 to
$4,000, depending on financial resources in a given year and the number of qualified
applicants and their respective needs. Recipients’ names and internship titles are posted on
the Corporate Partners webpage on the Bren School website.
MESM Time to Degree
Normally, we expect that MESM students will graduate after completing the Spring Quarter
of their second year in the program. We are willing to accommodate students who have
personal, family, or work situations that would make it difficult to complete their MESM
degree in two years. Students that want to pursue this option must submit a Bren School
petition to the Student Affairs staff (gradasst@bren.ucsb.edu). In this case, students take at
least 8 units per quarter to maintain good standing in the University. However, students
must pay full fees/GSHIP, and tuition (if applicable) EACH quarter no matter how many
units are taken.
Students needing longer than two years will defer taking some of their core courses to their
second year. Which core courses to take in the first year and which to take in the second
year depend on the specialization pursued as well as an individual’s unique background. In
addition, students who take more than two years to complete their program generally do
not begin their group project until their second year so that they can complete adequate
coursework before embarking on their project.
Early Graduation
The MESM program is designed to be a two-year (six-quarter) program and students are not
encouraged to try to complete the program in less time since this may compromise their
educational experience. Heavy course loads required to graduate early may not allow
52
students to fully engage in and get the most out of their classes and Master’s project, and
participate in extracurricular learning opportunities and career development. Moreover, this
may contribute to overload and burn-out, which is not good for the student or the School.
Thus, the School does not disallow early graduation but does not encourage it.
If you have completed all the core courses, all the required coursework in your POS, and
have a minimum of 80 units, you may petition for early graduation. The petition must be
submitted to the MESM Program Committee for review no later than the 5th week of fall
quarter of the 2nd year of study (for early graduation after winter quarter). The Petition to
Graduate Early is located on the Bren website under Internal Services/Academic and
Student Affairs. Please keep in mind that even if you graduate early, it is expected that you
will (1) participate in the Master’s Project Presentation event during the 2 nd week of spring
quarter and (2) fully contribute to your group’s efforts to prepare for this event.
Specialization advisors cannot approve a revised POS that lack key courses for the
specialization just to enable a student to graduate early. In other words, the quality of a
student’s education and training cannot be compromised as a result of early graduation.
Moreover, the MESM Program Committee, NOT the specialization advisors, grants
exceptions to this policy. To pursue an exception, you must submit a Bren School Petition
Form as well as your current POS and proposed new POS to the Assistant Dean for
Academic Programs, who will facilitate a review by the MESM Program Committee.
Transfer/Continuation to the PhD Program
Occasionally, MESM students decide that they would like to transfer into the Bren PhD
program or continue in the PhD program upon completion of the MESM degree. This
requires that you have a Bren faculty sponsor who supports your application to the PhD
program and has agreed to be your advisor if you are admitted to the program. The PhD
program is not an extension of the MESM program. The MESM program provides a
professionally focused set of coursework and educational experience. The PhD is a research
degree and requires a strong interest in and the ability to conduct research and provide an
original contribution of knowledge. The PhD program at the Bren School is a mentoring
program so each PhD student works closely with at least one Bren professor in his or her
area of expertise.
If you are a MESM student interested in transferring into, or continuing on to, the PhD
program, first you must discuss this with relevant faculty (i.e. those who have research
interests similar to yours). If a faculty member conveys support for your application to the
PhD program and would be willing to take you on as a PhD student, then you must proceed
with submitting necessary application materials. You may not transfer or continue on to the
PhD to the program without a faculty sponsor.
For admission to the PhD program, you must submit the following materials to the Student
Affairs staff:
1. A memo to the Recruitment, Admissions, Support (RAS) Committee requesting that
you be considered for admission to the PhD program and the quarter/year that you
would like to begin.
2. A Statement of Purpose that clearly articulates your research interests and
objectives. It is unlikely that your Statement of Purpose for the MESM program is
appropriate since you were not applying to a research program.
3. A letter of recommendation from your intended faculty sponsor.
4. Your UCSB transcripts (unofficial are fine).
53
5. At least one and preferably two letters of recommendation from other faculty
regarding your potential as a researcher and ability to successfully complete the PhD
program.
For normal fall quarter admission, these documents must be submitted to Student Affairs
staff no later than the December 15. Please note that, although you may have the
support of a Bren School faculty member, the RAS Committee makes the final admissions
decision, and admission is not guaranteed. If you are admitted into the PhD program, then
you will need to submit a signed Graduate Student Petition to Graduate Division.
If you are interested in attending a PhD program in another UCSB department, please
contact that department’s Graduate Program Assistant for the guidelines on their
admissions/transfer process.
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SECTION III: PHD PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The Bren School offers a research-oriented PhD degree, the cornerstone of which is an
original work of research, presented as a dissertation, in an important area of
environmental science and management. Bren PhD students develop the broad knowledge,
analytical abilities, technical skills, and creative thinking required for leadership in
environmental science and management.
PhD Timeline Checklist
Year 1
□ Establish your Grade Point Average (GPA) in your first quarter of study by taking at least
one class for a grade.
□ Complete ESM 595SS [2 units over 2 quarters], 595SB [2 units], and 595PB [2 units]
prior by the end of the spring quarter of your second year.
Year 2
□ Every year, beginning in year 2, PhD students must submit a Bren Annual Review Report
Form by the end of week 5 of fall quarter (first year PhD students are exempt).
□ Submit Graduate Division PhD Form I and Bren Justification of PhD Committee Form no
later than the end of fall quarter of your second year.
□ Submit Graduate Division PhD Form IA and Bren Justification of Change to PhD
Committee Form to make changes to your PhD Committee.
□ Schedule and complete written examination by the end of spring quarter of your second
year.
□ Submit completed written examination to Student Affairs office.
Year 3
□ Work with PhD Committee to prepare dissertation proposal within 6 months of successful
completion of written exam.
□ Submit final dissertation proposal to your PhD Committee and Student Affairs office.
□ Schedule oral exam.
□ Complete oral exam by spring quarter of your third year.
□ File Graduate Division PhD Form II upon successful completion of oral examination.
Years 4 and 5
□ Complete research and dissertation.
□ Schedule session with communication expert Dr. Janet Kayfetz to prepare and practice
public defense (recommended).
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□ Schedule dissertation defense.
□ Defend dissertation.
□ Submit Graduate Division PhD Form III upon successful completion of defense.
□ Provide an electronic copy of dissertation to Student Affairs office.
□ File dissertation in library.
Required Units
The PhD degree is a research degree awarded upon demonstration of academic excellence
and performance of original research. To this end, PhD students must pass doctoral
qualifying examinations to demonstrate mastery of their chosen field and produce a
dissertation acceptable to the PhD Committee.
PhD students typically must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units per quarter to maintain
full time status and opportunities for financial support. Students must take 8 units of
required core courses (see below) in their first year and no later than their second year.
Students who pursue an emphasis, such as Economics and Environmental Science (EES),
also will take a series of required courses and associated exams. To maintain 12 units per
quarter, most PhD students will need to enroll in ESM 596 Directed Reading and Research
and/or ESM 599 Doctoral Dissertation Preparation.
1. ESM 596 Directed Readings and Research [1 - 12 units]
Independent study under the supervision of your Bren faculty advisor. To enroll in
ESM 596, PhD students should send a message to scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu
requesting an approval code. Academic Programs staff will provide the approval code
and then the PhD student should register on GOLD for the appropriate number of
units to maintain a course load of at least 12 units per quarter. If you are not taking
any other courses, then you should enroll in 12 units of ESM 596. If you are taking
other courses, then you may subtract the unit count of your other courses from 12
and register for the appropriate number of units of ESM 596.
Grade Point Average
All PhD students must establish a Grade Point Average (GPA) in your first quarter of study.
This means that you must take at least one course for a grade. Other courses may be taken
S/U.
Core Courses
Bren PhD students are required to enroll in at least six units of three core interdisciplinary
seminar courses. PhD students are required to take ESM 595SS Faculty Research Speaker
Series [1 unit] and ESM 595SB Proposal Writing [2 units] in the fall quarter and 595SS
Faculty Research Speaker Series [1 unit] in the spring quarter of your first year. PhD
students are required to complete ESM 595SB Collaborative Interdisciplinary Research [2
units] in the winter or spring of your first or second year of study. Students must complete
all PhD core courses prior to scheduling your oral exam.
1. ESM 595SS Faculty Research Speaker Series [1 unit in fall and 1 unit in spring]
Students will learn about interdisciplinary and disciplinary research conducted by
Bren School faculty and will be exposed to diverse perspectives about the process of
conducting interdisciplinary research. In each of two quarters, students will attend
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research seminars given by four faculty members, read manuscripts or published
papers on this research, and have discussions with the faculty members about their
approaches to interdisciplinary research. ESM 595SS is required for all 1 st year PhD
students and optional for other PhD students. Note: Students must complete 1 unit
in fall and 1 unit in spring. Grading is S/U.
2. ESM 595SB Proposal Writing [2 units in fall]
Students will learn about funding opportunities for interdisciplinary research and how
to write effective proposals. Each student will select a research question based on
his/her intended research. The instructors will guide students through the proposal
writing process, including formulating research questions, literature review,
development of hypotheses, approach, expected outcomes, broader significance,
budgeting, project timeline, etc. Proposals written by students must meet all of the
guidelines (e.g., required sections, length, formatting, etc.) for a real funding
opportunity (e.g., NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, etc.). Peer review at several
stages of the process will encourage critical thinking. ESM 595SB is required for all
1st year PhD students and optional for other PhD students. ESM 595SB should be
taken for a letter grade.
3. 595PB Collaborative Interdisciplinary Research [4 units in spring]
Students will be introduced to interdisciplinary collaborative research by working on
a research paper that engages different disciplinary perspectives. The co-instructors
will contribute their expertise in two or more disciplines (e.g., science, management,
policy, economics, business, law, etc.) to explore a research question in
environmental science and/or management. Instructors and students will collaborate
to develop a multi-authored paper that addresses the research question. Students
will learn and practice techniques for comprehensive literature review, group writing,
oral presentation, peer review, and appropriate referencing. ESM 595PB is required
for 1st or 2nd year PhD students and optional for other PhD students. ESM 595PB
should be taken for a letter grade.
PhD Time To Degree
The time to degree standards for the Bren School from the time you commence the doctoral
program are:
 Advancement to candidacy: three years
 Degree completion: five years
You may finish the doctoral degree in less than five years as long as you meet the residency
and degree requirements. PhD students who exceed six years will be placed on academic
monitoring to ensure timely completion of the degree.
Leave of Absence may be granted for medical, family emergency, or pregnancy/parenting
reasons. Three quarters of Leave of Absence are permitted during which no time shall
accrue toward the Graduate Division time-to-degree requirements. Additional Leaves of
Absence (more than three) or periods of lapsed status will not stop the Graduate Division
time-to-degree clock.
Students who exceed time-to-degree requirements by the Graduate Division are not eligible
for Bren School fellowships, University fellowships, or teaching assistantships.
Doctoral Levels
 P1 status: Student has not advanced to candidacy
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
P2 status: Student has advanced to candidacy; students can maintain P2 status for
up to 9 quarters and remain in good standing
P3 status: Student has exceeded maximum time allowed for P2 status (9 quarters);
students who exceed six years will be placed on academic monitoring to ensure
timely completion of the degree
Timeline*
Fall quarter, 1st year
Milestone
Action Completed
Complete ESM 595SS (1
unit) and ESM 595SB (2
units)
Spring quarter, 1st year
Complete ESM 595PB (2
units)
Fall quarter, 2nd year
Declare PhD Committee
Graduate Division Form I
Spring quarter, 2nd year
Complete written
examination
Spring quarter, 3rd year
Complete oral examination
Graduate Division Form II
th
Spring quarter, 5 year
Complete dissertation and
Graduate Division Form III
defense
*All PhD students are required to complete an annual review in fall quarter. First year
students do not need to complete the annual review.
PhD Advisor
All PhD students at the Bren School must have a PhD Advisor. Typically, the faculty member
who agreed to be your sponsor when you applied for the program will be your PhD Advisor
unless you switch advisors (with the new advisor’s approval) after commencing the
program. Your PhD Advisor is the chair of your PhD Committee and an advocate for you as a
student. Your advisor is responsible for mentoring you and assisting you in identifying
opportunities to secure financial support. Your advisor helps you define a research topic,
develop a study plan, and select PhD Committee members. You should meet with your
advisor on a regular basis. It is critical to choose a PhD Advisor with whom you can
communicate well. You are expected to be proactive in creating and maintaining open lines
of communication with your PhD Advisor.
PhD Committee
Your PhD Committee is comprised of at least three members of the University of California
(UC) Academic Senate, including two Bren School faculty members (including your advisor)
and a third UC faculty member. At least one of the two Bren faculty members must have an
appointment greater than 0% time. Your committee may include more than three members,
including members outside the UC Academic Senate who are knowledgeable in your subject
matter as long as they have a PhD degree or equivalent. Your PhD Advisor is the committee
chair. Your PhD Committee should assist you in producing an excellent doctoral thesis. At a
minimum, you should meet with your entire PhD Committee at least once per year.
Annual Review
Every fall quarter (excluding your first year in the program), your progress and performance
will be reviewed by the Bren faculty in a faculty meeting. For the review, you must prepare
a progress report using the PhD Annual Review Form and submit it to the Student Affairs
office.
Before submitting your report, you must convene a meeting of your PhD committee and
present your progress report for approval. All committee members must sign the report,
indicating that they have reviewed and approve your report. Concurrent telephone or Skype
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participation in a committee meeting is acceptable; however, the report must be signed by
the committee member who participated remotely.
The Bren School PhD Program Committee reviews your PhD Annual Review Form and
presents a report on your progress to the Bren faculty at a faculty meeting. Final decisions
about all students’ progress in the program lie with the Bren faculty. The faculty vote to
recommend either: (a) continuation in the program, (b) conditional continuation, or (c)
academic probation, which may lead to dismissal if concerns are not resolved. The first two
require a simple majority vote; a recommendation for academic probation requires a 2/3
vote. All students receive an Annual Review Reporting Form with the results of the faculty
vote, including any concerns and conditions set. A PhD Advisor also may recommend a
student for academic probation if the student is not making adequate progress toward
degree objectives.
STAGE 1: Forming Your PhD Committee
By the fall quarter of the second year of study, you must formally confirm your PhD Advisor
and select members of your PhD Committee. To nominate your committee, you must
complete Graduate Division’s PhD Form I: Nomination of Qualifying Exam Committee for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. On the PhD Form I, you will list the faculty members who
have agreed to be on your committee. Do not list a faculty member unless you have
received firm confirmation that s/he has agreed to serve on your committee. As part of the
PhD Form I, all PhD students must complete the Graduate Student Conflict of Interest (COI)
form. In addition to the PhD Form I, you must complete the Bren School’s Justification of
Proposed PhD Committee Form.
The completed forms should be submitted to the Student Affairs office, which will facilitate a
review by the Bren faculty at a faculty meeting. You should inform your PhD Advisor that
you have submitted the forms. Your PhD Advisor (and PhD Committee chair) will present
your proposed PhD Committee to the Bren School faculty for discussion and approval. If the
Bren faculty approves your committee (by a 2/3 vote), the Student Affairs office will inform
you and will submit the Form 1 to the Graduate Division. If your proposed committee is not
approved, the Student Affairs office will inform you and provide you relevant information to
guide revision and resubmission of the form.
Do not, under any circumstances, take written or oral exams without an approved PhD
Committee.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Graduate students may have opportunities to work in the private sector as part of their
education. These experiences complement the academic curricula and enhance its
relevance. However, situations where a faculty member has a financial interest in the
private entity have the potential to compromise the student’s academic interests. PhD
students have the ability to (a) move from one advisor to another advisor and to change
topic areas or research directions independent of the influence or pressures outside the
realm of scientific appropriateness and personal choice; (b) complete and publish a
dissertation and to freely publish, present, and otherwise disclose the results of research
both within the academic community and to the public at large; and (c) use research results
in future research and educational activities.
To protect these interests Graduate Division has adopted a Conflict of Interest Policy (COI
Policy). You are encouraged to review the full policy. In summary, the COI policy affirms
joint student and faculty responsibilities, as members of the University of California, in
relationship to potential conflicts of interest and provides mechanisms to ensure that
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outside activities are consistent with University policies. Specifically, this policy seeks to
identify cases where a faculty member’s financial interest may have negative effects on a
student’s academic interests. Answers to common questions about the COI Policy may be
found on the Graduate Division website at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/conflict-ofinterest.aspx.
When you propose your PhD Committee, you will complete the Graduate Student COI form
as part of the Graduate Division’s PhD Form I: Nomination of Qualifying Exam Committee
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. If a conflict of interest arises independent of the
nomination of your committee, you must submit the stand-alone Graduate Student Conflict
of Interest Form to the Graduate Division. The COI stand-alone form should be used if you
are employed by a private entity in which your PhD Advisor is a party to the agreement or
arrangement and has a financial interest.
Changes in PhD Committee
If you would like to make changes to your approved PhD Committee, then you will need to
complete Graduate Division’s Form IA – Changes in Thesis or Dissertation Committee. In
addition, you must complete Bren’s Form 1A: Justification of Proposed Changes to PhD
Committee. Both completed forms should be submitted to the Student Affairs office, which
will facilitate review by the Bren faculty at a faculty meeting. You should inform your PhD
Advisor that you have submitted the forms. Your PhD Advisor will be asked to present and
justify the proposed changes to your PhD Committee membership at a faculty meeting. The
Student Affairs office will inform you of the faculty’s decision. If the proposed changes are
approved (by a 2/3 vote), the Student Affairs office will submit the Form 1A to the Graduate
Division. Your proposed changes to your PhD Committee are not valid unless approved by
the Bren faculty.
Substantive Changes in Dissertation Research
Substantive changes in dissertation research are defined as major changes in the student’s
course of study and research (e.g., change of the PhD Advisor, new dissertation topic, etc.).
Your PhD Committee will determine if a proposed change is minor or major. If your PhD
Committee approves a major change in your dissertation research, then the Bren faculty will
review the proposed change and may approve the proposed change by 2/3 vote.
If a new thesis topic is chosen, and the change is considered major, you may petition the
PhD Program Committee to have your Bren timeline reset to allow you sufficient time to
prepare for written and oral exams in the new field. If you have already passed your written
and/or oral exam, you may be required to retake one or both.
STAGE 2: Written Examination
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the Bren School’s timeline
for PhD examinations and work closely with your PhD Committee to maintain an adequate
schedule. You are responsible for initiating the scheduling of your examinations as
appropriate.
Registration Requirements
You must be registered during the quarters you take written and oral qualifying exams.
Registration as a graduate student in the spring quarter maintains graduate student status
until the beginning of the next fall quarter. If you are registered in spring quarter, you may
take examinations or file a dissertation during summer without additional fees.
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The Written Examination
Normally, in spring of your second year, each Bren PhD student must successfully complete
a written examination. The written examination is prepared by your PhD Committee and is
intended to demonstrate the student’s expertise in your chosen field of study within
environmental science and management. Please note that although students pursuing the
Economics and Environmental Science (EES) Emphasis are required to take the Economics
Department’s written examinations, these DO NOT count as the written examination toward
a PhD at the Bren School. EES students are required to take both.
It is recommended that, well in advance of the examination, you organize and schedule a
meeting with your PhD Committee to prepare. In advance of the written examination, the
PhD committee will recommend a reading list as a guide for study and describe the nature
of the exam. Members of the PhD Committee prepare questions for the written examination
and the committee chair (PhD Advisor) coordinates the questions. The student typically may
work for up to 5 days on the written examination but the duration and format of the written
examination may vary. Within a month of the student’s completion of the exam, the PhD
committee prepares a written evaluation of the examination and the student receives an
overall grade in one of three categories:
1. Pass
2. Conditional Pass: You must repeat a portion of the written exam or in some way
satisfy the deficiencies. The deficiencies must be corrected within six months of
notification. If, for some reason, the deficiency cannot be corrected within six
months (i.e. a class is only offered once a year), then you may have up to 12
months to rectify the conditional pass.
3. Fail: You are allowed to retake the written exam within six months of notification. If
you fail your written exam, you likely will be placed on academic probation with the
condition that you must take the written exam again and pass. If you fail a second
time (or fail the written exam after a conditional pass), the Bren School typically will
recommend to the Graduate Division that you be dismissed from the Bren PhD
program.
You must submit the Bren Report on PhD Written Exam Form AND your written examination
questions (not answers) to the Student Affairs office within 30 days of the examination.
STAGE 3: Your Dissertation Proposal and Oral Examination
To advance to candidacy, all Bren PhD students must develop and defend a comprehensive
dissertation proposal and take an oral qualifying examination by the spring quarter of the
third year of study. The Graduate Division requires at least three consecutive quarters of
residence prior to taking the oral qualifying examinations.
The dissertation proposal is developed in close consultation with your PhD Committee. You
typically draft a proposal of initial ideas and then work with your PhD Advisor to improve the
proposal. Interaction with members of the committee and other experts is encouraged
during preparation of the proposal.
The final draft of the dissertation proposal should be approximately 15 pages and must be
submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination date. The
committee may request a change in the page or time limits (for example, if an outside
member needs more time).
The written dissertation proposal must:
 Describe the background and significance of the proposed dissertation research
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
Present the theoretical and conceptual framework of the study, including how it
builds on prior research on the topic, and
Explain the methodological approach including selection of research sites and
subjects/participants, description of data sources, or explanation of how the data will
be collected and analyzed.
The dissertation proposal also should include a timeline and identify financial or other types
of support essential for the proposed research. If relevant, the proposal must address the
use of any human subjects in the research.
Oral Examination
All Bren PhD students must take their oral examination in person at the Bren School. All
members of your PhD Committee must participate in the oral examination. The objective of
the oral examination is to ensure that you possess the full knowledge and competence
required to carry out the proposed dissertation research. The committee determines the
best way to evaluate your knowledge. The oral examination typically consists of a brief
presentation by you to describe proposed research followed by an extended critical analysis
of the proposal by you and committee members. Immediately after the oral examination,
the committee votes to either:
1. advance you to PhD candidacy,
2. allow you to take a second oral examination within 6 months, or
3. recommend you for academic probation.
If a second oral exam is recommended, the committee will vote for advancement or
probation following the second oral exam.
Advancement to PhD candidacy
Advancement to candidacy requires successful completion of your oral examinations and
submission of a Graduate Division’s PhD Form II: Report on Qualifying Examinations for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which must be signed by all members of your PhD
Committee. We recommend that you bring a copy of this form to your oral examination so
that, if you pass, you can obtain signatures immediately.
You must provide the Student Affairs office with a copy of the PhD Form II for your Bren file
prior to submission to Graduate Division. Then, you must take the completed PhD Form II
to the Cashier’s Office, pay the advancement-to-candidacy fee, and then file the form with
Graduate Division.
You have until the last workday before the next quarter officially begins (as indicated in the
University’s quarterly Schedule of Classes) to submit the Form II, which will officially
advance you to PhD candidacy at the start of the next quarter.
If you have Incompletes or No Grades on your record, then you are ineligible to advance to
candidacy until the Incompletes/No Grades have been removed. There are no exceptions to
this Graduate Division policy.
Advancement Privileges
Once advanced, Graduate Division notifies the Davidson Library that you are eligible for
doctoral candidate borrowing privileges as long as you are in “registered” status or on
approved Leave of Absence.
The quarterly non-resident tuition fee is waived for three years for doctoral students
(including international students) who have advanced to candidacy. Waiver eligibility begins
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with the first academic quarter following advancement to candidacy. Eligibility is not
extended during Leave of Absence or unregistered quarters. Because of this waiver, it is
important that non-resident students advance to PhD candidacy as soon as possible so that
they can take full advantage of this fee reduction.
STAGE 4: The Dissertation and Defense
To receive a PhD degree, you must perform original research that demonstrates your ability
to contribute significant, independent, and original scholarship. Your PhD Committee guides
you in this work and judges the merit of the completed research.
The dissertation must be presented in a form acceptable to the Davidson Library and meet
the filing requirements of Graduate Division. For details, see the Graduate Division’s Guide
to Filing of Theses and Dissertations on their website. You must submit a digital copy of the
final dissertation to the Bren School Academic Programs Coordinator. While it is not
mandatory to give a copy of your dissertation to your PhD Advisor and PhD Committee
members, it is customary.
To obtain a bound copy or copies of your dissertation, you may fill out a binding request
form and submit it to the Bren School’s Financial and Operations Manager in Bren Hall 2516
along with a check made out to “UC Regents” to cover the cost.
You are expected to work with your faculty advisor and PhD Committee to prepare your
dissertation. Typically, this iterative process occurs for several months prior to submission
of the dissertation. When you have completed the written dissertation to the satisfaction of
your committee, then you must give a public defense of your dissertation in person at the
Bren School. You must allow at least two weeks between the time you submit the final draft
of your dissertation to your PhD Committee and your public defense. To improve the focus,
content and delivery of your defense, the Bren School will provide the opportunity for PhD
students to work for up to three hours with a communication and presentation expert, Dr.
Janet Kayfetz. If you would like to schedule a meeting with Dr. Kayfetz to prepare for your
defense, please send your request to the Assistant Dean for Academic Programs Satie
Airamé (airame@bren.ucsb.edu).
The dissertation defense is intended to:
 Describe the significance of your dissertation research;
 Explain the methodological approach, including research sites, data collection
techniques or sources, and analyses;
 Present key findings and conclusions from your research; and
 Describe your contribution to the field, and potential applications or innovations
based on the research findings and explore potential future directions for the
research.
When your PhD Committee has indicated that you are ready to defend your dissertation,
you should select a date and time when all of your PhD Committee members can participate
in your defense. At least two weeks prior to that date, you must contact
scheduling@bren.ucsb.edu to request a room for your defense. Please provide scheduling
with the date and time of your public defense plus the time anticipated for the closed
session following your defense. Two weeks prior to your defense, you also must send the
following information to the Bren webmaster (webmaster@bren.ucsb.edu) for the
announcement of your public defense: your dissertation title, your name as you would like it
printed, the name of your advisor, abstract of your dissertation, short bio, and a photo (2 x
2 inches at least 72 dpi).
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After the public defense, the PhD Committee meets with you in a closed-door session to
evaluate the dissertation. Following this, the committee typically meets without you to
determine the outcome of your defense. The committee assigns one of three categories and
notifies the student immediately of the result:
1. Pass
2. Conditional Pass: The student must modify the written dissertation as recommended
by the committee.
3. Fail: The student must re-defend his or her dissertation after a delay of at least two
but no more than six months. A student who fails the dissertation defense likely will
be recommended for academic probation by the PhD Committee. A second failure of
the defense will result in a recommendation of the student’s dismissal to the
Graduate Division.
If you pass your dissertation defense, then you must complete Graduate Division’s PhD
Form III: Report on Final Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which must
be signed by all members of your PhD Committee. We recommend that you bring a copy of
the PhD Form III to your oral examination so that you can obtain signature immediately if
you pass. Please submit the approved and signed PhD Form III to the Student Affairs office,
which will file it with Graduate Division. You may file the PhD Form III directly with
Graduate Division if you provide a copy to the Student Affairs office.
Filing Fee Quarter Leave of Absence
The Filing Fee Quarter Leave of Absence status may be used in lieu of registration to
maintain the relationship between you and the University for the express purpose of
completing one final requirement (e.g., filing the dissertation and/or defense). The Filing
Fee Quarter Leave of Absence is to be used only if you have completed all other
requirements for the degree, will not be continuing on for another graduate degree, and will
not be holding a student appointment title or award, or extensively using University
resources or faculty time.
This use of the Filing Fee Quarter Leave of Absence requires that you to be enrolled in fulltime status and paying all required fees for the quarter prior to the filing-fee quarter. The
filing fee is half the amount of the registration fee (approximately $200). You pay the filing
fee on the day you actually file for your degree. You may not carry forward a Filing Fee
Quarter Leave of Absence from one quarter to the next. If, for any reason, you do not
complete your degree requirements during the approved filing fee quarter, then you will
have to register and pay full fees for the quarter in which you meet final degree
requirements.
To pursue a Filing Fee Quarter Leave of Absence you must file a Filing Fee Leave of Absence
Petition. Your PhD Advisor and the Bren School’s PhD Graduate Advisor must approve the
petition, verifying that you will finish during the proposed quarter. The petition serves as a
contract that commits you to file your dissertation that quarter in return for the privileges a
Leave of Absence confers.
Bren School Commencement
If you are planning to participate in the Bren School commencement ceremony (highly
recommended!), please notify the Student Affairs office in the fall or winter quarter of the
academic year you plan to graduate. You will need to submit the following information to
the Student Affairs office for the commencement program: your name as you would like to
be printed and announced during the ceremony, your PhD Advisor’s name, and your
dissertation title. You also will need to reserve your cap, gown and PhD hood as directed by
Student Affairs.
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