Departmental Scholars Program

Overview

The Departmental Scholars Program (DSP) is designed for exceptionally promising undergraduates in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. As an accelerated master’s program, the DSP allows students to earn their Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees simultaneously after completing one additional year of graduate level coursework and research.

To qualify for the DSP, students must already be conducting research with a faculty member in the department. While in the program, Departmental Scholars will maintain undergraduate status even though they are taking graduate level courses.

Eligibility Requirements

• Completion of preparation for the major
• Completion of 24 courses (96 units) at UCLA or a similar institution
  • If any of these courses are from another institution, a copy of the transcript from the other institution must also be submitted in your application.
• 3.5 cumulative GPA, major GPA, and upper division major GPA
  • You can check this on your Degree Audit Report under the “Major Upper Division Courses GPA Requirement” heading.
• Research with a Chemistry/Biochemistry faculty member

Note: If you are double majoring, your GPA for each major must meet these requirements. However, please reach out to the Undergraduate Office to discuss your options if you do not meet the requirements for your non-Chemistry department major.

How to Apply

Eligible students must submit a completed application, including letters of recommendation, by December 15th of their final year of undergraduate study. For example, a student planning to graduate with their bachelor’s degree in Spring 2025 should apply by December 15, 2024.

A completed application should include the following:

• Nomination form
• Statement of purpose (1-2 pages long, PDF format)
• Research Abstract (1-2 pages long, PDF format)
• Unofficial transcript (the PDF version of your unofficial transcript downloaded from MyUCLA)
• Two letters of recommendation (submitted directly by the faculty member)
  • One letter from your faculty advisor
  • One letter from a tenure-track faculty member

Students should submit their application materials to the Undergraduate Office (ugrad@chem.ucla.edu). Applications will then be reviewed by area advisors. If/when the application has been approved, an email notification will be sent to the student and their faculty mentor.

For a full overview of the program, click here. To learn more about the program, please contact the Undergraduate Office (ugrad@chem.ucla.edu).