Program Benchmarks

Program Benchmarks

Student Progress Assessments (SPA)

The Student Progress Assessment (SPA) is an online tool used to evaluate and document each graduate student’s academic and professional progress. Designed to foster meaningful conversations between students and their advisors, the SPA promotes goal-setting, clarifies expectations, and supports timely completion of degree requirements. This assessment must be completed every year between April 1 and June 30 for all continuing students. When the reporting period opens, students will receive an email notification prompting them to begin the process.

The assessment is typically completed during a one-on-one meeting between the student and their Faculty Advisor. This conversation is a chance to reflect on academic progress, review milestones like coursework and practicum preparation, and discuss future goals, including professional development and communication expectations.

Once submitted, the SPA includes an official rating of the student’s progress: satisfactory, marginal, or unsatisfactory. If a student receives a rating of unsatisfactory, the program will work with them to develop a plan for improvement. Students will have the opportunity to review and acknowledge the report, and may also submit comments to Graduate Studies, either shared with the program or confidentially, if needed.

To get the most out of the SPA process, students should prepare in advance by reviewing their transcripts, degree requirements, and upcoming milestones such as practicum proposals or comprehensive exam timelines. Bringing a completed Professional Development Plan to the meeting can also help guide the conversation and ensure alignment between academic progress and long-term career goals.

Sample of Annual SPA Report Questions

Advance to Candidacy

Each student must file an official application to Advance to Candidacy for the Master of Science degree and pay the candidacy fee after completing at least half of their course requirements (22 units). This must be done at least one quarter before completing all degree requirements. The Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) will provide instructions and support for submitting this form, typically in winter quarter of the student’s second year. For students in the 12-month accelerated track, this process usually takes place in spring quarter.

The candidacy application includes a proposed list of the courses the student will take to complete degree requirements. This includes core courses and required electives, but not specialization courses. If a student needs to modify their course plan after advancing to candidacy, those changes must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and submitted to Graduate Studies. Students must obtain digital signatures from both the Faculty Graduate Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator within GradSphere, UC Davis’s graduate student portal.

Once the candidacy application is approved, the Office of Graduate Studies will send a confirmation to both the GPC and the student. If the application is deferred, the student and program will be notified with the reason(s), which may include:

  • a GPA below 3.0
  • outstanding “I” (Incomplete) grades in required courses
  • insufficient completed units

Advancing to candidacy is a required step before you can graduate. If you're unsure of your timeline or have questions about your course plan, check in with your Faculty Advisor or the GPC.

 
Degree Completion

After successfully completing all coursework and components of the Comprehensive Exam, students will be recommended for graduation. To be added to the degree list for the quarter, students must complete two key steps:

  1. GradSphere Filing Process Form: Students are responsible for completing and submitting the Filing Process form through GradSphere. This signals to Graduate Studies that the student is ready to be filed for graduation. Detailed instructions will be provided by the Graduate Program Coordinator.
  2. Master’s Plan II Report Submission: Once all Comprehensive Exam components have been approved, the Faculty Advisor (serving as the Chair) will submit the Master's Report Plan II via GradSphere on the student’s behalf. This submission must occur by the last day of the quarter for the student to be officially added to the degree list.

Once Graduate Studies processes the paperwork, students will receive a degree conferral letter signed by the Dean of Graduate Studies. This letter confirms that all degree requirements have been completed and serves as official proof of completion until transcripts and diplomas become available. Conferral letters are typically sent 3–4 weeks after submission of the Master’s Report form.

For information about diplomas, transcripts, and UC Davis computing accounts after graduation, visit the Diplomas, Transcripts, and Verification page.

Access all Graduate Forms via GradSphere

 

EPM Graduation Ceremony

EPM hosts a program specific graduation ceremony each year, the day before the Graduate Studies commencement ceremony. All graduating students are welcome to participate in the ceremony, including 12-month students who will complete their final degree requirements during summer session(s). All EPM students are welcome to attend the event, and graduating students are welcome to invite their friends and family to celebrate. After the ceremony, we welcome everyone to celebrate with food and refreshments.

The 2025 EPM graduation ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 11th. More event specific details will be posted closer to the date on our Events page.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam entails fulfilling all program requirements, which include meeting the minimum GPA in required courses and satisfactory completion of four written reports:

 

See more detailed information about the Comprehensive Exam here.