Table of Contents
Welcome to the Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use (IRSU). Launched in the Fall of 2015, this Joint Doctoral Program between San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) is the first doctoral program in the nation to focus on substance use research. The IRSU is jointly administered by the School of Social Work (SSW) at SDSU and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at UC San Diego’s School of Medicine.
We have developed this handbook to guide IRSU doctoral students through the program. Additional information for graduate students can be found in the SDSU Graduate Bulletin under General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees.
As a student in this program, you will complete coursework and conduct research at both institutions. Faculty from both SDSU and UCSD will serve on your advisory and dissertation committee, providing you with mentorship and expert research guidance. The program is co-directed by faculty and staff from both institutions (See Appendix B for list of JDP faculty). IRSU Program leadership and administrators include:
| Faculty/Staff | Contact Information | |
| Co-Director, SDSU |
María Luisa “Mari” Zúñiga, Ph.D. Professor | School of Social Work |
(619) 594-6859 |
| Co-Director, UCSD |
Assistant Professor | Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health | UC San Diego, School of Medicine |
laramie@health.ucsd.edu |
| Associate Director, SDSU |
Associate Professor | School of Social Work |
epitpitan@sdsu.edu |
| Program Coordinator, SDSU |
Isela Martinez SanRoman SDSU School of Social Work |
(619) 594-0460 |
| Program Coordinator, UCSD |
Erin Deveraux UC San Diego – Department of Medicine |
(858) 246-5512 |
While in this program you should document your affiliation on all professional citations including memberships, presentations, publications and other professional affiliations as follows:
San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego | Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use (IRSU)
The School of Social Work at San Diego State University and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, offer a Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use (IRSU).
This program is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in substance use research with the knowledge and skills to advance evidence-based and applied substance use interventions, programs, and policies.
The program focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to substance use, broadly defined, including prevention, treatment and recovery research to address the use of substances and the enormous social and health consequences of such use and related policies. Interdisciplinary training opportunities draw from a variety of disciplines including: Psychology, Pharmacology, Neuroscience, Anthropology, Political Science, Economics, Public Health, Social Work, Latin American Studies, and Global Health.
The IRSU program embraces a harm reduction approach to substance use to reduce stigma and reduce the negative consequences associated with drug use and co-occurring disorders. Students will build on a solid foundation of current and emerging theory, research methods, and analytic approaches related to scientific and cultural understanding of substance use and related problems.
Using a socio-ecological perspective, students will also gain critical understanding of the etiology and epidemiology of substance use in regional, national (U.S.) and international settings, and its related problems, as well as the effectiveness and efficacy of substance use interventions, programs, and policies.
Graduates of the program will be prepared to take leadership roles in substance use across research, academics, clinical practice, government and non-governmental agencies, and policy. Recent graduates have gone on to prestigious postdoctoral fellowships and leadership roles in NIH research studies.
Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
The mission of San Diego State University’s School of Social Work is to provide superior education to undergraduate and graduate students; produce competent and effective practitioners, leaders and scholars grounded in evidence-based practice; deliver quality training and organizational support to the health and human services community; and disseminate quality research with practical applications that impact diverse communities, particularly with the vulnerable populations in the Southern California border region.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Graduates of the JDP in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use will:
PLO 1: Apply and build upon extant social science theories and conceptual models related to substance use research,
PLO 2: Lead new avenues of research on initiation of substance use and addiction, and
PLO 3: Develop and evaluate applied prevention programs related to substance use and misuse and associated health and societal outcomes.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Doctoral students in the JDP in Interdisciplinary Substance Use Studies will:
SLO 1: Analyze and articulate the underlying assumptions of theories related to initiation of substance use and addiction and its attendant problems
SLO 2: Identify, apply and build upon extant social science theories related to substance use.
SLO 3: Employ and refine conceptual models to guide research studies and the development of intervention programs related to substance misuse and associated health and societal outcomes.
SLO 4: Articulate the ecological complexity of substance use (i.e., factors at the biologic level [e.g., genetics] and physical, social, economic, environmental and policy environment level that interact in complex ways to shape an individual’s substance use behaviors).
SLO 5: Evaluate extant science to guide research and the development of applied prevention and treatment programs related to substance use and misuse.
SLO 6: Independently conduct advanced multivariate statistics (e.g. multilevel regression, structural equation modeling, multinomial regression, etc.) and qualitative analysis (including mixed methods analysis) to explain substance use and related problems.
SLO 7: Analyze and articulate how substance use programs and policies designed to address substance use and misuse can adversely impact disenfranchised populations in the U.S. and globally.
Upon starting the program, IRSU program leadership will work with each student to identify a Program Mentor or Mentors who will advise and mentor each student on their research and professional development. Students will work with their Program Mentor on their Individual Development Plan, a personalized research training and professional development plan that they will maintain throughout their time in the program. In the Spring term of the student’s second year in the program, students will work with their Program Mentors to draft their dissertation ideas and identify Dissertation Committee Members The dissertation committee must be approved by UC San Diego Graduate Division (see Program Milestones diagram for details).
All students must complete a minimum of 60 units and residency requirements on both campuses: 24 semester units at SDSU and 36 quarter units at UCSD; this is a minimum of one year residence on each campus. Each student’s program will be guided by their Mentor with advice from the Program Co-directors (in the first two years) and their Dissertation Committee while advancing to candidacy after the first two years and thereafter.
Refresher or other remedial courses may be required among the electives to ensure a strong foundation in research theory and methods and to sustain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Please see page 63 in the SDSU Graduate Bulletin for details on the definition of grades for graduate students.
The study of substance use requires an interdisciplinary approach with advanced knowledge and skills in several areas. We have organized the curriculum into three major sequences:
- Research and Data Analysis Sequence
- Substance Use Sequence
- Social Science Sequence.
Each of these content areas and corresponding courses is described below.
C1. Research and Data Analysis Sequence
Our curriculum is research intensive with an emphasis on science across the entire curriculum. The Research and Data Analysis Sequence focuses on quantitative and mixed methods research design and data analysis. The sequence assumes students come into the program having taken introductory graduate level courses in research methods and statistics. Students may be asked to take a placement exam or provide syllabi from related courses taken prior the admission to the doctoral program. The overarching goal of the sequence is to provide students advanced methodological training to enable independent and innovative substance use research.
Social Work (SWORK) 880
(Advanced Seminar in Substance Use Research)
SW 880 is an advanced seminar in research methods with a particular focus on substance use research. The course will cover the following research design issues: 1) measurement, and data collection approaches (standard measures and psychometric issues, observational methods, survey methods, clinical assessment), 2) randomized clinical trial designs (efficacy and effectiveness trials), 3) community prevention trials, 4) epidemiological and etiological designs (cross-sectional, case-control, trend, cohort, and panel designs).
SWORK 881
(Advanced Multivariate Data Analysis)
The course assumes a solid understanding of bivariate statistical concepts as a prerequisite. The course will cover the following topics: 1) logistic regression, 2) OLS multiple regression, 3) general linear models, 4) factor analysis, 5) structural equation modeling, and 6) hierarchical linear modeling (introduction to HLM and GEE). This course is designed to allow students to take a more advanced elective course in multivariate statistics related to their research interests.
Advanced elective courses should focus on methods such as hierarchical analyses, longitudinal analyses, spatial modeling and the like. A list of potential data analysis and statistics courses at both SDSU and UCSD is provided in Table 1. The first data analysis or statistics elective will be taken in the spring of the first year at SDSU and must be quantitative in nature. The second elective data analysis course will be taken at UCSD in the fall of the second year and can be quantitative or qualitative depending on the student’s area of research and interest.
C2. Substance Use Sequence
Students will take three substance use seminars over the course of the first two years. Two of these courses will be offered at SDSU (AS 800 and AS 801) and one will be taken at UCSD (MED 257a). These courses have the overall goal of providing students a solid and interdisciplinary knowledge base of the most current research related to substance use.
SWORK 800
(Etiology and Pharmacology of Substance Use) is described below:
This one semester course covers the fundamentals and current research issues related to the genetic, physiological and pharmacological factors related to substance use. The course has three goals: 1) to provide students with a solid knowledge base related to the genetic, physiological, pharmacological aspects of substance use and treatment approaches to addiction, 2) provide students with an understanding of the current research issues related to the genetic, physiological, and pharmacological aspects of substance use and the treatment of addiction, and 3) provide a solid basis for pursuing advanced studies in these areas.
This seminar will feature several guest lecturers drawn from UC San Diego faculty with expertise in each of the above areas. The course will be structured in four units reflecting the course foci (genetics, physiology and pharmacology of substance use and the treatment of addiction). Each unit will begin with a lecture or two covering the fundamentals of the topic. Following the lecture(s) covering the fundamental aspects of the topic, an expert researcher in the field will present their work and current issues in the field. Each unit will conclude with a session or two discussing current research and methodological issues related to the area. Please note that the course is currently listed at SDSU; however, when funds become available we intend to move the course to UC San Diego’s course offerings. In the interim, we plan on holding the course in Dr. Strathdee’s lab during the UCSD academic calendar. This will allow other UC San Diego graduate students to attend lectures if they so desire.
SWORK 801
(Global Approaches to Substance Use Prevention and Treatment) is described below:
This semester long class builds on PS 800 by covering the epidemiology, etiology and prevention of substance use. The course has the following goals: 1) students will understand the current scientific approaches to establishing the epidemiology of substance use, 2) students will understand current global and cultural trends in substance use, 3) students will understand current etiological models of substance use and its attendant problems including ecological approaches that examine issues of policy, economics, oppression, culture at the macro end of the spectrum and psychological, biological and physiological mechanisms at the micro end; 4) students will understand the current prevention science related to substance use. Given the emphasis on prevention, the etiological models the course will cover will be ecological in nature.
C3. Social Science Sequence
The social science sequence is designed to give students flexibility in selecting advanced theory courses that closely match their area of interest. For instance, a student with an interest in studying motivational interviewing might select an advanced graduate course in social or cognitive behavioral psychology. A student interested in public policy might select a course in political theory or sociology and so on. The sequence will be grounded by SWORK 850 (Theoretical Approaches to Substance Use) described below.
SWORK 850
(Theoretical Approaches to Substance Use) is described below:
This broadly focused course will provide students with an overview of current social and behavioral science theories used to understand health-related behavior as well as how these theories can be used to guide the development of behavior change interventions designed to reduce negative health behaviors. We will take an ecological focus (i.e., person- in-environment) for this course and will focus on the application of health behavior theory at multiple levels (person, group, community, etc.). Particular emphasis will be given to discussing health-related disparities and whether current theory is adequate to explain health behavior in light of the disparities that currently exist in the U.S. healthcare system today.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the theoretical foundations of health behavior. This course will provide students with a broad overview of health behavior theory focused at the individual, group, and community levels. After completion of this course students should be able to: 1) critically review current social and behavioral science theories of health behavior; 2) apply these theories of health behavior to explain the use and use of both licit and illicit substances; 3) understand the complex interaction between people and their environments and how these interactions affect substance use behaviors; 4) utilizing current health behavior theory, create an intervention to prevent the use of licit or illicit substances.
Source of Funding for Teaching Assistantships Available to IRSU Students in Good Standing, Years 1– 4 of the Program
Teaching Assistantship
Each year, in the Fall semester, four students will be admitted with funding (tuition and approximately $22,000 yearly teaching/research stipend) for up to 4 years.
Primary funding will be provided by SDSU Academic Affairs and the College of Health and Human Services. Students will be employed through a Teaching Assistantship where they will work during the Academic Year with their Program Mentors on research projects and lectureship/ conference presentation training opportunities. In the Fall of Year 3, students will be paired with a Social Work Faculty to serve as a TA, including contributions to develop course content and give lectures in the course. In the Spring, the student will then serve as Instructor of Record for the same or similar social work course. This will allow the student to graduate from the program with the academic title of: Instructor of Record that will provide them with a competitive advantage for seeking academic and leadership positions.
Other Funding
Each year the program might admit up to four additional students who will not be supported by SDSU funding. Such students may be funded by faculty research funds or other training grants (when available).
Important note: All JDP students pay fees every semester at SDSU.
SDSU
When you are admitted to SDSU you will receive an email with your Red ID. Your Red ID is your account username to access the SDSU WebPortal. If you do not already have your Red ID, get it on-line at http://www.sdsu.edu/redid.
First step is to create a new student portal account with SDSU | WebPortal. The “My Registration” WebPortal service features:
- Student personal registration information
- Add/Drop and Substitute functions
- Real-time, interactive class search engine
- Integrated personal class schedule
- Student Information Handbook
You must have a working email address to retrieve your new temporary PIN needed to activate your portal account. E-mail resources are available if you need to obtain an email account. Once you establish your personal account and login to the e-services WebPortal, click on My Registration Info. You will then be provided with your personal registration information.
UCSD
The office of the registrar will email you to complete the UCSD application process. Once they have collected all their necessary forms, they will forward your information to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS). OGS will then send you a letter of acceptance via email. It will direct you to access WebMail, Web Registration (WebReg) and a variety of other TritonLink online tools. Access by using the user ID, or personal identification number (PID) you received from your application process. Then with your User ID, you will create a password in WebMail, which will give you access to registration.
Please visit Tritonlink at UCSD to access your account.
Our IRSU Program is known as SU75 in the UCSD registrar’s system.
Keep in mind that UCSD is on the quarter system and SDSU is on the semester system, so the starting and ending dates of each quarter/semester will vary. Check the academic calendars for each institution:
SDSU Academic Calendar and UCSD’s Academic and Administrative Calendar 2020–2021
** VERY IMPORTANT **
SDSU Academic Year Enrollment Students should always enroll and register/pay fees at SDSU. To maintain graduate student status and TA-ship, including health insurance, students must register at SDSU for at least six units every semester. These units could be classes or SW-897 (mentored research units).
Students with a UCSD administered grant such as a T32 training grant should work with their UCSD PI mentor on specific registration requirements that they must meet (e.g., whether they need to register on that campus full time). Please check with your graduate coordinator and grant administrator about specific requirements, as this is a case-by-case scenario.
Formed in 2019, the purpose of the IRSU JDP Student Council is to foster and enhance communication, cooperation, and engagement between the JDP student body and faculty, including the JDP IRSU Steering Committee, regarding all instructional and procedural aspects of the doctoral program, student-mentor relations, and student life. The Student Council will provide regular student input to the Steering Committee to facilitate problem-solving, program improvement, and a deeper understanding and collegiality between students and program administration.
Please see the Student Council Bylaws for more information on the council’s objectives and responsibilities, membership and meetings.
Resources for Students | Research | SDSU includes links to resources that are specific to your work, such as help centers for writing and statistics.
The Economic Crisis Response Team | Student Affairs | SDSU can help any SDSU student connect with resources, both on and off campus, to help get you through your immediate food, housing, or financial crisis.
SDSU and the Division of Student Affairs are committed to providing a safe and healthy campus environment for all students. Access some of those resources here:
The CSUEA’s MASSIVE LIST of COVID-19- Related Resources
The CSU Entertainment Alliance’s MASSIVE List of COVID-19 Resources, Funding, Tools & Opps for Remote Learning, Teaching, Creating & Sharing while Physically Distanced.
Students are expected to uphold highest standards of academic ethical behavior and professional integrity. SDSU and UCSD student academic integrity and student ethical behavior policies will also be upheld.
It is your responsibility as a doctoral student and scientist to:
- Use a citation (reference) for any information that is not yours
- Cite the work accurately to make sure that your reader could find that exact information also…. use ” ” when direct information is used (include page number), but generally we avoid direct quotes in science
- Make sure to paraphrase and synthesize the information (study or collection of studies) that represents the original intention of the author, but in your own words
- Write your papers to show a comprehensive and higher level of understanding of the scientific topic or question you are explaining, not an exact repetition. The goal here is to enlighten the reader on the issue and formulate where the science is and where the science may need to go. Demonstrate that you have expertise on the subject.
- Seek clarity and understanding on any topic or system that is new to you, such as understanding what Turn-it-In is, what it involves and how to use it to your benefit
Please complete the following Plagiarism tutorial from the SDSU library and familiarize yourself with the guidelines. You will need to send a copy of the certificate of completion to your mentor, program director and coordinator to add to your student file.
Please continually refer to the Program Completion Milestones document for details.
There you will find detailed information on the major program milestones that should be completed and specific instructions for each, including crucial information pertaining to the formation of your dissertation committee and the completion of your comprehensive exams, for example.
Purpose of the Comprehensive Exam: The JDP IRSU requires that students take and pass a comprehensive take-home exam that demonstrates student competency and mastery of foundational knowledge that is critical to the field of substance use research. The Exam will also assess their level of competence in core program training areas and capacity for critical thinking to address real-world substance use research problems.
Exam question content will draw from required core coursework (Year 1, SDSU) and will be presented in three exam sections: Section I. Pharmacology, Section II. Multivariate Statistics, and Section III. Development of core sections of an R21 grant proposal (with emphasis on demonstrating knowledge of Behavioral Theories and Research methods). The exam must be passed–details follow–in order for the student to develop and defend their dissertation proposal.
In order to take the exam, students must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA), have completed core residency requirements at SDSU (24 semester units) and UCSD (36 quarter units) and have a Dissertation Committee approved by UCSD Graduate Division. (Please contact our program coordinator at UCSD -Erin Deveraux- to obtain a dissertation committee worksheet to fill out with your proposed committee. They will then complete the official Form 2 and send it to committee members for their signature.)
Students on the typical program track will take their exam in the summer of their second year in the program, approximately three weeks after they finish the Spring Quarter at UCSD.
Overview of Exam Structure and Examination Process: The exam is constructed with a 200-point total, 50 points possible each for Pharmacology portion and Statistics and 100 points possible for the research proposal. Passing the exam requires achieving:
- An 80% average score across sections.
- At least 70% (35/50 points minimum for Pharmacology and Multivariate statistics exams, respectively).
- At least 70% (70/100 points minimum total) for the research proposal portion.
- If a student scores below 70% on any section of the exam, they will receive a “not passed” result and will work with exam faculty to retake the exam.
Late submissions policy: Late submissions will not be accepted, unless unforeseen, extenuating circumstances are explained to the Exam Chairs at least 24 hours in advance of the time that the exam is due. Thus late exams will result in failure to complete this program milestone. Timely submissions are critical to your success.
Question format and preparing for the exam: A study guide for pharmacology and statistics will be provided in early May of the year the exam will be taken. Generally, qualifying examination questions will be in the format of posing methodological or research questions and asking the student to provide a detailed response considering specific aspects of substance use research (e.g., study design, approach, population characteristics, type of data available or to be collected, analysis considerations and approaches, etc.).
Scenarios that pose research questions may also provide data to the student and ask for possible interpretations. Student interpretation of the data should demonstrate that a student not only has knowledge of the specific details needed to respond to the questions, but also demonstrate their ability to apply that understanding to design an appropriate research study or test an intervention. For Pharmacology, for example, the types of questions may relate to receptor theory, drug metabolism, half-life, impairment, short- and long-term consequences of use that are relevant to research and development of potential avenues of intervention.
Second-year students will receive detailed instructions of the exam process, policies, and timeline at the end of the Spring quarter.
Upon successfully completing the JDP Core coursework at both campuses and passing the Comprehensive Exam at end of Year 3.
Steps to advance to candidacy
- Qualifying Exam (i.e., Oral Defense of Dissertation Proposal)
- Work with SDSU program coordinator to Prepare JDP Form 3 (electronic). This is the REPORT OF THE QUALIFYING EXAMINATION AND ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY.
It will be electronically routed to the student’s dissertation committee once the oral defense is completed and the committee chair has declared the student has “passed”.Once completed, JDP 3 is filed at UCSD.
Steps i & ii are completed in tandem:
- Set date for Qualifying Exam to defend the proposal
- JDP 3 form requires multiple steps to complete and requires a $50 fee paid to the UCSD Cashier—see Program Completion Milestones for detailed instructions.It must be signed by the committee and each member to indicate whether or not the defense has been passed. Doctoral Program Directors (Smith and Zúñiga) will also sign and then the form can be taken to the UCSD Cashier.
In order to advance to candidacy, students must:
- complete their course work,
- pass a take-home Comprehensive Examination,
- develop a proposal of their dissertation research (NIH-style proposal format), and
- pass an oral defense of their dissertation proposal with their committee. The qualifying examination will be objective and cover the following areas:
- research methods,
- data analysis/statistics,
- pharmacology, and
- substance use
The dissertation proposal will be written in an NIH-style proposal format (using guidelines for an RO1 application) detailing their proposed dissertation research. Accordingly, the proposal will be 12 pages, single-spaced and include the following sections: Aims, Significance, Innovation, Environment and Approach. In addition, a Human Subjects section (five additional single-spaced pages), a mock budget with justification, bio-sketches and a reference section will be provided by the student. A wide range of dissertation topics is appropriate but it is expected that the dissertation focus on a substance use topic. Applied research topics will be encouraged. The committee must receive the proposal a minimum of four weeks prior to the proposal defense. The student will then give a one-hour oral defense of the proposal to the committee (open to the public). All committee members must approve the proposed dissertation (by signature). Once this step has been completed, the student is considered advanced to candidacy, and the student can commence dissertation-related research (including registration for credits for dissertation research (AS 899 or MED 257b [Research Practicum Independent Study])
After advancing to candidacy, students will register at SDSU for 6 units of Research (SW-897) each semester they are working on their dissertation. When the student plans to defend his/her dissertation, they will then register for 6 units of Dissertation (SW-899) for that semester only.
The Ph.D. dissertation should consist of original research that adds significantly to the existing state of knowledge of substance use research. The student is ultimately responsible for the conduct of his/her research project and should consult with committee members as needed. If the project deviates from the written proposal, it is his/her responsibility to get approval from committee members; substantive changes from the research proposal require committee discussion and approval prior to undertaking the work. Details of all substantive changes, the rationale for each, and a clear description of how these changes sustain the methodological rigor of the study must be provided to the Dissertation Committee.The committee may require an oral defense of these changes and/or additional modifications in procedures.
During the time that the student is conducting research, he/she must update the entire committee on dissertation progress as agreed upon (time and manner) until dissertation defense is completed. The student will meet at least annually with the Chair and a minimum of one other committee member to review progress to date and plans for the upcoming period. The committee will also complete the formal progress review form.
The student is responsible for circulating dissertation drafts to committee members. How drafts are circulated will often vary by committee but the committee should agree on this process before writing begins. (Students may choose to work closely with one or two committee members and then circulate later drafts to the entire committee, or circulate all drafts to each committee member.) Students should recognize that the writing process takes time and should expect that numerous drafts will be circulated prior to defense. When the Chair of the Dissertation Committee feels the student is ready to defend, the student will be notified that he/she can proceed with setting a defense date.
Dissertation Formats
Consistent with several related JDPs (e.g., health behavior, global health) our students will select from two dissertation formats. The first option is the traditional dissertation comprised of original, independent research presented in chapters (introduction, literature review, methods, results, and discussion). The traditional dissertation is a substantial undertaking and it is expected to yield several scholarly peer reviewed publications after graduation.
The second option will include three sequential first-authored research articles of publishable quality. The student is expected to have conducted independent research to generate these articles (i.e., to have taken the lead on the conceptualization, writing, and analyses). These studies should represent a coherent body of work. As such, students will be expected to include an introduction to the work and a summary of the three studies
When working on any research project while in the JDP, all students must ensure human subject concerns have been addressed by having the project approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of either SDSU and UCSD (usually where your primary mentor is located). All research projects are subject to IRB approval, even analysis of data that have already been collected. Research projects that involve primary data collection must have IRB approval prior to any data collection.
See instructions for joint-approval process from UCSD and SDSU
A formal defense must be conducted prior to filing the dissertation. You must coordinate a date for the defense with all committee members. A complete draft of the dissertation must be delivered to each committee member no less than 30 days before the defense date. The defense announcement including date, location, and dissertation title must be submitted to the JDP Coordinators on both campuses no less than 14 days prior to the defense date. Please note, at least 3 quarters (UCSD) of residency is required post advancement, if you plan to defend sooner than the three quarter’s, please contact the UCSD Graduate Coordinator so that she can process a general student petition, asking that this requirement be waived.
Work with SDSU program coordinator to Prepare JDP Form 5 (electronic). This is the REPORT OF THE FINAL EXAMINATION AND FILING OF THE DISSERTATION.
It will be electronically routed to the student’s dissertation committee once the oral defense is completed and the committee chair has declared the student has “passed”.
Once completed, JDP 5 is filed at UCSD.
All members of the committee will sign the JDP Form 5 and your signature page.
Upon successful completion of the dissertation defense, the dissertation document must be formatted according to the filing rules of the Graduate Division at UCSD.
After your dissertation is written, you need to make an appointment with UCSD Graduate Division, who will check your dissertation to make sure it meets the format specifications as described in the dissertation booklet. Bring a copy of your dissertation on regular inexpensive bond paper in its final form. It is probable that this preliminary check of your dissertation will reveal a few minor formatting problems that you will need to correct.
When the formatting is completed, an electronic copy will be turned into UCSD Graduate Division. They will advise you of any additional steps you may need to complete. Additional electronic copies will be sent to SDSU Graduate Division. Since you will have already had your dissertation accepted by UCSD, SDSU will not need to check it over, but will simply verify that it was accepted by the UCSD Graduate Division.
Hard copies are usually given to each member of your Dissertation Committee, please check with your committee to see what format they prefer (electronic or hard).
In terms of the graduation ceremony, you are encouraged to work with your chair to select in which ceremony you prefer to participate; the SDSU ceremony occurs in May and the UCSD ceremony is held in June. According to the UCSD Graduate Division, you may only participate in the ceremony if the dissertation has been completed and final copy submitted.
Every year students must complete Spring Evaluations. The Spring Evaluation is due to the UCSD Graduate Coordinator by June 1.
In the event that a student has established their committee, but has not yet advanced to the In-Candidacy status; the student’s chair will be responsible for the generation of the evaluation. Online signatures in this scenario will include the student, committee chair, the directors from UCSD and SDSU, and the Program Chair from UCSD.
In-Candidacy
Each student in PhD candidacy is to receive an annual substantive progress review. At least three members of the student’s doctoral committee are to participate in the review. The review should cover the student’s progress to date, recommended modifications to the dissertation’s scope or methodology, and timetable for completion.
The doctoral committee chair shall write up the results of the review and discuss them with the student. All members of the doctoral committee participating in the review (at least 3 including the Chair), the student, the UCSD and SDSU directors and the Program Chair at UCSD are to sign the online progress report.
The Spring Evaluation is due to the UCSD Graduate Coordinator by June 1.
Please note: failure to complete the spring evaluation will create a hold on your UCSD account, which will prevent you from registering the following fall quarter.
The only exemptions for submitting Spring Evaluation are students who will advance to candidacy or graduate in spring quarter (when the evaluation is due). Students need to notify both Directors, via email, in either of these cases. Also, those students that are on an active Leave of Absence (LOA) are not required to submit a Spring Evaluation Letter.
All time limits for this program start when a student first registers in this program. Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of 3 years. Total university support to students in this program cannot exceed 4 years. Total registered time in this program cannot exceed 6 years. The normative time in this program is 4 years. Please note that funding beyond Year 4 is not secured and will need to be procured.
You will be receiving an email with details regarding time limits sometime during the Fall months of this year, 2020, from Dean James Antony. Please keep this record.
Up to two semesters (SDSU) and three quarters (UCSD) of time spent on leave from the program will not count towards the normative time limits. Additionally, any unexpired time limits will get move forward equivalent to the number of semester(s)/quarters(s) taken off. Time spent on an approved leave of absence (LOA) in excess of two semesters (SDSU) and three quarters (UCSD) will count toward the normative and support time limits.
SDSU
As per SDSU Office of the Registrar, students who have completed one semester are eligible to take a leave of absence one semester at a time t a maximum of two. Students must be in good academic standing in the program and must not have a “hold” of any kind on the registration—cashiers, library, immunization, etc. To access the SDSU Leave of Absence request, students must log in to their SDSU WebPortal account and select the Leave of Absence.
Students must request a leave of absence for each semester they wish to be absent. First, an informal meeting of the Chair of the Advisory/Dissertation Committee should take place to discuss options available. To request a LOA, please get written approval from both JDP IRSU directors (Email is preferred) and copy the SDSU coordinator. Once approved, the coordinator will forward this request to the appropriate personnel in the Graduate Affairs office. A LOA cannot be granted if the student has a registration hold or are still enrolled in classes. If the student is requesting a LOA in the middle of the semester, the student will need to withdraw from the classes prior to going on a LOA.
More information on requesting a leave of absence can be found at Leave of Absence
UCSD
To request a leave of absence from UCSD, please contact the UCSD Graduate Coordinator, who will provide and process the form. At the time of the request, you will need to indicate if you are registered or not registered for classes. When the form is processed and approved by the Graduate Division and the Registrars Office, they will remove you from classes if needed. Do not remove yourself from classes. This process is different from what is required by SDSU, please make sure to read the above instructions carefully.
Details on UCSD Leave of Absence/withdrawal can be found at: Leave of Absence/Withdrawal
Form must be filed no later than the end of the second week of instruction of the quarter in which the leave is to begin.
Students are not permitted to continue in doctoral status if they have not advanced to candidacy before the expiration of the pre-candidacy time limit (four years), or if they have not completed the program before the expiration of the total time limit (seven years). Students will not be permitted to receive SDSU- or UCSD-administered financial support after the expiration of the support limits (6 years).
If a student withdraws and subsequently returns with a completed dissertation, the student may petition the department for readmission. To be eligible for readmission, the student must have been in good academic standing at the time he/she left the program and must satisfy departmental requirements for readmission. Upon leaving the program, the department may provide a letter specifying the conditions under which the student can be readmitted.
Ph.D. candidacy lapses when a student withdraws from the Ph.D. program. If a previously-advanced student withdraws and is later readmitted, the doctoral committee members are asked if they will continue serving on the doctoral committee; if they will not, the doctoral committee must be reconstituted. Students will be re-advanced to candidacy upon the recommendation of the doctoral committee (who may require the student to retake the oral qualifying examination) and upon payment of the candidacy fee, after which the student can defend his/her dissertation.
Procedures: Extension of a Leave
To extend an approved leave of absence, a student must notify the major department or group graduate coordinator at least two weeks prior to the end of the quarter in which the leave terminates. An extension requires approval of the department. The International Center must approve a Leave of Absence for all international students.
Procedures: Returning from a Leave
When planning on returning from a Leave of Absence, a student must notify the graduate coordinator of the quarter in which s/he intends to register. The coordinator notifies Graduate Division who then reinstates the student. The student cannot register until this is done. Notification of return from a leave can only be given to Graduate Division by the department.
There are three deadlines to take into consideration when preparing for graduation.
- Applying for graduation from SDSU Graduate Affairs Division. For fall graduation the deadline is mid- September; for spring it is mid-February.
- Submitting the dissertation to SDSU Graduate Affairs Division, This must be done by the last day of the relevant semester.
- Submitting the dissertation to the UCSD Graduate Division. This date is always one day before the last day of the quarter in which the student intends to graduate.
Please Note: Students should choose the earlier of the two deadlines in every case to qualify on both campuses.
SDSUcard
SDSUcard is the official identification for San Diego State University.
This multi-functional form of identification provides increased usability and shopping convenience on campus.
The SDSUcard office is a unit of the University Controller’s Office, under the division of Business and Financial Affairs.
Everything you need to know about the financial services attached to the SDSUcard is at SDSUcard Webinar.
Pick up your card at Student Services West, Room 2620 (SSW-2620)
SDSUcard Introduces A New Way To Manage Your Id Card
Register for an account at get.cbord.com/sdsu and you will be able to:
- Apply for your ID card by submitting a photo
- Deposit funds to your SDSUcard
- View your transaction history
- Report your card lost
- Report your card found
As a student, staff or faculty member, your SDSUcard provides you with access to the following facilities and services on campus:
- Campus Library: borrowing privileges, research and computer access
- Meal Plan for residence hall students
- Student verification for sport events, career services, health services and Aztec Recreation Center
- SDSU Funds™ Account: deposit money on your SDSUcard and pay for services on campus
Your Triton Card is your key to the campus. In addition to serving as your official photo identification card, the Triton Card gives you access to campus buildings and events and lets you:
- Check out books and materials through UCSD Libraries
- Gain access to residence halls
- Access your meal plan or use it as a debit card at campus dining facilities
- Use recreation facilities and get discounts on classes
- Get services at University Health Service
- Get discounts or free admission to sporting events and other campus activities
- Participate in voting and other Associated Students activities, and get discounts on S. events
- Get discounts on attractions and events through the UCSD Box Office
- Show your affiliation, if needed, on UCSD shuttles
- Get even more discounts on local arts and entertainment, computers, and more
Activate your Triton Card for Printing/copying
Use your card for printing and copying documents, using Imprints iaccess services.
Graduate Students
Submit your own photo using the online Photo Tool.
If you do not submit your photo by the deadline:
Get a photo and ID card at Student Business Services (see map to right) when the quarter begins.
- Your card will be usually be given to you by your department.
Please stop by Student Business Services (see map to right) to pick up your card if your department representative has not already provided it to you.
- Contact your department if you need a Triton Card before the quarter begins. They will need to provide you with a formal letter indicating your start
- Your card will not be activated until the quarter in which you are
Note: Visiting graduate or postdoctoral students may qualify for an affiliate card.
Parking
Reciprocal Parking Privilege
SDSU/UCSD
Doctoral students have reciprocal parking privileges. If you have business at both institutions and you purchase a semester parking permit at either institution you will receive a free parking pass at the other institution. An email will go out every semester. Please fill out the survey to request this privilege.
SDSU
Doctoral students may purchase a student parking permit each semester, which can be used in all student lots. View current fees. Doctoral students who have a teaching assistant appointment at SDSU qualify to purchase a Faculty/Staff permit. If you’ve already purchased a student permit you can exchange it for a Faculty/Staff permit at the Public Safety Office. However, the coordinator will also send a list of current doctoral students to the Public Safety Office every semester. If you’re a current student on that list, you too will be able to purchase (or trade your student parking permit for) a Faculty/Staff permit. Whether you purchase a Student or Faculty/Staff permit the fee is based on the semester rates. More parking and regulation information may be obtained from the SDSU parking website.
UCSD
Parking permits for UCSD can be purchased at the UC San Diego Parking Office, located on Russell Lane, in the ground level, west side of the Gilman Parking structure. Graduate student permits are available on a quarterly basis with the option of paying monthly via the students account. Graduate students may purchase permits, which allow them to park in staff parking (B) for a higher rate, as well as student parking (S). Other options are to purchase an occasional use permit, which are good for the quarter, for 10 uses (student (S) spaces only). Another option is to purchase the T/H/F or M/W/F permit, which is good for the quarter (student spaces only). If you are not on the UCSD campus every day you can buy daily permits at the information booth, or use the pre-paid machine parking in the Gilman Parking Structure.
Teaching Associate Office
The IRSU has a small office in Hepner Hall 147 designed to support TA’s as they prepare for their teaching and research responsibilities. It is equipped with two desktop computers and a printer. Please see Jullian Tufugafale (jtufugafale@sdsu.edu) in the School of Social Work to obtain an authorization form for key access and the student will need to present at the Access Control & Key Issue Office to obtain their key to the office.
Students are responsible for heeding key access policies, including timely return of keys so as not to receive a charge.
You can search by building or print a full campus map
Red & Black Shuttle | Parking & Transportation | Campus Services
Dining
Please visit SDSU Dining for more information on dining options, meal plans, hours & locations, etc.
Campus facilities are available and paid for where you pay tuition/fees, access with your ID Card
- UCSD Recreation
- If you are paying fees at SDSU, you may purchase monthly or quarterly membership at UCSD.
- SDSU ARC
- Explore San Diego