Graduate Study in Transportation • Application Questions
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AI WARNING: Many prospective students contact faculty members with a Statement of Interest prior to actually applying to a program. This is acceptable. However, if you want to gain the attention of a particular faculty member, then you should NOT rely on ChatGPT or other AI software to draft your email or other media post. We are looking for originality and creativity. An email that starts with "I hope this email finds you well" will be immediately deleted without a response. Seriously.
GRAD PROGRAMS: Thank you for your interest in graduate study in transportation at UCI. Information on all of UCI's graduate programs in transportation is available on-line (including an on-line application) at http://www.its.uci.edu/ (under "grad study").
INQUIRIES: Each of our programs has different faculty advisors and different administrative support staff. Please review the four programs and select the one that best fits your background and interests. Although you may re-direct your application to another program prior to a final admission decision, you will increase your chances for admission and support by selecting the most appropriate program from the start.

Transportation Systems Engineering (TSE) -- MS and PhD Programs
If your background and interests are in a civil engineering program, with concentrations in traffic and intelligent transportation systems; travel behavior and travel forecasting; or modeling, simulation, and logistics; then Transportation Systems Engineering is probably the most appropriate degree program.

  1. For program information, please consult the UCI General Catalogue first: TSE [see also: TSE @ ITS]
  2. Please address requests for general information, application material, and procedural issues to the Civil Engineering Graduate Coordinator: Gina Choi chog@uci.edu
  3. Professor Hyland hylandm@uci.edu is the Graduate Advisor for Transportation Systems Engineering -- please address Professor Hyland with any questions regarding programmatic issues such as course and research requirements.

Transportation Science Interdisciplinary Program (TranSci) -- MS and PhD Programs
If your background and interests overlap conventional academic areas and if you are favorably inclined to a program with greater breadth and independence, then the Transportation Science program might be the most appropriate degree program.

  1. For program information, please consult the UCI General Catalogue first: TranSci PhD; TranSci MS
  2. Professor Jayakrishnan rjayakri@uci.edu is the Director of the Transportation Science Interdisciplinary Program -- please address Professor Jayakrishnan with any questions regarding programmatic issues such as course and research requirements.

Transportation Economics (PhD) -- Please go to: Concentration Web Site

Urban Planning & Public Policy (MURP and PhD) -- Please go to: UPPP Web Site

APPLICATIONS: The only way of becoming a graduate student is by applying. An application fee is due prior to the application being reviewed. You should address all questions regarding the application process to the program's Graduate Administrator (not the Graduate Advisor). Only when your application is complete -- application form, at least three reference letters, all transcripts, a statement of interest, and any supplemental material that you would like to have in your file (e.g., puplished papers) -- will program faculty have access to your file.
ADMISSIONS: We are as anxious to work with qualified students as they are anxious to begin graduate study. Unfortunately, there are more qualified applicants than space and support available, thus, the process is very competitive. We seek the very best students in our areas of interest is the same manner that you seek the very best programs in your areas of interest. It is therefore critical that you provide a complete and honest assessment of your qualifications and of your research and educational objectives. Our qualifications and objectives are documented on our program and personal web sites as well as in the published research literature.

Note: Please do not contact the program or individual faculty with requests for assessments of admission probability or funding support. Admissions are determined by committee after review of all formal applicants in the Winter. Only then can and will any admission or funding decisions be made.

FUNDING: We seek to admit and fund the very best students available. Our applicant pool is typically large and very qualified. Available financial support, however, does have limits and is often restricted to specific research areas. Unfortunately, we can make no pre-assessment of either admission or funding decisions, regardless of individual qualifications.
ADVICE: If you're really interested in our programs, then do your homework. Discover all that you can regarding our programs, our faculty, and our research. Convince us that you are passionate about your area of research. Convince us that your interests match ours. You should convince yourself first. Are you ready, willing, and able to work for 50-60 hours per week for several years? Successfully completing your Ph.D. requires an enormous amount of self-motivation. When you have narrowed your search and completed the application process, it is then (and only then) appropriate to contact one or two individual faculty in your programs of interest to see if your particular interests and skills match theirs. At this point, you should have a solid grasp of prior and current work in your field and your ability to communicate your interests should be well-honed. After reading all of this material and completing the necessary steps, if you feel that you and your program of interest could mutually benefit, then please contact the Graduate Advisor or an individual faculty member and mention RIBMF in the subject line.
GRADUATE STUDY IN TRANSPORTATION: [ back to top ]

"Another working day has ended, only the rush hour hell to face,
packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes, contestants in a suicidal race"
(Sting, 1983)


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[ Last modified: 21 Novenber 2024 | terms of use | © mgm ]