Topics

Contact Us

  • 250 Mrak Hall
    One Shields Avenue
    Davis, CA 95616
    Phone: (530) 752-0650
    Fax: (530) 752-6222
Designated Emphases

On This Page

Related Forms

Graduate students in certain Ph.D. programs may participate in a Designated Emphasis, a specialization that might include a new method of inquiry or an important field of application which is related to two or more existing Ph.D. programs.

The curriculum of the Designated Emphasis is offered by a faculty organized in the manner of a Graduate Group.

The Designated Emphasis is awarded in conjunction with the Ph.D. degree and is signified by a transcript designation; for example, "Ph.D. in History with a Designated Emphasis in Critical Theory." Programs approved as Designated Emphases include: African American and African Studies; Biology of Vector-borne Diseases; Biophotonics; Biotechnology; Classics and the Classical Tradition; Critical Theory; Feminist Theory and Research; International and Community Nutrition; Native American Studies; Reproductive Biology; Second Language Acquisition; Social Theory and Comparative History; Studies in Performance and Practice; Translational Research; and Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition Studies.

Please note: Ph.D. (not Master's) programs listed among THESE PROGRAMS ONLY offer Designated Emphases. Please contact the staff person for the Designated Emphasis for a form once you have ascertained that it is offered in your chosen program. You will need the support of a faculty member in the chosen Designated Emphasis. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Designated Emphasis Chair for more information.

African American and African Studies

Chair

Moradewun Adejunmobi
530-752-1548

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Biology of Vector-borne Diseases

 website

The academic focus of the Designated Emphasis in the Biology of Vector-borne diseases is the scientific study of pathogens, the diseases they cause and the arthropod vectors that transmit the pathogens to humans and animals (domestic and wild). Students trained in this DE will be well poised to design, implement and evaluate methods and interventions to interrupt and control pathogens of human and veterinary importance.

Chair

Shirley Luckhart
530-754-6963

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Biophotonics

 website

The DE in Biophotonics, offered by the Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology (CBST), offers specific training in the technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy to visualize, measure, analyze, and manipulate biological systems and materials. Biophotonics is used at all scales of biology and medicine, from identification and analysis of organic and biological molecules, to cellular and tissue imaging and manipulation, and, at the largest scale, in the development of light-based surgical tools and whole body imaging.

Chair

Atul Parikh
530-304-7523

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Biotechnology

 website

The designated emphasis in Biotechnology provides a very effective multidisciplinary biotechnology concentration, which includes exposure to bioethics, business and legal aspects of biotechnology as well as a 3-6 month internship in a biotechnology company or research laboratory in another college or national laboratory. Dr. Kjelstrom, the Program Coordinator assists the students in locating internships, preparation of a strong cover letter and curriculum vitae, and the development of professional skills related to the business environment.

Chair

Karen McDonald
530-752-4980

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Classics and Classical Receptions

 website

The Designated Emphasis in Classics and Classical Receptions explores the civilizations of Greek and Roman antiquity, and focuses on the influence exerted by the achievements of the Greeks and Romans on later centuries. Students whose interests lie in areas where knowledge of Greek and Roman literature, history, and culture has direct impact on their research program will benefit from systematic training in both the theory and methodology of research in Classics and Classical Receptions. (formerly Classics and the Classical Tradition)

Chair

Emily Albu, Assoc. Professor, Spanish & Classics
(530) 752-2739

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Administrative Bylaws

Critical Theory

 website

The DE in Critical Theory at UC Davis provides doctoral students a double opportunity: to participate in interdisciplinary seminars focusing on the rich tradition of critical thought, both ancient and modern; and to add a formal credential in critical theory to their degrees. Our faculty, drawn from various affiliated programs in the humanities and social sciences, offer a wide range of expertise across multiple historical periods and theoretical approaches. Our seminars bring together students and faculty from across this broad disciplinary spectrum, providing a rare opportunity to compare perspectives, and to interrogate the fundamental axioms and principles of social, political and cultural practice.

Chair

David Simpson
530-752-1195

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Feminist Theory and Research

 website

The Designated Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Resesarch affords graduate students in affiliated programs the opportunity to augment their Ph.D. in a given discipline with a specialization in Feminist Theory and Research. Typically a graduate student in good standing can enroll in Designated Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Research Courses. Those students in affiliated Ph.D. programs who complete the requirements of the Designated Emphasis will have this noted in their transcripts and their Ph.D. diplomas will indicate the Ph.D. training in the DE as "Special Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Research."

Chair

Maxine Craig
530-752-8642

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

International and Community Nutrition

 website

The Program in International Nutrition (PIN) of the University of California, Davis was established in 1987 to coordinate research and training activities concerning human nutrition problems of low-income countries, and of ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups in the United States. In 1994, the Program became an Organized Research Unit (ORU) under the Office of Research.

Chair

Christine Stewart
530-752-6697

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Native American Studies

 website

The Designated Emphasis in Native American Studies focuses hemispherically upon the indigenous peoples of the Americans, that is, upon the peoples, nations, tribes, and communities whose ancestors have lived in North, Central and South America from earliest times. This unique hemispheric approach includes attention to the increasing dislocation and diaspora of indigenous people throughout the Americas, and calls upon the authority of Native intelligence (Native voices, Native texts) in all its forms and manifestations to address the issues that concern Native peoples, including the creative strategies for continuance they have developed over the centuries.

Chair

Zoila Mendoza
530-754-9283

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Organism-Environment Interaction

 website

As we face an era of rapid global change that has pervasive effects on all biological systems, sustaining our natural resources depends on understanding physiological mechanisms driving organism-environment interactions. The DE-OEI trains students in principles pertinent to understanding functional responses of organisms to the environment, from organismal to molecular levels of investigation.This program represents a synthesis of modern mechanistic research which includes behavioral endocrinology and sensory biology, animal design, comparative physiology, functional morphology, evolution and phylogenetics, and environmental developmental biology.

Chair

Gabrielle Nevitt
530-752-5929

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Degree Requirements

Reproductive Biology

 website

The DE in Reproductive Biology offers research opportunities ranging from molecular to organismal, and from basic research to applied studies in agricultural and health related sciences. The astonishing breadth and depth of the campuss research programs in this field have created a dynamic research environment that promotes collaborative investigations and provides outstanding opportunities for graduate education.

Chair

Alan Conley, Professor, POPULATION HEALTH AND REPRODUCTION: VET MED
(530) 752-2128

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Second Language Acquisition

 website

The Designated Emphasis (DE) provides doctoral students with both a theoretical and practical knowledge of language acquisition and technologically-based language instruction. Graduate students who more fully understand the process of second language acquisition contribute to improving the overall delivery of undergraduate language instruction. Graduate students that complete the DE will significantly increase their prospects in the foreign-language and ESL job market.

Chair

Robert Blake
530-219-8427

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Social Theory and Comparative History

This program is not open for new admissions at this time.

Social Theory and Comparative History (STCH) is the graduate teaching program of the Center for History, Society, and Culture. It will be of particular interest to students seeking interdisciplinary graduate training in historically oriented, comparative, and theoretically informed sociohistorical inquiry.

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Stem and Progenitor Cells

This program allows graduate students to fully explore and participate in formal training on the basic biology and potential clinical applications of stem and progenitor cells. Students will leave the program well-versed and educated in all relevant areas such as the basic biology, use for regenerative medicine purposes, ethical, legal, and social implications of stem cell research, and related educational experiences. These areas provide a cohesive framework to educate the students on current and relevant issues, and to become successful investigators in the field of stem cell biology and medicine.

Chair

Alice Tarantal

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Degree Requirements

Students follow the degree requirements reflecting the year s/he was admitted or the most recent version below.

Studies in Performance and Practice

 website

The DE in Studies in Performance and Practice presents a critical way of thinking about practices of communication, from film and stage, to sports, religion, and everday behavior, among many other areas. This DE is inherently interdisciplinary and collaborative, and interacts closely with the proliferating new media for communication. Studies in Performance and Practice engages students in critical approaches to theory and practice.

Chair

Peter Lichtenfels
530 752 2478

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Translational Research

 website

The Designated Emphasis in Translational Research (DETR) is an inter-graduate group program that allows Ph.D. students to receive and be credited for training in the area of translational research. This training is a key component of a larger UCD strategy for creating a groundbreaking translational research program that is team-based and multidisciplinary and to make bold new changes in how we train our basic scientist students to discover answers to medical challenges. The overarching goal of the initiative is to provide an innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable model for training a new cadre of PhD biologists who will have productive careers in clinically-relevant basic research.

Chair

Frederick Meyers
916-734-2412

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition Studies

 website

The Designated Emphasis (DE) in Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition Studies (WRaCS) offers PhD students the opportunity to prepare for leadership roles in writing research, teaching, and program administration. This DE provides both a theoretical and practical knowledge of writing instruction, program administration and research. Developing pedagogical strategies and assessment programs which respond to local needs have applications for graduate students interested in researching student writing in both secondary and postsecondary environments.

Chair

Chris Thaiss
530-754-9197

Affiliated Ph.D. Programs

Last Updated: May 22, 2007