Designated Emphasis Policy

Graduate Degree Annotations at UCSC

A Designated Emphasis (DE) denotes a broadening of training that comes from adding course work, training, and/or research work from an external department, degree-granting program, or cross-departmental grouping of faculty who together offer a designated emphasis. 

To review the Designated Emphasis policy, or procedures for proposing a new Designated Emphasis, click here

The following programs offer a Designated Emphasis:

• Anthropology
• Computational Media
• Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
• Data Science
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology  
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• Feminist Studies
• Film and Digital Media
• History of Consciousness
• Human Language Media and Modeling
• Latin American/Latino Studies (LALS)
• Literature
• Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology (METX)
• Philosophy
• Politics 
• Robotics and Control
• Scientific Computing
• Social Documentation
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Visual Studies
• Coastal Science and Policy (for Ph.D. students)

Please contact the each department directly for their Designated Emphasis requirements.

Note: Previously, the term parenthetical notation (“parentheticals”) was used generically to describe both concentrations and emphases.  However, this term was not clearly described or consistently applied.  After December 15, 2009, the terms concentration and designated emphasis will be clearly distinguished, and the generic "parenthetical notation" will no longer be used.

Please direct any questions, comments, or requests to establish a Designated Emphasis to gc@ucsc.edu or the Graduate Council Analyst, Jackie Schultz janschul@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-1317.