Department/Program Specific Letter of Recommendation Guidelines The following departments have specific guidelines for the Letter of
Recommendation. If the department is not listed refer only to the
General Guidelines below. Anthropology
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Art History Bioengineering
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Bioinformatics
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Biological Sciences
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Biomedical Sciences
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Chemical Engineering
-
Number of letters required:
3
Chemistry and Biochemistry Clinical Research
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Cognitive Science
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Communication
-
Number of letters required:
3
Computer Science and Engineering
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Economics
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Education Studies
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Electrical and Computer Engineering
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Number of letters required:
3
Ethnic Studies
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Health Care Organizations
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Health Law
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
History
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
International Relations and Pacific Studies Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Applied Mechanics
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Audiology
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Biology
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Chemistry
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Clinical Psychology
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Language and Communicative Disorders
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Mathematics and Science Education
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Public Health - Epidemiology
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Public Health - Global Health
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Number of letters required:
0
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD -- Public Health - Health Behavior Studies
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Latin American Studies
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Linguistics
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Literature
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Number of letters required:
minimum of 3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Literature - Master of Fine Arts in Writing
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Number of letters required:
Minimum of 3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, M.A.S.
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Materials Science and Engineering Mathematics Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Molecular Pathology
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
-
Specific instructions for letters:
Prefer Online Letters
Music
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
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Specific instructions for letters:
If it is not possible for recommenders to submit letters online, they may be sent directly to the Music Department, c/o Graduate Admissions, UCSD, Mail Code 0326, La Jolla, CA 92093-0326
Neurosciences
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Philosophy
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Physics
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Number of letters required:
3; Accepting online letters of recommendation ONLY
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
Online
Political Science Psychology
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Rady School of Management Rady School of Management -- MBA
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Number of letters required:
2
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Science Studies Program
-
Number of letters required:
3
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
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Number of letters required:
3; no more than 5 accepted. UCSD online letter of recommendation template is recommended over paper letters.
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Sociology
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Structural Engineering
-
Number of letters required:
3
Theatre and Dance
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Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
Visual Arts
-
Number of letters required:
3
-
Type of letters accepted:
The department accepts
online and/or paper letters of recommendation
General Guidelines for Letters of Recommendation
The online letter of recommendation process is the system preferred by most departments.
Enter the name and information for your recommenders in the online application. You must include a valid e-mail address for each recommender.
Check with your recommenders before hand to ensure that you have their correct email address and check your data entry for accuracy.
After you add a recommender an email is automatically generated notifying them of:
The email contains a link to the letter of recommendation website. The first section of the site asks them to verify their personal information. The second section allows for a ranking of your overall abilities. The third section gives the recommender two options for loading a letter:
- Upload an existing file
- Create a letter in a text box
The recommender may save the information and return to the site at a later time before submitting the letter.
Once the letter is submitted the recommender cannot access the letter again . The recommender receives a confirmation email notifying them that the recommendation has been received by UCSD. E-mails are also generated to you and the department as notification that a letter has been received.
Letter of Recommendation Management Site
To monitor the progress of your online letters go to the Application Management Page of the on-line application website and Click on the "Manage Recommendations" button. Here you can determine which letters have been received. From this site you can also send an e-mail reminder to recommenders.
If a recommender is not responding to your request you should check the e-mail address for accuracy and contact the recommender by telephone.
On the Manage Recommendations site you can also add recommenders. You cannot remove recommenders once they are listed .
In the event that you need to change a recommender's e-mail address, you must re-enter the recommender information in the additional spaces provided. It is not possible to change the e-mail address of the original entry. 
Paper Letters of Recommendation
If your recommenders prefer to use the paper letter of recommendation process, paper forms are available below. Give your recommenders three items:
• The Paper Letter of Recommendation form
• The Waiver of Access form
• The Department Address
Paper Letter of Recommendation Form (http://ogs.ucsd.edu/forms/admissions/rec_letters.pdf)
Waiver of Access Form (http://ogs.ucsd.edu/forms/admissions/rec_letter_waiver.pdf
)
For paper letters complete one Waiver of Access Form for each letter of recommendation form you give or send to a recommender. If a recommender does not submit a completed waiver form from you with the paper letter, it is assumed that you have elected not to waive access to the contents.
Advise your recommenders that they should send the letter of recommendation directly to the department to which you are applying.
Applicants are permitted to inspect letters of recommendation only after they become registered students of UCSD. Letters of recommendation cannot be released to the applicant and cannot be forwarded to other institutions. |
