Masters Incentive Program

In January 2014, the campus implemented a Masters' Programs Incentive funding model (MIP) to promote graduate student enrollment growth and doctoral program development.   The program is in essence a revenue sharing model by which masters programs and academic divisions receive a portion of campus tuition revenue and non-resident supplemental tuition revenue based on the three-quarter average (Fall, Winter, Spring) enrollment in such programs. Official third week census enrollment data is used to calculate the three-quarter average, adjusted for part-time status, visiting students, reciprocity students, waivers, and other non-tuition paying reductions.

The MIP funding model provides $2,600 to programs and $800 to academic divisions, from tuition revenue, per each three-quarter average headcount in masters, professional masters, and masters of fine arts programs in the academic year.  Further, the model provides $2,600 to programs and $800 to academic divisions, from non-resident tuition, per each non-resident three-quarter average headcount in such programs in the academic year.  In addition, the model provides $5,000 per non-resident three-quarter average headcount in such programs to graduate student aid for non-resident waivers.

MIP funding is intended for use in flexibly growing doctoral enrollments (improving research an instructional capacity), enriching graduate curriculum, and enhancing UCSC's relevance to regional industry by increasing masters enrollments and degrees granted.  As will all tuition and fee revenue, MIP funds should be spent in the year received, to the extent possible.

Historical References

January 2014 Initial implementation Guidelines and Baselines: During the first three years of the incentive model, baseline adjustments existed to phase in the model. 

Effective Fall 2019, Masters of Fine Arts degree programs and the, previously excluded, Education Masters program were added to the model.