diff --git a/ci/tests/test_hyena_dna/test_model.py b/ci/tests/test_hyena_dna/test_hyena_dna_model.py
similarity index 100%
rename from ci/tests/test_hyena_dna/test_model.py
rename to ci/tests/test_hyena_dna/test_hyena_dna_model.py
diff --git a/ci/tests/test_uce/test_uce_model.py b/ci/tests/test_uce/test_uce_model.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52339b89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/tests/test_uce/test_uce_model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from helical.models.uce.model import UCE, UCEConfig
+import pytest
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("model_name, n_layers", [
+    ("33l_8ep_1024t_1280", 33),
+    ("4layer_model", 4)
+])
+def test_uce__valid_model_names(model_name, n_layers):
+    """
+    Test case for the UCE class initialization.
+
+    Args:
+        model_name (str): The name of the model.
+        n_layers (int): The number of layers of the model.
+    """
+    configurer = UCEConfig(model_name=model_name)
+    model = UCE(configurer=configurer)
+    assert model.config["model_name"] == model_name
+    assert model.config["n_layers"] == n_layers
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("model_name", [
+    ("wrong_name")
+])
+def test_uce__invalid_model_names(model_name):
+    """
+    Test case when an invalid model name is provided.
+    Verifies that a ValueError is raised when an invalid model name is passed to the UCEConfig constructor.
+
+    Parameters:
+    - model_name (str): The invalid model name.
+
+    Raises:
+    - ValueError: If the model name is invalid.
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        UCEConfig(model_name=model_name)