Graduate Info
Master's Program
The Master of Science (MS) program offers students strong academic preparation for work in industry and research. Most of our students complete a course workâbased degree; students who are especially well-prepared may be approved for the thesis option described below.
MS Course Planning Tool (PDF)
Graduate Prerequisite Forest (PDF)
Program of Study
Students choose course work for the MS degree is in consultation with their advisors. The required course work is divided into the following components:
Course Work MS (31 total units)
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Thesis MS (30 total units)
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Core Curriculum
MS students must take 6 courses from four core areas, following the distribution 2, 2, 1, 1. They can choose from which areas they take 2 courses and from which areas they take 1 course.
Computing Systems
525, Principles of Computer Networking
547, Green Computing
552, Advanced Operating Systems
553, Principles of Compilation
576, Computer Architecture
Software Systems
520, Principles of Programming Languages
522, Parallel and Distributed Computing
560, Database Systems Implementation
566, Computer Security
Theory and Algorithms
545, Design and Analysis of Algorithms
550, Algorithms in Bioinformatics
573, Theory of Computation
Applications
533, Computer Graphics
537, Computational Geometry
577, Introduction to Computer Vision
Advanced Topics
All students take one of the following advanced topics courses (3 units):- 620 Advanced Topics in Programming Languages
- 625 Advanced Topics: Sensor + AD HOC Network Optimization
- 630 Advanced Topics in Software Systems
- 645 Advanced Topics in Algorithm Analysis
- 652 Advanced Topics in Operating Systems
- 665 Advanced Topics in Computational Intelligence
Electives
Elective units must be graduate courses in Computer Science or other related departments consistent with the program of study and selected in consultation with the student’s advisor. With prior approval, individual studies or research courses may be taken as electives. Please note, internship credit will not count toward degree requirements.
Colloquium Requirement
Course work MS students must attend a minimum of 10 colloquia during their temure in the department to earn credit for the required one-unit colloquium (C SC 695A). Registration for C SC 695A typically takes place during the last semester of study, though students should not wait until the last semester to attend these research talks. Attendance will only be counted when a student submits the required colloquia form which is made available during the talk.
The Thesis Option
Students who intend to continue their studies in a PhD program should consider pursuing the thesis option as it will better prepare them for research. Successful completion of a master's thesis requires adequate preparation, original research, and a high degree of independence. Permission to take the Thesis Option is granted to qualified, motivated, and well-prepared students. In addition to the course work outlined above, students enroll in 6 units of thesis work. The student must pass a final oral examination, which includes a defense of the thesis.
Graduation Requirements
To graduate with a Master of Science in Computer Science, students need to have met the following requirements.
- Earn A's and B's in all core courses. A C can count only towards an elective. A course with a D cannot be used towards the degree.
- 3.0 cumulative grade point average
- The beginning of your final semester you must submit a Master's / Specialist Plan of Study to Graduate College. Please fill the form out online at Graduate College, print and have your faculty advisor approve. Once you have received your faculty advisors signature, bring the form to the Graduate Advisor in GLD-S 901 for final approval and submission to Graduate College.
- Verify via UAccess Student Center the address you want your diploma to be sent.
MS Core Requirements prior to Fall 2007
If you entered the program prior to Fall 2007, the core curriculum was slightly different. Please review those requirements here!