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Masters Programs in Computer Science and Engineering

Degree Plans Effective Fall 2009 (Students who enter the program at or after Fall 2009)

CSE's master degree programs are designed to address a variety of post-graduate educational needs. As with our PhD programs, we offer majors in both computer science and computer engineering. Both majors permit pursuing one of three plans: Thesis Plan, Comprehensive Standard Plan, or Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Plan.  Each plan requires forty-nine units of work. All three plans are highly customizable to each student's goals, featuring a small core and a choice of area concentrations.

These programs can be completed full-time or part-time by students working in industry. Students who are unsure of their interest in an MS degree can enroll in individual graduate classes through UCSD Extension Concurrent Enrollment Program (with permission of the instructor). A student may petition for a small number of these classes to transfer to their MS degree if they later apply to the MS program.

Applications for admission to the MS program are considered annually. Admissions are effective the following Fall quarter.

Excellent students who develop an interest in pursuing a PhD in the course of their MS are encouraged to apply to the PhD program.

TRANSITION PLAN

Effective Fall 2009, the M.S. curriculum has been revised to increase the quality of our graduate program by fostering a high-quality and interdisciplinary environment. To transition between the two programs:

  1. Students who enter the program at or after Fall 2009 will follow the new M.S. curriculum.

  2. Students who entered the M.S. program PRIOR to Fall 2009 will not be affected by the new graduate curriculum change and will continue to follow the previous degree plans: M.S. Degree Plans (Catalog Years 2000-2008)

  3. Students who entered the M.S. program PRIOR to Fall 2009 will have the option to pursue the new degree plans; however, this requires a petition and students must meet wih the academic advisor to evaluate the feasibility of completing the new degree requirements.

Computer Science Masters Program

Degree Plan Effective Fall 2009 (Students who enter the program at or after Fall 2009)

The department offers a Master's of Science in Computer Science. The degree is offered under  the Thesis (Plan I), the Comprehensive Examination (Plan II), or Comprehensive Interdisiplinary (Plan II). Each plan requires forty-nine units of work. For full-time students, all the requirements can be completed within two years.

Computer Science Core. All students must complete a set of three core courses that provide a foundation for the study of computer science. To sensitize students to issues on the forefront of CS research and expose students to the breadth of the faculty's expertise, students must also take a one-quarter research seminar that is offered at least every fall quarter. In particular, the following 4 courses must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292):

Technical Concentration. To help students establish goals and obtain a coherent education, students choose an area of concentration. Each concentration is in an area in which the faculty has significant research expertise. The typical concentration is a collection of three courses designed to give the student in-depth training in a chosen field.

Students must complete 12 units from one of the approved lists of courses in the following concentration areas, or design a personalized concentration with the help of a faculty member:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Bioinformatics
  • Communication Networks
  • Computer Architecture and Compilers
  • Computer Graphics and Vision
  • Cryptography and Security
  • Database and Information Retrieval
  • Design Automation for Microelectronic Designs
  • Distributed Computing
  • Embedded Systems and Software
  • Parallel and Scientific Computing
  • Software Engineering
  • Storage Systems
  • PhD Preparation

C.S. Plan I: Thesis

This plan of study involves the course work outlined above and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A minimum of forty-nine units of credit is required as follows:

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 202: Algorithms and Analysis
    • CSE 221: Operating Systems
    • CSE 240A: Principles of Computer Architecture
    • CSE 292: Faculty Research Seminar (1 unit seminar, S/U)
  2. Concentration: 12 units chosen from those offered on the approved list of MS Concentrations. These courses must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Electives: 12 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate courses or courses from a list of approved electives. The majority of these classes must be within the CSE department and must be graduate level (200 or higher). These classes can be taken for a letter grade or S/U.
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 12 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  4. Thesis: 12 units of CSE 298 is also required.
  5. A thesis based on research must be written and subsequently reviewed by the student's thesis committee, which is set up at the beginning of the first quarter of CSE 298.

C.S. Plan II: Comprehensive, Standard Plan

In order to receive the MS degree in computer science under this plan, a student completes the course requirements listed below including a one-quarter project, and passes the Comprehensive Exam, which consists of a project presentation and oral exam. For the project and oral exam guidelines, please refer to this document.

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 202: Algorithms and Analysis
    • CSE 221: Operating Systems
    • CSE 240A: Principles of Computer Architecture
    • CSE 292: Faculty Research Seminar (1 unit seminar, S/U)
  2. Concentration: 12 units chosen from those offered on the approved list of MS Concentrations. These classes must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Electives: 20 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate courses or courses from a list of approved electives. The majority of these classes must be within the CS department and must be graduate level (200 or higher). These classes can be taken for a letter grade or S/U.
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 20 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  4. Project: 4 units of CSE 293 is also required.
  5. Comprehensive examination: The student must secure at least a Master's level pass in the comprehensive examination.

* Project and oral exam guidelines can be found here.

C.S. Plan II: Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary Plan

In order to receive the MS degree in computer science under the Comprehensive Interdisciplinary plan, a student completes the course requirements listed below including a one-quarter project, and passes Comprenensive Exam, which consists of a project presentation and oral exam. For the project and exam guidelines, please refer to this document. The interdisciplinary plans requires a primary and secondary concentration. The Secondary concentration consists of 12 units in one of the approved areas outside of CSE. The 12 units must be taken from only one area and must be petitioned and approved in advance by the M.S. Committee: Cognitive Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Structural Engineering, and JSOE Management Courses

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 202: Algorithms and Analysis
    • CSE 221: Operating Systems
    • CSE 240A: Principles of Computer Architecture
    • CSE 292: Faculty Research Seminar (1 unit seminar, S/U)
  2. Primary Concentration: 12 units chosen from those offered on the approved list of MS Concentrations. These courses must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Secondary Concentration: 12 units in one of the approved areas outside of CSE. The 12 units must be taken from only one area and must be petitioned and approved in advance by the M.S. Committee: Cognitive Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Structural Engineering, and JSOE Management Courses.
  4. Electives: 8 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate level courses. These classes can be taken for a letter grade or S/U.
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 8 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  5. Project: 4 units of CSE 293 is also required.
  6. Comprehensive examination: The student must secure at least a Master's level pass in the comprehensive examination.

* Project and oral exam guidelines can be found here.

Computer Engineering Masters Program

Degree Plan Effective Fall 2009 (Students who enter the program at or after Fall 2009)

The computer engineering program offers a masters degree with the title Computer Science and Engineering (Computer Engineering). Computer engineering explores the engineering analysis and design aspects of algorithms and technology. Specific research areas include computer systems, signal processing systems, architecture, networks, computer-aided design, fault-tolerance, and data storage systems.

The computer engineering master of science degree requires forty-nine units of work; students may elect the Thesis Plan I, Comprehensive Standard Plan II, or Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Plan II. For full-time students, all the requirements can be completed within two years.

Computer Engineering Core

Core: (13 units) The following core courses must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292):

Course Schedule

C.E. Plan I: Thesis Option

This plan of study involves both coursework and research, culminating in the preparation of a thesis. A total of forty-nine units of credit is required, as follows:

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 292
    • Choose THREE of the following courses: CSE 202, CSE 221, CSE 237A, CSE 240A, CSE 241A
  2. Concentration: 12 units chosen from a list of approved computer engineering courses. These classes must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Electives: 12 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate courses or courses from a list of approved electives. The majority of these classes must be within the CSE department and must be graduate level (200 or higher). These classes can be taken for a letter grade or S/U.
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 12 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  4. Thesis: 12 units of CSE 298 is also required.
  5. A thesis based on research must be written and subsequently reviewed by the student's thesis committee, which is set up at the beginning of the first quarter of CSE 298.

C.E. Plan II: Comprehensive, Standard Plan

In order to receive the MS degree in computer engineering under this plan, a student completes the course requirements listed below including a one-quarter project, and passes the Comprehensive Exam, which consists of a project presentation and oral exam. For the project and oral exam guidelines, please refer to this document.

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 292
    • Choose THREE of the following courses: CSE 202, CSE 221, CSE 237A, CSE 240A, CSE 241A
  2. Concentration: 12 units chosen from a list of approved computer engineering courses. These classes must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Electives: 20 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate courses or courses from a list of approved electives. The majority of these classes must be within the CS department and must be graduate level (200 or higher).
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 20 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  4. Project: 4 units of CSE 293 is also required.
  5. Comprehensive examination: The student must secure at least a Master's level pass in the comprehensive examination.

* Project and oral exam guidelines can be found here.

C.E. Plan II: Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary

In order to receive the MS degree in computer engineering under the Comprehensive Interdisciplinary plan, a student completes the course requirements listed below including a one-quarter project, and passes Comprenensive Exam, which consists of a project presentation and oral exam. For the project and oral exam guidelines, please refer to this document. The interdisciplinary plans requires a primary and secondary concentration. The Secondary concentration consists of 12 units in one of the approved areas outside of CSE. The 12 units must be taken from only one area and must be petitioned and approved in advance by the M.S. Committee: Cognitive Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Structural Engineering, and JSOE Management Courses

  1. Core: 13 credits, must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of CSE 292).
    • CSE 292
    • Choose THREE of the following courses: CSE 202, CSE 221, CSE 237A, CSE 240A, CSE 241A
  2. Primary Concentration: 12 units chosen from a list of approved computer engineering courses. These classes must be taken for a letter grade.
  3. Secondary Concentration: 12 units in one of the approved areas outside of CSE. The 12 units must be taken from only one area and must be petitioned and approved in advance by the M.S. Committee: Cognitive Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Structural Engineering, and JSOE Management Courses.
  4. Electives: 8 units of technical electives consisting of CSE graduate level courses. These classes can be taken for a letter grade or S/U.
    • Each elective course must be equivalant to 4 units. The units obtained in the courses CSE 293, CSE 294,CSE 298, CSE 299, CSE 500, or CSE 501 and any of the one or two unit seminar courses CSE 209, CSE 229, CSE 269, CSE 290, CSE 292 do not count toward the 8 units required.
    • Proposed elective courses must be reviewed first by the CSE Graduate Coordinator. 
  5. Project: 4 units of CSE 293 is also required.
  6. Comprehensive examination: The student must secure at least a Master's level pass in the comprehensive examination.

*Project and oral exam guidelines can be found here.



by Dr. Radut.