BS+MS Students Requirements for the MS Degree
Students admitted to the BS+MS degree in Computer Science complete the MS portion of the degree in one year. The degree is awarded after completion of the following degree requirements.
Course Requirements
A total of 36 units of graduate courses consisting of 8 units of Core, 8 units of Breadth, and 20 units of Elective courses are required toward the degree. Up to 12 units of coursework taken as a UCR undergraduate must be petitioned to be double counted.
Professional Development Requirement
One quarter of CS 287, GDIV 301, GDIV 403, or at least one unit of CS 298I must be satisfactorily completed to meet this requirement. Other professional development courses may be used to satisfy this requirement if approved by the graduate advisor.
Capstone Experience
All students must complete a capstone experience that synthesizes and integrates the knowledge, and skills obtained throughout the master’s program, by either passing a comprehensive exam, writing a thesis, or completing a project. The Comprehensive Examination Option is the default option. If a student chooses the project or thesis option, it is the responsibility of the student to find a faculty member willing to supervise the master’s project or thesis, to form the faculty examining committee, and to schedule the oral presentation.
Comprehensive Exam Option
Students must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
Project Option
Students must complete a research project under the guidance of a faculty member. The project will be approved by a committee of at least two faculty members and requires a presentation and written report.
Thesis Option
Students must submit a master’s thesis in accordance with the general requirements of the university. The thesis is original research work, and it should demonstrate the student’s ability to study a research area, identify an open problem, and make a research contribution. The thesis requires a presentation and must be approved by a committee of at least three faculty members.
Program Overview
Core Requirements (8 units)
One course from two of the three Core Areas, with no grade lower than a B-
Breadth Requirements (8 units)
Two approved breadth courses were chosen in such a way that together the core and breadth courses covered 4 different major specialty areas (A to H).
Electives (20 units)
A total of 20 units are taken based on the students’ capstone option.
Comprehensive Exam option: 20 units of CS graduate level courses
The 20 elective units may include additional approved graduate lecture courses, and up to 8 units of graduate seminars in CS260 - CS269. Research units from CS297 or CS299 may not be used to satisfy any course requirements under this option.
Project option: 16 units of graduate level courses and 4 units of CS 297
Under this option, up to 4 units of Directed Research (CS 297) are applicable toward the elective requirement. The remaining 16 units may include additional approved graduate lecture courses and up to 8 units of graduate seminars in CS 260–269.
The thesis option may include up to 12 units of graduate research (CS 297 or CS 299) toward the elective unit requirement. The remaining 8 units may include approved graduate lecture courses, or graduate seminars in CS 260–269.
Double Counted Courses (12 units)
Courses that can be double counted are those that are eligible to be counted as technical electives in the B.S. requirements. A list of the Undergraduate Technical Elective courses that can be double counted is available on the CS website to help with your selection.