Computer Science
cs.illinois.eduCoordinator of Graduate Programs: Rhonda K. McElroy
Director of Graduate Admission and Advancement: Roy H. Campbell
1210 Siebel Center
201 N. Goodwin
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-4428
Email: academic@cs.illinois.edu
Major: Computer Science
Degrees Offered: M.S., M.C.S., Ph.D.
Major: Bioinformatics
Degrees Offered: M.S.
Graduate Concentration: Computer Science
Online Program: Illinois Internet Computer Science (I2CS)
Degrees Offered: M.C.S. in Computer Science
Joint Degree Programs: the M.C.S. in Computer Science can be earned jointly with the following
Degrees Offered:
M.Arch. in Architecture
M.B.A. in Business Administration
J.D. in Law
Medical Scholars Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) through the Medical Scholars Program
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Computer Science offers graduate work leading to master's and doctoral degrees. These include several joint-degree programs involving architecture, law, and medicine. Department is part of an interdisciplinary degree program in bioinformatics. A convenient Internet-based master's degree is offered. Opportunity also exists for specializing in (i) computational science and engineering and (ii) energy and sustainability engineering within the department's graduate programs via the Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Option and the Energy and Sustainability Engineering (EaSE) Option. The Medical Scholars Program permits highly qualified students to integrate the study of medicine with study for a graduate degree in a second discipline, including Computer Science. Our top-five ranked department has one of the oldest programs in the country. Success lies in its strengths in research, talented faculty and students, and its tradition of excellence in education.
Admission
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree equivalent to that granted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The recommended background for graduate students entering a Computer Science graduate degree program is a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or computer engineering. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general aptitude tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical) are no longer required. However, in some cases, GRE general scores may provide helpful supporting information.
Applicants to the computer science Ph.D. program must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.40 (A = 4.00) in their undergraduate studies (international GPAs are systematically converted) to be considered; MS and MCS applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.20. If an applicant also holds a graduate degree, the minimum GPA for that degree must be 3.00. Full details of the programs offered by Computer Science, admissibility, application procedures, and deadlines can be found at the department's Prospective Graduate Student Information Web site cs.illinois.edu/info/prospective-grads.php. To apply, click here.
All applicants whose native language is not English must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (IBT), 250 (CBT), or 600 (PBT); or minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic exam scores of 6.5 overall and 6.0 in all subsections. For those taking the TOEFL or IELTS, full admission status is granted for scores greater than 102 (TOEFL iBT), 253 (TOEFL CBT), 610 (TOEFL PBT), or 6.5 (IELTS). Limited status is granted for lesser scores and requires enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses based on an ESL Placement Test (EPT) taken upon arrival to campus.
Applicants to the joint M.Arch, M.B.A, or J.D. degree programs must meet the admissions standards for both programs and be accepted by both programs.
Students may apply to the Medical Scholars Program prior to beginning graduate school or while in the graduate program. Applicants to the Medical Scholars Program must meet the admissions standards for and be accepted into both Computer Science and the College of Medicine. An application to the Medical Scholars Program will also serve as the application to the Computer Science graduate program. Further information on this program is available by contacting the Medical Scholars Program (125 Medical Sciences Building, 217-333-8146, mspo@illinois.edu).
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Degree Requirements and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science, Computer Science
Requirements
|
|
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Hours |
| Total Credit for the Degree | 32 |
| Thesis Research – CS 599 (minimum applied toward degree) | 4 |
| Course Work | 28 |
| Distribution courses | 9-12 |
| Advanced courses – chosen from CS 500 - CS 590 and CS 598; CS 599 (thesis) may satisfy 4 credit hours of this requirement. | 12 |
| Elective courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 4-7 |
| Other Requirements and Conditions (may overlap):* | |
| A minimum of 16 CS credit hours must be taken from the Illinois campus. | |
| A minimum of 12 500-level credit hours overall. | |
| A maximum of 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491 may be applied toward the degree. | |
| A grade of B- or higher is required for Distribution course work. | |
| The minimum program GPA is 3.0. | |
| At most, 12 semester credit hours of previous graduate course work may be transferred and applied to the M.S. degree requirements. | |
| It is each student's responsibility to secure a M.S. thesis advisor and start thesis research no later than the beginning of the third semester in the program. | |
| All degree requirements must be completed within five consecutive semesters (only fall and spring semesters are counted). | |
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science is a research-oriented degree that can be counted toward the Computer Science Ph.D.
Master of Science, Bioinformatics
Requirements |
|
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Hours |
| Total Credit for the Degree | 36 |
| Course Work | 36 |
| CS 411 and CS 473 | 8 |
| STAT 410 | 4 |
| One bioinformatics course chosen from a departmental list of bioinformatics courses. | 4 |
| One biological science course chosen from a departmental list of biological sciences courses. | 4 |
| CS electives, chosen from a departmental list of CS electives. | 12 |
| One additional 4-credit hour graduate course (may be from the bioinformatics or biological science categories above) | 4 |
| Other Requirements and Conditions (may overlap):* | |
| A minimum of 12 500-level credit hours overall. | |
| The minimum program GPA is 3.0 | |
| All degree requirements must be completed within five consecutive semesters (only fall and spring semesters are counted). | |
The CS concentration for the M.S. in Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary degree that can be counted toward the Computer Science Ph.D.
Master of Computer Science, Computer Science
This degree is offered as an on-campus program or via the Internet through the I2CS program.
Requirements |
|
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Hours |
| Total Credit for the Degree | 36 |
| Course Work | 36 |
| Distribution courses | 9-12 |
| Advanced courses – chosen from CS 500 - CS 590 and CS 598; CS 597, or an approved non-CS 500-level course may satisfy 4 credit hours of this requirement. | 12 |
| Elective courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 12-15 |
| Other Requirements and Conditions (may overlap):* | |
| A minimum of 16 CS credit hours must be taken from the Illinois campus. | |
| A minimum of 12 500-level credit hours overall. | |
| A maximum of 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491 may be applied toward the degree. | |
| A grade of B- or higher is required for Distribution course work. | |
| The minimum program GPA is 3.0. | |
| At most, 12 semester credit hours of previous graduate course work may be transferred and applied to the M.S. degree requirements. | |
| All degree requirements must be completed within five consecutive semesters (only fall and spring semesters are counted). Off-campus students have 5 years in which to complete this degree. | |
Doctor of Philosophy
Requirements |
Entering with approved M.S. degree |
Entering with B.S. degree |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours: | Hours | Hours |
| Total Credit for the Degree | 64 | 96 |
| Thesis Research – CS 599 (minimum applied toward degree | 32 | 32 |
| Course Work | 16 | 48 |
| 500-level course work | 16 (12 must be CS courses) | 24 (12 must be CS courses) |
| 400- or 500-level course work | n/a | 24 |
| Additional graduate-level course work or thesis research credit (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 16 | 16 |
| Other Requirements and Conditions (may overlap):* | ||
| Minimum hours of CS course work | 12 | 20 |
| CS 597 (Independent Study) and CS 591 (Seminar) may not be applied to the 500-level course work requirement. | ||
| CS 591 section PHD must be taken in the first semester. A maximum of 4 credit hours of CS 591 can be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. | ||
| The minimum program GPA is 3.0. | ||
| Ph.D. exam and dissertation requirements: Qualifying exam Preliminary exam Final exam or dissertation defense Dissertation deposit [Note: International Students must show demonstration of English proficiency (equivalent to that necessary to be a TA-see Financial Aid) before taking the Preliminary Exam.] |
||
1. At most 12 semester hours of previous graduate course work that has not been applied to any other degree and is not more than 5 years old may be petitioned for transfer credit and applied to the Ph.D. degree requirements.
Online Program
Master of Computer Science (I2CS M.C.S.)
The Illinois Internet Computer Science option allows individuals to earn a Master of Computer Science degree from a leader in information technology entirely online with no required campus visits. All students receive the same lectures, class assignments, exams and projects as on-campus students. The degree requirements are the same as for the on-campus M.C.S. program as prescribed above. Off-campus students have 5 years in which to complete the program. The degree awarded is the same as the on-campus M.C.S. degree. Admissions procedures and forms can be found at Degree Admissions.
Joint Degree Programs
Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)–Master of Architecture
A total of 74 graduate hours of credit are required: 36 for the M.C.S. degree as prescribed above and 38 for the Master of Architecture degree. Course credit required for the individual degrees is mutually exclusive.
Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)–Master of Business Administration
Specific graduate hours of credit for the degrees are required: 36 for the M.C.S. degree as prescribed above and 60 graduate hours for the M.B.A. degree, including 40 hours of M.B.A. core course work; and 20 hours of M.B.A. elective course work to fulfill the requirements of a concentration. Course credit required for the M.B.A may not be used to fulfill M.C.S. degree requirements. The College of Business may elect to allow some course credits for the M.C.S. degree to fulfill M.B.A. degree requirements, allowing students to earn both degrees in a shorter time.
Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)–Juris Doctor
Specific graduate hours of credit for each degree are required: 36 hours for the M.C.S. as prescribed above and 90 for the Juris Doctor. However, some credits used in each program may apply to the other, allowing students to earn both degrees in a shorter time. For the M.C.S. degree (i) at least 12 credit hours must be law course work relating to legal protections for intellectual property or in related business law fields and (ii) at least 6 credit hours must be from approved law courses as determined by the College of Law. For the J.D. degree, 12 credit hours may be computer science or other scientific course work leading to the M.C.S. degree.
Medical Scholars Program
Students in the Medical Scholars program must meet the specific requirements for both the medical and graduate degrees. On average, students take eight years to complete both degrees. The first year of the combined program is typically spent working on requirements of the Computer Science graduate degree.
Faculty Research Interests
Illinois has been an international leader in computing research for almost five decades. Broadly organized around 10 research areas, 57 faculty members conduct research with about 480 graduate students, and about 30 research staff members. They regularly collaborate with researchers across campus, in other departments or research units.
Facilities and Resources
The home of the Department of Computer Science at Illinois is the Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science, a state-of-the-art building that opened its doors in 2004. On the north side of campus, home to the College of Engineering, Siebel Center is an interactive computing habitat, made possible by a gift from alumnus Tom Siebel. The vision for the building was not only to create a magnificent space to work in, but to offer opportunities to investigate and apply computing tools on the building itself. Advanced wireless and wired communication networks, sensors, actuators, video capture and display equipment, video walls and information panels and storage and computing capabilities within the building allow researchers to examine communication and computation issues related to pervasive computing, multimedia infrastructure, building intelligence, security and privacy, and art.
Financial Aid
Fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships (all of which include tuition and partial fee waivers) are awarded on a competitive basis. All applicants, regardless of U.S. citizenship, whose native language is not English and who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships (the most common form of financial aid for new graduate students in the department) must demonstrate spoken English language proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE), 24 on the speaking subsection of the TOEFL iBT, or 8 on the speaking subsection of the IELTS. For students who are unable to take the TSE, iBT, or IELTS, a minimum score of 50 is required on the SPEAK test, offered on campus. All new teaching assistants are required to participate in the Graduate Academy for College Teaching conducted prior to the start of the semester.