Computer Science

www.cs.uiuc.edu

Head of the Department: Marc Snir
Department of Computer Science
1210 Siebel Center
201 N. Goodwin
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-4428
academic@cs.uiuc.edu

Graduate Degree Programs

The Department of Computer Science offers graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science. The Master of Science has a thesis option (M.S.) or non-thesis option (M.C.S.). The Department also offers three joint-degree programs that combine an M.C.S with a Master of Architecture (M.Arch), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A), and Juris Doctor (J.D.). In addition, the Department is part of an interdisciplinary degree program, the Master of Science in Bioinformatics with an Option in Computer Science. The Department also participates in the Medical Scholars Program that awards the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in addition to the Ph.D. in Computer Science. Opportunity also exists for specializing in the Computational Science and Engineering Graduate Option within the Department’s graduate programs.

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. Supporting credentials, including official copies of transcripts of all completed university coursework, three letters of references, scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general exam, departmental interest sheet, etc. should be sent directly to the department by the term deadlines (Summer and Fall terms is December 1 and Spring term is September 1).

All applicants whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of at least 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (iBT). A pplicants may be exempt from the TOEFL if certain criteria are met. TOEFL scores below 610 (paper-based), 253 (computer-based), or 102 (iBT) indicate the need for further English study. This consists of enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses based on an ESL Placement Test (EPT) taken upon arrival at the University.

The minimum grade point average (GPA) for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate study (or for all graduate study if applicant holds a master’s degree) must correspond to a B or higher. GPA for those applicants recommended for admission in recent history has averaged 3.7/4.0. Full details of the programs offered by Computer Science, Admissibility and Application procedures can be found at www.cs.uiuc.edu. Refer to the following website to apply: http://www.oar.uiuc.edu/prospective/grad/applygr.html

Master of Science

Master of Science (M.S.): A total of 32 graduate hours of credit are required. Specific requirements include: 9 to 12 credit hours of Distribution Coursework; 12 hours of Advanced Coursework (chosen from CS 500 – CS 590 and CS 598); and 4 hours of CS 599 (Thesis Research) which may be applied to the 12-hour Advanced Coursework requirement. Of the remaining hours, up to 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491 may be applied to the degree. Certain restrictions apply regarding credits and time allowed to complete the degree.

Master of Science (M.C.S.): A total of 36 graduate hours of credit are required. Specific requirements include 9 to 12 hours of Distribution Coursework and 12 hours of Advanced Coursework (chosen from CS 500 – CS 590 and CS 598). Up to 4 hours of CS 597 or an approved non-CS 500-level course may also be included in the Advanced Coursework requirement. Of the remaining hours, up to 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491 may be applied to the degree. Certain restrictions apply regarding credits and time allowed to complete the degree.

Master of Science (M.C.S.)/Master of Architecture (M.Arch): A total of 74 graduate hours of credit are required: 36 for the M.C.S. degree as stated above and 38 for the Master of Architecture degree. Course credit required for the individual degrees is mutually exclusive.

Master of Science (M.C.S.)/Master of Business Administration (MBA): Specific graduate hours of credit for the degrees are required: 36 for the M.C.S. degree as stated above and 60 for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. 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 Science (M.C.S.)/Juris Doctor (J.D.): Specific graduate hours of credit for each degree are required: 36 hours for the M.C.S. as stated 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 coursework 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 coursework leading to the M.C.S. degree.

Master of Science in Bioinformatics: A total of 36 graduate hours of credit are required. Specific requirements include: 20 credit hours of Computer Science Coursework; 8 hours of Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Coursework; STAT 410 Statistics and Probability II (4 hours); and one additional 4-hour graduate course which may be a course listed in the previous requirements.

Doctor of Philosophy

A total of 96 graduate hours of credit are required without an approved M.S. degree. Specific requirements include: 48 credit hours of Core Coursework; 16 hours of Advanced Coursework (chosen from CS 500 – CS 590 and CS 598 and including up to 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491); and 32 hours of CS 599 (Thesis Research). With an approved M.S. degree, a total of 64 graduate hours of credit are required, with specific requirements reduced to: 16 credit hours of Core Coursework; 12 hours of Advanced Coursework (chosen from CS 500 – CS 590 and CS 598 and including up to 4 hours of CS 591 and CS 491); and 32 hours of CS 599 (Thesis Research). In either case, 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. In addition, Qualifying Examination, Preliminary Examination, and Final Defense requirements must be fulfilled.

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 submit a score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE).