Five-Year Bachelor’s-Master’s Program

The department offers the master of science degree in computer science and in computer engineering. The degree can be pursued under either the Thesis Plan I or the Comprehensive Examination Plan II. There are two options for the Comprehensive Exam Plan II: the Standard Comprehensive Option or the Interdisciplinary Comprehensive Option. For full-time students, all the requirements can be completed within one to two years. Students must register for a minimum of three quarters for residency requirements. To maintain good academic standing, students must be making timely and satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements and must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 at UC San Diego.

The breadth requirement ensures that doctoral students share knowledge of fundamental concepts and tools from across broad areas of computer science and computer engineering. Each doctoral student must take each of these courses for a letter grade and maintain an overall breadth course GPA of 3.3 (except for CSE 292, for which a letter grade is not assigned). A student will typically complete all breadth courses within the first two years of graduate study.

Undergraduate students in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering who are enrolled in the BS or BA computer science or BS computer engineering programs, and who have a cumulative GPA of a 3.4 and also a GPA of 3.4 in at least seven core courses, are eligible to apply for the Five-Year Bachelor’s-Master’s Degree Program. Students must apply four quarters before graduation. Acceptance into this program is an honor that carries with it practical benefits—the graduate application process is simplified (no GREs required), and students accepted into this program can be admitted fall, winter, and spring quarter, based upon availability of openings in the program. Advanced students are given access to graduate level courses and have the opportunity to do graduate level research earlier under the direct supervision of UC San Diego’s faculty, and students are able to complete the BA, BS, and MS within a five-year time period. Courses taken can be used toward either the BA, BS, or MS, but not counted toward both degrees. Additional information and applications can be obtained by contacting the CSE Student Affairs Office, EBU 3B, Room 1234. For an application, visit http://cse.ucsd.edu/graduate/degree-programs .

Admission decisions for the master’s and doctoral programs are made separately. A current master’s student who wishes to enter the doctoral program must submit a petition, including a new statement of purpose and three new letters of recommendation, to the CSE admissions committee.

Undergraduate students in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering who are enrolled in the BS or BA computer science or BS computer engineering programs, and who have a cumulative GPA of a 3.4 and also a GPA of 3.4 in at least seven core courses, are eligible to apply for the Five-Year Bachelor’s-Master’s Degree Program. Students must apply four quarters before graduation. Acceptance into this program is an honor that carries with it practical benefits—the graduate application process is simplified (no GREs required), and students accepted into this program can be admitted fall, winter, and spring quarter, based upon availability of openings in the program. Advanced students are given access to graduate level courses and have the opportunity to do graduate level research earlier under the direct supervision of UC San Diego’s faculty, and students are able to complete the BA, BS, and MS within a five-year time period. Courses taken can be used toward either the BA, BS, or MS, but not counted toward both degrees. Additional information and applications can be obtained by contacting the CSE Student Affairs Office, EBU 3B, Room 1234. For an application, visit http://cse.ucsd.edu/graduate/degree-programs .