M.S. Degree

Master of Science in Computer Science Degree Program

The Master of Science in Computer Science degree prepares students to do meaningful research and to acquire vital skills and insights for solving some of the world’s most complex technological challenges.

Admission Requirements
Consideration for the Master’s (MS) program admission requires completion of Graduate Studies’ online application, with fee by the stated admission deadline. The application for consideration for program admission requires the following:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Three letters of recommendation
• Submission of transcripts
• 3.0 Minimum GPA
• English Language Examination scores (if applicable)
-- TOEFL: Score 80 or higher
-- IELTS: 7.0 or higher
• Graduate Studies online application
• GRE scores are NOT required

In addition to the admission requirements stated above, applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency at the undergraduate level in three fundamental areas of Computer Science. The specified UC Davis courses exemplify the material:

♦ Computer Science Theory Area (one course)
-- ECS 120 (Theory of Computation)
-- ECS 122A (Algorithm Design and Analysis)

♦ Software Area (one course)
-- ECS 140A (Programming Languages)
-- ECS 160 (Software Engineering)

♦ Operating Systems Area (one course)
-- ECS 150 (Operating Systems and System Programming)
-- ECS 154B (Computer Architecture)
These are referred to as the Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements. A grade of B or higher is required for each course used to satisfy these requirements. Specific information regarding these requirements may be found at this website.

Deficiencies
Students may be admitted with one or more deficiencies in the Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements. It is expected that the student will complete these proficiency requirements by the time the student advances to candidacy.
M.S. Plan I and Plan II

The Graduate Group in Computer Science offers two plans for the MS degree with respective capstone requirements. Plan I requires successful completion of a thesis, while Plan II requires successful completion of either a project or a master exam. Students should decide, in consultation with graduate group faculty, which option best suits their individual goals.

Students typically decide on the Plan at the end of their 3rd quarter. Students can switch their MS Plan before Advancing to Candidacy, which typically occurs the quarter before they graduate.

Plan I (Thesis) requires 30-units total of upper-division and graduate coursework, and Plan II (Project or Exam) requires 36-units total of upper-division and graduate coursework. At most 4 of these units may be from an upper-division course. The following table summarizes the specific requirements for the thesis, project, and exam options.

Option	Capstone Requirement	No. of graduate courses required	No. of ECS 299 units allowed	Committee consists of
Thesis (Plan I)	A written thesis	6	6	Thesis Advisor plus 2 more faculty members
Project (Plan II)	A project deliverable	7	8	Project Advisor plus 2 more faculty members
Exam (Plan II)	Oral or written exam	9	0	Three faculty members

Two important notes regarding the above table:

1. Note that while the allowed ECS 299 units may be counted toward the 30- or 36-unit requirement, ECS 290, 293A, 298, and 299 cannot be counted toward the coursework requirement. A grade of B or better must be obtained in all coursework used to satisfy degree requirements.

2. With respect to the third column (Number of graduate courses required), note that one course of at most 4-units may be from a UC Davis upper-division undergraduate course that was completed to satisfy the Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements.

Course Requirements
The coursework requirements for the MS degree is comprised of: Core Area course requirements (12-units), Elective course requirements (12-24 units depending on MS Plan), and Research units (0-6 units depending on MS Plan).

The courses that a student will use in satisfaction of the 30-unit (Plan I - Thesis) or 36-unit (Plan II - Project/Exam) coursework requirements must be approved by the student’s Thesis Advisor or Project Advisor, or by a Graduate Advisor. A student must have an overall GPA of 3.0 for the MS degree to be awarded, and a B or better in all coursework used to satisfy the degree requirements.

Core Area Courses (12-units)
At the graduate level, the Computer Science curriculum is classified into three Core Areas: Theory, Software, and Systems. The following table lists the current set of course offerings for each of the Core Areas.

♦ Computer Science Theory Core Area
-- ECS 220 Theory of Computation
-- ECS 222A Design and Analysis of Algorithms
-- ECS 240 Programming Languages
-- ECS 256 Performance Evaluation

♦ Software Core Area
-- ECS 231 Large-scale Scientific Computation
-- ECS 235A Computer and Information Security
-- ECS 245 Analysis of Software Artifacts
-- ECS 260 Software Engineering
-- ECS 261 Program Verification

♦ Operating Systems Core Area
-- ECS 201A Advanced Computer Architecture
-- ECS 251 Operating Systems
-- ECS 252 Computer Networks
-- ECS 265 Distributed Database Systems

4-units from each of the three Core Areas are required with a grade of B or better.

Elective Courses (12-24 units depending on MS Plan)
These courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s Thesis, Project, or Graduate Advisor. A grade of B or better is required for all elective courses.

♦ At least 4-units (one course) must be an ECS graduate course (200-level) that is not listed as a Core course, and is not ECS 289A-M, or ECS 299

♦ At most 4-units (one course) of UC Davis upper-division undergraduate coursework, completed as a UC Davis graduate student, may be counted as an elective. Non-ECS upper-division courses must be approved by the student’s Thesis, Project, or Graduate Advisor, to count as an elective

♦ At most 12-units (three courses) of UC Davis graduate coursework outside of ECS, completed as a UC Davis graduate student, may be counted as an elective with approval from the student’s Thesis, Project, or Graduate Advisor (Students may find a list of suggested non-ECS courses in the FAQs at the bottom of this webpage)

♦ At most 12-units (three courses) of ECS 289A-M may be counted as an elective. Non-ECS special topics graduate courses must be approved by the student’s Thesis, Project, or Graduate Advisor, to count as an elective.

Research (0-6 units depending on MS Plan)
GGCS students will register for research units (ECS 299) in most quarters. While students will end up taking many units of ECS 299, only a specified number of research units may be counted towards the degree requirements, depending on the MS Plan:

♦ MS Plan I (Thesis Option) Up to 6 units may be from ECS 299
♦ MS Plan II (Project Option) Up to 8 units may be from ECS 299
♦ MS Plan II (Exam Option) No units of ECS 299 may be counted towards the 36-unit requirement.

Note: Full-time students must enroll in a minimum of 12-units per quarter. As per UC regulations, students may not enroll in more than 12-units of graduate level courses, nor more than 16-units of combined undergraduate and graduate level courses.

English Language Requirement (If Applicable)
Any student who does not meet the English proficiency criteria described in the Graduate Student Course Requirements – English as Second Language Policy (GC2018-02) is required to enroll in an appropriate English language course as listed in the policy. Any courses taken in satisfaction of this requirement do not count towards the units required for graduation.
Special Requirements
To become a Teaching Assistant (TA) for any course offered by the Department of Computer Science, a student is required to complete the course ECS 390 (Teaching of Computer Science). This course does not count towards the degree requirements.
Committees
Admissions Committee -- Once the completed application, all supporting material, and the application fee have been received, the application is submitted to the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee consists of 15 –20 faculty who are members of GGCS. Based on a holistic review of the entire application, a recommendation is made to accept or decline an applicant’s request for admission. The recommendation is forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval of admission.

Notification of admissions decisions is sent by Graduate Studies. Applications are due by the deadline listed on the Program website for admission to the class starting the following Fall Quarter. (There is no application to be considered for Spring admission)
Graduate Advisors Committee -- The Graduate Advisors Committee is composed of GGCS faculty members appointed by Graduate Studies. Every student who does not have a Thesis Advisor or Project Advisor will be assigned a Graduate Advisor from the Graduate Advisors Committee. Until a student has a Thesis Advisor or Project Advisor, the assigned Graduate Advisor will monitor the progress of the student and provide guidance on their academic program. Each GGCS graduate student is responsible for meeting with his or her Graduate Advisor at least once per quarter.
Thesis Committee -- For a student following Plan I (Thesis Option), the student’s Thesis Advisor nominates two additional GGCS faculty members to serve on the Thesis Committee. These nominations are submitted to Graduate Studies for formal appointment in accordance with Graduate Council policy. The Thesis Advisor serves as Chair of the committee. At least two members of this committee must be members of the Academic Senate of the University of California. This follows the Policy on Membership defined in GC1998-01. At least two members of this committee must be members of GGCS. The thesis must be approved by all three members of the committee.

Project Committee -- For Plan II with Project Option, the student’s Project Advisor nominates an additional two faculty members to serve on the Project Committee. This nomination is submitted to the Graduate Advisor Committee for approval. The responsibility of this committee is to supervise and evaluate the student’s project. A project must be approved by all members of the Project Committee.
Master's Exam Committee -- Each academic year, the Chair of GGCS nominates four faculty members to serve on the Comprehensive Exam Committee. The committee members must be members of GGCS. It is the responsibility of the committee to administer the comprehensive exam to students enrolled in MS Plan II (Exam Option).
Advising Structure and Mentoring
The Thesis Advisor is the faculty member who supervises the student’s Thesis (MS Plan I (Thesis Option)). This faculty serves as the Chair of the Thesis Committee. The Project Advisor is the faculty member who supervises the student’s Project (MS Plan II (Project Option)).

Each Graduate Advisor, who is appointed by Graduate Studies, is a resource for information on academic requirements, identifying potential Thesis/Project Advisor, and policies and procedures until the student has a Thesis or a Project Advisor. For students following MS Plan II (Exam Option), Graduate Advisors are resource for information on academic requirements and policies and procedures for the entire duration of their program. Irrespective of their MS plan, students can continue to seek advice and mentoring from the Graduate Advisors for various reasons including potential conflicts and other issues. This may be through guidance from the Graduate Program Coordinator. The Graduate Program Coordinator also assists students with identifying a Thesis/Project Advisor, identifying Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments, and general university policies.

Graduate students are encouraged to review The Mentoring Guidelines provided by UC Davis Graduate Studies, as well as the additional resources included in the GGCS Graduate Student Handbook.
Advancement to Candidacy
Every MS student must file an official application to Advance to Candidacy and pay the Candidacy Fee. MS students Advance to Candidacy at least one quarter before completing all degree requirements and graduating.

The form for Advancement to Candidacy for the Master’s Degree must be submitted via GradSphere. The completed form includes a list of courses that the student has taken/planned to complete degree requirements.

If changes must be made to the student’s course plan after they have advanced to candidacy, the Graduate Advisor must recommend these changes to Graduate Studies. Students must have their candidacy form signed before it can be submitted to Graduate Studies.
Requirements for the Thesis, Project and Master's Examination
Thesis
Research for the MS thesis is to be carried out under the supervision of a Thesis Advisor who must be a member of GGCS. A Master’s thesis is usually based on ECS 299 research units. The thesis should demonstrate the student’s proficiency in research methods and scientific analysis, and a thorough knowledge of the state of the art in the student’s chosen area. A Master’s thesis is a description of an original technical or research contribution of limited scope, or an advanced design study. The thesis research must be conducted while the student is enrolled in the program.

The student is expected to form their Thesis Committee by the end of their 3rd quarter in residence. The student and Thesis Advisor must meet at least once a quarter with the other two members of the Thesis Committee to discuss progress, and any changes in research objectives.

Thesis committee members must provide feedback to the student within four weeks of receipt of the thesis. This does not include summer months, for committee members having nine-month appointments. All committee members must approve the thesis and sign the title page before the thesis is submitted to Graduate Studies for final approval. Should the Thesis Committee determine that the thesis is unacceptable, even with substantial revisions, the program may recommend the student for disqualification from the program to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The Thesis must be filed in a quarter in which the student is registered or on filing fee.

Instructions on preparation of the thesis and a schedule of dates for filing the thesis in final form are available on Graduate Studies' website.
Project
A project is carried out under the supervision of the student’s Project Advisor who must be a member of GGCS. The topic and extent of the project may be defined by a faculty member or proposed by the student. A typical project involves the practical solution (implementation) of a software system or an experimental study of a computer hardware/software design. The deliverable for a successful completion of a project is defined by the Project Advisor. It can be a written report and/or an oral presentation. All committee members must approve the project. The Master’s Report Form is then submitted via GradSphere by the Project Advisor, signed by the Graduate Advisor and forwarded to Graduate Studies for final approval. Should the Project Committee determine that the project outcome is unacceptable, the program may recommend the student for disqualification from the program to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students are encouraged to periodically review our webpage which includes a listing of Available Research Projects for MS students.
Master’s Examination
The Comprehensive Examination may be oral, written or a combination of both, designated by the Comprehensive Exam Committee, with the objective to strengthen the student’s knowledge in core or applied CS areas that can best prepare the student for their professional career. The exam is based on material determined by the Comprehensive Exam Committee. The following are two examples of the Comprehensive Exam.

1. The Comprehensive Exam Committee chooses three important and highly established published papers from three of the Core Areas. The exam consists of reading the spaper and answering a set of questions posed by the Comprehensive Exam Committee. The questions require written answers and may involve programming and/or computation.

2. The Comprehensive Exam Committee chooses a set of important topics covered in the Core Areas. The exam consists of the students answering questions on the topics. Whether it will be a written exam or an oral exam is determined by the Comprehensive Exam Committee.

The examination may be taken once the student has completed required courses and advanced to candidacy. The Comprehensive Exam is held in Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Students, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator, will decide when to take the exam. A student is allowed to repeat the Comprehensive Examination only once. After passing the examination, a copy of the Master’s Report Form is submitted via GradSphere, signed by the Graduate Advisor and then forwarded to the Graduate Studies.
Normative Time to Degree
♦ Plan I -- It is expected that the student will complete the Core Area Requirements within the first four (4) quarters of residence. It is expected that the student will complete the MS Degree by the end of the sixth (6th) quarter of residence, including all course requirements and the approval of the thesis.
♦ Plan II -- It is expected that the student will complete the Core Area Requirements within the first four (4) quarters of residence. It is expected that the student will complete all course work and project/examinations by the end of the fifth (5th) quarter of residence.

These deadlines may be extended only by an approval of a Graduate Advisor.
Sample Schedule (classes may vary and can be taken in different quarters than what is listed) and Sequence of Events

PLAN I (THESIS)

THESIS	Fall	Winter	Spring
Year One	ECS 201A (4 units) ECS 293A (1 unit) ECS 390 (1 unit) ECS 299 (6 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 260 (4 units) ECS 289G (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 222A (4 units) ECS 240 (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS
Year Two	ECS 235A (4 units) ECS 299 (8 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 299 (12 units) (Advancement to MS Candidacy) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 299 (6 units) (Thesis completed) 12 TOTAL UNITS

PLAN II (PROJECT)

PROJECT	Fall	Winter	Spring
Year One	ECS 201A (4 units) ECS 293A (1 unit) ECS 390 (1 unit) ECS 299 (6 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 260 (4 units) ECS 289G (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 222A (4 units) ECS 240 (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS
Year Two	ECS 235A (4 units) ECS 299 (8 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 271 (4 units) ECS 299 (8 units) (Advancement to MS Candidacy) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 299 (12 units) (Project completed) 12 TOTAL UNITS

PLAN II (EXAM)

EXAM	Fall	Winter	Spring
Year One	ECS 201A (4 units) ECS 252 (4 units) ECS 293A (1 unit) ECS 390 (1 unit) ECS 299 (2 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 260 (4 units) ECS 289G (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 222A (4 units) ECS 240 (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) 12 TOTAL UNITS
Year Two	ECS 235A (4 units) ECS 265 (4 units) ECS 299 (4 units) (Advancement to MS Candidacy) 12 TOTAL UNITS	ECS 271 (4 units) ECS 299 (8 units) (Exam passed) 12 TOTAL UNITS

The following are important notes related to the above table.
1. ECS 299 units are assigned to meet the 12 units requirements for the quarter.
2. Course offerings change year to year. What is shown is just an example.
3. These samples do not take into account the student’s need of fulfilling certain prerequisite proficiency requirements. Depending on the added workload, the student may need additional quarters to complete the exam/project/thesis.

Students may find a Tentative Course Schedule for the current/upcoming academic year linked towards the top of this website: https://cs.ucdavis.edu/schedules-classes. This is a tentative plan, and courses may change. Please use the Course Search Tool for the most detailed and current course information.

PELP, In Absentia and Filing Fee Status
Information about PELP (Planned Educational Leave), In Absentia (reduced fees when researching out of state) and Filing Fee status can be found on the Graduate Studies website: https://grad.ucdavis.edu/.
Academic Accommodations
Students requiring academic accommodations to complete degree requirements must register with the Student Disability Center (SDC) and initiate the interactive accommodation process. Academic accommodations cannot be granted retroactively, and it is the student’s responsibility to follow the appropriate process for requesting accommodations in advance of needing them to complete a degree requirement (e.g., coursework, comprehensive exam, etc.).

Frequently Asked Questions for the MS Degree

For a full list, please visit our webpage for FAQ's for Current Students

How do I get an M.S. in Computer Science?
This varies from student to student but the following list shows the right order of steps and approximate time frame to follow:
Thesis Option
Time to Degree: 2 – 3 Years
♦ Complete Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements
♦ Complete Core Area course requirements (12-units, i.e., 3 classes)
♦ Complete Elective course requirements (12-units, i.e., 3 classes)
♦ Complete 6-units of Research (ECS 299)
♦ Coursework counted towards the degree totals 30-units
♦ Submit thesis, after committee approves

Project Option
Time to Degree: 2 Years
♦ Complete Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements
♦ Complete Core Area course requirements (12-units, i.e., 3 classes)
♦ Complete Elective course requirements (16-units, i.e., 4 classes)
♦ Complete 8-units of Research (ECS 299)
♦ Coursework counted towards the degree totals 36-units
♦ Successful completion of project

Exam Option
Time to Degree: 1.5 Years
♦ Complete Prerequisite Proficiency Requirements
♦ Complete Core Area course requirements (12-units, i.e., 3 classes)
♦ Complete Elective course requirements (24-units, i.e., 6 classes)
♦ Coursework counted towards the degree totals 36-units
♦ Successful completion of comprehensive MS Exam
What is the MS Thesis Option?
The MS Thesis is a written manuscript, which details the research methods and contributions, as well as analysis and future implications, as appropriate. A thesis deliverable thoroughly describes an original technical or research contribution of limited scope, or an advanced design study.

The student's Research Advisor works closely with the student and provides feedback and guidance on research carried out towards the thesis deliverable. The thesis should demonstrate the student’s proficiency in research methods and scientific analysis, and a thorough knowledge of the state of the art in the student’s chosen area.

MS Thesis option requires 6-units of ECS 299 (Research Units) that will be counted towards the degree requirements.
How do I find an advisor to work on my thesis with?
You should have a general idea of the area that you want to do research in, as well as an idea of potential thesis topics. Once you know what area of computer science you want to work in, contact a faculty member in that area and see if they will be willing to advise you.

Email tends to be one of the less effective ways to introduce yourself to a faculty member, though sometimes it is the only choice. Better ways of making an introduction are through taking a class with the faculty member, talking with them during office hours, or through seminars and colloquia.
How do I file a completed thesis?
When your thesis is complete, it must first be approved by a committee of three members. The committee membership must be approved by Graduate Studies, through the Advancement to Candidacy form submitted via GradSphere.

After the thesis is approved, it must be filed with Graduate Studies. The process and applicable deadlines can be found on Graduate Studies’ website.
What is the MS Project Option?
The MS Project includes research and a capstone deliverable similar to the MS Thesis option, however the scope of the project does NOT include a manuscript thesis deliverable. The biggest difference between the two is that, unlike the thesis, the Research Advisor determines what is to be done in a project. The MS Project deliverable can vary depending on the scope of the project.
A project should demonstrate the student’s proficiency in research methods and scientific analysis, and a thorough knowledge of the state of the art in the student’s chosen area. It tends to be of more limited scope than a thesis, and usually takes less time to complete than a thesis.

MS Project option requires 8-units of ECS 299 (Research Units) that will be counted towards the degree requirements.
How do I find an MS Project to work on?
GGCS will update this webpage with currently available MS Projects that faculty are advertising and actively recruiting for. This webpage is periodically updated with new projects, so it's a good practice to check back every now and then for updates. We also recommend that students check their UC Davis email account, as some projects are advertised via email.

If you are looking for a different project, faculty members may have other projects available. You should have a general idea of the area that you want to do research in. Once you know what area of computer science you want to work in, contact a faculty member in that area and see if they have any projects available. Email tends to be one of the less effective ways to introduce yourself to a faculty member, though sometimes it is the only choice. Better ways of making an introduction are through taking a class with the faculty member, talking with them during office hours, or through seminars and colloquia.
How do I file a completed MS Project?
Once you have completed your MS Project, all members of your committee must sign off on the project. There is no need to submit the project to Graduate Studies.

Once it is approved, your Research Advisor submits the MS Plan II Report form via GradSphere.
What is the MS Exam option?
Students who wish to develop more breadth at the graduate-level in computer science may choose the MS Exam option. The comprehensive exam is used to ensure that the student has acquired proficient knowledge in the Core Areas. The examination may be taken once the student has completed required courses and Advanced to Candidacy. Students take the MS Exam during their final quarter when they plan to graduate.

The examination is a written exam, designated by the Exam Committee, with the objective to strengthen the student’s knowledge in selected core or applied CS areas that can best prepare the student for their professional career.
How do I set up the MS Exam?
Each quarter, current students are sent a survey in which they can indicate if they wish to take the MS Exams. The call is usually sent around the 6th or 7th week of the quarter. Once this is confirmed, those students are sent instructions on how to complete the exams.
When should I plan to take the MS Exam?
Students should plan to take the MS Exam during the quarter they graduate.
Can I take the MS Exam over the summer?
No, the comprehensive exam is not offered during the summer.
How do I submit a completed MS Exam?
Once the exams are complete, the faculty administering the exams will send the result to the graduate student service advisors. Upon notice that the examination was completed successfully, the student will be added to the degree conferral list.

Be sure to also see our general frequently asked questions for graduate students. For any additional information, please email our advisors at csgradadvising@ucdavis.edu.

Prospective applicants should please contact us at csgradadmit@ucdavis.edu.