Welcome to the Welcome to the Computer Science Computer Science Masters ProgramMasters Program

Classified StatusClassified Status

Undergraduate prerequisite courses Undergraduate prerequisite courses completecomplete

For international students, classified For international students, classified status is necessary to receive CPT status is necessary to receive CPT and OPTand OPT

Conditionally Classified Conditionally Classified StatusStatus

Need to complete one or more of the Need to complete one or more of the following undergraduate prerequisite following undergraduate prerequisite courses:courses:MA-120 Calculus IMA-120 Calculus I

MA-121 Calculus IIMA-121 Calculus II

MA-314 Probability and Statistics MA-314 Probability and Statistics

MA-317 Discrete MathMA-317 Discrete Math

CSCI-311 Data StructuresCSCI-311 Data Structures

CSCI-320 Computer Architecture CSCI-320 Computer Architecture

CSCI-330 Software Engineering CSCI-330 Software Engineering

CSCI-340 Operating SystemsCSCI-340 Operating Systems

Program PlanProgram Plan

Lists the 30 units that you think you will be Lists the 30 units that you think you will be taking while here at Chicotaking while here at Chico

Should be submitted early in your programShould be submitted early in your program Although there is a place for your Although there is a place for your

committee to sign the Program Plan, the committee to sign the Program Plan, the committee’s signature is not necessarycommittee’s signature is not necessary

It will be signed by the Graduate Advisor It will be signed by the Graduate Advisor and the Graduate School and is intended and the Graduate School and is intended to alleviate any questions you have about to alleviate any questions you have about taking the right coursestaking the right courses

You can get a blank Program Plan at the You can get a blank Program Plan at the Computer Science Department Office just Computer Science Department Office just inside the doorinside the door

Graduate Clearance FormGraduate Clearance Form Lists 30 units that you have completed or are about Lists 30 units that you have completed or are about

to completeto complete Should be turned in the semester you plan to Should be turned in the semester you plan to

graduategraduate You get the Graduate Clearance Form from the You get the Graduate Clearance Form from the

Graduate School in a packet when you apply for Graduate School in a packet when you apply for graduationgraduation

It contains basically the same information as the It contains basically the same information as the Program Plan, except since it is normally filled out Program Plan, except since it is normally filled out near the end of your stay at Chico, it lists the near the end of your stay at Chico, it lists the courses that you have takencourses that you have taken

It must be signed by your committeeIt must be signed by your committee There is a place on the Graduate Clearance form for There is a place on the Graduate Clearance form for

the Graduate Advisor to sign and another place to the Graduate Advisor to sign and another place to sign off your literacy requirementsign off your literacy requirement

Literacy RequirementLiteracy Requirement

Pass exam which is given at the Pass exam which is given at the beginning of each semesterbeginning of each semester

Complete CSCI-305/EECE-335 with a Complete CSCI-305/EECE-335 with a passing gradepassing grade

Candidacy StatusCandidacy Status

Pass literacy requirementPass literacy requirementForm committee or pass Form committee or pass

Comprehensive Core ExamComprehensive Core ExamYou are advanced to candidacy when You are advanced to candidacy when

you submit Graduation Clearance you submit Graduation Clearance FormForm

Capstone OptionsCapstone Options

Pass Comprehensive Core Exam – Pass Comprehensive Core Exam – given during 5given during 5thth week of each week of each semestersemester

Complete 3 unit projectComplete 3 unit projectComplete 6 unit thesisComplete 6 unit thesis

400 and 500-Level 400 and 500-Level CourseworkCoursework

400 and 500-level coursework can be 400 and 500-level coursework can be applied to either an undergraduate applied to either an undergraduate or graduate level programor graduate level program

Be careful that you do not take 400 Be careful that you do not take 400 or 500-level courses here at Chico or 500-level courses here at Chico that have the same title/course that have the same title/course description as courses already description as courses already completed in your undergraduate completed in your undergraduate degreedegree

600-Level Coursework600-Level Coursework

600 level courses are graduate only600 level courses are graduate only

Units RequiredUnits Required

A total of 30 units are required for A total of 30 units are required for the Masters degree.the Masters degree.

18 of the 30 must be at the 600 18 of the 30 must be at the 600 level. The remaining units may be at level. The remaining units may be at the 400, 500 or 600 level. the 400, 500 or 600 level.

Project and Thesis units count at the Project and Thesis units count at the 600 level.600 level.Projects are normally 3 unitsProjects are normally 3 unitsTheses are normally 6 unitsTheses are normally 6 units

Grade Point AverageGrade Point Average

Two different GPAs must be greater Two different GPAs must be greater than 3.0 for you to graduate.than 3.0 for you to graduate.

1.1. GPA after being accepted into the Masters GPA after being accepted into the Masters program includes grades from your program includes grades from your Masters coursework as well as grades Masters coursework as well as grades from any other coursework you were from any other coursework you were required to take or which you chose to required to take or which you chose to take. Many graduate students have take. Many graduate students have difficulty with this GPAdifficulty with this GPA

2.2. GPA for the courses that are listed on your GPA for the courses that are listed on your Program Plan/Graduate Clearance FormProgram Plan/Graduate Clearance Form

Program Plan ChangesProgram Plan Changes

The Program Plan Change form is The Program Plan Change form is used if you change used if you change

Your committee membersYour committee membersCourses listed on your Program Courses listed on your Program

Plan/Graduate Clearance FormPlan/Graduate Clearance Form

Project/ThesisProject/Thesis See Dr. Challinger’s Web Site – See Dr. Challinger’s Web Site –

http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~judyc/grads.html/http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~judyc/grads.html/ Submit a proposal to the faculty you would like on Submit a proposal to the faculty you would like on

your committee well in advance of the last day to your committee well in advance of the last day to enroll in a CSCI-699enroll in a CSCI-699

Get your committee and the Graduate Advisor to Get your committee and the Graduate Advisor to sign the CSCI-699p or CSCI-699t formsign the CSCI-699p or CSCI-699t form

Submit chapters to your committee one chapter Submit chapters to your committee one chapter at a timeat a time

When your committee has approved all chapters, When your committee has approved all chapters, schedule an oral defense through the Department schedule an oral defense through the Department Secretary providingSecretary providing The date and time your committee has agreed toThe date and time your committee has agreed to Title of your project/thesisTitle of your project/thesis Whether you will need an overhead projectorWhether you will need an overhead projector Department Secretary will reserve a room for a one-hour Department Secretary will reserve a room for a one-hour

time slottime slot

Project/Thesis ContentsProject/Thesis Contents Avoid repetitionAvoid repetition Be consistentBe consistent Use the present tense wherever possibleUse the present tense wherever possible Avoid the first person Avoid the first person Call Chapter I Introduction and make it Call Chapter I Introduction and make it

actually introduce topics that will be actually introduce topics that will be covered in subsequent chapterscovered in subsequent chapters

Describe what is in subsequent chapters at Describe what is in subsequent chapters at the end of Chapter Ithe end of Chapter I

Include a literature search chapterInclude a literature search chapter Call the final chapter Summary and Call the final chapter Summary and

Conclusions and have it actually Conclusions and have it actually summarize what you said and offer some summarize what you said and offer some conclusionsconclusions

CSCI-699 EnrollmentCSCI-699 Enrollment

You do not enroll in for You do not enroll in for CSCI-699p/699t online CSCI-699p/699t online

Instead, enroll in the Computer Instead, enroll in the Computer Science OfficeScience OfficeYou will pick up an enrollment form, You will pick up an enrollment form,

have it signed by your committee, and have it signed by your committee, and return it to the Computer Science Officereturn it to the Computer Science Office

Turn in an approved Project Proposal Turn in an approved Project Proposal with your enrollment formwith your enrollment form

Continuous EnrollmentContinuous Enrollment

Once you sign up for your CSCI-699, Once you sign up for your CSCI-699, you never have to enroll in another you never have to enroll in another CSCI-699, but you do have to do one CSCI-699, but you do have to do one of the following each semester until of the following each semester until you graduateyou graduate

Enroll in least one courseEnroll in least one coursePay continuous enrollment fees over Pay continuous enrollment fees over

in Continuing Educationin Continuing Education

Excess Units FormExcess Units Form

Undergraduate students can Undergraduate students can Take up to 9 units of graduate Take up to 9 units of graduate

courseworkcourseworkOnly in the final semester of their Only in the final semester of their

undergraduate senior yearundergraduate senior yearOnly if a request for excess units is Only if a request for excess units is

made in writingmade in writing

Transfer UnitsTransfer Units

A total of 9 Computer Science graduate-A total of 9 Computer Science graduate-level units can be transferred in to your level units can be transferred in to your program from another schoolprogram from another school

A total of 6 non-Computer Science A total of 6 non-Computer Science graduate-level units can be transferred in graduate-level units can be transferred in to your program from another schoolto your program from another school

The catalog for the school that you The catalog for the school that you transfer units from must clearly state that transfer units from must clearly state that these units apply in their program to their these units apply in their program to their graduate programgraduate program

Time LimitsTime Limits

Courses older than 7 years must be Courses older than 7 years must be revalidated revalidated

Courses older than 9 years are lost Courses older than 9 years are lost for goodfor good

Program ExtensionsProgram Extensions If it becomes necessary for you to If it becomes necessary for you to

revalidate coursework, you must request an revalidate coursework, you must request an extension from the Graduate School in extension from the Graduate School in writingwriting

The extension request The extension request lists the date you intend to graduate and the lists the date you intend to graduate and the

reasons why the extension is necessaryreasons why the extension is necessary Lists the courses you will need to revalidateLists the courses you will need to revalidate It is signed by you, your Committee Chair, and It is signed by you, your Committee Chair, and

the Graduate Advisorthe Graduate Advisor Attached to the extension request is a Attached to the extension request is a

separate piece of paper for each course you separate piece of paper for each course you must revalidate listingmust revalidate listing The procedures for revalidationThe procedures for revalidation These papers are signed by you, the validating These papers are signed by you, the validating

instructor and the Graduate Advisor and they instructor and the Graduate Advisor and they are submitted to the Graduate School along with are submitted to the Graduate School along with the extension requestthe extension request

Good Luck!Good Luck!