MS Old Requirements

The Master of Science (MS) program is intended for people who wish to broaden and deepen their understanding of computer science. Columbia University and the New York City environment provide excellent career opportunities with multiple industries. The program provides a unique opportunity to develop leading-edge in-depth knowledge of specific computer science disciplines. The department currently offers concentration tracks covering eight such disciplines. MS students are encouraged to participate in state of the art research with our research groups and labs.

Every MS student completes a 12-credit core requirement taking four courses from the following six:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

and completes an 18-credit concentration track. Students must also complete at least two 6000-level courses and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7. Please refer to the FAQ for more details.

Students can choose from one of the following ten tracks:

• Computational Biology

• Computer Security

• Foundations of Computer Science

• Machine Learning

• Natural Language Processing

• Network Systems

• Software Systems

• Vision and Graphics

• MS Personalized

• MS Thesis

Columbia Video Network (CVN) students should also choose from one of the above concentration tracks.

Please visit the Directory of Classes to get the updated course listings. If you would like to see how often the courses are offered, please visit the course page on the CS Department website.

Not all courses are offered every semester, or even every year; a few courses are offered only once every two or three years or even less frequently. Among the core courses, 4115, 4118, 4701, and 4231 are normally offered every semester (fall and spring) but 4156 and 4824 are normally offered only one semester per year and which semester (fall vs. spring) may vary. Among the 4000-level track electives, only 4111 is normally offered every semester; none of the 6000-level track courses are offered every semester. For more information, please see the SEAS Bulletin CS course-offering schedule (Please note that the course-offering schedule can change due to unforeseeable circumstances; thus, it should only be used as a reference). Track students seeking approvals for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) should instead contact Mrs. Janine Maslov. For faculty advisement, please contact the assigned track advisors.

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to CS Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here). See track pages for track-specific forms.

In addition to the Computer Science MS Program, we offer the Computer Engineering MS Program jointly with the Electrical Engineering Department. More information about the program can be found in the Computer Engineering section of SEAS bulletin and on the Computer Engineering website.

Admitted students will enroll for a total of four semesters. In addition to taking classes already offered at the Journalism and Engineering schools, students will attend a seminar and workshop designed specifically for the dual degree program. The seminar will teach students about the impact of digital techniques on journalism; the emerging role of citizens in the news process; the influence of social media; and the changing business models that will support newsgathering. In the workshop, students will use a hands-on approach to delve deeply into information design, focusing on how to build a site, section or application from concept to development, ensuring the editorial goals are kept uppermost in mind. For more information, please visit the program website.

The AP-Google Journalism Technology Scholarship has been announced. For more information, please visit their website.

The Computational Biology track is intended for students who wish to develop working knowledge of computational techniques and their applications to biomedical research. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies, e.g., for DNA sequencing and for measuring RNA expression via DNA microarrays, are changing the nature of biomedical research. They empower fundamental new understandings of biological mechanisms with far reaching applications to biological and medical sciences. To fulfill this promise, new computational techniques are needed to analyze genome sequences, protein structures, metabolic and regulatory pathways, evolutionary patterns and the genetic basis of disease. The computational-biology track seeks to provide state of the art understanding of this concomitant growth of high-throughput experimental techniques, computational techniques to analyze their data, the resulting new understandings of biological mechanisms and their applications to pharmacological and medical practice (from diagnosis to drug design).

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	6	6	6
COURSES	SEE SECTION 2	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	18		12
	30
COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY TRACK

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level and additional 3 elective credits must be from the biological departments. At least 3 credits must be a 6000-level course in Section 4. Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take courses from Section 3, Section 4, or other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete the following two courses:

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Students are required to take two courses from the following list, at least one of which must be a 6000-level course. Other courses on this list may be used as general electives or to replace core or required track courses when the student has received a waiver.

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Candidates are required to complete at least 6 additional graduate credits above 4000 level; at least 3 of these credits must be CS, the other 3 credits may be a technical or non-technical elective approved by the track advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss. At most 3 credits overall of the 30 graduate credits required for the MS degree may be non-technical.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Computational Biology Track to Prof. Itsik Pe‘er.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.

The Computer Security track is intended for students who wish to develop state-of-the-art knowledge of computer and network security technologies. Security considerations pervade personal, corporate, military, governmental, and national infrastructure systems and networks. This track will help you develop leading-edge knowledge in security.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMPUTER SECURITY TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	9	6	3
COURSES	COMS W4118	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
	COMS W4156
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	21		9
	30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 3 of the track elective credits (Section 4) must be a 6000-level course. The security track has two required core courses: COMS W4118 (Operating Systems) and COMS W4156 (Advanced Software Engineering). Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete the following three courses:

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Excluding courses already taken, candidates are required to complete two courses out of the following list; at least one course must be 6000 level. Please note that courses marked * are offered alternate years.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Candidates are required to complete at least 1 Computer Science graduate-level course. Students may take up to 3 credits of a non-technical course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Computer Security Track to Prof. Steve Bellovin.

* Note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed here.

The Foundations of Computer Science track is intended for students who wish to develop state of the art knowledge of the theoretical foundations of Computer Science. The theory of computation plays a crucial role in providing solid foundations for all areas of Computer Science, including systems, artificial intelligence, security, and circuit design. This track will help you develop leading-edge knowledge of theoretical Computer Science and its applications.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK		GENERAL
			I	II
						MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	3	3	9	3
COURSES	CSOR W4231	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4A	SEE SECTION 4B	SEE SECTION 5
						TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	15		15
							30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level selected from Section 4B. The Foundations track has one required core course: CSOR W4231 (Analysis of Algorithms). Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take courses from other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

 

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete the following two courses:

4A: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES I

Candidates are required to complete one of the following courses:

4B: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES II

Candidates are required to complete 9 credits out of the following list excluding courses already taken; at least 6 credits must be at the 6000 level:

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Remaining credits from any qualifying Computer Science graduate course (4000 and 6000 level). Students may take up to 3 credits of non-technical course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

** Known non-technical courses**
IEOR E4550y Entrepreneurial business creation for engineers

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Foundations of Computer Science Track to Prof. Xi Chen.

* Note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed here.

The Machine Learning track is intended for students who wish to develop their knowledge of machine learning techniques and applications. Machine learning is a rapidly expanding field with many applications in diverse areas such as bioinformatics, fraud detection, intelligent systems, perception, finance, information retrieval, and other areas.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MACHINE LEARNING TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	6	6	6
COURSES	SEE SECTION 2	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
					TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	18		12
						30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 3 of the track elective credits (Section 4) must be a 6000-level course. Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete two (2) of the following courses*:

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Students are required to take two courses from the following list, at least one of which must be a 6000-level course. Other courses on this list may be used as general electives or to replace core or required track courses when the student has received a waiver.

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Candidates are required to complete at least 6 additional graduate credits at, or above, the 4000 level; at least 3 of these credits must be CS, the other 3 credits may be a technical or non-technical elective approved by the track advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss. At most 3 credits overall of the 30 graduate credits required for the MS degree may be non-technical.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Machine Learning Track to Prof. Michael Collins and Prof. Tony Jebara.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.
**ELEN-E4810 – Students who took it in Fall 06 or earlier can use it as an elective
***IEOR E6613 – Students who took it in Fall 06 or earlier can use it as an elective

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) track is intended for students who wish to gain expertise in NLP technologies and applications. NLP technologies are of central importance in automating the analysis of text and speech databases and in enabling man-machine interactions through natural language. This track will help you develop leading edge knowledge of these technologies.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	9	6	3
COURSES	COMS W4701	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	21		9
	30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 3 of the track elective credits (Section 4) must be a 6000-level course. The Natural Language Processing track has one required core course: COMS W4701 (Artificial Intelligence). Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

 

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete the following three courses:

Students who have completed equivalent courses with grades of at least 3.0 may apply these courses to satisfy these requirements and devote more credits to pursue elective courses.

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete two (2) courses out of the following list*; at least one course must be a 6000-level CS course.
Since other departments vary their offerings considerably from year to year, it is possible to count such courses toward the M.S. degree; please propose courses you think might be suitable to the track advisor.

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Candidates are required to complete at least one general elective graduate CS course (3 credits) at 4000 level or above approved by the Track Advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss. At most 3 credits overall of the 30 graduate credits required for the MS degree may be non-technical.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the NLP Track to Prof. Michael Collins.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.

The Network Systems track is intended for students who wish to develop state-of-the-art knowledge of network systems technologies and the underlying principles, protocols and algorithms. Networking technologies play a central, driving role in shaping the directions of both the IT and communication industries. This track will help you develop leading-edge knowledge of these technologies.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NETWORK SYSTEMS TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	3	12	3
COURSES	COMS W4115	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
	COMS W4118
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	15		15
	30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and minimum of 6 elective credits (Section 4) must be at the 6000 level. The Networking Systems track has two required core courses: COMS W4115 (Programming Language and Translators) and COMS W4118 (Operating Systems). Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete the following course:

Students who have completed equivalent courses with grades of at least 3.0 may apply these courses to satisfy these requirements and devote more credits to pursue elective courses.

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete four (4) courses out of the following list*; at least two courses must be 6000 level CS courses:

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Remaining credits from any qualifying Computer Science graduate course (4000 and 6000 level). Students may take up to 3 credits of non-technical course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Network System Track to Augustin Chaintreau.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.

The Software Systems track is for students who want to pursue knowledge of software development and software systems methodologies and technologies. Software plays the key role in practical, real-world computing systems and applications. This track enables students to understand and master classic and current software systems, and provides the fundamentals for later self-study of future software systems.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	6	6	6
COURSES	COMS W4115	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
	COMS W4118
	COMS W4156
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	18		12
	30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and out of those 30 credits, 6 elective credits (Section 4) must be at the 6000 level. The Software Systems track has three required core courses: COMS W4115 (Programming Language and Translators), COMS W4118 (Operating Systems), and COMS W4156 (Advanced Software Engineering). Students who waive a core course using previous courses may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones. If a required track elective is waived, another required track elective must be substituted for a total of 6 points taken at Columbia in required track electives.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete at least two 4000-level courses (6 points) selected from the following list of track courses:

*Topics in Computer Science (4995) sections must be approved as qualifying “software systems” track courses by your Software Systems Track Advisor. Typically this would mean topics offered by a software systems faculty member or by an affiliated adjunct.

* COMS W4995 Business of Software Delivery is not a technical course thus cannot be taken to satisfy Section 3.

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete at least two 6000-level courses (6 points) selected from the following list of track courses:

*Projects in Computer Science (6901) and Topics in Computer Science (6998) courses must be approved as qualifying “software systems” electives by your Software Systems Track Advisor. Typically this would mean topics/projects offered by a software systems faculty member or by an affiliated adjunct. Although rarely used, COMS E6900 Tutorial in Computer Science can be substituted for E6901 with the advisor’s approval.

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Candidates are required to complete at least six additional graduate points at or above the 4000 level; at least three of these points must be CS, the other three points may be technical or non-technical electives approved by the track advisor. At most three credits overall of the 30 graduate credits required for the MS degree may be “non-technical”.

 

Important note: Not all COMS or SEAS courses qualify as “technical”, a few are considered “non-technical” (most non-SEAS courses are considered “non-technical”, but a few may be deemed “technical”). Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the Software Systems Track to your designated advisor, which should be Prof. Ken Ross, Prof. Gail Kaiser or Prof. Roxana Geambasu.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.

The Vision and Graphics track is intended for students who wish to develop their knowledge of Computer Vision and Computer Graphics. The track also includes courses in related fields, such as Robotics, Machine Learning, and User Interfaces. Many of the courses are taught by faculty in the Columbia Vision and Graphics Center.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE VISION AND GRAPHICS TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	6	6	6
COURSES	SEE SECTION 2	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
					TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	18		12
						30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 3 of the track elective credits (Section 4) must be a 6000-level course. Students, who waive core or required track elective using previous courses, may take other Computer Science courses in lieu of waived ones.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete two (2) courses out of the following eight (8) courses.

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete two (2) courses from the following list*. At least one of these courses must be a 6000-level CS course.

Computer Science course descriptions are available here.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Students must complete six credits of appropriate General Elective graduate courses, three at the 6000 level and three at the 4000 level or above, all approved in advance by the Track Advisor. Students may take up to 3 credits of non-technical course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the NLP Track to Prof. Peter Allen and Prof. Peter Belhumeur.

*Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed. Check the registrar’s website for definitive information.

The MS Personalized track is for students who want to study the areas of Computer Science that are not covered by one of the other tracks. Prior to selecting the Personalized track, you must consult a CS faculty member who agrees to be your advisor and agrees to oversee your program. This should happen in your first semester so that you can plan an appropriate and coherent course of study for the following two semesters. Retroactive approvals for the Personalized track in your second or third semester will not be considered. Also, please note that minor changes to existing tracks are not considered for the Personalized track.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MS PERSONALIZED TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	6	–	–
COURSES	SEE SECTION 2	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
					TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	18		12
						30

How to select a Personalized track:

1) Arrange with a faculty member in the CS Department to be your advisor, and consult with your advisor to plan your course of study in your first semester.

2) Finalize the plan by the beginning of your second semester.

3) Email the Program Plan to Remi Moss to change your track in MICE. Deadline to change your track is the beginning of your second semester.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. Students should discuss the program plan with advisors.

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

While core courses may be imported from another institution, this is an advisor-approved 30-point program. Students must complete at least 6 points of 6000-level graduate courses selected from Computer Science and/or related areas together with your faculty advisor. At most 3 credits overall may be from “non-technical” graduate courses.

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Students using previous courses to fulfill core requirements may complete the 30 graduate credits by selecting additional graduate courses; at most 3 credits overall may be from “non-technical” graduate courses.

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Remaining credits from any qualifying Computer Science graduate course (4000 and 6000 level). At least three of these credits must be at the 6000 level. Students may take up to 3 credits of non-technical course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-technical approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the MS Personalized Track to Prof. Mihalis Yannakakis.

The MS Thesis track is for students who want to concentrate on research in some sub-field of Computer Science. You are required to arrange for a Computer Science faculty member who agrees to advise the thesis and the rest of your course selection prior to selecting the track.

SECTION 1: REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MS THESIS TRACK

	REQUIRED		ELECTIVES*
	CORE	TRACK	TRACK	GENERAL
MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	12	9	9	–
COURSES	SEE SECTION 2	SEE SECTION 3	SEE SECTION 4	SEE SECTION 5
TOTAL MINIMUM REQUIRED CREDITS	21		9
	30

Students must complete at least 30 credits, and of those 30 credits, minimum of 6 elective credits must be at the 6000 level. Students in this track must take 9 credits of thesis project course.

SECTION 2: CORE COURSES

The following is a list of Computer Science core courses:

• COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

 

• COMS W4118 Operating Systems

 

• COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

 

• CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms

 

• COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

 

• CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

Core courses may be imported from another institution.

 

SECTION 3: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete 9 points of COMS E6902 Thesis. The points are typically spread over multiple semesters, e.g., 3 points each for 3 semesters or 4.5 points each for 2 semesters. No more than 9 points of E6902 may be taken. Sign up for the section number of E6902 associated with your thesis advisor.

 

SECTION 4: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete 9 additional elective credits of graduate courses (4000 level or above) selected from Computer Science and/or related areas together with your faculty thesis advisor. These would normally be strongly related to your thesis topic. Up to 3 of these points may be in COMS E6901 – Projects in Computer Science. The elective track courses cannot be imported from another institution.

 

SECTION 5: GENERAL ELECTIVES

Students using previous courses to fulfill core requirements may complete the 30 graduate credits by selecting additional graduate courses beyond the 9 points required for the track. At most 3 credits overall may be from “non-technical” graduate courses. All general electives must be approved by your thesis advisor.

SECTION 6: GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar’s Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

SECTION 7: THESIS DEFENSE

A thesis proposal is presented to your thesis committee at least three months before your defense. Your thesis committee should have three members. Two of them must be internal, but one can be an outsider. A publication-quality thesis document is published as a CS department technical report. Please bring the thesis defense form to your defense.

SECTION 8: CONTACT

Please direct all questions concerning the MS Thesis Track to Prof. Mihalis Yannakakis.

The Dual MS in Journalism and Computer Science Program

The dual degree program is designed to provide students with skills in Computer Science and Journalism to prepare them for new digital-media oriented careers in journalism. Students will earn Master’s degrees in Computer Science and in Journalism.

Students will enroll for a total of four semesters. In addition to taking classes already offered at the Journalism and Engineering schools, students will attend a seminar and workshop designed specifically for the dual degree program. The seminar will teach students about the impact of digital techniques on journalism; the emerging role of citizens in the news process; the influence of social media; and the changing business models that will support newsgathering. In the workshop, students will use a hands-on approach to delve deeply into information design, focusing on how to build a site, section or application from concept to development, ensuring the editorial goals are kept uppermost in mind. Students will also engage in projects supervised jointly by professors in Computer Science and Journalism to give them hands-on experience.

SECTION 1: ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Official Transcript(s)

• Three letters of recommendation

• GRE General Test (GRE Subject Test is not required)

• TOEFL scores (International applicants for whom English is not their first language)

• Autobiographical essay & Professional essay

• Resume/CV

• Writing samples

• Writing Test (Administered by the J-School)

• Application fee: $100

*Deadline to apply for the program is February 15, 2013.

For more information about the admissions requirements, please visit the Journalism website.

Admissions inquiries should be directed to Leon Braswell, the Director of Admission and Financial Aid, in Graduate School of Journalism, and Remi Moss, the Assistant Director of Academic Programs, in the CS Department.

SECTION 2: OVERALL CS REQUIREMENTS

A: CORE REQUIREMENTS

Students are required to take four courses from the following six:

COURSE ID	TITLE
COMS W4111	Introduction to Databases
COMS W4115	Programming Language and Translators
COMS W4156	Advanced Software Engineering
COMS W4170	User Interface Design
CSOR W4231	Analysis of Algorithms
COMS W4701	Artificial Intelligence

B: REQUIRED TRACK COURSES

Candidates are required to complete three of the following courses:

C: ELECTIVE TRACK COURSES

Students are required to take two courses from the following list, at least one of which must be a 6000-level course. Other courses on this list may be used as general electives or to replace core or required track courses when the student has received a waiver.

If you have any questions about the CS requirements, please contact Prof. Augustin Chaintreau.

3. JOURNALISM REQUIREMENTS

Please visit the Journalism website to see journalism requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Bell and Susan McGregor.

4. GRADUATION

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a track graduation form to Remi Moss (an example of a completed form is available here).