Master's in Computer Science Timeline

Year One

Meet graduate advisor who will serve as your mentor during the first year. The graduate advisor assesses your curriculum requirements and helps you schedule courses. You must enroll in at least one core course during the first semester.
Attend orientation/reception held by the CSE Division to welcome new graduate students and introduce them to the graduate study rules and regulations, active research areas, and other opportunities.
File a Plan of Study specifying your concentration area and thesis/project option with the division’s graduate office. By default, you will enroll in the Core Computer Science concentration. Any subsequent changes must be officially documented.

Complete all three core courses by the end of the academic year and be on track to complete coursework for the second year. Note that each core course is normally offered once a year.
Enroll in CSC 7800: Research Seminar.
Form a graduate advisory committee and obtain the approval of the committee chair (major professor) prior to beginning thesis/project work.

Complete remaining coursework (electives) as required by the concentration and option chosen.
Obtain approval for a thesis/project topic from major advisor. Work on the thesis/project must begin by the third semester or earlier and must span two consecutive semesters. You will be supervised by your major advisor and the advisory committee. Depending on whether you are working on a thesis or project, you must enroll in three credit hours of CSC 7090 (non-thesis project) or six credit hours of CSC 8000 (thesis) each semester.
Submit a written thesis/project report. The thesis/project report must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks in advance of the final exam.
Pass the final exam (oral defense). The exam must be announced at least three days prior to the exam date.