Welcome New Master's Students!

• Getting Started
• Advisors
• ...And Beyond
• Adding Classes
• Program Requirement Review
• Technical Writing
• GPA and Grad Standing
• Writing Project
• Academic Honesty

Getting Started

• We're glad you you're here!
• Have you registered for classes?
  • Make sure to do this as soon as possible.
  • If a course you like starts full, remember people often drop after a few days, so be persistent.
• Check out the Student Club.
• Keep track of what's happening in the department on the Department Web Page.
• Master's program rules can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/cs/programs/mscs/
• Meet your advisor.

Advisors

• There are three CS Graduate Advisors: Dr. T. Y. Lin, Dr. Teng Moh, and Dr. Stamp
• Your advisor depends on the last two digits of your ID: Lin (00-33), Moh (34-66), Stamp (67- 99).
• You need to meet with an advisor... now, and once ever semester.
• You can only register after your advisor removes the advising hold.
• Things to talk about:
  • What classes you plan to take this semester.
  • How you are currently doing (GPA-wise).
  • What's your plan for classes in future semester.
  • Any questions you have about the program.

...Beyond Advisors

• Graduate Coordinator: Me, aka Chris Pollett
• You can see me to get a signature on CS Master's Program Forms.
• More conveniently, you can drop them off at the office to get them signed by me.
• Department Chair: Dr. Sami Khuri.
• Graduate Studies Office

Program Requirement Review

To get a Master's in Computer Science at SJSU you need to meet the following course requirements:

1. Pass the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement by either passing: CS100w, CS200w, or Engr200W.
2. Six CS Graduate Option courses from at least three (could be more) of the following subject areas: Foundations, Architecture, Systems Software, Software Engineering, Specialty, Topics.
3. Two elective courses from the list of approved elective courses, from a CS185/CS285 course depending on the topic, or from approved courses in other department.
   • For the latter two, you should get it in writing from the graduate coordinator before assuming it counts.
   • Not all courses are approved as electives: (undergraduate major, certificate programs, etc., are not eligible).
   • Some course from other departments may be approved if they are CS-related, but not identical to a course from our department.
4. Complete CS297 and CS298 (Writing Project) or CS297 and CS299 (Thesis).

Technical Writing

The typical way to pass the Graduate Writing Assessment requirement is to take either CS200w, CS100w(requires WST), or Engr200W (with permission).

• You should try to get this out of the way early, so you can get started on your writing project.
• The writing requirement is required by the Cal State system.
• The only substitutes are:
  • Having taken the writing course at some other Cal State
  • Passing the WST at waiver level
  • Getting special permission from Graduate Studies (e.g. if you wrote a thesis in another subject)

GPA and Grad Standing

• If your total GPA is less than 3.0, you will end up on academic probation.
• You can score less than 3.0 (a B) on a course and not be on probation. However, you cannot use any course whose grade was less than or equal to a C- towards graduation.
• Being on probation means you cannot graduate until you're off probation.
• It also means you will be disqualified from the MSCS program if your GPA is not above 3.0 in the next semester.
• More information on this can be found on the MSCS FAQ.

The Writing Project

To finish your master's degree you need to complete one of two culminating experiences:

• A writing project course sequence CS297/CS298 and successful defense.
• A thesis course sequence CS297/CS299 and successful defense.
• The latter of the two course sequences has stricter requirements and a faster timeline.
• For a thesis the writing is checked by the English department in addition to by your thesis advisor and committee.
• For both a writing project and a thesis, you need to find a project advisor (to take 297 and 298 or 299 from) and two committee members (this should be done by CS298).
• You should try (this is a suggestion not a requirement) to take a course from the person who you want as your advisor before starting work under that person.
• You will probably have a better project experience if you choose an advisor that doesn't have too many students.
• Usually, it is the advisor that comes up with project suggestion in consultation with what the student is interested in.

Questions?

• Hopefully, this orientation was helpful.
• Good luck to everyone here at SJSU!