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G Computer Sci

Grad Program FAQ

Admission

Who is responsible for admitting and advising graduate students?

Professor Terence Parr
Email: gradadvisor@cs.usfca.edu
Phone: +1 415 422 5707.

What are the admission requirements for MS Computer Science?

Applicants are usually admitted either as graduate students with regular admission or conditional admission. Those admitted as regular graduate students ordinarily complete their M.S. degree work in two years. Those admitted as graduate students with conditional admission must satisfy all the admission requirements and prerequisites for becoming a regular graduate students before they can enroll in CS 690 (Master's Project).

Admission Requirements for Regular Graduate Students:

  • Must either have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from an accredited institution, or have some other Bachelor's degree or equivalent and have passed CS courses (or can prove experience) equivalent to the following undergraduate courses at USF:
    • Data Structures and Algorithms (CS 245)
    • Computer Architecture (CS 315)
    • Operating Systems (CS 326)
    • Compilers (CS 414) or both Programming Language Paradigms (CS 345) and Automata Theory (CS 411).
  • Must meet all other requirements listed below for Graduate Students with conditional admission.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Students with Conditional Admission:

  • Must have a Bachelor's degree in any subject from an accredited U.S. institution or equivalent.
  • Undergraduate GPA must have been at least B- (2.7 on a scale of 0.0 to 4.0) in all upper division courses and at least B (3.0) in upper-division courses in the applicant's major field. Must also meet the TOEFL requirements.
  • Must have a GRE General Test quantitative score of at least 700, though applicants should be advised that the average GRE quantitative score is 750 for accepted applications.
  • Must have passed CS and Math courses (or can prove experience) equivalent to the following undergraduate courses at USF:
    • Intro to CS I (CS 110)
    • Intro to CS II (CS 112)
    • Assembly Language and Systems Programming (CS 210)
    • Calculus I (Math 109, differential and integral calculus)
    • Linear Algebra (Math 130)
    • Discrete Math (Math 322)
  • You do not need the GRE Subject test in Computer Science.
Visit How to Apply for more information on the application process and required application items.

What are the admission requirements for MS Web Science?

Applicants who hold a Bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited institution and have fulfilled the foundation requirements are considered for admission as a graduate student with regular status.

The following foundation requirements are not required for admission to the graduate program, but must be completed while at USF to achieve regular status as a graduate student. The foundation requirements can be waived if met by previous studies or work experience equivalent to the requirements:
  • Introductory programming (two courses)
  • Upper-division programming (one course)
  • Discrete math (one course)
  • Data structures (one course)
If an applicant believes that they may have fulfilled these requirements by previous study or experience, please attach a statement to the application form with a descriptive explanation.

Those who have not fulfilled the foundational requirements will be considered for admission as a graduate student with conditional status. Regular status is attained after completion of any required foundational coursework at USF.

Visit How to Apply for more information on the application process and required application items.

Is there an orientation for new students?

Yes. Before classes begin, all computer science graduate students must attend a one-day, Computer Science Orientation. This is usually one or two days before classes begin. During this orientation you will be advised about courses and then you will register for classes for the semester. The orientation is always in our main classroom: Harney Hall, Room 235. The building code is HR on this map.

International students must also attend the International Student Orientation.

All new students are also encouraged to go to the University's Graduate Student Welcome Reception for all graduate students.

Do I have to give a deposit before arriving at USF?

Yes. Please follow the instructions that you receive at the time of admission. The admission deposit for M.S. in Computer Science and M.S. in Web Science is $500. You can pay your admission deposit through GuestPay on the QuikPAY payment system.

For international students, GuestPay can also do wire transfers. If you will be submitting an international deposit, there will be a delay in the receipt of your deposit because it is an international wire transfer.

Application Process and Items

How do I check my application status?

You can check the status of your application by logging into your online application account. Note that applications remain in the Office of Graduate Programs office until all online application items and letters of recommendation have been verified. All verified and completed applications are sent to the department for final admission review. It usually takes four to six weeks for a decision to be made once an application is complete. You will be emailed when a decision has been posted on your online account. An official decision letter will be mailed out shortly after.

What do my GRE scores need to be?

The average GRE quantitative score for accepted applications is 750. We will, however, accept applications whose math GRE score is 700 or above. The verbal score is not considered, but the analytical writing scores are often a useful indicator. Minimum AW score is 3.5 for non-native English speakers. These scores are strictly enforced unless you have significant work experience.

For MSWS, we expect good performance on the GRE general exam but we examine all aspects of a person's record, including work experience, to make an admission decision. In some cases, the GRE requirement can be waived for accomplished applicants. The reporting codes to give to the GRE people are:

USF : 6996 or 4850
CS Dept : 0402

Verify with testing service in case of changes.

What do my TOEFL scores need to be?

Please click here for the MSCS and MSWS policies on English Proficiency skills (including TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE guidelines and scores) for international students.

What is a Certification of Finance?

The Certification of Finance Form is required for all international students who will hold an F1 or J1 visa. This form is required by all U.S. schools in order to show evidence that the student has enough money to pay for tuition, fees, and living expenses. The student or sponsor must sign the Certification of Finance Form and also provide an official bank letter or official account balance showing at least the required amount depending on the program. You can find more detailed instructions on how to complete the Certification of Finance on the form itself. If you are receiving a fellowship, an official fellowship award letter is required and will also count toward fulfilling the certification of finance requirement.

Tuition, Financial Aid, and Other Expenses

What is the cost of tuition?

For graduate program tuition for the M.S. in Computer Science and the M.S. in Web Science please click here.

For payment methods please click here.

For payment plans, click here.

For payment policies, click here.

Do I need health insurance?

All students are automatically enrolled in USF's health insurance plan. U.S. students can choose to opt out of USF's health insurance plan if they are currently enrolled under a health insurance plan that is of equivalent coverage. For more information about USF's health insurance plan or how to waive it, please click here.

What will my housing/living expenses be?

Preferable housing: Most graduate students prefer to live off campus in one of the many apartments in the neighborhoods around USF.

Average rent for 2-bedroom hall apt: $2,400 (3 can live in such an apartment, so around $800 per student). Deposit for house: first months rent.

Average monthly expense including food and light, gas, and all utilities: $500-$600

You should start looking for roommates as soon as possible. The University provides off-campus advice for housing.

If one wants to live alone, a studio (one room + kitchen + bathroom) will be around $1,400 per month.

Can I have a job to help pay for school?

Yes, both American and international students may decide to take the practicum option, which allows exceptional International and domestic students to work after the second semester.

Also there is a webpage on the USF website that lists other on-campus jobs. The computer science department also has a number of TA positions, though they do not come with a tuition waiver.

You can also check with Residence Life; they offer a few Graduate Assistantships that are the only full-support graduate positions on campus. Experience with managing undergraduate dorm life is required, but they do interview over the phone, so the support can appear on an I-20.

All graduate students who desire employment usually find campus jobs--all such jobs pay hourly wages only, no tuition waiver or other benefits. Currently teacher's assistants and research assistants make $12/hour, except for service courses. Internships for working graduate students are about $20/hour. Students are allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Do you offer fellowships?

Yes. Fellowships pay some or all of your tuition up to $15,000 and are given to students based upon a general competition every year. All applicants are considered for fellowships automatically. There is no main determining factor, but the Computer Science Experience and Background Essay tells us a great deal about you. Fellowship competition occurs until March 1 each year and money is applied starting in the Fall term usually. If fellowship money remains, then it will be offered to students for the Spring term.

Some students may also be interested in the Soros fellowship for "New Americans". The fellowship provide $20K spending money and 1/2 tuition for one year. The deadline is November 9, 2012.

Eligibility: "A New American is an individual who (1) is a resident alien; i.e., holds a Green Card or, (2) has been naturalized as a U.S. citizen or (3) is the child of two parents who are both naturalized citizens

International Students

What visa do I need to study at USF?

As an international student you will need to enter the United States on an F-1 student visa, or transfer your present visa to USF. As soon as we verify your Certification of Finance, you will receive your I-20. If you are an international F-1 student currently living in the U.S., please contact the Computer Science Office (415-422-6530) to get a SEVIS I-20 form. Note that some students try several times before successfully obtaining a visa.

Does a scholarship from USF influence the ability to obtain a visa?

No. Receiving a scholarship from USF does not influence the ability to obtain a visa. If you are admitted and have a completed a certificate of finance along with an I-20, we encourage you to try for a visa right away. Students may need to try several times before successfully obtaining a visa, so we encourage students to try multiple times if necessary.

As an international student, can I contact other students from my country to help me get oriented in the US?

Yes, we have a very diverse student population. We can have students from your region who can contact you to help out. The two largest non-U.S. groups are Chinese and Indian students.

Classes and Course Structure

What is the typical course sequence for "4+1" Honors Web Science Students?

Students may acquire their MSWS in 5 years by altering the last 2 years of their undergraduate work and then taking an extra year of course work as follows:
Year 3 Fall Spring
OO Software Development
Operating Systems 		Computer Architecture
Compilers
Year 4 Fall Spring
undergrad elective
Artifical Intelligence 		Internet Systems Research
Distributed Software Development
Summer Residency
Year 5 Human Computer Interaction
Grad elective 		Masters Project
Digital Society

What is the typical course sequence for Web Science?

Students normally following this structure:
Year 1 Fall Spring
OO Software Development
Artifical Intelligence 		Internet Systems Research
Distributed Software Development
Summer Residency
Year 2 Human Computer Interaction
Elective 		Masters Project
Digital Society

Are classes for the MS in CS or WS available at other USF satellite branches?

No, the classes are not offered at other USF satellite branches outside of San Francisco.

Graduation

What do I need to do about the graduation ceremony?

  1. Fill out an application for graduation and commencement and fax or mail the completed form to:
    USF Graduation Center
    2130 Fulton St.
    San Francisco, CA 94117
    Fax: (415) 422-6329, or
  2. File the form on line:
    Go to USF web site, under Current Students click on Registrars, click on forms, select "Graduating Student survey and ..." submit the form.

Application dead line is: Fall - September 1st. Spring and Summer - February 1st. You'll find hard copies of the form in Rosa Maria's (CS dept) office, HR 545.

Diplomas are not issued until all outstanding accounts with the University are paid.