Transitioning to Semesters
CSE MS Program
Prof. Gagan Agrawal
Grad Studies Chair
Quarters Vs. Semesters
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Quarter System
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Academic Year Divided into 3 quarters
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Fall, Winter, Spring
10 weeks of classes in each, 1 week final exams
Semester System
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Academic Year Divided into 2 semesters
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Fall and Spring
14 weeks of classes, final exams
Basic Conversion Rule
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1 quarter credit == 2/3 semester credit
Follow all semester program requirements +
conversion rules if you finish coursework
Summer 2012 onwards
Conversion rules designed to allow easy
transition
CSE MS Programs
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Components of Requirements
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Total Credit Requirements
Graded Credit Requirements
(Foundational) Core Requirements
Applied Core Requirements
Limit on Primarily Undergrad Classes
Outside CSE classes
MS Examination
Project Option
Credit Requirements (Quarters)
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MS thesis
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MS Non-Thesis, W/O Project
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45 total, 30 graded
50 total, 45 graded
MS Non-thesis, with Project
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50 total, 39 graded, 6 project credits
Credit Requirements (Semester)
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MS thesis
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MS Non-Thesis, W/O Project
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30 total, 20 graded
33 total, 30 graded
MS Non-thesis, with Project
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33 total, 24 graded, 6 project credits
For Students in Transition
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Apply Semester Credit Rules
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Credits = Semester Credits Taken + 2/3*Quarter Credits
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Apply this rule separately for total credits and
graded credits
Will allow shortfall of 1 graded credit during
transition
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Cannot do anything about total credit
requirements
Types of Classes (MS students)
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Foundational Core Classes - 6xxx (see list)
Applied Core Classes – 5xxx or 6xxx (see list)
Primarily Undergrad Courses
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Other 5000 and 6000 level letter graded courses
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5xxx, 2 credits
Meets with a 3 credit 3xxx course
Mostly for making up deficiencies in background
5xx9 replaces 788s, research-oriented but letter graded
Research Credits
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888s replaced by 6xx9
Independent Study (793) is now 8193
999s for MS students - 6998 and 6999
The Graduate (Foundational) Core
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Quarter System
5 classes form the graduate core
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725
755
760
775
780
(Theory of Computation)
(Programming Languages)
(Advanced Operating Systems)
(Computer Architecture)
(Algorithms)
3 credits each, each offered 2-3 times a year
MS Foundational Core in Quarters
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Must finish 3 foundational classes
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Must include 780
Must include at least one of 760 and 780
Masters comprehensive examination based
on above
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All non-thesis option students
3 exams, 90 minutes each, offered twice a year
Foundational Core in Semesters
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Each Core Class Extended to be 3 Semester Credits
– CSE 6321 - Theory
– CSE 6331 - Algorithms
– CSE 6341 - PL
– CSE 6421 - Architecture
– CSE 6431 – OS
All MS Students Need to Take
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CSE 6331 (Algorithms)
CSE 6321 (Theory) OR CSE 6341 (PL)
CSE 6421 (Architecture) OR CSE 6431 (OS)
Masters Comprehensive: 2 hour exam in each area (6 hours total,
over 1 ½ days)
Timing for Comprehensive Exmas
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August (2012 onwards)
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March (2013 onwards)
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Just before Fall Classes start
During spring break (middle of spring semester)
2 days, 3 2-hour exams (August 2013
onwards)
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Day 1 morning, Day 1 afternoon, Day 2 morning
Transition Plan for Foundational
Core and Masters Examination
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Need 3 core classes – semester or quarter
– Won’t enforce `theory or pl’ requirement during transition
MS comps will follow old format for August 2012, March 2013
– 5 90 minute exams, take exam in 3 areas
– Exams based on material covered in quarter courses
Transition to New Format in August 2013
– 3 2-hour exams, based on semester courses
– Can’t take both os and architecture any more
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Best to be done before that!
Applied Core
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Quarters: 6 classes in the list
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3 or 4 credits each
Thesis students need 2, non-thesis need 3
Semester: 6 classes from the same areas
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AI, High Performance, Graphics, Networking, DB,
Compilers
All 3 credits each
See MS Program Document for Course numbers
Thesis students need 1, non-thesis need 2
Applied Core Transition Rules
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A 4 quarter credit class counts as 1 class in
semester system
– 681 or 756
A 3 quarter credit class counts as 0.67 class in
semester system
If graduating in a semester term, follow semester
rules
– 2 applied core (calculated above) for non-thesis
– 1 applied core (calculated above) for non-thesis
Primarily Undergrad Courses
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9 classes in quarters system
– 616, 625, 630, 655, 660, 670, 675, 677, 680,
– Can count at most 3 for MS degree
11 classes in semester system
– See program document for numbers
– 2 credit classes (a 2 credit 5xxx class meets with a 3 credit
3xxx or 2xxx class)
– At most 6 credits or 3 classes
Transition Rule: 3 classes at most (quarter or
semester) from the group
Non-CSE Classes
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Limit of 9 credits in quarters
Limit of 6 credits in semesters
Must be on topics closely related to CSE
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Check with advisor first!
Transition Rule: At most 6 semester credits
equivalent
Masters Examination
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Thesis Option
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Comprehensive Exams for Non-Thesis
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Thesis defense, no change in format/procedure
See earlier slides
Masters Examination for Project
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See later slides for a new option
Project Option
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Quarter
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6 S/U credits over 2 terms
A 3-4 page project report
Must still take MS comprehensive exam
Semester
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6 S/U credits over 2 terms
A 6-8 page project report
Might be able to take MS Examination in a
different format (See Next Slide)
Project Option MS Exam (New)
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Only if you have a B average in core classes
You take MS Examination Based on Project
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Skip written comprehensive exam
A longer project report
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Form a committee with at least 2 CSE Faculty
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10 single spaced pages
Including your project supervisor
Have a 1 hour oral examination
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Presentation and Q/A
Clarification/Questions
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Documents
Your academic advisor
Your academic advisor 
Please do not e-mail me or ask to meet me
– 350 graduate students to be managed in 10% of my time !!
– Already dealing with 2300 grad program related e-mails
annually – before semester conversion!!
– I can answer clarification questions if approached by
your advisor!