Computer Science Departmental degree requirements for the master’s degree, which are in addition to those established by the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering and the Graduate School, are as follows for Plan I and Plan II students.
Master of Science–Thesis Option (PLAN I): 30 Credit Hours
Each candidate must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit for coursework, plus a 6-hour thesis under the direction of a faculty member. Unlike the general Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering requirements, graduate credit may not be obtained for courses at the 400-level.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Credit Hours
The student must successfully complete 30 total credit hours, as follows:
- 24 hours of CS graduate-level course work including:
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- 12 hours of Foundational AI Courses: CS523, CS565, CS566, CS583
- 12 hours of AI Elective Courses, chosen from: CS551, CS560, CS561, CS563, CS581, CS584, CS651, CS665, CS583
- 6 hours of CS 599 Master’s Thesis Research: Thesis Research.
Additional Requirements
- Graduate coursework can be transferred from other institutions with departmental approval under the following conditions:
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- No more than 9 hours total can count towards the 12 hours of AI Elective Courses
- The student will select a thesis advisor and a thesis committee. Refer to the Graduate Catalog for information about the composition of the committee.
- The student will develop a written research proposal. This should contain an introduction to the research area, a review of relevant literature in the area, a description of problems to be investigated, an identification of basic goals and objectives of the research, a methodology and timetable for approaching the research, and an extensive bibliography.
- The student will deliver an oral presentation of the research proposal, which is followed by a question-and-answer session that is open to all faculty members and which covers topics related directly or indirectly to the research area. The student’s committee will determine whether the proposal is acceptable based upon both the written and oral presentations.
- The student will develop a written thesis that demonstrates that the student has performed original research that makes a definite contribution to current knowledge. Its format and content must be acceptable to both the student’s committee and the Graduate School.
- The student will defend the written thesis. The defense includes an oral presentation of the thesis research, followed by a question-and-answer session. The student’s committee will determine whether the defense is acceptable.
- Other requirements may be specified by the Graduate School and by the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering.
Master of Science–Non-Thesis Option (PLAN II): 30 Credit Hours
Each candidate must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit for coursework, which may include a 3-hour non-thesis project under the direction of a faculty member. Unlike the general Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering requirements, graduate credit may not be obtained for courses at the 400-level.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Credit Hours
The student must successfully complete 30 total credit hours, as follows:
- 12 hours of Foundational AI Courses: CS523, CS565, CS566, CS583
- 18 hours of AI Elective Courses, chosen from: CS551, CS560, CS561, CS563, CS581, CS584, CS651, CS665, CS583
- The student may elect to replace 3 hours of course work with 3 hours of CS 598 Research Not Related to Thesis: Non-thesis Project. This course should be proposed in writing in advance, approved by the instructor, and a copy placed in the student’s file. The proposal should specify both the course content and the specific deliverables that will be evaluated to determine the course grade.
Additional Requirements
- Graduate coursework can be transferred from other institutions with departmental approval under the following conditions:
- No more than 9 hours total can count towards the 18 hours of AI Elective Courses
- The student will complete a comprehensive exam. Refer to this document for more details. (pdf)
- Other requirements may be specified by the Graduate School and by the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering.
Timetable for the Submission of Graduate School Forms for an MS Degree
PLAN I (THESIS OPTION) STUDENTS
- After a successful thesis proposal defense, the student should submit the Appointment/Change of a Masters Thesis Committee form
- After a successful thesis defense, the student should submit the Committee Acceptance Form for Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (Contact your advisor or the Graduate Program Director to initiate this form)
- The semester before, or no later than the first week in the semester in which you plan to graduate, you should Apply for Graduation in myBama
PLAN II (COURSES-ONLY) STUDENTS
- The semester before, or no later than the first week in the semester in which you plan to graduate, you should Apply for Graduation in myBama.
- Refer to this document(pdf) for details about when to apply for the Comprehensive Exam.
Curriculum Practical Training
In an effort to attract higher quality international students and to enhance the reputation and collaboration opportunities of the UA Computer Science graduate program, students are encouraged to participate in high quality experiences that can be sponsored under the Curricular Practical Training (CPT). It is expected that these experiences will contribute to the research or employment goals of the individual student.
Master’s students are allowed to apply for the option of conducting a CPT as part of their graduate work, under specific conditions.
- The student must have completed 2 semesters of coursework at the time the CPT will begin
- The experience must be deemed high quality (in terms of contributions to the research or employment goals of the student)
- The student must write a short essay describing how the proposed CPT experience would be beneficial to his/her career
- The student must agree to return to UA upon completion of CPT and finish their degree
- CPT experiences are reserved for the summer between the two academic years
A faculty committee will review the application materials and approve or deny the CPT request. The goal of the committee will be to ensure that the CPT experiences are helpful to the student and that we are sending out high-quality students to represent the department well.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about the AI Master’s program, contact Dr. Jeffrey Carver or your thesis advisor.
