Contact information

• turketwh @ wfu.edu
• https://turketwh.github.io/
• Manchester Hall, Room 236
• Department chair, former graduate director

Why a graduate degree in CS?

• Improved understanding of the field
  • Increased exposure to sub-areas
  • Deeper understanding of topics
• Training in research
• Improvement in earning and advancement potential

Increased understanding

• Usually 10-15 more courses
  • Core: algorithms, systems, theory
  • Electives:
    • Almost all within CS
    • Tailor to your interests

Research training

• In-depth analysis of a particular area of CS
• Understanding of scientific method and how to do research
• Self-motivated study
• One-on-one mentoring with your advisor
• Collaboration with like-minded researchers

M.S. - Master of Science

• 2-3 years
• Significant coursework
• Intermediate research

Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy

• M.S. + 3-5 years
• Coursework relevant to research area
• Advanced research

M.S. outcomes

• Team leads
• Managers
• Software designers
• Research associates
• Lecturer

Ph.D. outcomes

• Tenure-track academic positions
• Researcher/Research head
• CIO
• Elite corporate research (Google, Microsoft, …)

Application requirements

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science
  • Or a related field with significant CS experience
• Statement of interest
• Recommendations, preferably from faculty
• Evidence of research capability
• Potentially, though increasingly unlikely: GRE General Test

Evidence of research capability

• Summer undergraduate projects
• Independent study
• Senior thesis
• Research Experience for Undergraduates program
  • Introduction to research and other types of schools
  • A decent paycheck

GRE: Graduate Record Exam

• Computer-based
• Verbal, Quantitative, Writing/Analytical
  • As a CS/Math focused person, Quantitative score should be high
• Lots of ways to prepare

Admission deadlines

• Most schools:
  • Late fall (mid-December)/early spring for fall admission
• Sometimes see:
  • Mid-fall for spring admissions
  • Rolling deadlines

Financial support

• In many research-focused programs, can get paid to go to graduate school
• Admitted applicants may receive:
  • Tuition reduction
  • Assistantship

Common types of support

• Tuition reduction
  • A scholarship that pays some significant portion of tuition for you
• Assistantships (TAs)
  • Teaching assistantships (teaching labs, grading, …)

Common types of support

• Research assistantships (RAs)
  • Assisting faculty in research
  • Common to move to an RA in later years of grad program

Other types of support

• Fellowships
  • School/federal/philanthropic
  • Often merit-based
• Loans
  • Government and private

Other types of support

• Executive degrees:
  • Some businesses will support/pay for you to get a M.S.
  • Some businesses (& the govt.) will pay for you to get a Ph.D.
  • May come with expectations for paying back

Caveat

• More difficult to get funding if you enroll at a Ph.D.-granting school as a M.S.-only student

Assistantships

• Funding is livable, not luxurious
• Amounts may depend on:
  • Cost of living
  • M.S. or Ph.D.
  • Type of assistantship
• One example: UNC PhD assistantships
  • $26,575 + health insurance

Master of Science - M.S.

• Thesis
  • Important for going into Ph.D. programs
  • Contribution to the field
• Project
  • Large-scale, software engineering-driven
• Coursework only

M.S. timeline

• First year
  • Coursework: three classes a semester
  • TA: 15 hours a week

M.S. timeline

• Second year
  • Ramp up thesis or project in summer
  • Coursework and thesis in fall
  • Primarily thesis in spring
  • Teaching or research assistantship

M.S. options

• Can earn certificates (specialized knowledge)
  • Information assurance
  • Data science
  • …

M.S. options

• Increasing number of 1-year options
  • Highly focused
  • Cohort driven
  • Focused 40 hours a week

Ph.D. options

• Dissertation
  • Significant contribution to field
  • You become the expert in the topic you choose

Ph.D. timeline

• M.S. type work
• Additional coursework and qualifying exam (breadth)
• Proposal, dissertation, defense (depth)
• 1-on-1 mentoring with advisor
  • Advisor will likely fund as research assistant

Ph.D. options

• It is not a requirement that you earn a M.S. before obtaining a Ph.D.
• Some schools award a course-only type M.S. after:
  • Completing qualifying exam
  • Developing dissertation proposal

Things to consider in choosing a school

• In no particular order
  • Location (contacts, internships, weather)
  • Size
  • Research areas of interest
  • Researchers of interest

More things to consider in choosing a school

• M.S.-only vs M.S. & Ph.D.
• Interdisciplinarity
• For Ph.D., schools typically excel in certain sub-areas
  • Best school in robotics is not the best school in graphics

Talk to faculty!

• They went to graduate school
• They know WFU students who went to a variety of graduate schools

MS in Computer Science

• Traditional 2-year program
• Opportunity for teaching assistantship
• Thesis, project, and coursework completion options
• More info here

5-year BS/MS in Computer Science

• Complete undergraduate credits
• Take three graduate courses as a senior
• Summer internship
• One additional year of coursework
• More info here

Data Science certificate

• Added on top of 2-year MS
• Joint with Statistical Sciences
• Additional and focused course selections towards data science topics
• More info here

Structural and Computational Biophysics Certificate

• Added on top of 2-year MS with thesis
• Joint with Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, & Statistical Sciences
• Additional course selections in sciences
• Research thesis focused in area
• More info here