B.S. / M.S.

The Computer Engineering Department (CE) offers a combined undergraduate bachelor of science (B.S.) and graduate master of science (M.S.) degree. The program is designed to enable outstanding CE undergraduates to seamlessly proceed from B.S. to M.S., and to accelerate their M.S. studies by completing graduate courses while still an undergraduate, applying two graduate courses to both the undergraduate and the graduate degree.

Advanced planning of the B.S./M.S. degree is crucial, and interested students should contact their faculty advisor early in their career, no later than the start of their Junior year.

The combined B.S./M.S. can provide a means of gaining the advanced specialization required for some of the most demanding and rewarding engineering jobs in industry, or the B.S./M.S. can be the beginning of graduate studies leading to the Ph.D. here or elsewhere.

B.S./M.S. or B.S. and M.S.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the B.S./M.S. program.

• The B.S./M.S. program is available only to currently registered UCSC undergraduate computer engineering majors. UCSC CE students who have already graduated (or will graduate in one or two quarters) and UCSC students from CS, EE, or other majors are not eligible. Ineligible students are encourage to apply for the standard M.S. in Computer Engineering.
• The B.S./M.S. program requires advanced planning and application during the junior year.
• The B.S./M.S. program does not allow undergraduate courses to be applied to the M.S., while the standard M.S. program currently allows two upper-division undergraduate courses to count toward the degree.
• The B.S./M.S. acceptance criteria are more stringent than for the standard M.S. because of the more demanding workload and the early admission.

Requirements for the B.S./M.S. Program

The requirements for the B.S. degree under the B.S./M.S. program are exactly the same as those of the standard undergraduate B.S. in Computer Engineering program. B.S./M.S. students are, however, encouraged to plan their undergraduate schedule so as to fill one or two of the upper-division elective slots with graduate courses. These graduate courses may then be applied to the M.S. degree as well.

The requirements for the M.S. portion of the degree are more restrictive than those of the general Computer Engineering M.S. graduate program. To receive the M.S degree, the B.S./M.S. student must complete 48 units of graduate courses that fulfill the standard M.S. degree requirements. No undergraduate courses may be used to meet the M.S. degree requirements. Up to 10 units of these graduate courses can be counted toward both the B.S. degree and the M.S. degree. As with the standard M.S. degree program, 10 units may be Independent Study (CE/CS 297) or Thesis Research (CE/CS 299). Please see Computer Engineering M.S. graduate program for the complete M.S. degree requirements. The CE undergraduate degree fulfills the CE graduate Base Requirement.

For graduate courses to apply to the M.S. degree, the graduate courses must be taken for a grade. For graduate students, passing work is an A or B, while for undergraduates, passing work is an A, B, or C. If a graduate course is taken and a grade of C is awarded, then that course can be applied to the B.S. degree but not the M.S. degree.

Application

Undergraduate CE students should apply during their first or second quarter of Junior standing. Applicants must have completed (or currently be taking) CE100 (Digital Logic), CS101 (Abstract Data Types), CE110 (Computer Architecture) or CE121/L (Microprocessor system design), and EE70/L (Intro. to Electronic Circuits), and preferably at least one additional upper-division CE/CS course. Because transfer students, or students who were initially undecided on the Computer Engineering major, may have difficulty completing the required courses in time, applications will be considered until the first quarter of senior standing. Students who are beyond this point may apply to the standard M.S. program.

Standard UCSC Graduate School applications, as well as transcripts and letters of reference from three UCSC faculty members are submitted to the B.S./M.S. Program. GRE scores are not required. Applications are due by November 20 in the Fall quarter, February 20 in the Winter quarter, and May 20 in the Spring quarter (or the following Monday if the 20th falls on a Saturday or Sunday). The CE B.S./M.S. admissions committee may either immediately make a decision on the application or defer the decision until the completion of additional courses. Decisions to admit, reject or defer the application, or to transfer the application to the standard M.S. program, will be made within one month of the application deadline.

The procedure for application is as follows:

1. Familiarize yourself with the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.
2. Create a tentative study plan for your undergraduate and graduate degrees.
3. Discuss your undergraduate and graduate study plans with your CE advisor.
4. Apply online for UCSC graduate studies.
5. Fill out the student information on the letter of recommendation forms and put your name on three envelopes. Ask three UCSC faculty members to write letters. Provide each with an envelope in which to place the recommendation and seal and sign the flap. Do this at least one month before the application deadline. Starting two weeks before the deadline, regularly stop by the faculty members' offices to retrieve the sealed envelopes.
6. Request official transcripts and narratives from the Office of the Registrar, and have them sent to you at least three weeks before the application deadline. The admissions committee may also consider your internal transcript, department records, and informal comments from Baskin School of Engineering faculty.
7. Assemble your application, three letters of recommendation, transcript, and narrative evaluations and drop them off at the department Graduate Advisor's office (opposite the Undergraduate Advising Office). Incomplete applications will be returned, and late applications considered the next quarter provided the student still qualifies to apply. No application fee is required, however if you are accepted into the program, a $60 application fee will be required at a latter date. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. in the CE/CS Department Office on November 20, February 20, or May 20.

Although GREs are not required for B.S./M.S. admission, we strongly recommend that they be taken. GRE scores are required for many forms of financial aid, as well as for admission into the standard M.S. program, and graduate programs elsewhere. Thus, you should take both the GRE general and subject tests in case you need funding, you are not admitted to the combined degree program, or may wish to attend graduate school elsewhere.

Standing

Students retain undergraduate status until the completion of all undergraduate requirements. At the time graduate status is achieved, at most 3 graduate courses taken as an undergraduate may count toward the course requirements for a Master's degree. At most 10 units of graduate courses taken as an undergraduate may count toward both the B.S. and the M.S. degree requirements (additional graduate course units may not be counted towards the B.S. program requirements). Credit towards the M.S degree for courses taken while an undergraduate is restricted to 15 units to ensure students complete all undergraduate requirements and progress to graduate standing as soon as feasible.

Financial Aid

Students in the B.S./M.S. program may be considered for aid after achieving graduate standing. Most aid decisions are first made each March during the yearly graduate admissions process, during which time B.S./M.S. students who request aid will be considered for TA and fellowship awards. As opportunities open up, students who are not awarded aid in March may be able to receive teaching assistant positions. As graduate students, B.S./M.S. students may receive aid in the form of GSRs from faculty members. As undergraduate students, B.S./M.S. students may receive undergraduate research assistant appointments from faculty members. The CE graduate committee will regularly circulate the list of undergraduates in the B.S./M.S. program as an aid to faculty wishing to contact students pursuing the master's degree.

Sample Program

This is an example program only; course availability varies from year to year. Alternative courses that fulfill the electronics, engineering science, or project requirement may be used in place of CE172/L, CE152, and CE123/L, respectively. In the example, CS201 and CE202 are used to fulfill the upper-division elective requirements of the B.S. degree.

B.S./M.S. and Ph.D.

Is the B.S./M.S. appropriate for engineers continuing on to the Ph.D.?

• First, determine if you'd like to pursue a Ph.D. at UCSC. There is a certain amount of depth of experience to be gained by completing the B.S. and the Ph.D. at different schools, and going to another school may expose you to other research areas as well. Of course, the faculty are often happy if you continue on at UCSC: the work you did as an undergraduate on a research project may give you a boost in being a graduate student and researcher.
• If you do plan to stay at UCSC for the Ph.D., acceptance into the B.S./M.S. program can start you on your way more quickly -- the graduate courses that you apply to your B.S./M.S. will also apply to your Ph.D. Check the Ph.D. box on your application to alert the admissions committee.
• If you plan to complete a Ph.D. elsewhere, the B.S./M.S. program may or may not be right for you because entering graduate school with an M.S. does not guarantee saving a year or two on the Ph.D. degree. This depends on the requirements of the school you will be going attending. On the other hand, if you will finish your B.S. in Fall quarter, it may make sense to continue on in the B.S./M.S. during the next two quarters (and possibly a third), and then change to your Ph.D. school.
• If you are unsure about the Ph.D., completing an M.S. thesis will expose you to the research life allowing a more informed decision.
• If you plan to work before returning for a Ph.D., a Master's degree could open the doors to more interesting, research-related jobs that could provide the inspiration for Ph.D. research here or elsewhere. Your employer may even pay for your Ph.D. degree.
• As this is a complex question, you should discuss these issues with your CE faculty advisor (whose opinions may differ).

Please direct inquiries about the program to your CE advisor. Application packages are available at the department office or the SOE graduate division.

Richard Hughey --- 25 April 2000
Martine Schlag --- 16 March 2001