Integrated Bachelor's/Masters (BS/MS) Plan
The Integrated Bachelor's Master's (BS/MS) program began in the Fall of 1998 to encourage promising UC Davis undergraduates to pursue graduate study. The program encourages undergraduates to consider graduate study early in their BS program of study and to make course choices and pursue undergraduate research opportunities that prepare them to complete a Master's degree in an accelerated time frame.
Highlights
- Formal course work for the MS degree is reduced by 6 units
- Students can begin graduate studies immediately after completing their BS degree (regardless of the quarter completed), and it is possible to complete the MS program in one additional year.
- Students in the plan get enrollment priority for classes when they are undergraduates.
Full details on our graduate program can be found at:
http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/graduate/grad-req.html
Goals
Master of Science (MS) graduates are offered positions of greater challenge, responsibility and salary compared to the Bachelor's degree holders, and MS graduates enter the workforce with a broader understanding of the field and the synergistic manner in which its various subfields interact. MS graduates who choose a Master's thesis option have found that research experience is particularly valuable, greatly deepening their insight and often leading to interesting research and development positions in industry.
The Integrated BS/MS Plan makes it possible for UC Davis undergraduates to enter and complete an MS degree in an accelerated time frame.
Plan Structure
The student must be a UC Davis undergraduate and satisfy the requirements of one of the following UC Davis Bachelor's programs: Computer Science, Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering.The student must satisfy the requirements of the Graduate Group in Computer Science's MS degree (either Plan I or Plan II) with the following modifications:
Plan I (Thesis): 30 units of upper-division and graduate course work are required (rather than the 36 for normal plan I students).
Plan II (Exam): 6 units of 299 (research) and 3 seminar units can be used towards the 36 unit total (compared to only 3 units of 299 and no seminar units for regular Plan II students).
Application Process
Junior Year:
- First quarter of the junior year: meet with an adviser to set program of study.
- Begin to meet on a regular basis with faculty to explore undergraduate research opportunities and develop a research focus.
- Prepare for the GRE (if necessary)
Third quarter of the Junior Year:
- Take GRE (if necessary). Students with a UC GPA above 3.5 and at least 3 quarters in residence will have the GRE exam requirement waived. The GRE is required (as for normal applicants) for those with a UC GPA below 3.5.
- Speak with faculty about writing a letter of reference for your application. Three letters of recommendation (preferably from tenure-track faculty) are required.
- Complete standard application form for MS program located at <"http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/prospective/apply_online.html">http://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/prospective/apply_online.html. Indicate in your statement of purpose the quarter you expect to begin graduate study.
- Have all official undergraduate transcripts (including UC Davis) sent to the Department of Computer Science.
- Pay the $60 application. fee
- BS/MS applicants will be held to the same admissions standards as for the regular MS Program.
Change to Graduate Status
The student is awarded a Bachelor's degree as soon as their BS requirements are completed.
Students in the program switch to graduate status in the quarter immediately following completion of their BS degree.
Timely Completion of the Program
Careful adherence to the application guidelines presented above make it possible for a student to complete all degree requirements in three quarters of graduate study. Some students may take additional time to complete the MS degree. About 25% of our BS/MS students choose to remain to complete a Ph.D.