Integrated program (Bachelor's/Master's)

 

Overview

The Department of Computer Science & Engineering offers an integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program.

This is exclusively available to students officially admitted to the College of Science & Engineering for a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science or Bachelor’s of Computer Engineering, and the College of Liberal Arts Bachelor’s of Arts in Computer Science or second major in computer science. The program allows students with strong academic performance records to take additional credits (up to 16 credits) at undergraduate tuition rates during their last few semesters which can be applied towards the Computer Science M.S. program.

Many students add double majors or minors to fill in their last undergraduate year if they are ahead in their program. This is another option for them to consider when they have time for additional coursework beyond their undergraduate requirements. Students would have more time to take additional courses to become a specialist in a given area of computer science. Students would also have more time for research opportunities through this program.

Students accepted to the integrated program will be guaranteed admission to the Computer Science M.S. as long as they complete their undergraduate program. 

Integrated program concurrent

Admissions and program completion statistics

Admission to the Program Statistics
Semester (admitted to Program) Applicants Admits Average Tech GPA of Admits
Fall 19 14 10 3.762
Spring 20 11 11 3.637
Fall 20 17 17 3.705
Spring 21 33 33 3.637
Fall 21 26 25 3.763
Spring 22 21 19 3.821
Fall 22 32 32 3.751
Spring 23 18 18 3.786

Note: Admission will likely become more competitive due to the demand and our Department's current course capacity constraints

Graduation and Master's Completion Statistics
Number of Students who Graduated from IDP Program (earned Bachelor's and Master's) Students Dropping Program After Admission Master's Plan A Completed Master's Plan B Completed Master's Plan C Completed Progressed to CSCI Ph.D. Program
40 42 2 2 36

0

*Statistics as of February 2023

Why consider graduate school and this program?

  • Leave school with better credentials.
  • A graduate degree can possibly lead to greater career advancements and autonomy in some companies.
  • Become an expert in a field of computing.
  • Make teaching and research your job if you love academia.
  • Potential to get paid to go to graduate school through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships.
  • Through this program, the cost of attending a graduate program is reduced (up to 16 of the 31 credits for the Computer Science M.S. program can be completed paying an undergraduate tuition rate).

We recommend visiting the Conquer website for more information on attending graduate school.

To learn more about our graduate program in greater detail, please consider attending one of our graduate information sessions.

Eligibility requirements

  • Applicants must be an enrolled University of Minnesota - Twin Cities student admitted to the CSE Bachelor’s of Science Computer Science program, the CSE Bachelor’s of Computer Engineering program, the CLA Bachelor’s of Arts Computer Science program, or the CLA Second Major in Computer Science.
  • Applicants must meet a technical GPA minimum of 3.5 (as defined by the College of Science & Engineering) OR they must have a strong recommendation from a Department of Computer Science & Engineering faculty member or instructor (not an ECE Faculty member).
  • Applicants must have at least 75 credits completed at the time of their application.
  • Applicants must have passed with a C- or better* all of the following courses:
    • CSCI 1933 or 1913
    • CSCI 2011
    • CSCI 2021 (CSCI students) or EE 2361 (CompE students)
    • CSCI 2033 or a math course containing linear algebra content
    • CSCI 2041 (CSCI students only)
    • CSCI 3081W (CSCI students only), CSCI 4041 and CSCI 4061 (applicants can have one of CSCI 3081W, CSCI 4041, or CSCI 4061 in progress at the time of application).

* Students are able to use S grades for these courses during the Spring 2020 - Summer 2021 semesters to meet eligibility requirements due to the COVID19 pandemic.

Application procedures

Students should meet with a departmental advisor (Computer Science students; Computer Engineering students) to discuss the program, their eligibility, and the feasibility of completing the bachelor’s degree in four years while adding additional graduate credits in their senior year and completing the remaining master’s requirements in the fifth year. Students should bring the Advisor Verification Form to their appointment.

All the required items listed below must be submitted to our Computer Science Integrated Program Application Form before our application deadlines (October 1st for spring admission consideration and March 1st for fall admission consideration).

  • Advisor Verification Form
  • Statement of Purpose (4000 character limit)
    • Consider writing about the "why" of your application for this program. Of all the things you could possibly be doing (entering the workforce, pursuing graduate education in a traditional M.S. program, pursuing a different graduate degree entirely, taking a gap year and working as a bartender, etc.), why is the CS Integrated Program here at the U of M the best option for you in pursuing any or all of your future goals?
    • What about having an M.S. in computer science inspires you?
    • What sort of challenges or problems in the world are you hoping to help contribute to solving, and how will an M.S. in CS help you do that?
    • Don’t regurgitate past accomplishments; describe future goals/how you hope to contribute to the program and field .
  • Resume
  • Reference list with 1-3 computer science faculty or instructor names and emails.

Note: All applications are subject to review by the Grad Student Recruiting Committee.

Application timing

  • March 1st, 11:59:59 PM (based on your time zone) deadline for fall consideration (the application will open January 1)
  • October 1st, 11:59:59 PM (based on your time zone) deadline for spring consideration (the application will open June 1)

Application decisions

Students will be notified of the outcome of their application via email by December 1 for a spring start or June 1 for a fall start. In some cases, an admission decision will be put on hold until semester grades are finalized. Students will be notified if their application is on hold.

Sample plans

The following sample plans can be used as a check sheet for the integrated program. These plans do not need to be followed exactly in terms of when courses are taken.

Credit transfer limit/minimum graduate student career time/no double dipping rule

  • Students can transfer a maximum of 16 credits to the graduate program taken during their integrated senior undergraduate year.
  • Students must spend a minimum of two semesters as a graduate student on the U of M's Twin Cities campus after the completion of their undergraduate degree.
  • Coursework applied to the graduate degree must be taken at the graduate level (i.e., 5xxx or above).
  • Credits being applied to the Computer Science M.S. program taken while the student is an undergraduate for use in the integrated program can also be applied later to a Computer Science Ph.D. within our Department if a student applies and is admitted.
    • Please note the M.S. degree will need to be completed in order for these credits to be used for the Ph.D. program.
  • Credits cannot also be applied to the undergraduate degree (i.e., no “double-dipping”).
  • Students may only use credits taken after being officially admitted to the Integrated Program for transfer to the graduate degree.
Integrated program Venn diagram

Undergraduate degree completion rules

The undergraduate degree and graduate degree cannot be awarded simultaneously. Students who become off track to graduate in four years from their bachelor’s program may have their admission to the integrated M.S. program revoked.

Frequently asked questions

Expand all

Q: I'm interested in this program. What should I do first?

A: First, meet with a departmental advisor:

To learn more about the graduate program in greater detail, please consider attending one of the graduate information sessions.

Q: Are there funding opportunities during my graduate program semesters?

A: Yes. M.S. students can be considered for TA or RA positions. Funding is not guaranteed to M.S. students in our department.

Q: When would I become eligible for graduate funding through TA or RA positions?

A: You wouldn't be eligible for graduate type funding until your graduate career begins officially. If admitted to the integrated program, you would still be an undergraduate student in most respects. After you graduate from the undergraduate program is when you can apply to be a Graduate TA or Graduate RA. You would only be eligible for the undergraduate versions of these positions during your integrated senior year, which do not come with the same type of financial benefits. Undergraduate TA and RA positions would be hourly positions with no tuition and health benefits included.

Students entering their official graduate start (not the shared semesters of pursuing graduate work as an undergraduate) can apply to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant. There is no general application to apply for Research Assistant positions. Students should connect with faculty members directly to see if they have availability in their labs and check the Graduate Assistant Employment page. Fellowships and grants can be viewed on this Graduate School page. We also have some department specific funding information, but most opportunities are for Ph.D. students.

Q: Can I use the integrated program to pursue the Data Science M.S. or any other M.S. program at the U?

A: No. This is exclusively for the Computer Science M.S. Credits would not transfer to other programs.

Q: I don't have a 3.5 technical GPA or a strong recommendation from a CS faculty member. Can I still apply?

A: No. You need one of these two options in order to apply. We encourage you to connect with a CS faculty member or CS instructor to see if they would support your application and act as a reference to allow you to apply.

Q: I am missing one or more of the required courses needed in order to apply. Can I still apply?

A: No. You can apply in a future term when you have completed the required courses.

Q: I missed the deadline to start the program for next semester. Can I apply late?

A: No. We strictly enforce the March 1st deadline for a fall start and the October 1st deadline for a spring start. You can apply next semester to be considered.

Q: What are the reasons applicants are denied admission to the integrated program?

A: These are the main reasons:

  • Applicants below the 3.5 technical GPA without strong support from a faculty member or instructor will be denied.
  • Applicants missing prerequisite coursework will be denied but encouraged to apply later.
  • Applicants with known academic dishonesty cases during their undergraduate career will be denied.
  • Applicants missing materials for their application or who did not provide a strong statement of purpose may be denied.
  • Applicants who will be delaying their timely graduation in order to take the additional coursework for the integrated program will likely be denied.
  • We don't have the capacity in our department to admit more students to our MS program at the time of the application.

Q: I transferred to the University of Minnesota after some time at another university/community college. Am I eligible to apply?

A: Transfer students are eligible to apply to the integrated program. The program should not dramatically slow down timely graduation from the undergraduate program.

Q: I have room to take the additional integrated program graduate credits in three semesters and still graduate within four years with my bachelor's degree. Can I do that?

A: Yes. Your only limitations are that you can only apply up to 16 additional graduate credits towards the graduate degree and you should stay on track for a four year graduation.

Q: Can I use the 5000 level courses I am using to meet undergraduate requirements to also meet my graduate requirements?

A: No. The integrated program allows students to take additional graduate level credits while they are undergraduates to apply to the Computer Science M.S. program. Completed 5000 level credits are not allowed to be used for both an undergraduate and graduate degree (no double dipping is allowed).

Q: Can I retake the same course I plan on using to meet undergraduate requirements to also meet my graduate requirements?

A: No. If a student has completed a course for their undergraduate degree they cannot take it again for their graduate degree.  The purpose of pursuing a graduate degree in our department is to continue education and learn new material, acquire new skills, and foster new or continuing relationships with peers and faculty.  Repeating courses you have taken while an undergraduate is not something we allow. 

Q: I have room to take more than 16 credits to apply toward the graduate program. Can I take more credits to apply towards the Computer Science M.S. while I'm still an undergraduate?

A: The maximum number of credits we can transfer to the Computer Science M.S. through the integrated program is 16. You will need to take at least 15 of the 31 credits for the Computer Science M.S. program over two different regular semesters (fall and spring; not summer) on the U of M's Twin Cities campus while paying graduate level tuition rates.

Q: Is there a minimum number of credits I must transfer to the Computer Science M.S. degree as an integrated program admit?

A: There is no minimum number of credits students are required to transfer, but students are expected to transfer some graduate-level credits to the Computer Science M.S. degree via the Integrated Program.  The purpose of the Integrated Program is to give students a chance to finish their undergraduate degree in a timely manner while also starting to work on degree requirements for the M.S. degree at the undergraduate tuition rate.  Those who apply to and enroll in the Integrated Program should do so with the intention to transfer some amount of credits to the M.S. degree.

Q: Can I apply credits I have taken prior to admission to the Integrated Program that are not being used to meet undergraduate degree requirements?

A: No. You may only use credits taken after you are officially admitted to the Integrated Program for transfer to the graduate degree.

Q: What courses should I consider taking for the additional graduate level credits once I am admitted?

A: Students should consider taking the following courses/requirements to apply toward their graduate degree as an undergraduate integrated program student (16 credits max):

  • CSCI 8970 - Computer Science Colloquium (1 credit)
  • Course to meet the Theory and Algorithms Breadth requirement (3 credits)
  • Course to meet the Architecture, Systems, & Software Breadth requirement (3 credits)
  • Course to meet the Applications Breadth requirement (3 credits)
  • CSCI 5XXX level course that fits your interests and background (3 credits) or an approved graduate level elective or graduate minor course.  We recommend waiting to take CSCI 8XXX level courses for your graduate year, but this level of coursework is still available to you if you have the appropriate prerequisites.
  • CSCI 5XXX level course that fits your interests and background (3 credits) or an approved graduate level elective or graduate minor course. We recommend waiting to take CSCI 8XXX level courses for your graduate year, but this level of coursework is still available to you if you have the appropriate prerequisites.

Please note that integrated program students, like other M.S. students, may only use 3 credits of independent study (5991/8991) or directed research (5994/8994) towards a Master's degree. Students can still take up to 6 credits of independent study or directed research to use towards their undergraduate degree in addition to the 3 credits that would be applied towards their graduate degree. If a student in the integrated program is more interested in research, they should consider taking 10 thesis credits through the plan A option or CSCI 8760 for the plan B option once enrolled as a M.S. student.

Q: Can I take graduate level non-CSCI courses like MATH or STAT courses as an integrated program student and transfer those credits to my graduate record to use towards approved electives in the CSCI MS program?

A: Yes, but please be sure to connect with our graduate advisors (csgradmn@umn.edu) to confirm that the courses will count in the program.

Q: I have applied to the integrated program and I'm waiting for my decision. When should I hear back and what should I do in terms of registration not knowing the results?

A: Students will be notified of the outcome of their application via email by December 1 for a spring start or June 1 for a fall start. In some cases, an admission decision will be put on hold until semester grades are finalized. Students will be notified if their application is on hold.

Applicants should register for additional coursework with the assumption of acceptance. Applicants who are not accepted to the program can then simply drop the additional courses from their registration prior to the start of the term. Some courses, like CSCI 8970 (Computer Science Colloquium), will require permission to register. This permission can be requested after admission to the program. Permission will not be granted prior to admission.

Current graduate students have earlier assigned registration times than undergraduate students. This means that some popular course options may be full before undergraduate students have a chance to register. We recommend that students always have some backup course options in mind that will meet their undergraduate requirements and additional graduate requirements they are adding as part of the integrated program.

Q: If I get admitted to the integrated program, can I graduate from my undergraduate program and then go work in industry prior to starting in the graduate program?

A: No. The integrated program is intended for students who will go straight from their undergraduate program into the graduate program with no break.

Q: Can I start the integrated program in a spring semester?

A: Yes.

Q: Can I start as a graduate student after completing my undergraduate degree and semesters of integrated program work in a spring semester?

A: Yes.

Q: If I get admitted to the integrated program and take the additional classes but then decide to go to a different university for graduate school, can the credits transfer to that school?

A: That would be up to the other university. We cannot guarantee that another university would accept the transfer of credits taken during your undergraduate degree as part of our integrated program.

Q: What are the full requirements to earn the Computer Science M.S.?

A: You can find the requirements to earn a Computer Science M.S. degree here for all plans (A, B, and C). The Plan C option is the most common plan for all M.S. students (including integrated program students) because it only requires coursework and will not require the student to find a faculty advisor to complete research or project work.

Q: I am taking/chose to take courses S/N during the Spring 20/Fall 20/Spring 21/Summer 21 semester due to COVID-19 policy adaptations. Will this negatively affect my application?

A: As long as you earn an S (the equivalent of a C- or higher) in required courses, they will count toward your undergraduate degree requirements and will not influence your technical GPA. Admission decisions for the integrated program will be made with the understanding that the Spring 2020 through Summer 2021 semesters were tumultuous for all students, and technical GPA as an admission criteria will be adjusted accordingly. 

Q: When should I study abroad if I also want to be an integrated program student

A: You should try to study abroad prior to admission to the integrated program due to many complications that could occur related to transfer of coursework and limits connected to transfer coursework. We do not allow transfer coursework taken while studying abroad as an undergraduate to be moved to the graduate degree as part of the integrated program. Sophomore year would be a good option for many students who would also like to pursue the integrated program.