1. Admission to the combined degree program

Computer science majors may apply for admission to a special program that leads to a Bachelor of Science degree at the end of the fourth year and a Master of Science degree at the end of the fifth year. Students are encouraged to apply to this five-year program at the end of their junior year, though applications may be submitted up to one semester before graduation, subject to the requirements below. Applications are reviewed, and must be approved, by the Computer Science Graduate Admissions Committee. To be considered applicants must have completed at least three upper-division computer science courses at Stony Brook and have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher, both overall and in computer science courses. In the past, most successful applicants have had As and Bs in their upper division computer science courses. Application forms with detailed instructions are available from the Com- puter Science Department. Students must include with their application (i) a statement of purpose, (ii) a one to two-page resume, and (iii) two or three recommendation letters, at least one from a computer science faculty mem- ber. Complete applications should be submitted to the Computer Science Graduate Secretary by the following deadlines.

• Spring semester: Preceding November 15
• Fall semester: Preceding June 15

Applicants will be notified about decisions before the beginning of the semester for which they applied. Late applications. For spring semesters only, late applications will be accepted until January 10. The department will notify late applicants as soon as possible, but can not guarantee that decisions will be made in time for students to register for graduate courses in the spring semester.

2. Selection of undergraduate courses

Students must satisfy the requirements for both the Bachelor's and the Master's degree. Before finalizing their selection of undergraduate computer science courses, students should read the Graduate Student Handbook which describes the requirements of the M.S. program. In particular, students should attempt to complete as many of the proficiency requirements as possible by taking suitable undergraduate courses. An optimal program of study at the undergraduate level would cover the B.S. graduation requirements as well as all seven M.S. proficiency requirements.

3. Taking graduate courses

An advantage of the joint program is that students may take up to six credits of graduate courses as undergraduates. Enrollment in graduate courses is optional, but requires the approval of the course instructor and the Graduate School. To enroll in a graduate course students must (a) satisfy the graduate course prerequisites and (b) petition for permission to enroll in graduate courses on Form SUSB 3065, available from the Graduate School. Students who have been admitted to the joint program may apply up to six graduate credits to the graduate program. The admission letter from the Computer Science Graduate Director serves as proof that a student has been admitted to the joint program. Prior approval from the Graduate School before taking graduate courses is essential, for otherwise the credits can not be applied to a graduate degree. Applicants who submitted their applications for spring late will not be able to take graduate courses immediately unless they receive the admission letter in time to obtain approval for registration.

4. Completion of the undergraduate degree

Students must satisfy all the applicable degree requirements. Up to two graduate computer science courses may be substituted for upper-division computer science electives. Each elective requires three credits and a grade of C or higher. Students who have completed one of the following courses, CSE 504, 506, or 532, with a grade of B or higher also qualify for a waiver of the undergraduate software engineering requirement, CSE 308. Students must file for the bachelors degree before the applicable deadlines and indicate on the application for the degree that they are in a five-year program. The undergraduate degree must be awarded before a student will be eligible for admission to the Graduate School.

5. Admission to the Graduate School

Admission to the five-year program constitutes provisional acceptance to graduate study pending the award of the undergraduate degree. It is still necessary to formally apply to the graduate program at the end of the senior year, by filling out the ocial Graduate School application forms and submitting them to the Computer Science Graduate Secretary. The deadlines for such applications are: April 15 to begin graduate study in a Fall semester; November 1 to begin the studies in a Spring semester.

6. Completion of the graduate degree

A master's degree requires thirty one graduate credits. Thus, students who have completed six credits as undergraduates may complete their graduate studies in two semesters of full-time enrollment of twelve graduate credits each. A masters degree may be awarded when all applicable requirements have been met. On the degree application it should be clearly indicated that the student is in a five-year program.

Department of Computer Science Stony Brook 3-03