MS in Computer Science and MS in Software Engineering at CSU Sacramento

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MS in Computer Science andMS in Software
Engineering atCSU Sacramento

• Cui Zhang and Don Warner
• Department of Computer Science
• CSU Sacramento

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Two MS Programs PlusCertificates of Advanced
Study

• MS in Computer Science
• MS in Software Engineering
• Certificates for MS students
• (1) Intelligent Systems (2) Computer
  Architecture
• (3) Computer Engineering (4) Networks and
• Communications (5) Software Engineering
• (6) Systems Software (7) Data Management
  systems and (8) Bioinformatics.

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Goals of the Two MS Programs

• To prepare students to serve as effective
  professional computer specialists and/or software
  engineers in our society
• To prepare students for research, teaching, or
  further study towards the Ph.D. in CS or SE
• To enable individuals with background in other
  areas to obtain the skills and knowledge
  necessary to enter and/or advance in employment
  in computer-related industries.

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A Significant Difference

• Degree education program
• v.s.
• Technical training program

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Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree
• A minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 units attempted
• GRE General Test
• Math preparation including two semesters of
  calculus, one semester of calculus based
  probability and statistics, and discrete
  mathematics corresponding to CSUS courses Math30,
  Math31, Stat50, and Math101

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Admission Requirements (Cont.)

• Computer Science lower division preparation
  including programming proficiency, machine
  organization, and UNIX and PC-based program
  development environment proficiency corresponding
  to CSUS CSc15, CSc20, CSc28, CSc35, and CSc60
• Computer Science advanced preparation as
  evidenced by a 3.25 GPA in the following CSUS
  upper division courses or their equivalent
  elsewhere CSc130, CSc131, CSc132, CSc137,
  CSc138, and CSc139.

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Application Procedures

• Application deadlines are April 1 for Fall
  semesters and October 1 for Spring semesters.
• All prospective graduate students must file the
  following with the CSUS Graduate Center
• (1) Application for admission (Form A and
• Form B in the CSU application booklet)
• (2) Two sets of official transcripts from all
  colleges
• and universities attended, other than
  CSUS
• (3) GRE General Test score report.

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Admission Decisions

• University processing
• Program processing
• Main admission decisions
• admitted as fully classified
• admitted as conditionally classified
• admitted as pre-Computer Science
• denied.
• Also possible as 2nd BS in CS or unclassified.

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Preparation for Entering a MS Program

• Taking lower division courses from community
  colleges
• Taking courses from CSUS as a 2nd BS in CS
  student
• Taking courses from CSUS as a open university
  student
• Taking GRE General Test before filing the
  application
• Please be aware of Articulation Agreements!

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Program Advising

• Regular advising hours (office hours) of the
  graduate coordinator for prospective students and
  students admitted
• Regular advising hours (office hours) of graduate
  advisors for fully classified students
• Graduate program orientations every semester for
  new coming graduate students (CSUS and CS
  Department)
• Placement tests every semester for new coming
  graduate students (CS Department).

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MS in CS Degree Requirements

• 30 units of coursework completed within 7 years
  and with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Required Courses (13 units)
• CSc201 Programming Language Principles
• CSc204 Data Models for Database Management
• Systems
• CSc205 Computer System Structure
• CSc206 Algorithms and Paradigms
• CSc209 Graduate Seminar

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MS in CS Degree Requirements (Cont.)

• Breadth Requirement (9 units)
• Software Engineering CSc230
• Systems software CSc239, 246, 250, 251
• Intelligent Systems CSc215
• Database Management Systems CSc244
• Networks and Communications CSc255, 258, 275
• Computer Architecture/Computer Engineering
  
• CSc237,
  242, 273, 280

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MS in CS Degree Requirements (Cont.)

• Restrictive Electives (3-6 units)
• (1) Taking from a restricted list of CSc
  upper
• division courses
• (2) Taking other graduate level CSc courses
• (3) Taking graduate level courses outside the
  CS
• Department with prior department
  approval
• Culminating Requirement (2-5 units)
• CSc500 Masters Thesis, or
• CSc502 Masters Project

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MS in SE Program

• Beginning offering MS in SE in Spring 1999 as the
  first MS in SE program in the California State
  University system with CS and SE courses
  available then.
• Having had a major program change effective Fall
  2002 with more courses and emphasis on SE.

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MS in SE Degree Requirements

• 30 units coursework completed within 7 years and
  with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Required SE Core Courses (16 units)
• CSc230 Software System Engineering
• CSc232 Software Requirements Analysis and
  
• Design
• CSc233 Advanced SE Project Management
• CSc235 Software Architecture
• CSc238 Human-Computer Interface Design
• CSc209 Graduate Seminar

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MS in SE Degree Requirements (Cont.)

• SE Electives (6 units)
• Select two from the following
• CSc204 Data Model for Database Management
• Systems
• CSc231 Software Engineering Metrics
• CSc234 Software Verification and Validation
• CSc236 Formal Methods in Software Engineering

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MS in SE Degree Requirements (Cont.)

• Restrictive Electives (3-6 units)
• (1) Taking other graduate level CSc courses
• (2) Taking graduate level courses outside the
  CS
• Department with prior department
  approval
• Culminating Requirement (2-5 units)
• CSc500 Masters Thesis, or
• CSc502 Masters Project

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CSc230 Software System Engineering

• The integration of managerial and technical
  activities in system engineering that control the
  cost, schedule, and technical achievement of the
  developing software system. Application of the
  principles, activities, tasks, and procedures of
  system engineering and software engineering to
  the development of a software system.

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CSc231 Software Engineering Metrics

• Software quality and quantity metrics in
  software engineering. Measurement theory and
  metrics. Metrics include management metrics,
  indirect and direct metrics, and predictive
  metrics. Uses of metrics include software cost
  and schedule estimation, model calibration, and
  software productivity measurements. Metrics
  techniques include the Goal-Question-Metric
  approach, COCOMO, and function point analysis.

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CSc232 Software RequirementsAnalysis and Design

• Software engineering requirements including
  elicitation, analysis, specification,
  verification, and management. Emphasizes IEEE
  software engineering requirements and standards
  and the concept of operations (ConOps) document.
  Techniques include structural analysis, use cases
  and object-oriented analysis.

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CSc233 Advanced Software EngineeringProject
Management

• Advanced methods and procedures for managing
  a software development project. Includes project
  planning, scheduling, and cost estimation,
  project organizational types, staffing and
  training considerations, leading and motivating
  computer personnel, and methods for measuring and
  controlling a project. Emphasizes IEEE software
  engineering management standards and keys to
  project success.

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CSc234 Software Verification and Validation

• Verification and validation (V V)
  techniques to identify and resolve software
  problems and high-risk issues early in the
  software lifecycle. Application of V V to all
  phases of the lifecycle process. Includes
  planning and reporting on the V V effort.
  Topics also include software quality assurance
  and testing.

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CSc235 Software Architecture

• Software architecture styles. Concepts and
  activities for software architecture design.
  Notations, models, and specification languages
  for software architecture design. Engineering
  principles and guidance for software architecture
  design. Techniques, methods, tools for
  designing, building, analysis, and evaluating
  software architecture. Object-oriented approach
  to software architecture design.
  Architecture-based software development.
  Management and reuse of software architecture
  design.

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CSc236 Formal Methods in SE

• An introduction of basic concepts of formal
  methods in software engineering. Students will
  learn why and how formal methods should be used
  in the software development process for
  delivering a quality product. Formal-method-based
  software lifecycle models, languages for
  software system specification, modeling and
  abstraction of software systems, analysis and
  verification of system properties, software
  system refinement, formal semantics, program
  verification, object-orientation of formal
  methods, systems and tools for the application of
  formal methods, and advances of formal methods in
  SE.

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CSc238 Human-Computer Interface Design

• Issues involved I design of interaction
  between people and computers. Insight and
  experience in key issues of HCI design. Emphasis
  on identifying issues and trade-offs in
  interaction design. Development and evaluation
  of alternative solutions to design problems.

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Program Advising and Planning

• Classification with possible multiple steps
• Course taking planning and completion
• Course evaluation for waive/substitution
• Advancement to candidacy
• MS thesis/project topic and supervisor
• MS thesis/project completion
• Graduation with a degree MS in CS/SE
• Additional certificate of advanced study possible

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Certificates of Advanced Study

• The certificates in Computer Science program are
  designed to recognize students who have completed
  the core graduate courses CSc201, CSc204,
  CSc205, and CSc206 plus additional advanced
  coursework in a specialty area.
• The certificates are available only for MS in CS
  matriculated students.
• There are eight certificate programs.

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Certificate Programs

• Intelligent System (9 units)
• Computer Architecture (15 units)
• Computer Engineering (12 units)
• Computer Networks and Communications (9 units)
• Software Engineering (9 units)
• System Software (9 units)
• Data Management Systems (9 units)
• Bioinformatics (12 units)

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More Information

• Computer Science Department web site
• www.ecs.csus.edu/csc
• CSU Sacramento web site
• www.csus.edu
• Faculty
• Programs
• Course schedules
• Course descriptions
• Activities
• Campus contacts/links

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Questions?
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Thank You!