MS Program Advising
CICS Advising helps students pursuing their Master's of Science in Computer Science. Graduate students pursuing the PhD should see their faculty advisor or make an appointment with Eileen Hamel via hamel [at] umass [dot] edu (hamel[at]umass[dot]edu).
MS Advising Procedures
Schedule an Appointment
The MS Program has three academic advisors: Taylor Nichols, Elizabeth Parolski and Arianna Sundstrom. Click the links below to request an in-person or Zoom appointment. If the links are not working, please open them in an incognito window. If prompted to continue as guest or sign-in, choose guest to book your appointment. Appointments should be requested at least 24 hours in advance.
Request an appointment with Taylor Nichols.
Request an appointment with Elizabeth Parolski.
If the links are not working, please open them in an incognito window. If prompted to continue as guest or sign-in, choose guest to book your appointment. Appointments should be requested at least 24 hours in advance.
Spring '26 Drop-In Advising
Drop-In Advising during the Add/Drop period (January 29-February 11) will take place at the following times & places:
Monday-Friday from 1:00pm-3:00pm in the MS Advising Offices (E205 and E207 in the CSL Building)*
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00pm-3:00pm online at this Zoom link.
*On Friday, January 30, due to a scheduling conflict, Drop-In Advising will be held from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. instead of the normal afternoon timing.
Standard drop-in advising during the Spring term will be held online on Mondays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Mondays will be held in-person in the MS Advising Offices (E205 and E207 in the CSL Building), and Thursdays will be held online via Zoom.
Course Selection and Planning Resources
MS Degree Requirements Checklist
Course Load Survey
CICS graduate students were polled on the amount of time they spent on their classes. Results are from the January 2021 survey.
CICS Course Offering Plan
This is a plan in every sense of the word; things can change.
Preapproved Non-Computer Science Courses
Information About CS 696DS: Data Science Industry Mentorship Class
MS Advising Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For answers to commonly asked CICS MS questions check out the FAQs! You will find answers to questions about taking a class Pass/Fail, which classes can be taken from outside CICS, and more! Bookmark this page, as it is updated frequently.
MS Concentration Information
Field Experience Concentration
This concentration is the ONLY way for international students to work more than 20 hours a week during fall or spring semesters.
Data Science Concentration
For specific questions regarding the data science concentration please reach out to your academic advisor.
Security Concentration
For specific questions regarding the security concentration please reach out to Distinguished Professor Brian Levine.
OPT and CPT Information
CPT Instructions
Find out about rules, processes, how to apply, and more.
UMass Support Resources
UMass Graduate Student Commons
UMass Student Resources Hub
This site provides a comprehensive list of the many UMass resources, from Legal Services to Off-Campus Housing Resources and more! If you do not know where to look for information, start here.
UMass University Health Services (UHS) Student Health Benefit Plan Explanations
UMass Center for Counseling and Psychological Health
UMass Office of Disability Support
Information on what students need to report accommodations both in and outside of the classroom