MS Advising FAQs
Answers to MS in Computer Science Advising Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Please speak with Senor Academic Advisor %20eparolski [at] umass [dot] edu (Elizabeth Parolski) for answers to questions not listed here or sign up for an appointment.
How many classes should I take each semester?
International students on a student visa are required to take 9 credits during every semester until their last when they can enroll in one.
Can I take more than 12 credits in a semester?
The department does not recommend taking 12 credits. Students need to request permission from the Academic Programs office.
What courses are available in the summer or winter session?
CICS has one or two courses available each summer. Keep in mind that you can take courses outside of the department that can count towards your Computer Science MS.
If you are an international on-campus MS student and it is your LAST SEMESTER, you CANNOT TAKE ONLY ONLINE courses during any term.
Can I take classes outside of CICS?
Yes, you can take graduate-level classes outside of computer science. Here is a list of the pre-approved non-CICS courses. If you want to enroll in a class that is not on the pre-approved list, please contact the Master’s Program Director and state why you want to take the class, how the class will further your education, and attach the syllabus.
Do 600 level seminar courses in Computer Science help fulfill the needed 600 level course requirement for the MS degree?
Seminar courses that are 600 level or higher do fulfill the 600 level requirement for MS students.
Do 600 level courses from outside of Computer Science help fulfill the needed 600 level course requirement for the MS degree?
Yes! If you take a 600-level class in another department or college at UMass, as long as it is pre-approved or you were granted approval, it will count toward the 600-level classes you need for your MS degree.
How many online courses can students take each semester?
If you are an international on-campus MS student taking 9 credits, you can only take ONE ONLINE course each semester. If you are an international student, on a student visa, taking 12 credits in one semester, or 4 classes, TWO can be online classes. If you are an international student in the MS on-campus program and it is your LAST SEMESTER, you CANNOT TAKE ONLY ONLINE nor only independent study style (any course ending in 96 is an independent study) courses. This rule applies to winter and summer courses as well.
Are UWW and online classes the same thing?
No, not all online classes are UWW classes, and not all UWW classes are online.
How do I know if a course is online?
If a course is online it will NOT have a classroom listed on Spire.
Can I audit a course?
Yes, you can audit a class. When you audit a class you will be able to sit in on the class, participate, have access to the online materials, but you will NOT EARN CREDIT for the class. The class will be billed at the full tuition rate. Instructions on how to audit a class can be found on the Graduate Student Registration page.
PLEASE NOTE: Once you've enrolled in a course as an audit, you can't change back to a letter grade.
Can MS students use the University's grade replacement systems to wipe out an F in a class?
Unfortunately, no. That policy is only for undergraduates. You do need to have a 3.0 GPA to graduate with an MS, but keep in mind this is a 3.0 across all of the 30 credits you are using to graduate. The F will always be present on your transcript.
How do I drop a class after the Add/Drop period?
You can drop a class after the add/drop period, however, doing so will result in having a DR (for dropped) on your transcript. You must complete the Graduate School Late Add/Drop form.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE ON-CAMPUS MS PROGRAM- You must be enrolled in 9 credits every semester except for your final semester. Therefore, if you are an international student, you cannot drop a class if that would bring your enrollment down to less than 9 credits. The only exceptions to this are explained on the IPO website- https://www.umass.edu/ipo/iss/exceptionsftenrollment. Read these carefully and consult with IPO if you believe they apply to you.
Where can I get career advice?
CICS has an office dedicated to supporting graduate students in the job search process! CICS Careers can help every part of the job and internship process. CICS Careers can assist with resume review, interview preparation, negotiating offers, and finding positions.
Can international students do a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) during the Fall or Spring semester?
It can be difficult to meet the requirements to do a CPT during the semester. The only way to hold CPT during the Fall semester WITHOUT the Field Experience Concentration, is laid out below: (without the Field Experience Concentration international students can only do 20 hours of CPT for a MAX of 20 hours a week during an academic semester)
- You must be full-time (9 credits), in the US, and in the residential MS program
- You can only take one course per semester that doesn't require your physical presence
- You must take at least one course that requires your physical presence at UMass Amherst and independent studies are not considered needed a physical presence
- In your last semester, you don't have to follow rule #1, but you still have to meet requirements #2 and #3.
- You cannot delay your graduation.
- You cannot even APPEAR to delay graduation.
- You cannot do CPT in your final semester if you have already earned 30 credits/completed the MS requirements before the final semester.
So....if you are in your last semester in the Spring and think that you can take 696 remotely and work at Amazon in Seattle, you can't. If you have no courses left to take, you can't do a CPT because of rule #5. You can work from Amherst remotely or at a local company, as long as the work is 20 hours a week or less. All of this is for your benefit to make sure you don't run into serious problems in the future.
Can international students do a Curricular Practical Training (CPT), for more than 20 hours a week, during the Fall or Spring semester?
Yes, international students who are part of the Field Experience Concentration can carry out CPT for more 20 hours a week or more. If students ARE NOT in the Field Experience Concentration, they max number of weekly CPT hours students can hold are 20 hours or less. 20 hours or more of CPT during the Fall or Spring semester is only allowable if the following criteria have been completed:
- Student has passed or will pass BOTH the AI and Systems Courses required for the Field Experience Concentration before the CPT starts,
- Student will have been in the US, on a student visa, for at least one whole semester before the CPT starts,
- AND Student has completed the Field Experience Concentration pre-application, before the CPT is approved.
How many classes do international students need to take while they are carrying out full-time CPT during an academic semester, as part of the Field Experience Concentration?
When an international MS students are carrying out full-time CPT during an academic semester, as part of the field experience concentration, the student is not required to enroll in any courses except the required 1-credit required CPT class. Students are available to take no classes, one class, or two classes while carrying out full-time CPT. These courses do not need to be in-person, nor do they have to be within computer science.
Are international students who are carrying out full-time CPT during the academic semester considered full-time students?
Yes, international MS students are carrying out full-time CPT during an academic semester, as part of the field experience concentration, are considered full-time students even if the student is enrolled in only the required 1-credit required CPT class.
When can I do a Curricular Practical Training (CPT)?
CPT is available to MS students enrolled in the residential MS program after completion of one full-time semester in the US via the Field Experience Concentration. If students ARE NOT a part of the Field Experience Concentration, CPT is available after two full-time semesters in the US.
Where do I find directions on how to apply for CPT?
You can find those directions on the CPT Process for Internships page.
Can I have TWO concentrations?
No, you cannot have TWO concentrations with your MS degree.
How do I start doing research? How do I find a faculty member to work with?
Every professor is different. Start by identifying an area that you want to do research in, then see if you can find faculty members or Ph.D. students to speak with. Some will offer independent studies to MS students, some don't. Some have zero MS students they work with, some have 20. Some will want to see you get an A in their course before doing research with them, some do not require you to take their course. It is truly an individual experience, but generally, you will have to take the initiative to find research opportunities. You also may be able to work with Ph.D. students in their labs, too!
Does the Master's Project, COMPSCI 701, count as an independent study?
No, COMPSCI 701 is not counted as an independent study.
Can I do 701 by taking 6 credits in one semester, taking an incomplete and then finishing the incomplete in my last semester?
You should take 701Y (Y for year-long) which carries three credits in each of two semesters. You will receive a "Y" for the first 3 credits, and then you will receive a letter grade after all 6 credits are complete. This does not affect your credit requirements for Visas.
I am very much enjoying research and want to get into the Ph.D. program. How do I do that?
Admissions for the Ph.D. are separate so you will have to apply to that program. Keep in mind that the CICS Ph.D. program is even more competitive than the MS program. The thing that will really put your application over the top is to have a CICS faculty member say that you should be admitted to the Ph.D. program because they want to work with you. Approximately, 2-3 MS students are accepted into the Ph.D. program every year.