Combined BS/MS in Computer Science

The program should be followed by the student who wants to get a head start on the Master of Science degree. Typically, a student can complete the Master of Science with an additional year of study beyond the Bachelor degree. This is known as the four plus one (4+1) program.

To be considered for admission to the combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program, students must have completed at least 75-90 credits in the bachelor’s degree program at FIU and meet the admissions criteria for the graduate degree program to which they are applying. Students need only apply once to the combined degree program, but the application must be submitted to Graduate Admissions before the student starts the last 30 credits of the bachelor’s degree program. A student admitted to the combined degree program will beconsidered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor’s degree program. Upon conferral of the bachelor’s degree, the student will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships. Only 5000-level or higher courses, and no more than the number of credits specified by the program catalog, may be applied toward both degrees.

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Eligibility Requirements

Must be currently enrolled as a degree-seeking FIU undergraduate student

Must have earned at least 70 to 90 credits toward their bachelor’s degree

If over 90 credits completed, must not have started the last 30 credits, final year, of their bachelor’s degree

Must meet all of the graduate admissions requirements for the master’s degree program. Note: The combined programs in CEC require between a 3.25 and 3.3 GPA, depending on the major, on both the overall and upper-division coursework. Please see program description in graduate catalog for applicable GPA requirement.

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Application Process

Eligible students print out and complete the combined degree application available online at >http://gradschool.fiu.edu/downloads/4+1_Application_New_2009R.pdf

The Graduate Program Director for the master's program must sign the bottom of the form, stating that the student has met all of the admissions requirements as stated above.

The completed and signed application should be submitted along with a non-refundable $30.00 Application Fee (payable to "Florida International University") to Ms. Maria Parrilla in the Engineering Dean's Office, EC 2430, or to the Graduate Admissions Office, PC 230.

Since the application has been signed off by the GPD of the program, the student's application is automatically updated in PantherSoft as an admission to the program. The admission letter is then printed and sent to the student.

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Program Progression after Admission

Registration: Admitted students meet with the Graduate Program Director or Advisor to map out the graduate coursework that will be counted for both programs. (Only 5000 or higher-level courses and no more than 6-12 graduate credits, as specified in the catalog description for the program, can be applied to both degree programs.)

Graduation from BS program: Students are expected to apply for graduation from their bachelor’s degree in the semester in which their undergraduate requirements will be met. (Note: students who have yet to graduate from the bachelor’s degree are considered undergraduates and are therefore ineligible for graduate assistantships and other graduate benefits.)

Entry into Graduate Program: Once the bachelor’s degree is posted, students are automatically enrolled into the master’s degree program.

Graduation from MS Program: Students are expected to graduate from the master’s degree program within a year of completing their bachelor’s degree. NOTE: Both degrees cannot be awarded in the same semester.

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Gerneral Requirements

Completed Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at FIU

Coursework:

• Required:

  CEN 5011	Advanced Software Engineering	COT 5420	Theory of Computation I
  COP 5725	Principles of Database Management	COT 5407	Introduction to Algorithms
  COP 5614	Operating Systems

  
  

  Required courses must be completed with an average of "B" or higher, and only one course may receive a grade less than "B-".

• Elective: 5 courses selected from the SCS Graduate Course Offerings

• Overlap: Up to 4 courses (12 credits) may be used in satisfying both the Bachelor's and Master's degree requirements. Courses must be 5000-level SCS Graduate courses.

  5000-level Graduate Course		Satisfies BS Requirement
  CEN 5011	Advanced Software Engineering	CEN 4010	Software Engineering
  COP 5725	Principles of Database Management	COP 4710	Database
  COP 5614	Operating Systems	COP 4610	Operating Systems
  COT 5420	Theory of Computation I	MAD 3512	Algorithms
  COT 5407	Introduction to Algorithms	Any Set 2 elective *
  CEN 5120	Expert Systems	Any Set 1 elective *
  CEN 5076	Software Testing	Any Set 1 elective *
  CAP 5602	Artificial Intelligence	Any Set 1 elective *
  COP 5621	Compiler Construction	Any Set 1 elective *
  CAP 5771	Principles of Data Mining	Any Set 1 elective *

  * The courses in each elective set are defined in the computer science information