MS FAQ's
Q: I am a newly matriculated CS Masters student. When can I talk to my advisor?
A: Each MS student admitted to the CS program is given their faculty advisor assignment during orientation. Prior to orientation, please use the CS website as a resource, as well as your student advisors, and direct any additional questions to admissions@cs.stanford.edu.
Q. What areas of specialization are offered in the Masters program?
A: Artificial Intelligence, Bio-computation, Computer and Network Security, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Management and Analytics, Mobile and Internet Computing, Real World Computing, Software Theory, Systems and Theoretical Computer Science. For details on the requirement of each specialization please visit: http://cs.stanford.edu/education/masters.
Q: What financial resources are available to Masters Students?
A: The Computer Science MS program is not funded. MS students should not rely on assistantships to pay for tuition. Teaching and research assistantships can only be arranged once you are a registered student, and are negotiated on a quarter-by-quarter basis. The only form of financial aid available is in the form of student loans. In order to qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Q: Can I teach as a Masters student?
A: If you are interested in teaching, there are opportunities available. Course assistants grade homework, hold office hours and lead discussion sections. Teaching fellows, in contrast, have primary responsibility for teaching a course. Ph.D. students are required to CA a certain number of courses, so they have priority, but there are many classes, both large and small, which Masters student’s may apply to CA. A half-time CA appointment carries an 8-10 unit tuition benefit and provides a monthly stipend. There are also a few quarter-time CAships available which carry a 5-unit tuition benefit and have a correspondingly lower stipend. For application deadlines and more information please email Meredith Hutchins at hutchin@cs.stanford.edu
Q. Do I need to enroll in my Autumn Quarter courses before Orientation?
A: No, incoming MS students do not have to enroll in Autumn Quarter courses before the Orientation. However, you must be "at student status" by the preliminary study list deadline which is September 23, 2013, 5:00 pm.
Q: Does the CS department offer a MS/Ph.D. program?
A: No, the MS program and Ph.D. program are two separate programs. The MS degree also does not automatically lead into Ph.D. degree. Applicants wishing to pursue a Ph.D. degree should apply directly to that program. For more information about the MS & Ph.D. programs, see the MS versus PhD section of the graduate admissions web page.
Q: How can I find out more about course requirements for the CS Master's program?
A: See the Stanford University bulletin for program requirements or visit http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/.
Q: Where can I find information about the CS MS program requirements?
A: CS MS program policy can be found at http://cs.stanford.edu/education/masters. Updated degree requirements for the 2013-14 academic year will be in place by September 18.