Incoming CS MS Students

Overview

This will provide a schedule of orientation events sponsored by the Computer Science Department. Students are welcome to explore other campus-wide orientation events. Visit the Graduate Life Office website for detailed information.

MS Student Orientation Schedule

• Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024 
• Time: 10:00 am (PST) - 3:00 pm (PST) 
• Location: Gates Building, Room B01
• Do not miss this meeting! It is the most important orientation event for all new CS graduate students and will be held from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm (PST) on Thursday, September 19, 2024. Various Department members will speak on program requirements, enrollment, advising, computing facilities details, and much more. 
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: This meeting is mandatory for all new Master's students and is recommended for Coterm and additional degree students.

MS Additional Information

• The first day of classes is September 23rd, and we recommend that you arrive one week before this date. If you are looking for housing, consider arriving earlier than one week before the first day of classes. 
• If you are an international student and will be attending the orientation activities at the Bechtel International Center (I-Center), please check the I-Center's website (in mid-August) for detailed orientation information. 
• Important Note: Your faculty advisor will not be assigned until orientation. 
• Contact Meredith Hutchin (hutchin@stanford.edu) for inquiries regarding the Master's program.

Courses

• The Computer Science Department offers a full program covered in the Stanford University Bulletin. Course prerequisites are brief in description; contact the instructor with questions. If the instructor is unavailable, ask other students who have taken the course or the Course Advisor (advisor@cs.stanford.edu) about course expectations. 
• Use your judgment when deciding whether or not you are adequately prepared to take a course, as you are not asked to prove that you have completed the prerequisites. You are welcome to explore many courses relevant to Computer Science taught in other Departments (e.g., Mathematics, Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy, Statistics, and many SoE Departments).

Foundation Courses

• The Foundation courses provide coverage of the basic fundamental concepts used throughout Computer Science. These courses cover Logic, Automata, and Complexity (CS 103), Probability Theory (CS 109, Stat 116, CME 106, or MS&E 220), Algorithmic Analysis (CS161), Computer Organization and Systems (CS107), and Principles of Computer Systems (CS110).
• If you were a Computer Science major as an undergraduate, chances are you can waive some or all of the Foundation courses.
  • The specific courses you can waive will depend on the school at which you took your corresponding coursework and whether the contents of the courses match sufficiently.
  • Your faculty advisor will decide which courses you can waive once on campus, generally during your first quarter in the Master's program.