Graduate Frequently Asked Question
Questions from Prospective Students
Can you tell me if I will get into your Program?
If you meet the minimum requirements set by graduate school and the department you will be accepted.
For MS Our requirements can be found at:
For PhD our requirements can be found at:
These are in addition to graduate schools requirements that can be found at:
To apply Go to:
What GRE Scores do you require?
We require you receive at least an 80% in the Quantitive and 40% in Verbal and Analytical If you fall below this, you must make up for it in other areas. It will be up to the review committee to decide if you make up for it in another area. The review committee will only look at completed applications forwarded to them from graduate school.
What are your requirements?
Our requirements can be found at:
These are in addition to graduate schools requirements that can be found at:
What is the cost?
For tuition and fee schedule go to:
http://www.usu.edu/budget/documents/tuitionfees/2008-09%20usu%20tuition-fee%20schedule%203-25-08.pdf
Where do I send my application materials?
School of Graduate Studies Attention: Kimberly Wangsgaard
0900 Old Main Hill
Logan , UT 84322-0900
0900 Old Main Hill
Logan , UT 84322-0900
What kind of financial aid do you offer?
For information on Financial aid go to:
What is the most common type of assiststance you offer MS students
Most MS students receive an out of state tuition waiver with graduate school. This is not a guarantee. In order to qualify you will need to find an oncampus graduate assistant position job that pays at least 400 per month. To receive a nonresident tuition award, you must be employed for the total semester, except for any beginning or ending week that has less than 4 class or test days. If you do receive a waiver, please familiarize yourself with the rules, that can be found at:
If you do not follow any of them, you may lose your waiver or be required to pay it back. There are no waivers awarded during summer semester for MS students
For information on financial aid go to:
What kind of assistantship do you offer PhD’s?
We will pay a PhD student 600 per month for 20 hours a week in wages. Also, includes a waiver for out of state and instate tuition for up to 70 credits. A maximum of 12 credits of out of state and instate tuition can be waived each semester. Summer semester may or may not be included, depending on the funding for the summer.
Please familiarize yourself with the rules regarding tuition waivers and assistantships. These can be found on graduate schools website. (http://www.usu.edu/graduateschool/financial/). If you lack any of the criteria during any given semester you may lose your assistantship.
How do I apply?
To apply Go to:
When is the deadline to apply?
MS and MCS Application Deadlines
Fall - June 15th
Spring - October 15th
Summer - March 15th
Fall - June 15th
Spring - October 15th
Summer - March 15th
PhD Application Deadlines
Fall - February 1st
Fall - February 1st
If I am transferring, how many credits can I transfer?
FOR MS
Your committee and the dean of graduate school will have to approve of any credits you transfer. If approved, you can transfer up to 12 semester credits earned before matriculation at USU. However, the credits cannot have been used for another degree. Credits with a P grade cannot be transferred. Transfer credits cannot replace required residency credits. As a MS student you must take at least 24 credit hours at USU. Transfer credits more than eight years old are not acceptable. Transfer credits will be shown on official USU transcripts upon completion of the degree
FOR PhD’s
Your committee and the dean of graduate school will have to approve of any credits you transfer. If approved, you can transfer as many credits as you like. However, the credits cannot have been used for another degree. Credits with a P grade cannot be transferred. Transfer credits cannot replace required residency credits. You must take at least 33 credits at USU. Transfer credits will be shown on official USU transcripts upon completion of the degree
Questions from Current Students
As a new MS student, what classes should I take?
As a new MS student you must take CS 6900 classs. This is a one credit class that will go over all the department requirements.
You must also pass the algorithms data structures placement exam or take 2420 or 5050. If you pass the exam the first time you can take 5050 but do not have to. If you pass it the second time, you can either take 2420 or 5050. If you do not pass it at all you must take 2420.
If you did not receive your undergraduate degree from an Abet accredited school, you must take the CS 6890 class when the topic is programming.
Throughout your degree you can only take 15 credits of 5000. So you may not want to take to many 5000 at first.
As long as you meet all other requirements, and your committee approves, you can take what you want. It must be 5000 or above to include on POS.
For a list of requirements go to:
What classes can I take outside the department?
In order for a class to count outside the department, it must be a 5000 or above level class, and must have a letter grade. Also, all your committee members must approve of the class.
Will a 6000 level ECE class count as one of my 4 6000 level CS classes in MS?
NO, it will not
Will a 7000 level ECE class count as one of the required 12 credits of 7000 level CS classes in PhD?
NO, it will not
I just retook a class and the second time I received a C- what can I do?
You are not allowed to take the course a third time. That course and grade will remain on your transcript and be computed in your matriculated graduate and CS 5000 level GPA.
I have a MS in something other than Comptuer Science, and I am getting my Phd in CS, do I only need 60 more credits?
Since the MS is not in CS, your committee will have to review all of your previous courses to determine their applicability. Then the graduate school will have to approve it.
I was in the PhD program but my GPA fell below the minimum and so I changed to the MS program. It is now back to 3.5 can I transfer back to the Phd program?
NO
I have 23 credits total and I’m doing a Plan A, Can I register for 7 credits instead of 6 for thesis (6970)?
NO
I have 30 credits total and I’m doing a Plan B, Can I register for 4 credits instead of 2 or 3 for thesis (6970)?
No
I started in Fall 2009 and summer is over. I have not met the algorithms placement area, what is going to happen?
If you are a oncampus student you will be terminated from the program. If you are a distance Ed student, you will have more time, but you will need to pass it before your POS can be approved.
I’m getting a PhD, can I get the MS plan C along the way?
Yes, but unfortunately you will be charged tuition (in-state) for all of the MCS credits.
Can I take Classes not on my POS, and/or take more classes then on my POS?
Yes but graduate school will charge you for tuition even if you have the waiver.
I have already taken 13 5000 level credits. I want to take another 5000 level class that is 3 credits can I?
Yes, however, you can only count two credits on your POS. So you will be responsible for all tuition on the 1 credit you can not include on the POS.
What happens if I quit my job during the middle of the semester?
Change in employment may cause you to lose your tuition waiver. It is expected that when you accept the job, you stick with it for the entire semester.
There are only 7 days before the end of the semester, and everyone on my committee has read my thesis and they say it’s ready to defend. Graduate school says they will waiver the 10 day requirement for the defense if the department will. Will it?
NO
How many credits am I required to take each semester?
If you are an international student you must always have at least 9 credits, otherwise you will need to fill out a reduced course load form with graduate school.
A full-time matriculated graduate student must be one of the following:
1. Registered for 9 or more graduate credits; or
2. Registered for 6 or more graduate credits if employed as a graduate assistant for 15 hours per week or
more; or
3. Registered for 3 graduate credits with all required coursework completed and only the research component
of the degree remaining (the student’s Program of Study must have been submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies); or
4. Registered for at least 3 graduate credits during the semester of the final thesis/dissertation defense or, in
a nonthesis degree program, the last semester of coursework required on the student’s Program of
Study.
5. Registered for at least 9 graduate credits for each semester in which the doctoral resident tuition award is received.
Note: To defer a loan or to receive student loans, graduate students must be registered for at least 6 credits.
What is a reduced course load form and where do I get it?
As an international student, you must always take at least 9 credits per semester, or fill out a reduced course load form. There are only a few reasons why a student can fill out a reduced course load form.
They are:
They hold a graduate assistantship and are registered for 6 semester hours
This is their final semester before graduating (plan C)
Student is completing formal coursework and is working full time on thesis or dissertation
Student has completed formal coursework and is working full time on thesis or dissertation
Medical reasons
The form can be printed off the internet at:
However, I would strongly encourage you to go get it from the International Student office, just because you can ask them any questions you may need to know.
How do I take an independent study course-5950, 6950, 7950?
There is a form available in our office that you will need to fill out and then get the professor you will be working under to sign it. Then return it to me. I will get Dr. Cooley to sign it. Once he signs it, I will allow you to register for the class.
How do I register for Thesis Credits-6950 and 7950
There is a form available in the office, that you will need to fill out and then get the professor you will be working under to sign it. Then return it to me. I will get Dr. Cooley to sign it. Once he signs it, I will allow you to register for the class.
If I drop classes after grades are posted will the grade count against me.
You cannot drop a class after grades are posted. However, you can remove it from your POS. The grade will be counted on your Matriculated Graduate GPA, CS 5000+GPA but not your POS GPA. Please remember, you must keep at least a 3.0(if MS) or a 3.5 (if PHD) GPA in all 3 areas.
When do I have to have my committee formed?
You must have formed your committee by the last day of classes in your first semester if MS if Phd by the end of your second.
For Plan A and B you can choose your committee as long as one person is outside of your major professors specialization. For Plan C, it is a set committee form, so you must get the filled in form from me.
When do I need to turn in my POS?
All on campus students must turn in their POS by the end of their second semester if MS, third if PHD.
What will happen if I turn in my POS late?
Graduate school will do an audit the first two weeks of the semester, if you have not turned it in you will receive an email saying you will need to repay any tuition you received if you do not turn it in.
What if I take a different class that is not listed on my POS? You will need to turn in a change of program of study form to make the change. Everyone on your Committee must approve of it. Graduate school will accept just a letter from your major professor; however department rules require everyone on your committee to approve and not just your major professor. If you take a class and do not change it on your POS, you will have to repay back the tuition if you received a waiver on it, and you will also not be able to graduate .
I am a PhD student but I want to switch to MS what do I have to do?
If you are admitted as a PhD student and want to change to a MS, you can do so within 3 weeks of the start of your second semester. If you choose to make the change after that date, you can only change to the MCS, or terminate in the Program.
To Change, you will need to get a degree form change from graduate school. Once it has been approved you will neeed to form a new committee and POS.
You will have to pay back any instate tuition you received. Because as a MS student you are not eligible for the PHD remission of instate tuition.
I am a Masters student how do I switch to a different plan?
If you are switching from plan A to B or Vice Versa, you will need to make the changes to your POS to reflect this (6 to 2(or 3) credits of 6970, and 30 to 34 credits of coursework). On the comments you will need to make sure you include the comment switching plans. If you are switching to or From Plan C, you will need to form a new committee.