Master of Engineering (MEng) in Computer Science and Engineering

The Master of Engineering (MEng) in Computer Science and Engineering is specifically designed for students who would like to combine studies in computer science and computer engineering (possibly in conjunction with graduate-level work in another discipline) or who, for other reasons, need a more flexible structure for their master's studies. The MEng offers more flexibility by allowing approved outside courses (i.e., courses not specifically taken in computer science, such as various business courses) to count toward the degree; in this manner, an MEng student can customize their program by incorporating interdisciplinary components, when and if these are approved by the faculty advisor. Work in the program culminates in a capstone project highlighting each student's ambitions, interests, and accomplishments in the program. MEng students typically move directly into the industry. All students in the MEng program must have previously completed (as documented by their undergraduate transcript), successfully tested to place out of, or completed at the start of their program the following courses: CSE 501N Introduction to Computer Science and CSE 502N Data Structures and Algorithms (or equivalent courses offered at other institutions).

Degree Requirements

  • The MEng requires 30 total units, including 24 units of graduate-level course work and 6 units of CSE 598 Masters Project work culminating in a successful project defense.
  • 12 of the 24 units must be CSE departmental courses at the 400 level or above. Of these 12 units, 9 units must be at the 500 level or above.
  • Students may count up to 12 units of course work taken outside the Computer Science & Engineering Department toward their degree. To count more than 6 such units, the student and their faculty advisor must justify how the outside units contribute to a coherent, interdisciplinary plan of study, which must be reviewed and approved by the department. Increasing justification will be required as the number of outside units increases. In addition, each out-of-department course must be individually reviewed and approved by the department to ensure that it offers suitably technical graduate-level content.
  • Up to 15 units of 400-level courses can count for graduate credit.
  • None of the 30 units may be taken as independent study (i.e., CSE 400 or CSE 500).
  • CSE courses with an "N" designation do not count toward the master's degree.
  • All 30 units required for the degree must be taken for a grade (i.e., not pass/fail), and the grade received in each course must be C- or better.
  • Per McKelvey School of Engineering guidelines, students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.70.

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