Coterming
At Stanford, students can get both a BS and MS degrees together by participating in the Coterminal Master's Program, or "coterm" for short. This program is extremely popular in computer science, with students from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds (including CS, CSE, EE, Psychology, and more) pursuing an MSCS. Applications to the program are available from the CS Graduate Admissions office in Gates 196 and differ very little from the regular application to the masters program in computer science.
How soon can I apply?
Students can apply after earning a minimum of 120 units toward graduation (UTG) as shown on the undergraduate unofficial transcript. This includes allowable Advanced Placement (AP) and transfer credit.
Can I count undergrad courses towards the master's degree?
You can count any courses from the two quarters before the quarter starting the coterm. So, let's say you apply in Autumn of your Junior year. You would start in Winter of your Junior year. This means you can count classes you took starting in the Spring of your Sophomore year towards your master's degree.
When do I have to decide which classes count for each degree?
When you sign up for classes on Axess, you must assign courses to either your undergraduate or graduate degree. If you later want to switch classes from one career to another, contact the registrar's office. Once you have graduated with your BS, the classes you used towards that degree cannot be transfered or changed.
What does "matriculating" mean?
"To matriculate" means "to enroll", so switching to graduate student status is called "matriculating" since one is then considered a graduate student. It is possible to matriculate as a graduate student anytime after you have 180 units. If you have 180 units, coterm students will automatically be matriculated after 12 quarters at Stanford. If you were mistakenly matriculated or not matriculated after 12 quarters, or if you would like to matriculate early, contact Claire Stager. Matriculation brings all of the drawback and benefits of being a graduate student. For example, matriculated students pay graduate student tuition rates but are eligible for TA/RA-ships. For more information, see the MSCS FAQ.
How much is tuition?
After matriculating, you must pay grad student tuition, which is about $500 more per quarter than undergraduate tuition when taking more than 10 units. However, grad student are elegible to pay reduced tuition. Reduced tuition allows students to take 8-10 units per quarter and is about 2/3 the price of full tuition. Students are still considered full-time students when enrolled at the reduced tution rate. Most graduate students enroll at this rate since it can be difficult to take more classes than 8-10 units allows.
Where can I find more information about the application process?
See the CS Graduate Admissions Office coterm page for all sorts of valuable information, including application details and deadlines.