Information for M.S. Students

Coursework

Candidacy

Thesis/Report

Exit/Graduation

The following may be used as a guideline for obtaining the Masters of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. For complete details on requirements and procedures, see the EECS Graduate Handbook or the Masters Student Services Advisor (Jenn Gardner, JennG@eecs, 205 Cory Hall).

When you have found a Research Advisor and no longer have a temporary one, you must notify Jenn Gardner and the Infrastructure Development & Support Group (idsg-admin@eecs)to update the department records. No other forms or paperwork are required.

( I ) Coursework

• Minimum of 24 units required:
  • 10 units of 200 series (excluding 298, 299) in EECS
  • 4-10 units of 299 for PLAN I or 3-6 units of 299 for PLAN II
  • remainder can be 100 or 200 series (do not have to be EECS courses, excluding 299)
• All courses must be taken for a letter grade, EXCEPT for 299s which are taken for the S/U option.
• Minimum cumulative GPA = 3.0; no credit for "D+" or below.

( II ) Advancement to Candidacy

• For both Plan I and Plan II M.S. students, you need to complete the departmental Advance to Candidacy form, have your research adviser sign it, and submit it to Jenn Gardner in 205 Cory no later than the end of the 2nd week of classes of your final semester.
• If you are planning to use Plan I for your M.S. Degree, you also need to complete this Graduate Division Advance to Candidacy form. Submit this to Jenn Gardner in 205 Cory no later than the end of the 2nd week of classes of your final semester. Candidacy is valid for 3 years.
• Transfer credit may be awarded for a maximum of 4 semester or 6 quarter units of graduate coursework from another institution. Complete a Transfer Credit Petition and submit all supporting documents.

( III ) M.S. Thesis/Report

• To submit your thesis or report, you must be registered or on Filing Fee.

Filing Fee Status

If you need to use the Filing Fee option:

• May be used only once in your graduate career.
• Applicant must have been registered in the semester (or in a Summer Session) immediately preceding the one for which Filing Fee status is requested.
• Submit the Filing Fee Application by the end of the first week of classes of the semester in which you intend to file.
• Students cannot hold an academic appointment during the semester Filing Fee is used.
• Filing Fee applies for the length of the semester for which Filing Fee status has been approved, up to the deadline for filing for a degree in that semester. These dates vary but are approximately Dec. 20 and May 25 of each year.

Filing Thesis/Report

• PLAN I (THESIS): (Refer to the Graduate Division's guidelines on Thesis Filing Guidelines)
  • 1 copy sent to edegrees@berkeley.edu. Double check that you follow the Graduate Division guidelines.
  • 1 copy (including signature and abstract) uploaded to the EECS Department Website online submission form.
  • You must also submit to Jenn Gardner the following documents: (1) a copy of the signed signature page, (2) a copy/printout of the title page, and (3) a copy/printout of the abstract.
• PLAN II (REPORT):
  • Produce an M.S. Plan II Title/Signature Page. See samples for EE (Word, postscript, LaTeX 2e) or CS (Word, postscript, LaTeX 2e);
  • There is no special formating required for the body of the Plan II MS report (unlike the Plan I MS thesis which must follow strict Graduate Division guidelines);
  • 1 copy (including signature and abstract) uploaded to the EECS Department Website online submission form.
  • You must also submit to Jenn Gardner the following documents: (1) the signed signature page, and (2) a copy/printout of the abstract.
  • 1 copy to Research Advisor (optional);

( IV ) Exit Survey & Graduation

• If the M.S. is your final degree at UCB, complete the EECS Exit Survey (this is a departmental graduation requirement). You are also encouraged to complete the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (which is optional).
• If you are continuing on to the Ph.D. at this time, there is no need to complete the departmental exit survey.
• Check with Jenn Gardner to make sure all coursework, paperwork, and other requirements are completed.

Commencement

• If you wish to participate in the spring commencement ceremony, you need to submit the College of Engineering's Commencement Participation Form. Throughout the spring, details about the ceremony will be updated on the commencement website. If you have any other questions about commencement, please call the COE Student Affairs Office, 642-7594.

Tech Report

• If you would like to produce a Technical Report, please fill out the online submission form. Your manuscript will need to be in pdf format. Once submitted, the report will be assigned a number, given an HTML coversheet, assigned a URL, and added the EECS Technical Reports database. You will be sent its number and URL via email.

Diplomas

• Approximately four months after your degree is conferred, you may pick up your diploma in person at the Office of the Registrar, 120 Sproul Hall, or request to have it sent to you. For details and more information, please see Transcripts and Diplomas.

Updated by Jenn Gardner, November 2012.

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EECS Graduate Student Affairs