Prerequisites for Consideration for Admission into the Graduate Program
All applicants are assumed to hold at least an undergraduate
degree in Computer Science, or to have completed the following prerequisite
coursework.
- Mathematics, including Calculus and Discrete Mathematical
Structures (at OSU, the calculus courses are Math 151, 152, 153, and 254
and Discrete Mathematical Structures is 366). Most of our incoming graduates
will have considerably more mathematical background, including courses
like Probability and Statistics, and Linear Algebra.
- Two introductory courses in Computer Programming (at OSU,
the courses are CSE 221, and CSE 222; if you have already taken an introductory
programming course at OSU or elsewhere, you should talk to the CSE 221
and 222 coordinators, or the CSE grad admissions committee chair, about
having satisfied this requirement;
- A course in Computer Organization (at OSU, the course
is CSE 360)
- A course in Systems Programming (CSE 560)
- A course in Computer Architecture (CSE 675) and a course
in Operating Systems (CSE 660).
- A course in data structures and algorithms (at OSU, this is CSE 680)
It is strongly recommended that all applicants submit the
GRE Subject Test in Computer Science.
Students applying from abroad will be admitted by a rank-order.
Minority students will be admitted according to our special
minority program.
Students applying from a domestic institution will be admitted
according to the following policy:
Assuming that all application materials, e.g., letters of
reference, autobiography, and so on, are judged to be outstanding by the
Graduate Admissions Committee, then students
- will be admitted with a GPA of 3.5 and overall GRE of 2100
(old version), 1350 and 5 (new version).
- may be admitted with GPA less than 3.5 and GRE less than
as mentioned above, by rank-ordering based on projections of desired size
of our graduate population.
- will not be admitted with a GPA less than 3.0 or overall
GREs less than 1900.
We encourage exceptional students with strong backgrounds
in other scientific or engineering fields to apply.
All domestic students will be admitted to our program in the
Autumn Quarter only. The only exception to this will be for admission in
any quarter of outstanding students judged by their entire application,
but in particular, those having a GPA of 3.5 or more and having overall
GRE scores on the general exam of 2100, with minimum V 650, Q 700, and A
700 (old version) and V 650, Q 700, and A 5 (new version).