CSE 5194: Orientation Seminar Fall 2011

1. CSE 5194: Orientation SeminarFall 2011 Leonidas Fegaras Class website: http://lambda.uta.edu/cse5194/ Fall 2011

2. CSE Grad Website • Where?http://www.cse.uta.edu/graduate • What? • Contacts and Advising Hours • MS Guide • Various forms • Graduation checklists • Announcements • Course descriptions Fall 2011

3. Other Resources • Grad School Website: http://grad.uta.edu • Graduate Catalog • Graduate Calendar • Funding Opportunities • Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines • Grad School Forms and Info • Lots of other useful information! • Virtual Graduate Advisor http://grad.uta.edu/currentStudents/VirtualGraduateSchoolAdvisor.asp • E-mail: we will use your UTA account (exclusively) for announcements Fall 2011

4. Graduate Secretary Camille Costabile Her office is the one-stop clearinghouse for all things MS Graduate Advisors Bahram Khalili General Advising – MS & PhD In charge of S/W Eng. curriculum Mike O’Dell General Advising - MS In charge of MSCS and MSCpE curriculum Ramez Elmasri General Advising – MS & PhD Leonidas Fegaras General Advising - MS Personnel Fall 2011

5. CSE 5194 Course Requirements • Thesis Critique • Email the author and title of the thesis to fegaras@cse.uta.edu by October 7th. • Theses are available in UTA Central Library and may be searched at http://pulse.uta.edu. • Your two-page critique is due before Friday November 25, 2011 in the CSE office. • See Syllabus for further details Fall 2011

6. Thesis Critique Content • Identification (author, supervising faculty, title, etc.) • Classification (What focused area of computer science is addressed?) • Effort (How much effort/creativity appears to have been expended?) • Contribution (What are the most notable results?) • Bibliography (What are the author’s key references?) • Opinions (What do you think about the research?) Fall 2011

7. … Requirements • Two Defenses • Attendance: Defenses announced through cse website under seminars tab: • URL: http://www.cse.uta.edu/news/seminars/ • Complete and submit a Defense Attendance/ Comment form for each defense attended. • Blank forms are available at the class website • Get a faculty committee member’s signature, answer the questions, and turn it in to the CSE Office by 11/25/2011. • Please do not disturb defenses that you attend. Arrive on time. Fall 2011

8. MS CpE (Computer Engineering) Must have Undergraduate degree in Engineering Requires specialization is Systems/Architecture MS CS (Computer Science) Exact same degree program as MS CpE, except Systems/Architecture Specialization is not required MS SFWE (Master of Software Engineering) Curriculum pre-dominantly Software Engineering *MS CS and CpE have Thesis and Non-Thesis options available CSE Degree Options Fall 2011

9. Definitions • Core Courses – These are mandatory courses that all students MUST take • Major (Specialty) Track Courses – Three courses in a subject area including at least one at 6000 level. Areas: • AI, Database, Systems and Architecture, Networks, Software Engineering, Graphics and Multimedia, Information Security, Theory and Algorithms, Bioinformatics. • Breadth Courses – Courses outside of your major/specialty track(s)* *Courses in chosen Major/Specialty Track cannot be used for breadth Fall 2011

10. Non-Thesis (Structured) Degree Option • Orientation Seminar (5194) • 2 core courses: 5311, One of {5306, 5317, or 5301} • 3 breadth courses • Only two may be in the same specialty area • 3 courses in major area 1 (one 6000-level) • 3 courses in major area 2 (one 6000-level) • 1 Elective (can be in area of Major/ Specialty or outside the Department, with prior approval by advisor) Fall 2011

11. Thesis Degree Option • Orientation Seminar (5194) • 2 core courses : 5311, One of {5306, 5317, or 5301} • 3 courses in Major area (one 6000-level) • 2 Breadth courses • The two have to be in two different areas • 1 Elective (can be in area of Major or outside the Department, with prior approval by advisor) • Thesis I (5398) • Thesis II (5698) Must be taken in graduating semester. IMPORTANT NOTE: Thesis I is a pre-requisite for Thesis II and must be taken in a semester before Thesis II. Thesis II must be taken in the semester in which you plan to defend and graduate. Thesis I and II may be repeated as necessary. Fall 2011

12. MS Software Engineering • Orientation Seminar (5194) • 5 Core courses: CSE 5311, 5324, 5325, (includes 5328 and 5329 project, or acceptable substitute) • 2 Courses from: CSE 5326, 5320, 6324, 6329 • 5 Electives, including three from CSE Fall 2011

13. Important Notes • You can use one, and only one, non-CSE course in your Degree Plan. • There will be NO waivers for the Core course requirements, even if you completed Compilers/Advanced OS in your undergraduate studies • Directed Study (5393) is not allowed under the non-thesis (structured) option. Fall 2011

14. Planning YOUR Courses • Make sure your Program of Work is complete… it is your responsibility • If in doubt, ask questions before you commit yourself to a plan • Register early… get the courses you want • Plan “Major” sequences for a two - three semester stretch. • Thesis students - Do not wait to complete all courses before registering for Thesis I. • Several “Topics” classes can be taken, if in subject matter is different • It is generally not a good idea to plan to graduate in the summer if you need a “non-standard” or 6000-level course to complete your plan Fall 2011

15. Managing YOUR Degree Plan • CSE Graduate Students can register in (almost) any course we offer… so BEWARE • Only special CSE courses require clearance (Directed/Individual Study, Thesis I, any web course) • YOUR plan is YOUR responsibility • Use MyMav Degree Audit capability to view your progress • Ask questions of the graduate advisors if in doubt about progress or applicability of a specific course Fall 2011

16. Managing YOUR Degree Plan with MyMav • MyMav degree audit feature • Your degree plan is associated with your id# • CS MS Non-Thesis, CS MS Thesis, CpE MS Non-Thesis, CpE MS Thesis, MS Software Engineering • Your graduate advisor can change between Thesis and Non-Thesis • MyMav uses best-fit algorithm to apply courses taken to your specified degree plan • Courses that do not fit will be shown as “not-applied” • Certain courses will require advisor action to apply in the correct spot Fall 2011

17. Important Dates (e.g., Fall 2011) • Current Student enrollment begins: April 4th • Open enrollment for all current/returning students • Regular Enrollment ends: August 24th • Late fees apply for course adds after this date • Students may add/drop courses • First day of classes, Late registration begins: August 25th • Late Registration ends: August 31st • Students may not add/swapcourses after this date • Census Date: September 12th • Official date of record for university enrollment figures/funding/etc. • File for graduation: September 12th • Refer to checklist for graduating semester: http://www.uta.edu/history/gradgradchecklists.htm Fall 2011

18. Thesis • Is it for you? • Sequence and Planning • Work Expectations • Assistantship Obligations - GTAs and GRAs • Switching to and from thesis program • Grades Fall 2011

19. Curricular Practical Training (CPT)- (Internship) • Purpose: enhance your education through work experience • F-1 Rules: see http://www.uta.edu/oie/forms/cpt_forms.php • Current good academic standing • Two semesters of graduate coursework complete • Currently enrolled in an appropriate UTA course (hours cannot be used for credit – CSE 5191) • Part-time CPT students (20 hours or less) must be enrolled as full-time student (9 credit-hours) • CSE Rules • CSE 5194 must be completed BEFORE internship • 6 graduate-level courses completed (18 credit-hours) • Company and specific position/assignment must directly support the student’s degree plan and be approved by CSE graduate advisor. • GPA of at least 3.5 • No CPT in graduating semester Fall 2011

20. Curricular Practical Training (CPT)- (Internship) • Procedures: • Ensure that you meet ALL requirements (OIE and CSE) • Obtain an offer letter from your employer • Must be on company letterhead signed by company official • Must state that it is an internship offer • Must specify what the position/work assignment is and how it directly supports your degree plan • Must specify dates of employment WITHIN the semester for which the offer is given (see OIE site for date ranges) • Must specify whether offer is for part-time (<= 20 hours/week) or full-time (> 20 hours/week) work • Enroll in CSE 5191 • Complete the CPT Student application and bring the package to a CSE graduate advisor for approval. Fall 2011