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Graduate Admissions Information

ARE YOU AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT?

If yes, please click here for information about international admissions.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit an application and pay the $55 application fee online at www.csumentor.edu. If you cannot access the application online you can print out a hard copy here. Mail the application and $55 check or money order made out to CSUF to:
Graduate and International Admissions
College of Engineering and Computer Science
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6870
Fullerton, CA 92834-6870

Your application will be received faster and therefore processed more quickly if you apply and pay online. Your application cannot be processed until payment has been received.

WHEN TO APPLY

The College of Engineering and Computer Science admits students in the fall and spring semesters to all graduate programs with the exception of the Software Engineering program. The Master of Science in Software Engineering only accepts students for the fall semester. The application period for fall admission opens the previous October 1; the application period for spring admission opens the previous August 1.

Applications for Spring (January) 2008 and Fall (August) 2008 are currently being accepted.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

In order to meet the minimum requirements for admission, applicants must have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended, and have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted. Graduate exams such as the GRE or GMAT are not required for any master's program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

TRANSCRIPTS

An official transcript is required from each university or college you have attended since high school. A transcript is required for all community college coursework even if the transfer credit is reflected on another transcript. If you have already received your bachelor's degree, your transcript must include documentation that you have received the bachelor's degree. If you are currently in the last year of your undergraduate program, your application can be evaluated with only one semester of grades missing. For example, if you are applying for Fall 2007 but will not receive your bachelor's degree until Spring 2007, your transcript must show grades through Fall 2006. You need to wait to send in your transcript until your fall semester grades have been posted. Please have all transcripts sent directly to the College of Engineering and Computer Science:
Graduate and International Admissions
College of Engineering and Computer Science
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6870
Fullerton, CA 92834-6870
OR
Graduate and International Admissions
College of Engineering and Computer Science
California State University, Fullerton
800 N. State College Boulevard
CS 502
Fullerton, CA 92831

STATUS

If you wish to check on the status of your application to a master's program, please email ecsgrad@fullerton.edu. The email must include your first and last name, CWID (Campus Wide ID#), and name of program.

CAN I ATTEND PART-TIME?

Yes! Many of our graduate courses are offered in the evening to accommodate working professionals. The Software Engineering program is offered entirely online and therefore fits anyone's schedule.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE MY MASTER'S DEGREE?

All of the master's programs require 30 units to receive your degree. There are many factors that affect how long it will take to receive your degree; the most important factors are how many courses you plan to take per semester and if you have any deficiency (prerequisite) courses to complete before beginning the required 30 units. The one exception is the Software Engineering program; the program consists of two courses per semester for five semesters (22 months).

CAN I BE ADMITTED IF I DON'T HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN THE SAME MAJOR?

Yes! You can still be admitted if you do not have an academic background in the field you are applying for. You will be assigned deficiency (prerequisite) courses by an advisor in the department. You can take these courses as a master's student at CSUF before beginning the 30 units required for the master's degree. The list of undergraduate prerequisite courses for Computer Science is available here. Prerequisite course information for Civil Engineering is available here. Prerequisite courses for Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering are determined on an individual basis. The prerequisite for Software Engineering is CPSC 362. A resume is required to asses your work experience and the equivalence of CPSC 362; please send your resume to ecsgrad@fullerton.edu once you have submitted your application to Software Engineering.

CAN I TRANSFER COURSES I TOOK AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY INTO THE MASTER'S PROGRAM?

You can request to apply a limited number of transfer courses towards unit requirements for a master's degree. The maximum number of units that can be transferred to a master's program is nine (9). More information can be found here.

CAN I TAKE A CLASS WITHOUT BEING ADMITTED TO A MASTER'S PROGRAM?

Yes! Anyone can enroll in undergraduate and graduate-level classes through Open University. Registration is provided on a space available basis. If a course has prerequisites you must have met the prerequisites in order to be eligible to enroll. If you decide to apply for a master's program at CSUF you may be able to transfer courses taken through Open University. More information about Open University can be found here.

FEES

Visit the Student Financial Services page for fee information. The link to "Fee Information" on the left will give you information on Registration Fees (required for all students), Non-Resident Tuition (required for students who are not legal residents of California for residency purposes), and Required Course Fees (Distance Learning Fee required for the MSE program). Students on an F-1 visa must pay Non-Resident Tuition every semester. The MSE program is 6 units per semester; all other graduate programs can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis.

Scholarships available to students in the College of Engineering and Computer Science can be found at http://www.fullerton.edu/ecs/scholarships.htm. Information about Financial Aid (including scholarships, loans, and grants) can be found at http://www.fullerton.edu/financialaid/index.htm. Information about funding specific to graduate students can also be found at http://www.fullerton.edu/graduate/financialaid.htm.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

More information about graduate admissions and graduate studies can be found at Admissions and Records, Graduate Studies and the Catalog.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Graduate and International Admissions for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at ecsgrad@fullerton.edu or (714) 278-7786. You may also fax to (714) 626-8086 or visit the office in CS 106 (campus map available at http://www.fullerton.edu/campusmap/ ).