Computer Engineering

Master’s Program

Opportunities for graduate studies

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of North Texas offers course work leading to a master of science degree in computer engineering and a doctoral degree in computer science and engineering. Courses and research areas available to you include:

• very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design and computer-aided design
• low power VLSI
• reconfigurable computing
• communications and networks
• real-time systems
• computer system architecture
• distributed computing
• simulation and modeling

The department consists of 20 regular and visiting faculty members and about 170 graduate students, resulting in a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. Classes are offered on a regular rotating schedule, with all core classes offered at night at least once every two years. This helps make part-time study easier if you work full-time.

Faculty research and laboratories

Ongoing projects in the department offer you opportunities to join organized research efforts. In addition to facilities provided for instructional purposes, the department supports several research laboratories to provide you with opportunities to learn from faculty members working in:

• computer architecture, multithreaded architectures, compiler optimizations, memory systems, intelligent memory devices, and real-time and embedded processing
• networks and parallel and distributed computing including wireless and wired networks, grid computing and scientific computing
• VLSI design, low power design and computer-aided design (CAD) for VLSI circuits, field-programmable gate array-based (FPGA) design
• design of digital systems, microprocessors, embedded systems, real-time systems and digital communication networks

You can find descriptions of various research laboratories currently active in the department by accessing the computer science and engineering web site at www.cse.unt.edu.

Admission requirements

Departmental application deadlines are March 1 for the summer and fall semesters and Oct. 1 for the spring semester.

M.S. degree

You must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and the following program requirements.

• minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work
• acceptable score on the GRE. Please contact the department or the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies for information concerning acceptable test scores.
• minimum TOEFL score of 580 on the written exam or 237 on the computer-based exam for international applicants whose native language is not English and who do not have a prior degree from an accredited U.S. institution

An overall evaluation of your credentials is used as a basis for admission. An undergraduate degree in computer science or computer engineering is desirable if you are seeking admission into the graduate program. Leveling courses will be required if you have an insufficient background. Contact the department for a list of leveling courses for computer engineering.

Ph.D. degree

In addition to the following program requirements, you must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.

• minimum 3.5 GPA
• acceptable score on the GRE. Please contact the department or the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies for information concerning acceptable test scores.
• minimum TOEFL score of 580 on the written exam or 237 on the computer-based exam for international applicants whose native language is not English and who do not have a prior degree from an accredited U.S. institution
• three letters of recommendation

An overall evaluation of your credentials will be used as a basis for admission.

Degree requirements

M.S. degree

You have two options for earning a master's degree. You may take the thesis option, which is 25 hours of course work plus CSCE 5020 and 6 hours of thesis, or the course option, which is 37 hours of course work plus CSCE 5020 and may include 3 hours of a project presentation.

The areas of specialization in computer engineering are VLSI, communication and networks, real-time systems and computer systems. Details on each area are available from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

Ph.D. degree

You must complete 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree or 90 hours beyond the bachelor's degree. At least 12 hours must be from 6000-level organized courses in computer engineering. At least two consecutive semesters of enrollment in 9 or more semester hours are required to meet the university residence requirement.

In addition to the course work, you must pass the computer engineering comprehensive exam early in the degree program. After passing the comprehensive exam, you must find a research topic, organize and pass an oral qualifying exam related to the topic, and write a dissertation and defend it to a committee of at least three faculty members.

Financial assistance

Approximately 35 computer science and engineering graduate students are supported each year through teaching assistantships and research assistantships.

Support amounts for grading and teaching positions range from approximately $5,000 to $6,000 per semester, with the actual amount determined by your job assignment and level in the graduate program. A small number of system support jobs are also available. In addition, supported out-of-state and international students qualify for in-state tuition rates.

Completed assistantship and admissions applications must be received at the department by March 1 for the summer and fall semesters and Oct. 1 for the spring semester.

Application forms for assistantships are available from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering or online at www.cse.unt.edu.