Graduate Admissions
Graduate Programs Overview
The Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) offers a broad range of research-oriented graduate programs at the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) levels. These programs prepare students for advanced research and teaching careers in academia and/or advanced research and development positions in industry and government.
ICS also offers graduate professional master’s programs that prepare students for careers in industry through project-focused technical courses that promote teamwork and communication skills. These programs are aimed at students with background in computing who wish to further strengthen their preparation before entering the workforce or to career-changers with background in science and technology who wish to enter the information technology space. All but one of the ICS professional master’s programs are residential, and two of them offer a part-time option.
For information about our graduate research and professional programs, please visit:
Before You Get Started
ICS accepts applications for admission beginning in the Fall Quarter only.
For answers to questions related to ICS graduate admissions, please visit the FAQ page.
How We Evaluate Applicants
Applicants are evaluated holistically, taking into consideration the entirety of their academic preparation and experience, as well as the value they would add to learning, practice, teaching, and research in the context of the diversity intrinsic to the information technology field. Holistic review allows admission committees to consider the “whole” applicant, rather than disproportionately focusing on any one factor.
Our graduate programs comprise richly diverse student groups with varying degrees of industry experience and backgrounds in computer science, sociology, anthropology, statistics, science, technology & society (STS), human-computer interaction (HCI), design, game studies, education, public health, and business among others.
- Ph.D applicants are expected to have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a disciplines related to their intended area of study by matriculation for fall term.
- M.S. applicants are expected to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a discipline related to their intended area of study by matriculation for fall term.
- Applicants to the professional master’s programs are expected to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in their area of study or in a science/engineering area. Work experience or background in math/computing are helpful but not required by all programs. For specific information, please consult the pages of the ICS professional master’s programs.