Combining Master’s & Doctoral Degrees

It is not uncommon for students in the M.S. program to enter the Ph.D. program directly after obtaining their M.S. degree, or transfer to the Ph.D. program even before receiving their M.S. degree. Conversely, Ph.D. students sometimes wish to obtain an M.S. degree if they leave the Ph.D. program early, or as an intermediate credential while they continue working towards the doctorate.


Formally, the M.S. and Ph.D. programs are separate, and transferring from one program to another or adding an additional program on top of an existing one requires the student to submit the GO-19 Request for Change of Program Form with the Graduate School and obtain permission from the CS department. The CS Graduate Advisor can assist with this process. Adding or moving to the Ph.D. program from the M.S. requires going through the usual selective Ph.D. admission process, but the path can be eased if the student has a confirmed faculty advisor who advocates for admission. Adding or moving to the M.S. program from the Ph.D. is normally permitted without going through an admissions review process.


In general, the same coursework can count towards requirements for both degrees, provided that the M.S. degree is awarded prior to or concurrent with the Ph.D. degree. However, students should be aware of some subtle differences between requirements.


Moving from M.S. to Ph.D.:


  • The minimum grade that counts towards the M.S. is B-. The minimum grade that counts towards the Ph.D. is B, and 3 of the 6 core courses must be at least B+.
  • Ph.D. students must complete the 6 Core course requirements, including CS669 Scholarship Skills, with at least 3 B+ grades.


Moving from Ph.D. to M.S. (or adding M.S.):


  • CS 501 Research and CS 502 Independent Study courses do not count toward the M.S.
  • The Ph.D. allows any number of (approved) pre-admission, transfer, and non-CS credits, whereas the M.S. limits the total of such courses to 15 credits.
  • The M.S. requires Theory and Programming Practice courses and completion of a 3-course track; while a typical Ph.D. student’s program will satisfy these requirements, some programs might not.