Graduate Admission Requirements

Admission to the M.S. or Ph.D. programs in Computer Science or Computer Engineering in the School of Computing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are based on various factors, including but not limited to: the student's areas of interest, the recommendation letters, the student's statement of purpose, and the qualification of the applicant in relation to other qualified applicants. The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

Degree

  • A four-year U.S. bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
  • An equivalent degree as evaluated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of Graduate Studies, OR
  • Senior standing within 9 hours of graduation

Grades & Scores

Applicants must have:

  • A well-rounded background in computer science or computer engineering
  • An academic record with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 (B or better) on a 4.00 scale
  • Evidence of the ability to conduct independent work
  • The GRE is not required.

English Proficiency

If English is not your native language, you will be required to demonstrate your ability to undertake advanced academic work in an English-speaking institution in one of the following ways:

  • TOEFL scores of: 
  • 600 (paper-based)
  • 250 (computer-based)
  • 100 out of the maximum of 120 (Internet-based, or iBT)
  • Scores from the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the overall Band score of at least 7.0 on a 9.0 point scale
  • Exemptions for the English proficiency requirement are granted for non-native speakers who have received a bachelor's or more advanced degree either from an accredited U.S. institution or from a university outside the U.S. at which English is the official language of instruction. (See details here.)
PREREQUISITES

A student must have the following background before being considered for admission:

  • Two semesters of college-level Calculus (MATH 106 and MATH 107)
  • Two semesters of college-level Fundamentals of Computer Science (CSCE 155 & CSCE 156)
  • Computer Organization & Assembler Programming (CSCE 230 or CSCE 231)
  • Discrete Mathematical Structures (CSCE 235)
  • Data Structures and Algorithms (CSCE 310)
  • Introduction to Digital System Design (ELEC 474) (Computer engineering specialization only)

 

DEFICIENCIES

A student who has not taken the following courses may be admitted, but must take these courses as deficiency courses (not for graduate credit):

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