Graduate Admission FAQs

Application FAQs

  1. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score is NOT required (for Computer Science Program). However, GRE score can be considered in the admission process and can also exempt graduate students from Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) UNIV 4000 if they have a score of 4 on the analytic writing portion of the GRE or GMAT. (For more information please visit the following website: WPE)
  2. Letters of Recommendation are NOT required (except upon department request for certain circumstances).
  3. Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, or a related field with a GPA of 3.0 or better. A promising applicant with a GPA below 3.0 may be admitted as a special action student.
  4. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for students who do not possess a bachelor's degree from an institution where English is the principal language of instruction. A score of 80 or higher is required. (For additional information please visit the following website: Language Proficiency Requirement)
  5. Currently, there is no teaching or research assistantships offered through the Computer Science department. Refer to the Center for Financial Aid for financial assistance available from federal, state and institutional sources at Cal State LA.
  6. Go to the Student Handbook for more information about the graduate program at the Computer Science Department.
  7. Go to the Graduate Application and Admission page for more detailed information about the university graduate admission.

Admission FAQs

Applicants must possess a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or a closely related field with overall GPA of 3.0 or better to be considered for conditional admission. A promising applicant with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 may be admitted as a special action student. Special action students must achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 for four qualifying courses as approved in advance by the department. Prerequisite courses may be required for non-CS students or for students from non-ABET accredited CS programs.

  1. Students are admitted to either “Classified Graduate Standing” (referred to as G2 standing) or “Conditionally Classified Standing” (referred to G1 standing).
  2. Students admitted to “Conditionally Classified Graduate Standing” are given up to three prerequisites (based on the evaluation of their transcripts). These three fundamental Computer Science course areas are:
  • Programming (CS 3035)
  • Algorithms (CS 3112)
  • Web (CS 3220)
  1. The Computer Science Department will conduct advisement/orientation sessions (prior to the start of their first semester) for all new incoming graduate students.
  • Students admitted under “Classified Graduate Standing” will set up a study plan for their first semester.
  • Students admitted under “Conditionally Classified Graduate Standing” will be given the opportunity to remove any of the assigned prerequisite conditions by successfully taking an Assessment Test in that area. Students then set up a study plan to complete all the prerequisites in the first semester.

For questions regarding MSCS Program Graduate Admissions, contact us:  ECSTGradAdmission@calstatela.edu