Revision: 11/14/06

Revision: 1/1/07

International Dual Degree Program Proposal
Overview

The Department of Computer Science at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Incheon (UI) offer exceptional students from either institution the opportunity to earn masters degrees in computer science from both universities through a course of study in which students spend approximately one year at each campus.

To be awarded master's degrees from both universities, students must complete requirements set by faculty from both campuses. However, if the student fails to meet requirements at one campus, but meets the requirements at the other campus, the other campus may award its degree to the student if it chooses to do so.

In this document, the term home campus is used to represent the university in the country in which the student resides, and the term foreign campus represents the other university. Prior to attending courses on the foreign campus, the student must establish an advisor from his or her home campus, who will take responsibility for guiding the studing to complete their studies.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete at least 33 quarter units of graduate-level coursework in computer science in residence at the San Bernardino campus, which is a university-level requirement at CSUSB. Students must also complete at least 12 semester units of graduate coursework in computer science other than thesis units in residence at the University of Incheon campus. Change in allocation of units of course credit between the 2 campuses is possible, but must be agreed to by both campuses, and is to be done on an individual basis. These units must include courses that cover 5 core areas: Software Engineering (CSCI 655/UI 370612), Formal Languages and Automata (CSCI 600/UI 370609), Computer Architecture (CSCI 610/UI 370501), Algorithms (CSCI 630/ 370603), and Operating Systems (CSCI 660/UI 370502). The equivalent of up to 3 of these core courses may be taken at University of Incheon, subject to the approval of CSUSB faculty.

Students originating from UI must also pass a comprehensive examination that covers material from the 5 core areas listed above. The exam is taken by registering for CSCI 689 at CSUSB, which is a 1-unit course. If the student fails to pass the exam on the first try, he or she can retake the exam one more time. If the student is on the UI campus at the time of the second exam, faculty from San Bernardino will send exam questions to faculty from Incheon, who will administer the exam to the student. Students originating from CSUSB must complete either a thesis or master's project, and must pass a comprehensive oral exam covering the 5 core areas, rather than the written exam. The final master's thesis or project report must be approved by the CSUSB computer science department chair or his or her designate.

All students, whether originating from UI or CSUSB, must complete a 4-unit writing course (NSCI 306) in the first quarter of attendance at CSUSB. (If the student has strong writing skills, it is possible to skip the writing course by passing the Upper Division Writing Requirement Exemption Exam.)

Language Proficiency

To participate in the program, students must demonstrate English language proficiency. There are two ways that students can satisfy this requirement.

The first way is to demonstrate proficiency by scoring sufficiently high on the TOEFL or IELTS exam. The minimum required scores are 550 for the paper-based TOEFL, 213 for the computer-based TOEFL (CBT), 79 for the internet-based TOEFL (IBT), and 7.0 for the IELTS.

The second way to demonstrate proficiency is to complete an English language program offered by California State University San Bernardino through its American Culture and Learning Program (ACLP).

The ACLP English language center in San Bernardino offers English language courses classified at levels 1 though 6. To gain entrance into the university through this program, students must complete a level 6 course with a satisfactory score on the final exam. Passing a level 6 course waives all TOEFL or IELTS test requirements. Students begin the program by taking a pre-assessment exam, which determines the course level at which they should begin their studies. The courses are 10 weeks in duration, and are offered quarterly. A center for the study of ACLP English coursework also exists in Seoul, Korea. For students who do not meet the English test score requirements, it is still possible, via filing a petition with CSUSB, to be admitted on a conditional basis and be allowed to take courses in Computer Science and at the same time work toward satisfying the English requirements.

Although fluency in Korean language would be a great asset to the student, it is not required for participation in the program. Students who are not fluent in Korea language will not be required to follow lectures given in Korean language, but are still required to master the material covered in courses in which they enroll. Professors teaching these courses will need to discuss course material with them, guide their independent study of the material, and evaluate their performance on an individual basis.

Program Schedule

The program schedule is flexible; students may begin taking courses in any quarter at CSUSB or in any semester at UI. Students will generally complete their degree requirements at their home campus. The following schedule shows a possible sequence that a student from UI may follow to complete their studies at both universities. (Dates are approximate, and other sequences are possible.)

March 1 - June 10 First semester at UI
3 computer science courses
Student applies for admission into CSUSB, obtains I-20, and applies for visa.

June 20 - Sept 2 Optional summer at CSUSB or Seoul
ACLP English language course level 6

Sept 20 - Dec 10 First quarter at CSUSB
2 computer science courses
1 writing course (NSCI 306

Jan 6 - March 25 Second quarter at CSUSB
3 computer science courses

April 3 - June 12 Third quarter at CSUSB
3 computer science courses
Comprehensive exam (CSCI 689)

August 26 - December 10 Second semester at UI
1 computer science course
Thesis writing and defense

Example Course Sequence at CSUSB

The following schedule shows an example of one of many possible course sequences at CSUSB; other schedules are possible within the constraints described in the previous section.

Summer Quarter
English Language Program

Fall Quarter
CSCI 655 Software Engineering (4 units)
CSCI 624 Distributed Systems (4 units)
NSCI 306 Expository Writing for the Natural Sciences (4 units)

Winter Quarter
CSCI 610 Architecture (4 units)
CSCI 594 Topics in Computer Science (4 units)
CSCI 640 Artificial Intelligence (4 units)

Spring Quarter
CSCI 660 Operating Systems (4 units)
CSCI 580 Advanced Database Systems (4 units)
CSCI 670 Compiler Design Theory (4 units)
CSCI 689 Comprehensive Exam (1 unit)

The following shows a possible sequence that a student from CSUSB would follow to complete his or her studies assuming that he or she has chosen the project option. Other sequences are possible.

April 3 - June 12 First quarter at CSUSB
2 computer science courses (12 quarter units)
1 writing course (NSCI 306)

Sept 20 - Dec 10 Second quarter at CSUSB
3 computer science courses (12 quarter units)
Korean language course

March 1 - June 10 First semester at UI
2 computer science courses (6 semester credits)
Independent study on topic approved by CSUSB advisor

August 26 - December 10 Second semester at UI
2 computer science courses (6 semester credits)
Independent study on topic approved by CSUSB advisor

Jan 6 - March 25 Third quarter at CSUSB
1 computer science course (4 quarter units)
Master's Project (5 quarter units)

Admission Process

To participate in the dual degree program, the student needs to follow the normal process of applying for admission into the Computer Science Masters program at CSUSB and at UI. However, the CSUSB requirement to take the GRE will be waived.

Estimated Cost

Tuition and fees at UI are to be identified by Dr. Ahn …
Tuition and fees at CSUSB are set annually by the California State University Board of Trustees. For the 2006-07 academic year, three quarters of study at CSUSB cost approximately $11,700 USD. Estimated costs of other expenses (housing, food, transportation, I-20 visa approval, etc.) vary widely between students. Students having to enroll in the English as a Second Language program prior to the academic year will have an additional fee. For students approved to this Dual-Degree program from the University of Incheon, CSUSB will reduce the cost of study through financial support from various funding opportunities, such as the tuition fee waivers, CSUSB Merit Scholarship for International Students, the CSUSB Asian Faculty Scholarship, Phi Beta Delta scholarships, and other grant programs. Additionally, students in the dual degree program will be given full consideration for various work-study opportunities that are provided within the Department of Computer Science.

Course Articulations

The following table is presented as a general guideline about courses that are deemed by CSUSB faculty to be compatible between the two institutions. It is possible that some of the course-availability information included is not accurate for a particular academic year. The specific academic calendars and course offerings at either institution for a particular semester should be consulted to confirm exact course availability.

Graduate Computer Science Course Equivalencies