Advising and Program Overview

The program director and graduate coordinator oversee all aspects of study while students are enrolled in the program. As the program is cohort based with a very structured plan of study, students are not assigned a primary advisor outside of the program director.

The program is taught in a cohort-based model. Students will complete 30 credit hours: 24 credits (8 courses) of core classes, a major applications survey course (3 credits), and a 3-credit hour project course that serves as a culminating experience.

Students have the opportunity to enroll full- or part-time (if elgible). Students can visit the FAQ page to view the full-time schedules for fall and spring intake.

Students are required to maintain continuous registration until they complete the program. Full-time status is 12 credit hours. If students meet the requirement to be registered for less than 12 credit hours, then a certification of full-time status form must be completed with the graduate coordinator. International students should contact ISSS about a reduce course load form as well.

New students should communicate with the graduate coordinator if they intend to enroll full- or part-time to get the options for course registration each semester. A schedule will be sent accordingly that students must sign in order to be registered.

All students will complete a culminating experience to finish their degree requirement. Students have the option to complete a master’s project in their final semester of study under the course CDA 571 Project Guidance. This course is geared towards providing the student with practical experience in the area by either completing an internship in industry or through an individualized project within the university under the academic supervision of a faculty mentor in the participating departments/schools.The course will allow the student to integrate knowledge and skills acquired throughout the MPS program into practical application.

Alternatively, students can opt for the all-course option and take an elective in place of CDA 571 Project Guidance. Students will choose a 3-credit elective from our pre-approved list. In the final semester they will also be asked to complete a technical paper and an exit interview with the program director to satisfy their culminating experience.

Students have the opportunity to complete an internship as part of their culminating experience. Students will enroll in 3 credits of CDA 571 to complete this requirement. The earliest students can enroll in the master’s project is after successful completion of two semesters of full-time study.

Students must have their project/internship site approved by the program director. An offer letter is needed that includes the job duties, schedule/hours worked per week, and dates of the internship.

International students must apply for CPT and meet the eligibility requirements. Students who enroll in the fall semester can start CPT the following summer. 

Students should refer to the internships page for more details about internship enrollment and contact their career and internship coach with any questions.

Candidates must meet the Graduate School’s degree conferral requirements to be eligible to graduate:

1. Maintain continuous registration each spring and fall semester until all requirements for the degree have been completed
2. Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate study
3. Fulfill the minimum residency requirement of 24 UB credits of registration
4. Apply to graduate (in HUB) before deadline.
5. Pass a comprehensive exam (oral presentation) or successfully complete a project. The project must be approved by the program director (who serves as the advisor for all students)

General information regarding graduation can be found on The Graduate School website. This includes information regarding deadlines, required forms, and a checklist of requirements.

There are several other documents and websites, updated regularly, with which you should be familiar because they contain university policies and procedures. Among these are the following: