FAQs

CIS Graduate Handbook Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

  • What is the pre-approval process for a 400-level course?
    • Before registering for the course, get approval from the Graduate Program Co-Director (Dr. Adnan El-Nasan) by emailing the following information: your name and ID, the course number and title, a statement of “I have not taken this class or any similar classes in my undergraduate and graduate studies.” Ensure you attach a copy of your transcripts (undergraduate and graduate).

 

  • What is the pre-approval process for a course from another department?
    • Email the following information to the Graduate Program Co-Director (Dr. Adnan El-Nasan): your name, ID, current transcript, and a request from your MS project/thesis adviser if your adviser recommended the course for you.

 

  • What is the pre-approval process for online courses?
    • Email the Graduate Program Co-Director (Dr. Adnan El-Nasan) to get approval with the following information: your name, ID, the course number and title, a list of all online courses (with course number and title) that you have taken or are currently enrolled in, a statement of “I have not taken / currently enrolled in more than 1 online course,” and your graduate transcripts.
    • With the pre-approval, you can enroll in the course by 1) contacting the University Enrollment Center (UEC), Foster Administration First floor, or 2) requesting a permission number from the course instructor and then using it for enrollment in COIN.
    • Be aware: Students in the on-site MS program may take at most two UMass Dartmouth CIS graduate-level (500 and above) online courses out of the entire MS program duration, with additional provisions and constrained by the Course Combination Policy. It is solely your responsibility to ensure all the specified policies are observed in order to count the online course towards your CIS-MS degree.

 

  • Who should I contact for pre-requisite verification?

 

If you are admitted into the MS program with some pre-requisite courses required and you believe that you had such courses taken before, you need to email the following information to the Graduate Program Co-Director (Dr. Adnan El-Nasan) for verification:

  • your name, ID, the syllabus of the course you took and consider equivalent to the pre-requisite course required, your transcript with this course, and its grade.

 

  • Who should I contact for transfer course approval?

 

If you plan to transfer graduate course(s) from another accredited institution of higher learning (maximum of 6 credits, grade B- or better), you need to email the following information to the Graduate Program Co-Director (Dr. Adnan El-Nasan) for verification:

  • the course number, title, description, syllabus, and your transcript with such course and its grade.

 

  • What is the approval process for my MS project (CIS 600)?

 

  • After you complete your MS project and have your project report ready, you need to:
    1. Contact two CIS faculty members with the title and abstract of your MS project and ask them to serve as readers for your MS project.
    2. Once the readers have confirmed their availability, email them your project report and other related deliverables.
    3. After addressing the concerns/comments from your project advisor and project readers, use the Department of Computer and Information Science Project Acceptance form to request the approval signature from your MS project advisor. You can put N/A in the field “Date of Presentation” if the presentation is not required by your project advisor.
    4. After your project advisor has signed the Project Acceptance form, email the form to the project readers for their approval signatures.
    5. Return the completed form to your project advisor and the CIS department office (s.sears@umassd.edu).

 

  • Who should I contact when I need a signature from the Graduate Program Director?
    • Jiawei Yuan: Reduced course load form, CPT/OPT applications, MS project continuation, Graduate student-program transition request form, Directed study form.
    • Adnan El-Nasan or Dr. Jiawei Yuan: Master’s Thesis signature page
    • CIS department office (s.sears@umassd.edu): EGR 500 request

 

  • Where is the CIS MS Degree Graduation Requirement Checkoff Sheet?