Incoming Students FAQ

Revision as of 16:50, 27 March 2017 by Emhand (talk | contribs)

FAQs

Courses / Degree Requirements
  1. Does course XYZ count for MS/PhD credit?
  2. Is course XYZ hard/easy/worthwhile?
  3. What are the course requirements for a Masters? a PhD?
Research
  1. How do I find an advisor?
  2. How much time do other students spend on research?
Teaching
  1. Which courses require light/heavy time commitments for TAs?
Department
  1. How do we use the Computer Science Library?
  2. What resources does the department provide to students?
General/Other
  1. How safe is College Park?
  2. How do I balance coursework with research/teaching?



Courses / Degree Requirements
  1. Does course XYZ count for MS/PhD credit?
    A list of qualifying courses, and what makes a course qualify for MS/PhD credit can be found in the graduate policy manual. Specifically in section 6. If you are interested in a course that is not listed there, you should contact the instructor and if they are unsure, you should contact Jenny Story (jenny@cs).
  2. Is course XYZ hard/easy/worthwhile?
    During the Peer-Counseling Panel, we fielded questions sharing our respective experience in a given course or with a given professor. Your best bet outside of the panel is to contact current students who have taken a particular course previously (google is your friend here).
  3. What are the course requirements for a Masters? a PhD?
    The official requirements are provided in the department policy manual. Check here for Master's and PhD requirements.
Research
  1. How do I find an advisor?
    Answer...
  2. How much time do other students spend on research?
    Answer...
Teaching
  1. Which courses require light/heavy time commitments for TAs?
    Answer...
Department
  1. How do we use the Computer Science Library?
    Answer...
  2. What resources does the department provide to students?
    Answer...
Other
  1. How safe is College Park?
    The College Park area is known for being a rather rough area at night, and it is not uncommon to hear of robberies, particularly between the hours of midnight and 4am. Your best bet is to stick to well-lighted and populated areas and never travel alone after dark. The UMD Department of Public Safety has a safety presentation that details their efforts to keep you safe and provides tips for maximizing your security.
  2. How do I balance coursework with research/teaching?
    Prof. Emily Bneder has written a great slides on Balancing Teaching and Research. Please read the slides. In a nutshell, procrastinate teaching, track your hours, and don’t give teaching your best hours.

Links

How to Succeed in Grad School - presentation by Mike Lam (08/26/2010)

Official Graduate Program Policy Manual