Detailed Information
Program of Study
The Master of Science in computer science and information systems at the University of Michigan–Flint is designed primarily for working professionals wishing to improve their skills and knowledge in computer- and information technology–related fields and for those interested in pursuing a career in this exciting and rewarding field. The program offers a truly unique and exciting educational experience through the newly developed multimedia cyber classroom, which allows students to tailor their education from a virtual, completely online learning experience to a completely in-class on-campus experience. Students may even customize their learning experience on the fly as life responsibilities dictate, which allows for smooth completion of the degree, even if a job requires constant or extended travel.
The program offers two concentrations–computer science and information systems–as well as a preparatory fast track to allow students from non–computer science backgrounds to quickly prepare themselves for the program. The computer science concentration is a rigorous technical program designed to provide the student with in-depth state-of-the-art knowledge in critical computer-related technologies, such as architecture, databases, networking, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. The information systems concentration is a unique program offering a blend of technical courses and business courses. The student selects technical courses to match his/her interests and business courses, including quantitative analysis, accounting, and economics.
The program consists of 30 graduate credit hours. Students take a core set of four computer science classes as well as a set of four classes from their concentration and choose either the thesis or nonthesis option. The former requires 6 credits of research, including a written paper and an oral defense. The nonthesis option allows the students to take 6 credits (two classes) of elective courses, followed by a master’s-level exit examination. For students enrolling without prior undergraduate degrees in computer science or a related field, the program requires up to 18 additional undergraduate credits. To complete the degree, students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 5.0 (B) on a 9.0 scale. The degree must be completed within six consecutive years from the date of first enrollment in the graduate program.
Research Facilities
The Frances Willson Thompson Library’s collection includes approximately 217,000 books and 35,000 bound magazines and journals. The library also contains more than a half million microform, ranging from the Times of London to documents on education. The library subscribes to some 1,100 hard-copy periodicals, and it provides electronic access to approximately 13,000 more. The media collection consists of music CDs, audiotapes, and other media, including CD-ROMs, DVDs, and videotapes.
Campus computing facilities (both open and instructional) are equipped with a variety of computers from the Windows, Macintosh, and Linux platforms. All computers connect to networked servers that interact with each other through a LAN that includes a wireless network. The Department of Information Technology Services strives to provide a modern network infrastructure that ensures high reliability, greater efficiency, and faster transmission of data across the campus. A variety of applications software, including e-mail, Internet browsers, word processors, database and spreadsheet programs, statistical packages, and many others, are also provided to all students and faculty and staff members via the LAN. Upgrades to hardware and software in the student computing facilities are supplemented by student funds collected through a technology fee that is paid each semester with tuition.
Financial Aid
The University of Michigan–Flint strives to offer a high-quality education at an affordable price. Several forms of financial aid are available, including loans, scholarships, grants, and research or teaching assistantships; the University is committed to working with students in their efforts to explore possible opportunities for financial assistance.
Cost of Study
In 2008–09, graduate tuition was $415.50 per credit for Michigan residents and $623.30 per credit for nonresidents. Other fees included a $50 registration fee, a $25 student activity fee, a $23 recreation fee, and a $43 technology fee.
Living and Housing Costs
University housing opened for the first time in fall 2008. The first phase is intended primarily for undergraduate students, but graduate students can find many off-campus housing opportunities in Flint and the surrounding area. Apartments close to the campus range from $370 per month for a studio to $750 for a two- or three-bedroom apartment. Farther from the campus, apartments range between $300 and $650 per month, depending on the apartment’s size and location.
Student Group
The M.S. in computer science and information systems program is designed primarily for working professionals wishing to improve their skills and knowledge in computer- and information technology–related fields as well as those interested in pursuing a career in this exciting and rewarding field. There are currently 96 students, 22 of whom are women. Forty-one are international students.
Location
Although best known as the birthplace of General Motors, Flint has become better known for other attractions in recent years, including the Crim Festival of Races and the Buick Open. A large cultural center occupies 30 acres near downtown, and more than fifty parks and four golf courses are interspersed throughout the city. Flint is located approximately 60 miles from Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing.
The University
The University of Michigan–Flint was founded in 1956, when a two-year senior college was formed through public and private donations. Today, this four-year university offers 100 undergraduate and fourteen graduate degree programs to nearly 7,000 students. The programs have been designed to provide professional training in relationship to traditional study in the liberal arts and sciences, so students develop the knowledge, intellectual skills, values, and attitudes needed to make thoughtful and informed judgments about their experiences.
Applying
Applicants should have a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, computer information systems, or computer engineering from an accredited institution. Candidates with other undergraduate degrees may enter the program with conditional admission while they complete the fast-track program to allow them to quickly attain the required background knowledge.
Students must submit the completed application, the application fee, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, three letters of recommendation (at least one must be from an academic reference), and a statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s objectives for graduate study and reasons for selecting this program. The program has rolling admissions, and it reviews completed applications each month. To be considered for scholarships, grants, and research assistantships, the candidate must submit the application no later than May 1. The deadlines for the fall, winter, and summer semesters are August 1, November 15, and March 15, respectively. Students can apply online; paper applications should be sent to the Office of Graduate Programs, University of Michigan–Flint, 251 Thompson Library, Flint, Michigan 48502-1950.
The Faculty and Their Research
- Michael Farmer, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Michigan State. Image processing, object tracking, pattern recognition.
- Quentin Galerneau, Lecturer; M.A., Central Michigan.
- Linda Hicks, Lecturer; M.S., Oakland. Object-oriented programming, software engineering.
- Pam Kalmar, Adjunct Lecturer.
- R. Shantaram, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Penn State.
- Steven W. Turner, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Michigan State. Computer networking, wireless mobile ad-hoc networks, distributed and parallel processing, multimedia.
- Suleyman Uludag, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., DePaul. Computer networks; quality-of-service (QoS) networking; topology aggregation, routing, and stochastic shortest-path algorithms in data networks; statistical guarantees in QoS routing, probabilistic modeling of Internet link metrics, and shortest-weight-constrained-path problem as applied to communications networks.
- Mudasser Wyne, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Birmingham. Database management systems, main memory database systems, memory management, data warehousing, computer architecture.
Correspondence and Information
University of Michigan–Flint
Michael Farmer, Director
214 Murchie Science Building
303 East Kearsley Street
Flint, Michigan 48502
Telephone:
810-762-3131
Email:
farmerme@umflint.edu
