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Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies in CSE

The CSE Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS) program is an accelerated program that enables students to complete their Master’s degree in one additional year following the completion of their Bachelor’s degree. This Accelerated Master’s Degree Program (AMDP/SUGS) allows students to complete requirements for both degrees in five years.

Many students who enroll in this program plan to enter industry but seek additional intellectual depth beyond the bachelor’s degree. The relatively small investment in time to get a master’s degree will lead to greater professional opportunities and significantly higher salaries (see Michigan Engineering employment data).

Students who wish to pursue a CSE master’s degree at a slower pace should apply to the regular (i.e. non-SUGS) CSE master’s program and students who plan to pursue a PhD should apply directly to the CSE PhD program.

Eligibility

Current University of Michigan undergraduate students studying Computer Science-LSA or Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Science (Eng or LSA), or a minor in Computer Science are eligible to apply to the CSE Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS) program.

Engineering students, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute (SJTU-JI), and Multiple Dependent Degree Program (MDDP) students with dual majors are not eligible for SUGS (see more info here). However, LSA double majors can apply for SUGS.

Degree Requirements

Explore other Master’s programs at the College of Engineering

SUGS students follow the degree requirements for the regular CSE MS program. These requirements can be found in the CSE Graduate Program Guide. Successful completion of 30 credits of coursework is required. A thesis is optional.

The SUGS program is intended to be completed in 2-3 terms (semesters). SUGS students must enroll in at least 18 credit hours, paying Rackham graduate tuition. Students planning to graduate in two terms must enroll in at least 9 credit hours each term.

Eligible Coursework

Courses eligible for double count and transfer are listed on the MS Course Requirements (Spreadsheet) (see “Approved for SUGS double-count and/or transfer” column).

Double Counting and Transfer Guidelines

CSE SUGS students can bring in a maximum of 15 credits into Rackham.

The SUGS Master’s degree is an accelerated program allowing for the double-counting of graduate-level credits, meaning that credits may be used to fulfill both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Students may also transfer credits that were not used to satisfy undergraduate requirements.

Double count up to 9 credits of technical or free elective BSE requirements (credit counts towards undergraduate AND graduate degree).
- Double counted credits can only come from graduate level courses that may be used towards a CSE Master’s degree. Double counted credits may be divided/split (e.g. if you have three courses at 4 credits each – 12 credits total – you may use up to 9 credits from those courses).
Transfer up to 6 credits into the Rackham graduate degree (credit will ONLY count towards graduate degree if approved). These transfer credits cannot be used for any portion of the undergraduate degree.
- Transfer credits may not be divided/split up in any way (e.g. if you have two courses at 3 credits each – 6 credits total – you may transfer both courses. If you have two courses at 4 credits each – 8 credits total – you may only transfer one of those courses.). Transfer happens after a student has been admitted to the SUGS program – please review Rackham’s Transfer of Credit policy for more details.

Prerequisites to Apply

The Admissions Committee has determined that performance in these areas best demonstrates an applicant’s educational readiness for graduate studies in our program. However, please remember that applications are reviewed holistically and students who demonstrate strong performance in CS or related curriculum are still encouraged to apply.

Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher at the time of application submission.
Must maintain that GPA through the completion of the undergraduate degree.
Must have completed EECS 281 with a grade of B+ or better by the application deadline.
Must have completed either EECS 270 or EECS 370 with a grade of B+ or better by the application deadline.
Must have taken at least four EECS courses from any of the following by the end of the first semester of the senior year (with a grade of B+ or better earned):
- 370
- 376
- Any EECS/CSE courses that are Upper Level Computer Science (ULCS) Electives, Expanded ULCS Courses or Flexible CS Technical Electives at the 300-level or above
- Note: While CS Minor students may not be able to take at least four EECS elective classes at the 300-level or above, they are still welcome to apply.
Must only earn one Bachelor’s degree – Data Science (Eng or LSA), Computer Science (Eng or LSA), Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or be minoring in Computer Science.
- Note: Engineering students, SJTU-JI, and MDDP students with dual majors are not eligible for SUGS (see more info here). However, LSA double majors can apply for SUGS.

Timeline to Apply

As students head into their penultimate (next to last) year, they may wish to contact a CSE Graduate Programs Office staff member to discuss any questions they have regarding coursework or applying to the program. Or, an email may be sent to [email protected] with any questions.

In the final year, students should apply for admission to the graduate program by submitting:
- Rackham Graduate Application
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one letter must come from a core CSE faculty member)
- A personal statement
- A statement of purpose
- An unofficial copy of your transcript (Rackham notes that they will pull transcripts for SUGS applicants. So if you do not see a place to attach an unofficial transcript on the application, know that Rackham will do it for you.)
- Completed Accelerated Master’s Degree Program Election Form (including courses to be double counted, but does not need to be signed) – this form can be found through Rackham’s Forms page, and should be added one of the other attachments, preferably the transcript.

Application deadlines

SUGS is sequential, meaning students may only apply for the Fall or Winter term directly following graduation. So if you are graduating in the Fall term (December) and want to start a CSE Master’s degree in the following Fall term, you must apply to the Terminal MS degree (you may not take a gap year or term and still apply to SUGS).

Fall Term	Winter Term
January 15th, 11:59 PM ET	October 1st, 11:59 PM ET
For undergraduates who are graduating in the Winter or Spring/Summer terms, you would apply to begin SUGS in the Fall term. Applications for this term will be reviewed AFTER the deadline and admitted students may be notified sometime in March. There is no need to contact faculty during this review period.	For undergraduates who are graduating in the Fall term, you would apply to begin SUGS in the Winter term. Applications for this term will be reviewed AFTER the deadline and admitted students may be notified sometime in November. There is no need to contact faculty during this review period.

This page has information about graduate school admissions.

Additional Information

More information about the SUGS program. Students must meet all Rackham requirements for the SUGS master’s degree (rackham.umich.edu/academic-policies/section5/).

The complete Master’s requirements can be found in the CSE Graduate Program Guide (Google Doc).

View a list of courses that satisfy the different MS degree requirements (Google Sheet).

Students admitted to the Master’s program may apply to the doctoral program. Admission depends on academic qualifications as well as the availability of openings in the doctoral program.

For questions regarding the SUGS program, please contact the CSE Graduate Programs Office at [email protected].

MS vs. MSE degree

The MS (Master’s of Science) and MSE (Master’s of Science in Engineering) degrees differ mainly in name. The degree requirements are the same. Students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering can elect either degree. Students without an engineering bachelor’s degree are eligible only for the MS.

Apply to a Master’s program

This page has information about graduate school admissions.

Financial aid information

The CSE Division has limited financial aid to award to Master’s students at the time of application. On the other hand, Master’s students occasionally receive a research or teaching assistantship after they begin their studies. Master’s students are encouraged to apply for fellowships from sources outside the University. See an overview of financial aid resources.