MSc Thesis in Computer Science: COMPSCI 796 A and B Semester 1/2
Entry requirements please refer to: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/study-options/find-a-study-option/master-of-science-msc.html
You will find housekeeping information on the 120 point and 240 point masters on this page.
120 point Masters in Computer Science
This is a full-time 120-point thesis course over two semesters. To complete this course, students must enrol in both COMPSCI 796A and B in consecutive semesters.
Follow the instructions below to apply for the masters programme and to enrol:
- Apply for the MSc in Computer Science using Student Services Online (SSO).
- Find a staff member to supervise your thesis by looking through the listing of staff research interests. You should also investigate our postgraduate research topics and past thesis topics.
- Inform the department's MSc coordinator of your application by emailing MScCoordinator@cs.auckland.ac.nz.
- The MSc coordinator will approve your application once you and your supervisor have completed a Expression of Interest Form (Form).
- Your application on Student Services Online must be approved by the MSc Coordinator and by the Faculty of Science.
- Once you have accepted your offer of place, send the signed Thesis Registration Approval Form to the Masters Administrator to be enrolled into your courses. Once approved you will need to enrol yourself through SSO. If there are issues with your enrolment you should contact student hub.
- You will receive an invoice for your fees once this has been done.
How to find a supervisor:
- Check out the CS Research to find academic staff with their research interests
- Select something from the postgraduate research topics
- Email your prospective supervisor with the following information:
- Why you are contacting them
- A copy of your academic transcript
- A proposed area of interest
- Your ID number
You need to submit the following items (See detailed instructions in the orientation slides):
- Project Proposal. Within 4 weeks of your first semester (Form).
- Interim Report. After the end of your first semester (Form).
- Dissertation: Please refer to calendar for submission date (Calendar).
240 point Masters in Computer Science.
This is a full-time 240-point course over four semesters. The first 120 points will comprise of coursework. The second 120 points will follow the structure of the 120-point MSc (outlined above).
What are the Masters in Computer Science 240pt requirements?
A student who has to complete 240 points must satisfy the following requirements.
The first year (2 Semesters) is the taught course work:
Please apply the course concession via SSO. You might get enrolment to courses that do not require prerequisites.
Note: You should apply course concessions for both semesters if possible as popular courses might be full very soon.
The second year is the 120-points thesis component (COMPSCI 796A and B). Please see information for 120 point Masters.
Important: Note that there is a GPA requirement for continuation with the Masters programme. For 240-point students whose GPA, calculated from their taught courses, the criteria to enter second year is a B average on best 90pt selected from the first 120 points passed in the coursework component of the degree and condition that the student finds a supervisor that is willing to supervise them.
Note: Please make sure you find a supervisor and fill in the Expression of Interest Form (Form) as soon as possible, at soon as your grades for your coursework at the end of year one is released to you.
FAQ:
- When and how to find a supervisor?
- Earlier is better since you have more time to prepare for the thesis. For instance, if you can find a supervisor in S2, you have Nov-Feb to prepare the thesis. Also, it will speed up the offer letter for visa application.
- The deadline for having a supervisor is the second week of the first semester of the thesis year.
- Contact and meet with potential academic staff with the same research interest. After the discussion, gather their research interest and research problem, and find the one that suits you best. Some academics will propose a co-supervisor for you; some will not.
- After finding the supervisor, fill out the form: https://www.forms.auckland.ac.nz/en/public/science/compsci-research-supervision-expression-of-interest.html
- Regulation of MSC Program: https://www.calendar.auckland.ac.nz/en/progreg/regulations-science/msc.html
- See Section 10 for the conditions of the thesis phase.
- Look up Computer Science to see the list of recognized 700-level courses in the program
- Thesis
- Visa and extension:
Pro-tips to email MSC Coordinator:
- Always add student ID into the email title when requesting, e.g. [1234567 - Request swap STATS xxx to CS xxx]
- This would help us quickly look up your profile on SSO system
- If you ask for the course concession and wonder the background matching the course prerequisite:
- Check the schedule clash
- Attach the transcript or CV so that we do not have to use SSO to look up your profile.
- If courses are not from CS school (e.g. from STATS), there is a chance that you cannot enroll due to the limited capacity. Hence, you should consider another CS course for backup.
- See https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/my-tools/sso/enrolment/drop-swap.html to apply on SSO
General: Please read carefully the instructions in the orientation slides on Canvas CS 796A or CS 796B
The general regulations and deadlines for masters can be found here: https://www.calendar.auckland.ac.nz/en/genregs/gen-postgrad/masters.html
Masters Coordinator(s): Dr. Ninh Pham and Dr. Ni Ding (Deputy)
Relevant links:
COMPSCI Postgraduate Projects and Dissertations Guidelines
Academic integrity
Guide to Theses and Dissertations