College of Science and Engineering
Computer Science

Programming Exam Information

Graduate Student Programming Exam Policy - IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The following policy is effective starting in Spring 2016 for the Programming Exam and will be strictly enforced:

  • The Programming Exam will be administered twice a year, in the week before the fall semester starts and in the week before the spring semester starts.
  • All computer science master’s-level graduate students are required to take the Programming Exam, as scheduled, before their first long semester. The exam can be taken only once.
  • Any student who fails the Programming Exam or does not take the Programming Exam is required to take the remedial programming course, CS 5301, in the first long semester immediately following the time that the student failed the exam or if the student did not take the exam. For example, if a student fails the exam or does not take the exam right before the fall semester commences, the student must enroll in CS 5301 for that fall semester. Likewise, if a student fails the exam or does not take the exam right before the spring semester commences, the student must enroll in CS 5301 for that spring semester.
  • The grade earned in CS 5301 will not be included in the overall GPA, nor will it count as graduate credit toward the degree.
  • Any student who is taking CS 5301 in a given semester is only allowed to enroll in a maximum of nine credit hours of coursework (including CS 5301) during that semester.
  • Students must earn a grade of B or higher in CS 5301 to satisfy the programming requirement.
  • Any student who earns a grade of C or lower the first time they enroll in CS 5301 must repeat the class in the very next long semester.
  • Failing to register for CS 5301, or dropping the class without departmental permission, will be counted as a failing attempt at completing the programming requirement.
  • Students can take the CS 5301 course only twice.
  • Any student who does not earn a grade of B or higher in their second attempt at taking CS 5301 cannot continue with the master’s program in computer science.
  • Any student who has not satisfied the programing requirement, as delineated above, will not be allowed to take any graduate level courses in summer sessions.