The MS in Computer Science is intended as a terminal professional degree and does not lead to the PhD. Most students planning to obtain a PhD degree should apply directly for admission to the PhD program. Some students, however, may wish to complete the master’s program before deciding whether to pursue a PhD. To give such students a more significant opportunity to become familiar with research, the department has a program leading to a master’s degree with distinction in research. This program is described in more detail below.

Admission

Applications to the MS program and all supporting documents must be submitted and received online by the published deadline. Information on admission requirements is available on the department’s website; see the department’s deadlines page. Exceptions are made for applicants who are already students at Stanford and are applying to the coterminal program.