Michtom School of Computer Science

The COSI Master’s Student Handbook should be read closely because it contains lots of useful information about being a master's student in our program.  It contains course and registration information along with links to various important offices at Brandeis, such as the Registrar, ISSO, and the housing office that you can save to your contacts. On page 3, is a “To Do” checklist to help get you started.

For assessibility, a screen reader version of the handbook is available here. Alternatively, contact us if you need another way to access this information.

Please take note that the mandatory COSI Orientation will be held on Monday, August 22nd from 9:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in Rapaporte Treasure Hall so please hold this time. 

By now, you should have started receiving updates and emails from both the Graduate Student Affairs office (OGA) and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). 

The Graduate Student Affairs office (OGA) holistic orientation will focus on Brandeis-wide resources for all incoming graduate students that we ask you to attend.
Friday, August 19th, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and please register here.  

Division of Science Graduate Student Dessert Social
Wednesday, August 17, 4:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. (The grassy triangle between the Carl J. Shapiro Science Center, Abelson-Bass-Yalem physics building).

Optional GSAS discipline-based library session
Monday, August 22, 2:00 p.m.  -2:50 p.m. (Rapaporte Treasure Hall in the Goldfarb Library), right after the COSI Orientation.

Division of Science Grad Student Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Session
Wednesday, August 24, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Register here: https://brandeis.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAtfuyhpjMqGNzlfNNZSJRyEoPwqjNvRYJ.

• Brandeis Grad English Language Diagnostic Exam (online)
• Brandeis TF/TA/CA Orientation. All students potentially interested in serving as a Teaching Assistant, Grader, or in any other course-related role at any point in their graduate career must attend. More information can be found here: https://www.brandeis.edu/gsas/student-resources/teaching-resources/resources/index.html; 

Past Events:
For international students, there will also be a mandatory orientation called "F-1/J-1 Immigration Session: Maintaining Status in the U.S." hosted by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) on Thursday, July 28th at 8:00 a.m. and you can register here. 

In addition, there are other helpful presentations open to all, such as "Accessing Healthcare at Brandeis: What You Need to Know," scheduled for July 21st.

Workday Student is the system for course enrollment which you will use to view and manage personal information, register for classes, add or drop classes, view class schedule and grades, view financial aid, and more. This system does not allow graduate students to register for undergraduate courses (those with course numbers less than 100). For MS4’s, we will work with the registrar to enroll you for the courses you need after you have an opportunity to take the placement test.

The registration period for classes will open for all students on Tuesday, July 19, 10:00 a.m. through Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, 11:59 p.m. However, for MS4’s (non-majors on the 12 course track), we will be manually enrolling you in 10a or 12b, depending on the results of your placement test as well as 29a because the system does not allow you to enroll in undergraduate courses.

You are able to enroll in an elective that does not require a pre-requisite or a 100-level or higher cross listed class that you have the pre-requisites for.  The electives are COSI 102 and COSI 164. Here is the list of classes being offered.

As master's students, you are guaranteed a spot in all foundation classes and most elective classes. Again, the system does not allow graduate students to register for undergraduate courses (those with course numbers less than 100).  

MS4's have been sent a link to the Placement Exam that was open until July 4th. This test will reopen again in late August and you will be able to take this again before the start of classes on August 25th. For those MS4 students who have had little to no programming, we recommend taking an on-line programming course over the summer to improve your chances of starting 12b because 10a will not count towards your 12 required courses. Once your placement is determined, the registrar will enroll you in the appropriate course.

For questions about housing, please refer to the Graduate Student Affairs website. You can also email Mai Dewees specific questions.

 Please fill out this Google Survey that we will use to assign you an advisor and we ask that you please submit that by Friday, July 22nd!  If you did not make this deadline, we will assign you an advisor. During orientation you will receive your advisor's name and then you will set up a meeting with your advisor during the first week of classes to discuss your curriculum and academic goals.