The MS Computational Linguistics program, jointly offered by the Department of Linguistics and Language Development and the Department of Computer Science , prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills for Computational Linguistics careers. It features a computing-based curriculum and instructs students in the theory and practice of language, linguistics and applied linguistics, and computer science to prepare students for job careers in automated text analysis, machine translation, grammar checking, speech synthesis & recognition, artificial intelligence, machine learning, web search, information retrieval, big data analytics, and more. The program also prepares students for entry into doctoral programs in a wide variety of interdisciplinary fields such as computational linguistics, natural language processing, computer science, artificial intelligence, information research, media studies, and human-computer interaction. Its integrated coursework provides students with strong computing, analytical, and linguistics skills to understand and solve problems for business and research, with strong societal and cultural implications.
University Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements . Students can be admitted in either classified or conditionally classified standing. While the expectation is that (at least at first) most students will enter the MS in Computational Linguistics after finishing the BS Computer Science and Linguistics , some may come from other backgrounds and therefore need prerequisites.
To be admitted to classified standing, applicants must have earned a Bachelor’s degree in linguistics, science, or engineering (e.g., applied math, statistics, computer science, and software engineering) from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale), and have completed all program prerequisites listed below. Two to three letters of recommendation are also required.
Prerequisites
To enter this program with classified standing, a student must have passed the following prerequisites courses (with the listed required grades in some cases):
- A two-semester series of calculus courses covering integration and partial derivation (e.g. MATH 30 and MATH 31 at SJSU), with a grade of B or better
- A linear algebra course (e.g., MATH 39 at SJSU), with a grade of B or better
- A discrete mathematics course (e.g. MATH 42 at SJSU) with a grade of B or better
- A statistics and probability theory course (e.g. MATH 15 at SJSU)
- A course on Python programming (e.g. CS 22A at SJSU)
- A course on object-oriented programming (e.g. CS 46A at SJSU)
- An introductory data structures course (e.g. CS 46B at SJSU)
- An introductory linguistics course (e.g. LING 101 at SJSU)
- A Natural Language Processing or computational linguistics course (e.g. LING 165 at SJSU)
Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must submit TOEFL scores. Minimum TOEFL scores acceptable for admission are 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based).
Advancement to Candidacy
The university requirements for advancement to candidacy for the master’s degree are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures section. Students should seek advancement to candidacy as soon as possible for their given program and on the advice of their graduate program coordinator. Graduate students may submit a Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) office after satisfying the following: achieved classified status; completed a minimum of nine letter-graded units with all grades “C” or higher; fulfilled the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR) requirement; achieved a minimum cumulative and program 3.0 GPA, and, graduate within the seven-year time limit for degree completion. Graduate students must submit their petition no later than one semester prior to graduating. Courses that satisfy the CGGWAR are listed in the course requirements for the program.
The student must obtain a grade of B or better in each of LING 220 and LING 221 , complete at least 15 units towards the degree with at least a 3.0 GPA, and meet all other university requirements before being advanced to candidacy. Students must maintain an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 at all times, otherwise they will be placed on academic notice and required to raise the overall GPA above the 3.0 minimum during the subsequent semester (failing to do so will result in disqualification from the program).
Program of Study Requirements
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.
Culminating Experience (Plan A or Plan B)
MS Computational Linguistics students must complete one of the following two options:
Both plans require two semesters of enrollment in 6-unit coursework. The student is responsible for securing the commitment of a full-time tenured or tenure-track (T/TT) faculty member in either Department of Linguistics and Language Development or Department of Computer Science who agrees to serve as their primary advisor, whose home department determines whether the student takes the LING or CS courses for the culminating experience. The student must also secure the commitments of two additional members, one of whom must also be a T/TT faculty member in LLD or CS. Either plan requires writing a manuscript in a formal format describing original computational linguistics research, which is submitted for review by the student’s committee.
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