91PORN

Overview

Network Engineering teaches students how to develop, build, and maintain network solutions tailored to the diverse needs of their organization within the private or public sectors.

First Year

During their first year, CU students enrolled in the Network Engineering two-year graduate program are introduced to both network engineering fundamentals as well as network programming and automation, which has become the glue that connects various networking technologies and solutions within a distributed networking environment.

Second Year

By the start of their second year, many Network Engineering students will have interned over the summer at one of the many tech companies in Silicon Valley. Upon returning to campus, Network Engineering students focus on advanced networking engineering courses, such as service provider networks, data center networks, and next-generation networks – courses that emphasize students’ understanding of network engineering, coding, systems, and software design.

Network Engineering Handbook

Degree Requirements

• The Network Engineering Professional Master’s Program (MS NE) in the Department of Computer Science will prepare students to become members of the next generation of leaders in Internet, Cloud, and Intranet networking.
• The MSNE program is a coursework-only professional master’s program.
• Students will take 30ÌýgraduateÌýcreditÌýhoursÌýin the following categories:

• Each of these categories are described in more detail below.ÌýThe specific courses listed are subject to change.

FundamentalsÌýrequirementÌý(6 credit hours)

The courses in the Fundamentals category are designed to provide students with the background they need to succeed in this degree. Courses in this category cover the fundamental concepts of how the internet operates; how to develop network systems; and how to administer the machines (both physical and virtual) that deploy them.

Satisfying the Fundamentals Requirement

• Students are required to take two courses (6 credit hours) from the Fundamentals category.
• Students may be recommended to take three courses (9 credit hours) based on their background.
  • However, students may only count 6 credit hours from the Fundamentals category towards their degree requirements.
  • These fundamentals courses do not count towards any Computer Science degrees - PhD, MSCS or MSCPS.

Fundamentals Waiver Petition

• Students who can demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge via their undergraduate degree can petition to waive the Fundamentals requirement and instead take two additional Elective or Advanced Elective courses.
• If their petition is approved, those students must instead take an additional 6 hours of Advanced Electives or Electives coursework (see below for more information).
• Use theÌý to request this waiver.

Fundamentals Course Options

CoreÌýrequirement (6 credit hours)

The courses in the Core category begin to lay the foundation for exploring network engineering topics in depth. All aspects of network engineering from the management of network systems to the policies that govern traffic on the internet to the wireless systems that deliver information to devices on the edge are all covered.

Satisfying the Core Requirement

• MSNE students are required to take two courses (6 credit hours) from the Core category.
  • Students can be guided in their choice of Core courses by using the suggested focus areas below to craft a set of coursework that best meets their academic goals.
  • If a student feels that they need to take more courses from the Core category, they can certainly do so by choosing to take additional Core classes and applying those credits towards meeting the credits associated with the Electives category.
• Core courses may not be offered every term.
  • Students are encouraged to reviewÌý to get a general perspective of historical course offerings.
• Some Advanced Elective courses have prerequisite requirements of certain Core courses.
  • For example, CSCI 5280 Software-Defined Networking requires a grade of ‘B’ or higher in CSCI 5180 Network Management & Automation.

Core Course Options

Advanced Electives requirement (9 credit hours)

• The courses in the Advanced Electives category go in depth on a variety of network engineering topics.

Satisfying the Advanced Electives Requirement

• MSNEÌýstudents are required to take three courses (9 creditÌýhours) ofÌýAdvancedÌýElectives to graduate.
  • When selecting Advanced Electives courses, students should be aware that certain courses have prerequisite requirements.
    • For example, CSCI 5280 Software-Defined Networking requires a grade of ‘B’ or higher in CSCI 5180 Network Management & Automation.
  • Advanced Electives courses may not be offered every term. Students are encouraged to reviewÌý to get a general perspective of historical course offerings.

Advanced Electives Course Options

ElectivesÌýrequirement (9 credit hours)

• The three courses (9 creditÌýhours) associated with the Electives category allow students to customize the MS in Network Engineering degree to meet their academic goals.

  Satisfying the Electives requirementÌý

  • Elective courses can include any of the following options:
    • Any of the remaining Core coursesÌýlisted above
    • Any of the remaining Advanced Electives CoursesÌýlisted above
    • Any CSCI 5000-level coursesÌýwith the following restrictions:
      • Exactly three (3) credit hours of theÌýProfessional Internship class (CSCI 6930) can count as an Elective course.
        • Students who complete less than 3 credits of CSCI 6930 may not count it as an Elective course.
        • Students who complete more than 3 credits may not count any additional credits of CSCI 6930 towards the degree.
      • MSNE students cannot count CSCI 5000, CSCI 5100, CSCI 6000, CSCI 6100 or CSCI 6200 towards their degree requirements.
      • Students are encouraged to verify course eligibility by contacting the program BEFORE taking the courses they want to apply to the Electives category.
    • No more thanÌýthree graduate-level courses (9 creditÌýhours) ofÌýapproved, non-CSCI graduate level coursework offered at 91PORN.
      • Students may count no more than 9 total credit hours of non-CSCI classes towards their degree requirement.
      • Non-CSCI courses must be at graduate level (5000-level or above) and must be offered at 91PORN.
      • MSNE students may not take courses for students in the MS Data Science (DTSC) program:
        • DTSC subject code courses (e.g., DTSC 5501 Cybersecurity for Data Science)
        • DTSC-specific courses with a CSCI-subject code (e.g., CSCI 5122 Neural Networks and Deep Learning for Science, CSCI 5612 Machine Learning for Data Science)
        • DTSC-reserved sections of CSCI-scheduled courses (e.g., example, section 872 of CSCI 5502)
          • DSC-reserved sections are typically numbered with 872, 873, etc. and will clarify that they are reserved for DTSC students in theirÌý
    • Students are encouraged to verify course eligibility by contacting the program BEFORE taking the courses they want to apply to the Electives category.

Suggested Focus Area Combinations

• The following sets of courses represent common focus areas that students can take to target a particular area of network engineering in depth.
  • Network Design and Configuration
    • CSCI 5160: Introduction to Enterprise Networks
    • CSCI 5260: Datacenter Networks
    • CSCI 5360: Internet Service Provider Networks
  • Network Programmability and Automation
    • CSCI 5180: Network Management and Automation
    • CSCI 5280: Software-Defined Networking
    • CSCI 5840: Advanced Network Automation
    • CSCI 5380: Network Virtualization and Orchestration
  • Wireless Networking
    • CSCI 5200: Introduction to Wireless Networks
    • CSCI 5220: Wireless Local Area Networks
    • CSCI 5620: Advanced Wireless Lab
    • CSCI 5630: Wireless and Cellular Systems
  • Comprehensive Networking Solutions
    • CSCI 5160: Introduction to Enterprise Networks
    • CSCI 5170: IP Routing Protocols and Policies
    • CSCI 5190: Voice Over IP: Voice Network Design and Implementation
    • CSCI 5200: Introduction to Wireless Networks
    • CSCI 5270: IP Network Design

Example Plan of StudyÌý- Course Sequences

• The outline below shows an example course sequence for students enrolled in the Professional Master's in Network Engineering degree. There are a wide variety of course sequences that are possible, and many students elect to take additional creditÌýhoursÌýabove the 30-credit degree minimum.Ìý To accommodate this, the program is designed to be flexible and aims to meet the needs of students. Refer to the Graduate Handbook for more information regarding degree requirements and registration policies.
• Example Plan of Study for students without a Computer Science background wanting to focus on the areas ofÌýNetwork Design and ConfigurationÌýandÌýNetwork Programmability and Automation:
  • Semester 1 (9 creditÌýhours)Ìý*2 of these courses count for the degreeÌý

  • CSCI 5010	Fundamentals of Data Communication
    CSCI 5020	Fundamentals of Network Programming
    CSCI 5030	Fundamentals of System Administration and Virtualization

  • Semester 2 (9 creditÌýhours)

  • CSCI 5160	Introduction to Enterprise Networks
    CSCI 5170	IP Routing Protocols and Policies
    CSCI 5180	Network Management and Automation

  • Semester 3 (6 creditÌýhours)Ìý

  • CSCI 5260	Datacenter Networks
    CSCI 5280	Software-Defined Networking

  • Semester 4 (9 creditÌýhours)Ìý

  • CSCI 5270	IP Network Design
    CSCI 5360	Internet Service Provider Networks
    CSCI 5380	Network Virtualization and Orchestration

Plan of Study

• Students are expected to submit the form by the end of their first semester in consultation with their advisor.
• Changes to the Plan of Study must be approved by the advisor.
• Students may resubmit the Plan of Study form as often as they would like.
• When planning your course of study, consult your advisor and the faculty co-directors.
• Admissions and application questions should be routed toÌýcsgradinfo@colorado.edu.

TransferÌýofÌýCredit

• Master's students may request a maximum of nine semester hours taken at another University or within CU (either taken as a non-degree student OR taken as a non-CS student) to be transferredÌýto count towards their degree.
• All transfer requests must have departmental approval.
  • Please reach out to your graduate advisor for information on how to request departmental review of transfer credits.
  • You will need a syllabus for each course, an unofficial copy of your transcript with the final grade, and confirmation that the classes have not been used towards any other degree (Bachelor’s or higher).
• To learn more, please review the Graduate School Rules forÌýTransfer Credits.

Advising

• Students in the MSNE program are advised by Daniel Adams. Your advisor serves as the academic advisor for current MSNE students throughout their entire academic program. You can contact your advisor by clickingÌýhere.

Adequate Progress

• Any student who does not enroll for any coursework relevant to your degree in any one semester (summer semesters excluded) must supply the department with a written statement describing the reasons for such inactivity and the student's current intentions concerning work towards the degree. This statement must be received by the department by the end of the eighth week of the semester in question. Failure to do so will be regarded as evidence of a lack of interest in continuing in the program. Similarly, any student who does not enroll for any relevant coursework for three consecutive semesters (summer semesters excluded) will be regarded as showing a lack of interest in continuing in the program. In either case, the student may be asked to explain to the department why the student should not be removed from the degree program, with the department making the final decision on the removal.
• Graduate students who have completed at least one semester at 91PORN, may request aÌýLeave of Absence if they have extenuating circumstances that prevent them from taking coursework for a certain amount of time. ClickÌýhereÌýto learn more about Leave of Absence at 91PORN.

Grades

• The Graduate School requires that to receive a master's degree, a student must maintain a cumulative (overall) grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in all courses taken as a graduate student.
• No grade lower than a 'C' can be counted towards the master's degree.
• Enrollment in certain courses may require a minimum grade. Check your course’s enrollment details above and atÌý for more information.

Time Limit

• All requirements for the MS Network Engineering degree must be completed within four years of the start of course work as a degree-seeking student.

Academic Standards

Minimum Grades & GPA Requirements

• Students must complete a total of 30 credit hours of approved graduate level course work with a grade of C or better and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.
• Any student, who fails to maintain a 3.00 grade point average or to make adequate progress toward completing a degree, as assessed by the student’s academic/research advisor, will be subject to suspension or dismissal from the Graduate School upon consultation with the major department. The final decision on suspension or dismissal will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School. See theÌýGraduate School Rules for additional information.

Incomplete (I) Grades

• An incomplete (I) grade is given only when students, for documented reasons, beyond their control, have been unable to complete course requirements in the semester enrolled.
  • A substantial amount of work must have been satisfactorily completed before approval of such a grade is given.
  • The final grade (earned by completing the course requirements or by retaking the course) does not result in the deletion of the (I) from the transcript.
  • A second entry is posted on the transcript to show the final grade for the course. At the end of one year, (I) grades for courses that are not completed or repeated are regarded as (F) and are shown as such on the student’s transcript.
  • Courses with grades of (I) are not included in the computation of grade point averages until a final letter grade has been awarded in that course.
• ClickÌýto learn more about Incomplete Grades.

Graduation Checklist

• The following Graduate School forms must be submitted to the Computer Science Department for approval.
• IMPORTANT: Check your email for messages from the Graduate School with deadlines. These are usually sent out prior to the start of the semester.
• Apply to Graduate. Students must apply through theÌýÌýto graduate.
  • This notifies the Graduate School and the CS department that you intend to graduate.
  • If you do not complete the requirements for graduation, you must log back in and re-apply to graduate for the new graduation date.
  • You must apply to graduate online whether or not you plan to attend the ceremony.
  • ClickÌýhere for more information.
• Candidacy Application for Advanced Degree
  • This notifies the department to confirm your eligibility to graduate for the Graduate School.
  • ClickÌýhereÌýfor more information