MS Computer Science

Overview

The MS in Computer Science programme aims at developing professionals who are equipped with skills to cope with the diverse and ever changing field of CS. The programme provides students with a solid theoretical foundation along with knowledge of latest trends in specialised areas.

The two-year MS Programme provides rigorous training that not only provides a reliable understanding of systems, processes and technologies but also equips them with the ability to design new and imaginative solutions to problems. Those applicants who have a background in CS can complete the programme in one-year by taking the required 30 credit hours.

Strengths of the MS Programme:

A solid theoretical foundation is ensured through the core courses and prerequisite requirements
Ability to understand the theoretical basis of problem-solving
Concentrated knowledge about latest trends in specialised areas
- Theoretical Computer Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Information Engineering and Management
- Networks and Distributed Systems
- Multimedia Systems and DSP
Ability to understand and apply current research in these areas
Technical management skills
Flexibility to focus on one area
Wide range of course offerings
High quality full time faculty, active in research
Opportunity to work as research assistants with the faculty
Opportunity to continue into the PhD programme, upon clearing the Qualifier Exam

* The medium of instruction at LUMS is English for all degree programmes offered. Assessments are accepted in English only.

Note:
Generous Financial Aid and Scholarships available for qualifying students.

Structure

The Department of Computer Science at LUMS was founded in 1994, as an undergraduate programme with just two faculty members. Today, the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering programmes combined have nineteen faculty members, with doctorates from some of the best universities in the world. They conduct research in fundamental and applied areas of computer science including computer architecture, computer vision, data mining, multimedia systems, network and wireless communications, software engineering and theory of computation. In 2008, the department became part of the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering.

Over the past three years, the research by the faculty members of the Computer Science Department, together with their graduate students, has been published in more than ninety conferences, including more than thirty top-tier conferences. More than twenty-five journal papers have also been published, with the average quality more than twice the international average. The high output has been recognised both in Pakistan and internationally, with the department being awarded more than PKR 120 million in research grants and industrial partnerships.

A Master’s degree provides the opportunity to delve deeper into the subjects that students get exposed to during their undergraduate degree. The MS programme has the necessary rigor to enhance the understanding of the subject material, providing opportunity for better employment, and opening the doors to a teaching career or further graduate study.
The Department offers two types of MS degrees MS-by-coursework-only and MS-with-Thesis, in Computer Science. To graduate with a MS-with-thesis degree, the student must complete a 6 credit hour MS thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Important Dates

MS (Computer Science / Electrical Engineering / Mathematics / Physics / Biology / Chemistry)

Activity	Date
Online Application Deadline (PST)	20 Mar 2018	05:00 pm
Deadline to submit supporting documents	21 Mar 2018
Online Application Deadline (PST) -- LUMS UG Continuing Students	20 Mar 2018	05:00 pm
Deadline to submit supporting documents - LUMS UG Continuing Students	21 Mar 2018
LGAT & SBASSE Subject Test administration for MS/PhD	08 Apr 2018
Deadline to take GRE	08 Apr 2018
Admission decisions	01 Jun 2018 to 31 Jul 2018

Notes:

The University reserves the right to change dates and deadlines for admissions. Please keep informed of any changes by visiting www.lums.edu.pk periodically as well as the LUMS online application site.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria for Fall 2018 Admissions

Applicants must meet the minimum eligibility criteria in order to be considered for admission to the Graduate Programme. Meeting this criteria does not guarantee admission to the Graduate programme.

The Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) offers MS Programme in Computer Science of two years’ duration.

Admission is purely merit-based and rests solely on the following criteria:

Academic record
Performance in the Admission Tests
Completed application form along with all supporting documents
Interview Performance (if applicable)

Academic Requirements for Fall 2018 Admissions

A minimum of 16 years of education is required for applying to the MS Programme in Computer Science.

Applicants are expected to have obtained their Bachelor’s (or Masters) degree from national or foreign institutions that are accredited or recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.

Applicants applying to the MS Programme in Computer Science must have their Bachelor’s (or Master’s) degree in any one of the following areas:

Computer Science
Software Engineering
Information Technology
Other closely related disciplines that are synergistically aligned with computing (e.g., Mathematics, Statistics, Accounting, Economics or Management Sciences) and involve rigorous coursework in Mathematics and strong programming background.

As a minimum academic performance, all applicants must have maintained CGPA of at least 2.4 (on a scale of 4) or at least 60% marks in all university-level degrees (i.e., 4 years Bachelor’s degree or 2 years B Sc. degree and 2 years M Sc. degree). In addition, applicants must have secured at least 60% marks in their FSc. exam. A-level students must have at least 65% marks on IBCC equivalence scale with at most 1 D grade.

Applicants who have obtained their degrees from institutions that are not listed with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, will be required to obtain an equivalence certificate from HEC. For further information please visit: www.hec.gov.pk

Applicants completing their degree requirements after June 30th, 2018 will not be considered for Fall 2018 admissions.

Admission Eligibility Criteria for LUMS SBASSE Continuing Students

BS - MS Programme

BS students graduating in 2018 from SBASSE with a Subject CGPA (SCGPA) of ≥ 3.0 in their BS degree are eligible to apply.

Following are the application categories:

SBASSE students who have obtained a Subject CGPA (SCGPA) of ≥ 3.0 in their BS degree are exempt from LGAT and LUMS SBASSE Subject Test. Application submission deadline for this category of students is March 20, 2018. Please visit the following link to apply for this programme: https://admissions.lums.edu.pk.
SBASSE students who have obtained a Subject CGPA (SCGPA) of ≥ 3.0 in their BS degree applying across departments will be required to take the SBASSE Subject Test in the subject they want to pursue their MS in. LGAT is waived off for this category of students but they must successfully register for LUMS SBASSE Subject Test through LUMS Online admission system on or before March 20, 2018. Please visit the following link to apply for this programme: https://admissions.lums.edu.pk.

Note:

SBASSE students with a SCGPA of < 3.0 must take LGAT and SBASSE Subject Tests. They are expected to apply through the regular admission process. Application submission deadline for this category of students is March 20, 2018.

Please visit the following link to apply: https://admissions.lums.edu.pk

Admission Test Requirement for Fall 2018 Admissions

Applicants to the MS Programme in Computer Science are required to take the LUMS Graduate Admission Test (LGAT), which is comprised of quantitative, verbal, and analytical sections. In addition, applicants are required to take the SBASSE Subject Test in Computer Science.

Exemption for applicants who have taken Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Tests

Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test through the Educational Testing Service (ETS) USA during the last two years ( test taken on or after April 08, 2016) and obtained an aggregate score of 300 in the quantitative and verbal sections may choose not to take the LGAT.

Applicants residing outside Pakistan are required to take the GRE General Test through the Educational Testing Service, ETS USA. Due to the unavailability of a GRE Subject Test in Computer Science, these applicants will be assessed based on their GRE General Test score only. For further information; please visit www.ets.org.

Note:

LGAT and SBASSE Subject Test Scores will be valid only for one academic year. The LGAT and SBASSE Subject Test scores will be used for application evaluation, hence will not be disclosed to the applicants.

LGAT and LUMS SBASSE Subject Test will be scheduled at the same time in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi on April 08, 2018.

Please also note that GRE scores must be reported to LUMS officially from the testing agency. The college code for reporting GRE (General) scores to LUMS is 0679.

Subject Test Guidelines:

The Computer Science subject test would consist of multiple choice questions from the foundation courses of Computer Science. Topic-wise question distribution will be as follows:
Discrete Structures (25 – 30)%
A. Functions, relations and sets
B. Basic logic
C. Proof techniques
D. Basics of counting
E. Graphs and trees
F. Discrete probability
Programming and problem solving (25 – 30)%
A. Programming Fundamentals: fundamental programming constructs, basic algorithms and problem solving, fundamental data structures, recursion, event-driven programming, object-oriented programming
B. Programming Languages: features, paradigms, implementation techniques
Algorithms and Complexity (20 – 25)%
A. Advanced data structures and algorithms (including graph algorithms), algorithmic strategies, distributed algorithms, basic computability and complexity
B. Automata theory and formal languages
Systems (15 – 22)%
A. Architecture: digital logic and digital systems, machine level representation of data, assembly level machine organization, interfacing and communication
B. Operating Systems: operating system principles, concurrency, scheduling and dispatch, and memory management
C. Networking
Additional Topics (8 – 12)%
A. Software Engineering
B. Database systems
C. Linear Algebra and calculus

The format of the questions will be similar to the GRE CS Subject Test. A sample test can be downloaded from the link: https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/MFT/pdf/mft_samp_questions_compsci.pdf

Supporting Documents Requirement for Fall 2018 Admissions

Applicants must complete and submit their online application form on or before March 20, 2018; 5:00 pm (PST).The application form can be accessed online at http://admissions.lums.edu.pk. In addition, all applicants are required to submit all supporting documents to the LUMS Admissions Office on or before March 21, 2018.

Application Processing & LUMS Test Registration fee (if applicable)

The application processing fee of Rs. 1000 (SBASSE MS/PhD Programmes)
LGAT & LUMS SBASSE Subject Test Registration Fee of Rs. 800 (SBASSE MS/PhD Programmes)

Payment Procedure

After the successful submission of the online application form through the LUMS Online account on or before the application submission deadline, applicants will be able to print a system generated Application Processing and LUMS Test Registration (if applicable) Fee payment voucher. For further details regarding Fee payment options Click here

Proof of Payment

A stamped copy of the payment voucher or a confirmation email of an online banking transaction constitutes proof of payment. Applicants are required to send a copy of payment proof along with all other required supporting documents as ONE package on or before the stipulated deadline.

Applicants must print and paste the “Mailing label” on the envelope before sending it to the LUMS Office of Admissions. Applications or documents received after the stipulated deadline will not be processed.

Interview performance

Short listed applicants may be requested to appear for an interview.

FAQs

What are the admission requirements for MS Programme?

Please visit the following link for the minimum eligibility criteria; https://admission.lums.edu.pk/graduate-programmes

Do you require any test for admission to the MS Programme?

Please visit the following link for admission test details; https://admission.lums.edu.pk/testing

How can I submit the application processing and test fee (if applicable)?

After the successful submission of the online application form you will be able to print a system generated Application Processing and LUMS Test Registration (if applicable) Fee payment voucher. Please print the fee voucher for making payments at Allied Bank Branches throughout Pakistan. The voucher can be paid:

Online, immediately by visiting https://admission.lums.edu.pk/student-payment-options-0 or

In cash, the next day by presenting the payment voucher along with the requisite amount at any Allied Bank branch throughout Pakistan.

By which date should applicants expect their Test Registration Cards to be delivered?

Test Registration Cards and instructions will be posted to the applicants' secure online application account and an email message will alert applicants that the Test Registration Card has been posted. It will be posted on applicants' online account one week before the test date.

I have submitted my online application & all required documents on time but I am unable to view my Test Registration Card?

If an applicant is unable to view his/her Test Registration Card despite completing all the requirements then he/she can write to us at helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk.

I have not yet received any confirmation email after the submission of my online application. What should I do?

You should recheck the completion and proper submission of your online application.

Is it possible to apply after the deadline?

Applications submitted after the deadlines are not accepted.

How do I inform about a change in the online application?

It is highly recommended to fill out the application form carefully. No changes can be made after the submission of online application. In sheer need an applicant can send the updated information to helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk with the specific header "Change in Application Form".

I have received my transcripts for Bachelor's/Master's but I do not have the degree. What should I do?

You should submit all your transcripts latest by the document submission deadline. Copy of your degree can be submitted later.

Is financial aid available for MS students?

Yes, financial aid is available on need basis.

How and when do I apply for financial aid?

You should apply for financial aid while submitting your online application. The application form for the financial assistance is within the online admission application.

Whom should I ask to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf?

The recommendation letters can be from a faculty member who has had a reasonable opportunity to evaluate you academically.

Are there any specific quotas in admission?

Admission in LUMS MS Programme is purely merit based and there are no quotas.

Can my admission be deferred?

In truly exceptional circumstances the Graduate Programme Committee may grant a deferral. All requests should be made in writing and will be reviewed on a case to case basis.

How will you notify me regarding a decision on my application?

Final Admission decision will be communicated through an official letter; however, you can check your application status through your online account. Regretfully, we are unable to provide information regarding your application status by telephone or e-mail.

Do you have any age limit for the admission to the MS Programme?

No, there are no age restrictions.

May I appeal my admission decision or ask to have the decision explained?

The admission process is a well deliberated and thorough process. Each year we receive a large number of outstanding applications. Unfortunately, all of them do not qualify because of the limited number of available seats. The decision regarding admission is final.

If your application is unsuccessful you will also receive a letter informing you of this. Due to the volume of applications the University receive, it is not possible to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications.

Subject Test

The Computer Science subject test would consist of multiple choice questions from the foundation courses of Computer Science. Topic-wise question distribution will be as follows:

Discrete Structures (25 – 30)%
1. Functions, relations and sets
2. Basic logic
3. Proof techniques
4. Basics of counting
5. Graphs and trees
6. Discrete probability
Programming and problem solving (25 – 30)%

Programming Fundamentals: fundamental programming constructs, basic algorithms and problem solving, fundamental data structures, recursion, event-driven programming, object-oriented programming
Programming Languages: features, paradigms, implementation techniques

Algorithms and Complexity (20 – 25)%

Advanced data structures and algorithms (including graph algorithms), algorithmic strategies, distributed algorithms, basic computability and complexity
Automata theory and formal languages

Systems (15 – 22)%

Architecture: digital logic and digital systems, machine level representation of data, assembly level machine organization, interfacing and communication
Operating Systems: operating system principles, concurrency, scheduling and dispatch, and memory management
Networking

Additional Topics (8 – 12)%

Software Engineering
Database systems
Linear Algebra and calculus

The format of the questions will be similar to the GRE CS Subject Test. A sample test can be downloaded from the link:https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/MFT/pdf/mft_samp_questions_compsci.pdf

Search form