Overview

About the CSME Graduate Program

The Graduate Program in Computational Science, Mathematics and Engineering (CSME) at UCSD is a campus-wide interdisciplinary M.S. and Ph.D. program designed to train the next generation of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers in the use of modern tools of computational science. The CSME M.S. and Ph.D. Programs were initiated by the UCSD Division of Physical Sciences in close collaboration with the Jacobs School of Engineering. The CSME M.S. Program is a standalone program without specific departmental affiliation and involves most of the science, mathematics, and engineering units associated with UCSD. The CSME Doctoral Program on the other hand is integrated into the existing doctoral programs of six core participating departments:

• Division of Physical Sciences
  • Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
  • Department of Mathematics
  • Department of Physics
• Jacobs School of Engineering
  • Department of Computer Science & Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
  • Department of Structural Engineering

The process for having new departments join the CSME Program includes the following steps:

1. The Chair from the department that wants to join the program writes a letter endorsing the departments participation. This letter is submitted to the CSME Executive Committee.
2. The CSME Executive Committee/Co-Chairs/Leadership writes an executive summary (the current executive summary can be updated) stating how the new department will be "folded into" the CSME Program. This information can include, but is not necessarily limited to: what the new department will bring to the program; how the new department will participate in the program; and how the new department will be included in the Executive Committee.
3. The two above documents, along with a copy of the original CSME proposal, are submitted to the Graduate Council for review and approval.

The CSME Doctoral Program leads to a normal Ph.D. in one of these six specific fields, with an additional credential of ``Specialization in Computational Science''. A "Specialization" is a formal University of California mechanism that allows a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in the UC System to obtain the Doctoral equivalent of a minor in a particular area of specialization. The Ph.D. program involves modification of the standard graduate degree requirements in the core participating departments to allow students to complete additional requirements to earn a computational science specialization to their doctoral degree. The detailed requirements for both the M.S. and Ph.D. components of the CSME Program are described below. The Ph.D. program first began admitting students for Fall 2008. The M.S. program first began admitting students for Fall 2010.

The overall CSME Masters and Doctoral Programs are administered by the Center for Computational Mathematics within the UCSD Mathematics Department, but in all other respects the six core participating departments are completely equal partners in the design, development, management, and evolution of the CSME Doctoral and Masters Programs. Here are some links to more information about the CSME Program.

• CSME M.S. Program Description
• CSME Ph.D. Program Description
• CSME Application and Admission Procedures
• CSME Resources
• CSME Participating Faculty and Departments
• CSME/Math Ph.D. Student Information
• The Center for Computational Mathematics

CSME Masters Program Overview

• Admission into the CSME M.S. Program is handled entirely by the CSME admissions committee. See the CSME Admission webpage for more detailed information about applying for admission to the CSME M.S. Program.
• Once admitted, training in the CSME M.S. Program involves taking a year-long course sequence that is in common with the CSME Ph.D. Program, together with a number of elective courses in areas of computational science and engineering. Complete details about the CSME M.S. requirements can be found on the CSME M.S. Program webpage.

CSME Doctoral Program Overview

• Admission into the CSME Ph.D. Program consists of joint admission into a "home" science, mathematics, or engineering department at UCSD along with admission into the CSME Program. The application for admission is handled entirely through the particular home department involved; the CSME admissions committee works with the home department. See the CSME Admission webpage for more detailed information about applying for admission to the CSME Ph.D. Program.
• Once admitted, training in the CSME Ph.D. Program involves taking courses and passing qualifying exams in the home department, along with taking courses and passing a common qualifying exam in computational science. The student then completes and defends a dissertation, following the normal guidelines and requirements of the home department. Complete details about the CSME Ph.D. requirements can be found on the CSME Ph.D. Program webpage.
• Each department participating in the CSME Ph.D. program has modified their internal structure to accommodate students participating in the CSME Program; contact the individual department for more information about training in the CSME Program within their department. In the specific case of the Mathematics Department, see the CSME/Mathematics webpage.