The University of Texas at Austin's Computer Science program is a top-notch choice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in tech. The program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
You can earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, which is a comprehensive degree that covers the fundamentals of computer science, including programming, algorithms, data structures, computer systems, and software engineering.
UT Austin's Computer Science program is highly regarded, with a strong reputation for producing talented and innovative graduates. The program is also research-intensive, with faculty members actively engaged in cutting-edge research in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and human-computer interaction.
Admission and Requirements
Admission to UT Austin's computer science program is highly competitive, and the university requires a strong academic record. To get in, you'll need to submit your High School GPA, High School Rank, and High School Transcript, with a focus on academic rigor.
The university also requires SAT or ACT Scores, with a minimum score of 5 out of 5. Additionally, you'll need to submit Recommendations from teachers or mentors, which can make a big difference in the application process.
If you're interested in the Turing Scholars program, be aware that you'll need to maintain a University grade point average of at least 3.25 and a grade point average in computer science of at least 3.25. Here are the key requirements:
You can apply to UT Austin online at: https://www.utexas.edu/apply.
Access
To get into UT Austin, you can apply online at https://www.utexas.edu/apply. This is the official website for UT Austin applications.
The application process is straightforward, and you can easily access it online.
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Admission Requirements
To get into the University of Texas at Austin, you'll need to meet certain admission requirements. The university requires high school students to submit their high school GPA, high school rank, high school transcript, and SAT or ACT scores.
Students in the Turing Scholars program must maintain a University grade point average of at least 3.25 and a grade point average in computer science of at least 3.25. This is a pretty high standard, but it's achievable if you're committed to your studies.
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To apply to the Turing Scholars program, you'll need to know and abide by the academic and disciplinary policies given in the university catalog. Failure to do so can result in academic dismissal from the program.
Admission to the Honors Computer Science and Business program is limited to a small number of high-performing students who are chosen on a competitive basis. The selection process considers a student's SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores, high school class rank, preparatory courses, extracurricular activities, evidence of leadership ability, and other objective criteria.
If you're interested in applying to UT Austin, you can do so online at https://www.utexas.edu/apply. This is a great resource to get started on your application.
Here are the specific requirements for admission to UT Austin:
Warning
If your grade point average in required undergraduate computer science courses falls below 3.00, you'll be placed on warning.
A student on warning may not take graduate computer science courses without the consent of the undergraduate advisor or the graduate advisor.
You'll need to get their permission before enrolling in these courses, so be sure to check in with them first.
This is an important rule to keep in mind, especially if you're planning to take graduate-level courses.
Computer Science Programs
To pursue a Computer Science degree at UT Austin, you'll need to meet the department's requirements. The honors program, for example, requires a breadth requirement that includes an honors mathematics course, Computer Science 311H and 314H, and one of several two-semester sequences in biology, chemistry, or physics.
In addition to the breadth requirement, the honors program also needs at least six semester hours of upper-division coursework in mathematics. You'll also need to take Computer Science 429H, 331H, 439H, and 12 additional hours of upper-division coursework in computer science.
To give you a better idea of the coursework required, here's a breakdown of the honors program's requirements:
Computer Science
Computer Science programs require a strong foundation in mathematics, with a breadth requirement that includes an honors mathematics course and specific computer science courses.
You'll need to take Computer Science 311H and 314H, as well as one of several two-semester sequences in biology, chemistry, or physics.
Upper-division coursework in mathematics is also a must, with at least six semester hours required.
In addition to these requirements, you'll need to complete Computer Science 429H, 331H, 439H, and 12 additional hours of upper-division coursework in computer science.
Here's a breakdown of the specific computer science courses you'll need to take:
- Computer Science 429H
- Computer Science 331H
- Computer Science 439H
- 12 additional hours of upper-division coursework in computer science
You'll also need to take a three-semester-hour upper-division research course approved by the departmental honors advisor.
Integrated Program
The Integrated Program is a unique path for students who want to combine computer science with other disciplines. This program requires students to take a range of courses, including Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408N, 408S, and 408M.
Students in the Integrated Program must also take one of the following sequences of coursework: a specific combination of mathematics and statistics courses.
To complete the program, students need to take three or four additional hours of majors-level coursework, which can be chosen from a variety of options.
Some of these options include courses in computer science, such as those listed in the article.
Students must also take enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.
Accelerated Transfer Program (ATP)
The UT-Austin Computer Science Accelerated Transfer Program (ATP) is a game-changer for some students. It's a direct-admission pathway into Computer Science that's been available since Fall 2021.
For select Texas residents ranking in the top 6%, ATP offers guaranteed admission into CS as a sophomore after completing three core CS classes as a freshman. It's unclear what parameters UT uses to select students for this program, but it's likely tied to factors like academics, diversity, and socio-economic status.
Students who are offered ATP can take advantage of this incredible opportunity, which is almost impossible to replicate through internal or external transfer. To be eligible, you typically need straight A's in intensive STEM courses and a substantial STEM resume.
UT is making efforts to increase accessibility to their most in-demand majors, and ATP is a key part of that strategy. The program seems to be expanding, but it's still unclear how many students will be able to take advantage of it.
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Areas of Study
The University of Texas at Austin's Computer Science program offers a wide range of areas of study that can help you specialize in your area of interest.
Graduate study in computer science is offered in over 30 areas, including analysis of algorithms, artificial intelligence, and computer networks.
You can explore topics like machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, which are all relevant to the field of computer science and have many practical applications.
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Turing Scholars Honors
To fulfill requirements for the Turing Scholars program, students must choose courses that are approved by the program director.
The courses chosen must include Computer Science 429H, 118H, and 379H, which are all honors courses.
At least five upper-division courses chosen to fulfill requirements must also be honors courses.
The honors thesis completed in Computer Science 379H must be approved by the program director.
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Planning, Search, and Reasoning
Planning, Search, and Reasoning is a fascinating area of study that involves defining and solving planning problems. This field is crucial for creating intelligent systems that can make decisions and take actions in complex environments.
Planning algorithms can be categorized into two types: discrete and continuous state spaces. Discrete planning algorithms are used for problems with a finite number of possible states, while continuous planning algorithms are used for problems with an infinite number of possible states.
Planning algorithms can be further divided into two subcategories: heuristic-guided and search-based planning. Heuristic-guided planning uses heuristics to guide the search process, while search-based planning uses search algorithms to find a solution.
Adversarial planning is a type of planning that involves an adversary who tries to prevent the planner from achieving its goals. This type of planning requires the use of advanced algorithms and techniques to outsmart the adversary.
Bayesian state estimation is a technique used in planning to estimate the state of the world based on noisy observations. This technique is essential in planning domains with uncertainty.
The following is a breakdown of the topics covered in a course on Planning, Search, and Reasoning:
Advanced Operating Systems
Advanced Operating Systems is a fascinating area of study that delves into the inner workings of computer systems. It's a course that focuses on the formal structure, design principles, organization, implementation, and performance analysis of multiprogramming and/or multiprocessor computer systems.
You'll explore CPU Virtualization, Memory Virtualization, and Storage Virtualization, among other advanced topics. The course also involves hands-on projects, where you'll develop features on the xv6 operating system.
The course covers a range of topics, including CPU Virtualization, Memory Virtualization, Storage Virtualization, and more. You'll learn about OS Architecture, Containers, Full-Machine Virtualization, and Heterogeneity, which are all crucial aspects of operating systems.
Here are some of the key topics you'll cover in the course:
- CPU Virtualization
- Memory Virtualization
- Storage Virtualization
- Advanced Topics: OS Architecture, Containers, Full-Machine Virtualization, Heterogeneity
The course is project-based, with five projects spread across the semester. Three of these projects involve developing features on the xv6 operating system, which will give you hands-on experience in operating system development.
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Android Programming
In the Android Programming course, students will learn to build significant Android applications using the latest software technology, including the Jetpack libraries. This course is perfect for those who want to create mobile apps.
The course has a practical focus, with significant in-class programming, programming assignments, and a large project. This hands-on approach is essential for learning programming, as it allows students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems.
Students are expected to be familiar with programming and object-oriented terminology. The course is taught entirely in Kotlin, but no prior experience with Android programming is assumed. This means that students can start from scratch and learn the basics of Android development.
Some of the key topics covered in the course include building an Android app, using Android Studio for programming and testing, and learning general principles of software engineering and mobile app development. Students will also learn about programming tools like the git version control system.
Here are some of the specific topics that students will learn in the course:
- How to build an Android app, using the latest software technology (e.g., the Jetpack libraries)
- How to effectively use Android Studio for programming, testing, and debugging
- General principles of software engineering and mobile app development
- Programming tools like the git version control system
Programming Language Implementation
Programming Language Implementation is a fascinating area of study that involves understanding how programming languages are designed and built. It's like building with blocks, where each block represents a specific component of the language.
The implementation of programming languages involves several key techniques, including lexing, parsing, and semantic analysis. These techniques help break down the source code into its constituent parts, making it easier to understand and execute.
One of the most important aspects of programming language implementation is machine code synthesis, which includes code generation and register allocation. This is the process of taking the source code and turning it into machine code that the computer can execute.
There are several machine architectures to consider, both physical and virtual. Physical architectures include the x86-64 architecture, while virtual architectures include the Stack Virtual Machine (SaM) and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
Here are some of the key techniques used in programming language implementation:
Memory management is also a critical aspect of programming language implementation, with techniques including explicit memory management and garbage collection.
Parallel Systems
Parallel systems are a crucial area of study in modern computer science, and it's no longer just for specialists. Technology trends suggest that concurrency and parallelism are increasingly a cornerstone subject that all successful programmers will require significant exposure to.
Concurrency and parallelism are no longer niche areas, but a cross-cutting concern that all designers and developers are exposed to. This means that understanding parallel systems is essential for anyone working in the field.
Parallel systems involve managing and exploiting concurrency, including shared memory synchronization, parallel architectures, and distributed execution frameworks. Students can gain experience with a diversity of classical and modern approaches to these areas.
Some key topics to explore in parallel systems include shared memory synchronization, massively parallel architectures, and distributed execution frameworks. These areas are fundamental to understanding how to manage and exploit concurrency in modern systems.
Here are some key concepts to consider in parallel systems:
- Shared memory synchronization
- Massively parallel architectures
- Distributed execution frameworks
- Runtimes and front-end programming
- Latency vs. throughput
- Hidden vs. exposed parallelism
- Performance issues
- Parallel algorithms instructive examples
Understanding these concepts is essential for designing and developing modern systems that can take advantage of concurrency and parallelism. By studying parallel systems, students can gain a strong background in the fundamentals and experience with a range of approaches to managing and exploiting concurrency.
Deep
Deep learning is a fascinating area of study that has revolutionized the field of artificial intelligence. It involves the use of neural networks to analyze and interpret complex data, such as images and speech.
One of the key applications of deep learning is in computer vision, where it is used to develop systems that can recognize and understand images. For example, the course "Advances in Deep Learning" covers the technologies behind some of the most advanced deep learning models, including diffusion models and cutting-edge models in language and computer vision.
Deep learning is also used in natural language processing, where it is used to develop systems that can understand and generate human language. The course "Natural Language Processing" covers the machine learning models for NLP, including classifiers, sequence taggers, and deep learning models.
In terms of specific topics, deep learning encompasses a wide range of areas, including optimization, computer vision, computer graphics, and unsupervised feature learning. The course "Deep Learning" covers these topics in depth, including hands-on implementation sessions in pytorch.
Here are some of the key skills and concepts that are typically covered in a deep learning course:
- Training and fine-tuning deep neural networks
- Understanding the inner workings of advanced deep learning models
- Developing a vision system for a racing simulator from scratch
- Applying deep learning to real-world problems in computer vision, natural language processing, and other areas.
Whether you're interested in developing the next generation of AI systems or simply want to learn more about the underlying technologies, deep learning is an exciting and rapidly evolving field that is definitely worth exploring.
Freshman Research Initiative
The Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) is UT-Austin's flagship undergraduate research program that aims to ease the transition from high school to campus.
FRI offers an Honors-Like experience and provides a lot of opportunities and a smaller community than if you didn't participate. It streamlines the process of getting students connected with mentors and research projects right away.
The program started as a pilot project when the author was a UT student and has since ballooned into a highly desirable opportunity.
Electives and Specializations
At UT Austin's Computer Science program, you'll have the opportunity to dive deeper into specific areas of interest through elective courses. By the end of these courses, students will be able to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems.
Elective courses allow you to tailor your education to your goals and interests. For example, by the end of the course, students will be able to design and implement algorithms, data structures, and software systems.
Honors Business
The Honors Business program is a unique opportunity for students to combine their love of business with advanced coursework and academic rigor. This program requires 124 hours for completion of both degrees.
To fulfill the requirements of the Honors Business program, students must complete a set of core courses in computer science, including Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408N, 408S, and 408M, and either Mathematics 340L or 341 or Statistics and Data Sciences 329C.
Students must also complete a sequence of coursework in economics, such as Economics 304K and 304L, or three semester hours of coursework in anthropology, psychology, educational psychology, or sociology with a primary focus other than statistics or data processing.
The Honors Business program also requires students to complete a set of business core courses and other business courses in special Honors Program sections.
Here's a breakdown of the requirements:
- Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408N, 408S, and 408M
- Mathematics 340L or 341, or Statistics and Data Sciences 329C
- Economics 304K and 304L, or three semester hours of coursework in anthropology, psychology, educational psychology, or sociology
- Business core courses and other business courses in special Honors Program sections
Optimization
Optimization is a fundamental building block for applications across science and engineering. It's a crucial step in solving problems that can be cast as maximizing or minimizing an objective subject to constraints.
Convex sets and functions are the foundation of optimization. They're used to formulate and geometry of linear programs (LPs), and duality and min-max theorems are used to analyze and solve LPs.
Duality is a powerful tool in optimization, and it's used to solve LPs by finding the optimal solution to the dual problem. Weak duality, strong duality, and complementary slackness are key concepts in duality.
LP duality has many applications, including robust linear programming, two-person zero-sum games, and max-flow min-cut problems. Semidefinite programming is another important area of optimization, and it's used to solve problems that involve quadratic constraints.
Convex conjugates are used to analyze and solve convex programs, and gradient descent is a popular algorithm for solving convex optimization problems. The convergence rate and step size of gradient descent are critical parameters that determine its performance.
Frank Wolfe method, coordinate descent, and subgradients are other important algorithms in optimization. Subgradient descent, proximal gradient descent, and Newton method are also used to solve convex optimization problems.
Accelerated gradient descent, stochastic gradient descent (SGD), and mini-batch SGD are popular variants of gradient descent that are used to solve large-scale optimization problems. Variance reduction in SGD is a technique that's used to improve its performance.
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Here's a summary of the optimization topics covered in this article:
- Convex sets and functions
- Linear programs (LPs), geometry of LPs, and duality
- LP duality, semidefinite programming, and convex conjugates
- Gradient descent, Frank Wolfe method, coordinate descent, and subgradients
- Subgradient descent, proximal gradient descent, and Newton method
- Accelerated gradient descent, SGD, and mini-batch SGD
- Variance reduction in SGD
Elective Courses
Elective courses are a great way to dive deeper into specific areas of study. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply their knowledge in practical ways.
Some elective courses are designed to develop specific skills, such as problem-solving or critical thinking. Students can choose from a range of courses that align with their interests and career goals.
Elective courses often have clear learning objectives, like being able to analyze complex information or create innovative solutions.
Machine
Machine learning is a fascinating field that has revolutionized the way we approach data analysis. Machine learning is now ubiquitous in the sciences with applications in engineering, computer vision, and biology, among others.
The Machine Learning course focuses on core algorithmic and statistical concepts in machine learning. This class introduces the fundamental mathematical models, algorithms, and statistical tools needed to perform core tasks in machine learning.
Some key topics covered in the Machine Learning course include pattern recognition, PAC learning, overfitting, decision trees, classification, linear regression, logistic regression, gradient descent, feature projection, dimensionality reduction, maximum likelihood, Bayesian methods, and neural networks.
Here are some of the specific techniques and algorithms covered in the course:
- Techniques for supervised learning including classification and regression
- Algorithms for unsupervised learning including feature extraction
- Statistical methods for interpreting models generated by learning algorithms
The course is structured into several weeks, each covering a specific topic:
- Mistake Bounded Learning (1 week)
- Decision Trees; PAC Learning (1 week)
- Cross Validation; VC Dimension; Perceptron (1 week)
- Linear Regression; Gradient Descent (1 week)
- Boosting (.5 week)
- PCA; SVD (1.5 weeks)
- Maximum likelihood estimation (1 week)
- Bayesian inference (1 week)
- K-means and EM (1-1.5 week)
- Multivariate models and graphical models (1-1.5 week)
- Neural networks; generative adversarial networks (GAN) (1-1.5 weeks)
Advanced Linear Algebra
Advanced Linear Algebra is a fundamental tool for computational and data scientists. It's a crucial subject that helps you build knowledge, understanding, and skills in linear algebra, practical algorithms for matrix computations, and analyzing the effects on correctness of floating-point arithmetic as performed by computers.
Deciphering a matrix using the Singular Value Decomposition is a key concept in Advanced Linear Algebra. This technique helps you understand the structure and behavior of matrices, which is essential for many applications in data science and machine learning.
The course covers various topics, including norms, singular value decomposition, QR decomposition, linear least squares, LU factorization, numerical stability, and eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Each of these topics is crucial for solving real-world problems in data science and machine learning.
Here's a breakdown of the course structure:
The course also covers practical solutions to real-world problems, such as solving linear systems and linear least-squares problems, and computing and employing eigenvalues and eigenvectors. These skills are essential for data scientists and machine learning engineers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UT Austin CS competitive?
Yes, the Computer Science program at UT Austin is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate lower than the university's overall average of around 29%. If you're interested in learning more about the program's requirements and chances, keep reading.
How hard is it to get into computer science at UT Austin?
Getting into UT Austin's Computer Science program is extremely competitive, with a high rejection rate for most applicants. If you're interested in pursuing a Computer Science degree at UT Austin, be prepared for a challenging application process.
Sources
- May 2023 Washington Post article (washingtonpost.com)
- College Factual (collegefactual.com)
- LinkedIn (linkedin.com)
- Computer Science < The University of Texas at Austin (utexas.edu)
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science < The University of ... (utexas.edu)
- U.S. News & World Report (usnews.com)
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