MPCS Rules and Policies

The MPCS and the University of Chicago have high standards for academic honesty. The University of Chicago’s Academic Honesty & Plagiarism Policy applies to all MPCS students. Cheating, copying, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are considered serious offenses in the MPCS. In addition to the University’s policy, the MPCS Academic Honesty & Plagiarism Policy includes the following requirements for all students taking MPCS classes: In the MPCS, academically honest work is understood to be: 

• Work that has been done exclusively by you, without any outside assistance. 
• Work that has involved some outside assistance (such as other students or reference materials found in the library of the Internet), but which includes proper attribution. 

Students must follow these rules for all submitted work: 

• Always list any external sources consulted in your work: This includes not only books or websites you consulted, but also students that you discussed your solution with. 
• Never use another student’s work. Never submit any work that has been written by another student. This is unacceptable even with attribution. You can discuss the high-level aspects of an assignment with other students, but the work you hand in must always be your own. Some MPCS instructors may use plagiarism detection software to grade submitted work. 
• Never share your work with others or post it on a publicly accessible website. You should never share your solution to an assignment with other students – this is considered a serious offense. If the student you shared your solution with submits that work as their own, you will be penalized too, even if you did not know the student intended to copy your work. 
• You should also never upload your code to public GitHub repositories, code snippet sharing sites like Pastebin, etc. If someone copies your code from such a site, you will be penalized, even if you did not intend for your code to be used in that way. 
• You should never share work from previous quarters with students in MPSC classes. Even if you are not in the class that quarter, but your work is found to have been copied and submitted, you will be penalized for a violation of academic honesty. 

If you are unclear on whether you are following the rules correctly, please ask your instructor before an assignment is due. It is your responsibility to seek clarification. MPCS Administration is notified of any violations of this policy. This misconduct will be investigated promptly and if needed, referred to a disciplinary committee. Penalties may include a zero for an assignment, an automatic F grade for the course, being placed on academic probation in the MPCS, suspension from the MPCS program, or expulsion from the University of Chicago. 

All MPCS students are required to complete the MPCS Academic Honesty and Confirmation Policy confirmation form in order to be enrolled in MPCS courses.

If a student in the MPCS is not making satisfactory progress towards their degree, the student may be placed on Academic Probation. Any student that is being placed on academic Probation will be notified directly by the Director of Student Affairs. In particular, any of the following may place a student on Academic Probation: 

• Earning a single grade of C or below (C+ is the lowest passing grade in the MPCS) 
• Academic Honesty violations
• Two or more Withdrawals (“W”), incomplete grades (“I”), or blank grades. 

To have Academic Probation lifted, a student must earn an average GPA of B+ or better in three MPCS classes, with no single grade below a C+. Students will be contacted by the Director of Student Affairs when they have successfully completed the terms of their Academic Probation and are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress. Students who fail to improve their academic performance during the probation period may be placed on an alternative plan, with the possibility of being withdrawn from the program. A student receiving two F grades in a single quarter may be withdrawn from the program for failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

There are 4 distinct academic study plans for students in the MPCS and each comes with specific requirements to be fulfilled. Programmatic requirements can be found in each study plans section on the MPCS website:

• 9-Course Program Curriculum Requirements (full-time and part-time)
• 12-Course Program Curriculum Requirements (full-time and part-time) in one of the following Specializations: Application Development, Data Analytics, High Performance Computing, Software Engineering
  • In order to graduate from the 12-Course Specialization Program, students must complete an internship or experiential learning experience.
• Joint MBA/MPCS with Booth School of Business. 
• Pre-Doctoral Program

Students may request to change their program of study by completing the MPCS Student Status Change Request Form.

The following changes can be requested through this form:

Students in the 9-Course and 12-Course programs cannot switch into the Joint MBA/MPCS program or the Pre-Doctoral Program. Joint MBA/MPCS program students who want to return to Booth only status, should discuss this change with the Booth administration.

The MPCS does not permit course auditing. This policy is applicable to MPCS students, students from other UChicago programs, UChicago employees, and individuals unaffiliated with the University. Anyone attending MPCS classes must be officially registered.

Non-MPCS students at UChicago interested in registering for a MPCS class, should refer to the Non-MPCS Student Course Request page on our website.

The primary way students will be contacted by MPCS Admin and MPCS faculty once they have started in the program is through their @uchicago.edu email, MPCS listservs, and MPCS Slack channels. 

Using @uchicago Email  All communication associated with MPCS courses – including Canvas invitations, Canvas notifications, Slack channel invites, emails from faculty – will be sent to student’s @uchicago.edu email address. Therefore, students need to ensure that they have correctly set-up their @uchicago email, that they can send and receive messages, and that they have access to their inbox. After claiming their CNET ID, students will be able to also set up their email, which will look like “CNETID@uchicago.edu”. More information about accessing a UChicago inbox, including email forwarding, is available through the Knowledge Base portal. 

MPCS Listservs Mailing lists are utilized by MPCS Admin in order to communicate important reminders to a large number of students simultaneously. Some examples include information about on-campus CS positions, course planning and pre-registration, and upcoming bootcamps.

MPCS Community @CS Slack The MPCS uses Slack for social connections, important reminders, and to connect with students, faculty and other MPCS and CS department members. The MPCS community in Slack is inclusive and engaged, and stays because of active participation of members.  We hope students find ways to post content and questions, react to others’ posts, and expand their social and professional networks, while treating others with respect.

For all general questions, please reach out to admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu. This email address reaches all members of MPCS Administration. Please make sure to include the following information in communications: 

• First and last name (official name in UChicago systems, not preferred name)
• Student ID Number (8-digit number, begins with a “1”)
• CNENT ID (the first part of your UChicago / ChicagoBooth email address)

The following channels of communication exist within MPCS and the Physical Sciences Division. Please use them in the order presented:

• MPCS Leadership and Staff: admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu 
• Associate Director, Student Affairs: Karin Czaplewski, kczaplew@uchicago.edu 
• Director, Student Affairs: Traci Verleyen Hope, tverleyen@uchicago.edu 
• MPCS Executive Director: Molly Stoner, molly@uchicago.edu 
• MPCS Associate Clinical Professor and Associate Director: Lamont Samuels, lamonts@cs.uchicago.edu 
• MPCS Academic Director: John H Reppy, jhr@cs.uchicago.edu
• PSD Dean of Students Office: psd-dos@lists.uchciago.edu 
• PSD Dean of Students: Bahareh Lampert, blampert1@uchicago.edu 

If you are a prospective student interested in applying to the MPCS, please reach out to mpcs-admissions@lists.uchicago.edu. 

You must earn a grade of C+ or better in each of the courses that apply toward your degree
requirement. All grades received are final. Grades can only be changed by the registrar due to
an administrative error. It is the students’ responsibility to check their records at the end of
each quarter and report all grading errors to admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu immediately.

In the MPCS, we consider grading to be the exclusive purview of the instructor. If concerns
remain after reaching out to the course instructor, students may follow the PSD Student Concerns and Grievance policy  If a grade below C+ is earned for a class, that class will not
count towards graduation requirements. In most cases, failed courses cannot be retaken and
students should choose a different class to fulfill the graduation requirements. However, if the
failed class is required for graduation (i.e., Algorithms), the student will need to register for the course in order to take it again. Tuition and fees will be assessed as scheduled.

For MPCS 50101 Concepts of Programming and MPCS 50103 Math for Computer Science:
Discrete Math:

• These are prerequisite classes for the MPCS. The material covered in these classes is
  necessary for success in the program. A grade of C+ or better is required to
  successfully pass each course and move on to core classes in the MPCS program.
• If you do not successfully complete one or both of these courses, you should meet with an academic advisor to determine the best path forward in the program. 

Pass/Fail: students cannot take MPCS/CMSC/TTIC courses pass/fail. Non-MPCS courses taken pass/fail will not be counted towards a student’s degree requirements.

MPCS students may request to take classes outside of the program to fulfill graduation requirements. Students will need to submit a “Course Request Form: Non-MPCS Classes” to the MPCS Student Affairs team.

• Students in the 9-Course, 12-Course and Pre-Doctoral programs may request to take courses in CMSC, TTIC, and other UChicago departments to count towards degree requirements (including Core). CMSC 10000-level classes will not be approved. 
• Students in the 9-Course, 12-Course, and Pre-Doctoral programs can take a maximum of 2 courses outside of MPCS/CMSC/TTIC.
• Joint MBA/MPCS students may request to take classes in CMSC/TTIC but are not eligible to fulfill MPCS-degree requirements in any other UChicago unit. 

All non-MPCS classes must be approved by MPCS Student Affairs to be counted towards degree requirements. All requests for non-MPCS classes must be submitted prior to the start of the quarter – requests submitted after the start of the quarter will not be considered. Students must be in good academic standing to receive approval for non-MPCS classes. Students currently on academic probation cannot be approved until the academic probation has been cleared. Pass/fail grades are not allowed for any classes counted toward degree requirements.  Final Quarter in MPCS: Students typically cannot take classes through TTIC, Booth, or PhD-level CMSC classes during their final quarter in the program due to strict grading deadlines for graduating students. For a CMSC or TTIC class to be approved in the final quarter, the student must provide confirmation from the course instructor that graduation grading deadlines will be followed. If deadlines cannot be met, approval will not be granted.

MPCS 50101 Concepts of Programming and MPCS 50103 Math for Computer Science: Discrete Math are prerequisites to take classes in the MPCS for all students who either did not take or did not pass the corresponding MPCS Placement Exam(s). The material covered in these classes is foundational and necessary for success in the program.  One immersion course is assessed at the standard tuition rate and is in addition to the expected cost of an MPCS degree. Completion of immersion courses does not reduce the total number of courses required to graduate from the program. MPCS 50101 Concepts of Programming

• Students who successfully complete MPCS 50101 will complete their Core Programming requirement with either MPCS 51036 Java Programming or MPCS 51042 Python Programming. 
• Students who do not successfully complete MPCS 50101 Concepts of Programming will need to meet with the MPCS Student Affairs team (admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu). 

MPCS 50103 Math for Computer Science: Discrete Math

• Students who successfully complete MPCS 50103 will complete their Core Theory requirement by taking MPCS 55001 Algorithms.

Students who would like to work on a research project with a faculty member during their time in the program should consider applying to the MPCS Practicum Program. But if a student and a faculty member would like to do a research project outside of the MPCS Practicum Program, an independent study can be created. An independent study course will be counted as an elective credit to the student’s academic program and tuition will be assessed.  Independent study programs must be approved by the MPCS Administration. The approval process can take up to 3 weeks, so students are advised to submit requests early. Additional information to keep in mind: 

• Independent studies cannot be accepted as substitutes for regularly scheduled courses
• Independent studies should offer a student the opportunity for a more advanced coverage of a particular topic. 

Students should not assume that a given faculty member will necessarily be interested in the proposed project, or that they would have time to take on independent study during an academic quarter. Students who are interested in independent studies should discuss their proposed plans with the prospective faculty supervisor to prepare an action plan prior to submitting an independent study petition.  A petition for independent study must include the following: 

1. A descriptive title (up to 50 characters)
2. A statement of scope and objectives (up to 500 words)
3. The name of the faculty advisor / supervisor on the project
4. An outline of the independent study, showing that the student will invest at least 60 hours in studying and working on the project
5. A set of 3-5 milestone objectives that will demonstrate the student’s progress

Petitions should be submitted by email to MPCS Administration at least three weeks prior to the start of the quarter during which the independent study will take place. Petitions will not be approved for topics that are available through regularly scheduled courses in the MPCS.  Independent studies must be completed in one quarter. A limit of two practicums and / or independent studies will be approved for a student while in the program.

The MPCS is an in-person program. We expect all registered MPCS students will be physically in Chicago by the start of each quarter. We do offer a limited number of online classes. However, the expectation is that no student will take more than one online class per quarter. If you anticipate arriving late, please notify us at admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu. All participants are required to check in at the start of the program.

The MPCS follows the Leave of Absence policy set by the PSD Dean of Students Office. MPCS students who wish to take a leave of absence from the program are required to notify the program administration as soon as possible. 

• A student may be approved for a personal LOA for up to four academic quarters. 
• A student may be approved for a medical LOA for up to four academic quarters. Students requesting a medical leave of absence must provide documentation. 
• International students of a student visa should also review the Office of International Affairs (OIA) Leave of Absence policy.         

Poor performance in a class – or not being on-track to earn a passing grade – is not grounds for a student to take a leave of absence.

The maximum time-to-degree for MPCS students cannot exceed 22 academic quarters. 

My Planner is a platform used at UChicago to accurately track a student’s academic progress. To access My Planner (referred to as Stellic by MPCS staff) students will log into their my.uchicago.edu portal and navigate to “My Planner” on the sidebar. Once a student’s program of study is approved by the MPCS (example, 9- or 12-Course Program, a specific specialization, etc.) all course requirements will populate into a student’s profile. Students should be checking My Planner each quarter to ensure: 

1. the classes that are being taken fulfill the correct requirements 
2. they know what requirements they have remaining for their current study plan
3. their final grades for classes were correctly reported

If a student is approved to take a non-MPCS class, the approval will be recorded by MPCS Student Affairs in the student’s study plan.

MPCS placement exams are a key component of the MPCS onboarding process, designed to ensure students are matched with coursework that aligns with their existing knowledge and skills. All incoming students to the MPCS should plan to take placement exams BEFORE beginning their studies. Information about placement exams can be found on the Placement Exams page.

There WILL NOT be opportunities for full-time MPCS and Joint MBA/MPCS students to take placement exams at any other time during the academic year. Part-time students may be on a different schedule and should consult with the MPCS Student Affairs team about exam planning.

Placement Exams can only be taken once – if a student fails to pass a placement exam, there is no opportunity to re-take the exam. Please make sure you prepare accordingly for each exam. 

If you are a new student without any programming and/or a discrete math background, you can opt to begin the MPCS with Immersion Courses without taking exams. Please make sure you understand that these immersion classes are prerequisite classes and are taken in addition to courses required for graduation. In some cases, enrollment in immersion classes will extend time-to-degree and could limit the core courses you can take in your first quarter in the program.

UChicago Advanced Scholar (4+1) students may waive exams based on CMSC coursework taken. Waivers will be communicated after admission to the program. If any questions, please reach out to admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu.

All students entering the MPCS must complete three Core Requirements before being able to move on to taking elective courses. To be considered in good standing in terms of program progression –  

• Full-time MPCS Students:
  • All new full-time 9-Course/12-Course MPCS students are required to take three core courses in their first quarter in the program:
    • One Core Programming course
    • One Core Theory course
    • One Core Systems course
  • Elective courses will not be approved until three core courses have been completed. Students can take elective courses concurrent with their third core class.
  • MPCS Students are expected to complete the Core Theory requirement with MPCS 55001 Algorithms.
  • Students who receive a pass on the math placement exam or take MPCS 50103 Discrete Math in the summer quarter are required to enroll in MPCS 55001 Algorithms in the Autumn quarter.
  • Students who do not take or do not pass the math placement exam are required to take MPCS 50103 Discrete Math in the Autumn quarter followed by MPCS 55001 Algorithms in the Winter quarter.
  • An Algorithms placement exam is available for those students who have completed previous coursework in Algorithms. A pass on this exam will allow students to complete the Core Theory requirement with an advanced class. Details are on the placement exam page.
  • UChicago 4+1 students and other UChicago alumni who have completed CMSC 271 or 272 may be able to waive the Discrete Math and/or Algorithms requirement and complete Core Theory with an advanced class. Details will follow admission to the program.
  • Full-time students are expected to enroll in three courses per quarter.
  • Students are encouraged to meet with the MPCS Student Affairs team for individualized course planning (admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu).

• Joint MBA/MPCS Students: Students in the Joint MBA/MPCS program may be on a different timeline since they are limited in the number of MPCS courses that can be taken per quarter. 
  • Joint students are encouraged to meet with a member of the MPCS Student Affairs team to discuss course planning (admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu). 

• Part-time MPCS Students: should be on-track to complete Core Requirements by the end of the first year of study – i.e. four quarters of registration – within the MPCS. This timeline may be different for students who are taking both immersion courses. 
  • Part-time students should meet with a member of the MPCS Student Affairs team to discuss course planning (admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu).
  • Part-time Students may register in one or two courses per quarter. Part-time students who do not plan to register for any classes in a quarter should be in touch with the MPCS Student Affairs team. 

Students are expected to make continuous satisfactory academic progress in the program. Students who encounter unexpected difficulties during their studies should refer to the Leave of Absence policy. The maximum time-to-degree for MPCS students cannot exceed 22 academic quarters. 

Common spaces (on the second and third floor)

The common spaces with tables and chairs on the second and third floor near the whiteboard walls are a great place for group work. If you do not see dry erase markers/erasers, please ask at the welcome desk where they have extras. TA office hours are held in the common space area. Please look for signs that indicate when the common area is reserved.

Conference rooms (lower level)

If you are looking for a conference room for group study, you can book the conference rooms managed by the library staff in the lower level of JCL or Regenstein here:  https://rooms.lib.uchicago.edu/r/

Conference Rooms (on the second and third floor)

Conference rooms in Crerar are not available for MPCS students. These rooms are reserved for classes, TA office hours, and CS faculty meetings. MPCS Student IDs will not work in these rooms. If you have office hours scheduled in a Crerar conference room, the TA or faculty member will have access to the room.

Individual Study Rooms (3rd floor)

The MPCS has three, single-person, study rooms available for MPCS students. The rooms are located on the 3rd floor of Crerar – rooms 329, 331 and 333. MPCS student IDs will work for these rooms. These rooms can be used for individual study spaces and interviews. No more than one person is allowed in the room at a time.  Students can use these rooms as needed.   These rooms can also be booked by sending an email to admin-mpcs@lists.uchicago.edu. Reservations can be made up to a week in advance, for up to two hours at a time.

Please note: All room requests related to Union matters (for the purposes of administering the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the University and GSU-UE) should instead be sent to the UChicagoGRAD Room Reservation Form. 

The MPCS follows the PSD Student Concerns and Grievance policy as outlined on the PSD website. Students can use the Contacts for MPCS Students above to contact the MPCS and / or the PSD with any concerns or grievances they may have.

All MPCS students are required to register for and successfully complete the total number of required courses for their program of study while in MPCS student status. The MPCS does not allow the transfer of credits from any other graduate program, including other graduate programs at the University of Chicago. MPCS courses taken prior to being an active MPCS student cannot be counted towards degree requirements (includes any courses approved via the non-MPCS student course request process). Students will not be required to repeat any previously passed courses, but will be required to complete the number of courses of their program of study (9-Course or 12-Course) to graduate.

Students may withdraw from a class at any time up until the final exam has been given or the final project is due, whichever occurs first (late withdrawals may still incur tuition cost – see below). A course withdrawal is considered a grade lower than a C+ and is assigned a weight of zero for GPA calculation.

Students who have two or more withdrawals on their transcript will be placed on Academic Probation by MPCS Student Affairs for failing to make satisfactory academic progress.  Tuition Refund Schedule (MPCS Only – Joint MBA/MPCS students should consult with Booth about tuition refunds):

• Up to the end of Week 3: 100% tuition refund and the class will be removed from the student’s transcript. To withdraw from a course in Week 2-3, a form must be submitted to the MPCS Student Affairs team for processing. 
• Week 4 (or later): must follow the university’s withdrawal policy with no tuition refund; student may be charged a “late change of registration” fee. The dropped class will remain on the official transcript with a letter grade of “W”. 

Please note: No exceptions can be made to this refund schedule.