Best Computer Science & Engineering Graduate Programs

When you’re trying to find the best computer science graduate program or best computer engineering graduate program for you, it’s important that it fits your lifestyle, budget, and ambitions. At UL Lafayette, we offer computer science master’s and doctoral degrees and computer engineering master’s and doctoral degrees — all of which have been regarded as some of the best in the country.

So how do UL Lafayette’s top computer science and engineering programs stack up against some of the other best computer science and engineering graduate programs in the South, like University of Houston, University of Texas, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, and LSU?

Reputation & History

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has always been home to some of the best computer science and computer engineering master’s and doctoral programs in the nation. We established the country’s first Master of Science in Computer Science in 1962, and have been trailblazing ever since.

In 1984, we formed the Center for Advanced Computer Studies, where all computer science and computer engineering students study. It’s one of the first centers to merge the overlapping disciplines of computer science and computer engineering. Soon after came our master’s in computer engineering program and, in 1986, we established the state’s first PhD in computer science.

Since then, our alumni have found careers conducting research at universities and organizations around the world. They’re leading the health information movement in the Middle East, forging modern engineering education in developing countries, leading research at GE, Google, eBay, Intel, NASA, Configuresoft, McAfee Labs, and more.

Location

We’re located in Lafayette, LA, part of the “Silicon Bayou,” a hotbed of technology research and development. Along with our University-based computer science and engineering research centers, three new technology centers (anchored by CGI, Enquero, and Perficient) have recently moved into Lafayette — bringing 1,000 new jobs with them — because of the graduates our computer science and engineering programs produce.

We also have brand new and state-of-the-art facilities, including the LITE Center, a 70,000-square-foot 3-D immersive visualization and high-performance computer resource center. Because of our dedication to technology research and development, we’ve been named an American City of the Future and the 5th best city in the country for job growth.

There’s also a joie de vivre (joy of life) in Lafayette. While we are not as large a city as Houston, Austin, or Baton Rouge, we’re large enough to provide the amenities you need, including the country’s fastest home Internet available. We’re not just a college town. In fact, Lafayette has been dubbed “the Austin of Louisiana,” thanks to our vibrant live music scene, fantastic food, and plethora of festivals.

Research Activity & Faculty

Research activity is an integral part of the best computer science and computer engineering graduate degrees. Did you know we are one of the top 50 universities in the country for computer science research and development funding, as ranked by the NSF’s HERD Survey? That’s alongside universities like MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Texas at Austin. And we are always the highest ranking Louisiana institution for research and development funding, generating more R&D expenditures than the rest of the computer science graduate programs in the entire state — combined.

Our computer science and computer engineering professors are focused on advancing the hardware and software that will improve people’s lives and wellbeing. But they’re also focused on providing endless opportunities for research. Our students work within the NASA Regional Applications Center and the LITE Center, as well as work alongside professors in the research labs and groups within the Center for Advanced Computer Studies. Through a partnership between the University, industry, and government, we created the Center for Visual and Decision Informatics, which brings together analytic, visual, and perceptual techniques to better interpret large-scale organizations’ information — helping them use big data to make better data-driven decisions. And our students are working on this research, too, with nearly half of the industry funding going to support graduate students working at CVDI.

Our faculty’s research interests are vast, ranging from cloud computing and big data to brain simulation. See all of our research labs (link to labs & groups http://computing.louisiana.edu/cacs-research/labs-groups) and find out how to get involved. While other universities have the resources and interests to focus on some of the same research areas, the high faculty-to-student ratio could prevent you from really being immersed in the research.

At UL Lafayette, our faculty includes four NSF career award winners, IEEE fellows, ACM fellows, and more — but our small graduate student-to-faculty ratio means you have nearly constant access to your professors, and our faculty act as mentors for our students so you can reach your academic and personal goals. Our professors also understand the importance of pursuing your own interests, and they’ll work with you to create a curriculum that gives you a solid foundation and the freedom to explore your passions.

Cost & Financial Assistance

Many of the best computer engineering graduate programs and computer science graduate programs come with quite the price tag. However, you want to find a university that will help you reach your professional and academic goals without saddling you with debt for the rest of your career.

UL Lafayette has consistently been rated one of the most affordable universities or colleges in the country.

In order to help you cover the cost of attending school, our computer science and computer engineering graduate programs offer up to 90 teaching and research assistantships every year, which include a waiver of tuition and many fees, and many come with additional stipends to help with living expenses. Those stipends range from $9,500 to $18,000 for the academic year. For students in our computer science or computer engineering doctoral programs, we also have four-year fellowships available; and the University offers a limited number of fellowships to outstanding master’s students.

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