Applying with a three year undergraduate degree

[Dilunika]

Hi everyone,

I have a three year undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology, which is a three-year degree in the domain of information systems) from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and have been working in the software industry for more than a year now but I don't have any research publications as yet. My GPA is 3.3/4.0. I am willing to pursue higher studies in the area of computer networking and I want to know what my options are. I know that most universities in USA and Canada require a four-year undergrad degree so, can anyone tell me if there are any universities that admit students with a three-year undergrad degree (either in USA or in Canada)? I prefer to aim for a PhD but if the circumstances does not allow me, I'm willing to go for an MSc and work my way from there.

I have begun to brush up my CS knowledge for the GRECS examination towards the end of this year, but I'm clueless on the universities that I might aim at. So, I'd be glad if anyone can point out my options given this situation. If I do well in the GRE CS examination, will the admission committes consider me for admission or will this three-year degree be a stumbling block for me at all times?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

[adverse_selection]

Have you taken the GRE? You'll probably need to take the GRE. I'm not exactly sure what a three-year program consists of - do you have a bachelor's degree?

[CalmLogic]

I would suggest contacting the departments that you would want to apply to anyway, like NCSU with its MS in Networking:
Computer Networking

If you are also interested in more professional/terminal degree programs, Colorado-Boulder has a telecommunications MS degree that is a relatively safe option regarding admissions, so you may want to contact them as well:
MS in Telecommunications | University of Colorado at Boulder Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program

BTW, two alumni from your same UG university have been admitted to the University of Delaware:
http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...t-purpose.html (Please Evaluate My Statement of Purpose)
http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...-delaware.html (Anyone from univ. of delaware??)

And:
http://dirwww.colorado.edu/prospecti...escreening.pdf

[Dilunika]

Thanks adverse_selection and CalmLogic for your prompt replies,

adverse_selection,

I'm sorry I wasn't clear earlier. I'm planning to take both GRE examinations (CS and the general examination) towards the end of this year, and yes, I have a bachelor's degree. (Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology or BICT as it is known here)


CalmLogic,

I will write to individual departments that do not stress a four-year bachelor's degree in their admission criteria. In the meantime, I would very much value any information on students that got admitted with a three-year degree. If you happen to remember any such situations, please add them here. I would very much appreciate that. I know the two alumni in my university you mentioned and they are my friends. They are the ones who encouraged me to start preparing for the GRE examinations while looking for prospective universities. They insisted that I seek help through this forum. Their computer science degree is a four year degree while mine is a three-year one.

Please add any further suggestions if you have. That would be a big help. Thanks.

[Ancalagon The Black]

Most top ranking schools will not admit a 3 year degree. Moreover, international students also generally have a masters degree before they apply. Some mid to low ranked schools would accept I reckon but I don't know specifics.

[CalmLogic]

Regarding lower-ranked or unranked options, the following seems to imply that UTA (University of Texas Arlington) may accept a 3-year degree for MS admission, depending on coursework:

Rigor of the student's bachelor's degree. A four-year degree is considered more rigorous than a three-year degree.

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The same is not true for their PhD admission:

Rigor of the student's Bachelors degree. A three-year degree is not considered rigorous enough.

(from the same link above)

However, with your BCIT degree, I don't know if you have taken enough of the required CS courses. So, though taking the GRECS could help, it may be hard to get even 50th percentile. If you do contact UT Arlington, I would suggest also contacting UT Dallas about this issue as I would prefer to go there instead, and they seem better for networking as well. (Arlington is unranked in US News for CS while Dallas is ranked #72.)

BTW, the deadline for Fall 2009 admission at UT Arlington is still open until April 3rd for international students. For UT Dallas, it is May 1st.

[Dilunika]

Thanks CalmLogic and Ancalagon The Black,

I feel depressed that I had to walk away with a three-year degree. And CalmLogic is right. Since my degree (BICT) is in the domain of Information Systems, I may not have the necessary CS background. But, I will try hard in the next 10 months to do my best in the GRECS. I will contact the departments and if you have any other departments in mind, please add them here. I don't intend to apply for fall 2009. I'd rather study more, do the exams and apply for fall 2010. I wouldn't mind starting with a low-ranked or un-ranked university; may be do my master's initially and move on from there. So, I will write to these departments and will post their replies here. In the meantime, I appreciate your valuable thoughts and thank you all so much for the advice given so far.