Computer Science and Engineering

The Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department spans multiple areas of research including theory, systems, AI/ML, architectures, and software.

CSE’s areas of research are computer hardware, including architecture, VLSI (chip design), FPGAs, and design automation; computer security and privacy; cyber-physical systems; distributed systems; database systems; machine learning and artificial intelligence; natural language processing; networks; pervasive computing and human-computer interaction; programming languages; robotics; social computing; storage systems; and visual computing, including computer vision, visualization, and graphics.

In cooperation with other departments on campus, CSE also offers a strong research group in bioinformatics, computational biology, biomolecular engineering, and human genome mapping. The CSE department enjoys a close relationship with the Electrical and Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics departments. Faculty members carry out joint research projects, supervise students, and teach courses for these departments. The M.S. degree requires either a master’s thesis or an approved project and is usually completed in two years, although it is possible to complete the program in one year. The Ph.D. degree is usually completed in five years.

Research

Learn about the research being conducted within our department.

People

Meet people in Computer Science and Engineering.

Degrees

Learn about the Graduate and Undergraduate programs in Computer Science and Engineering.

#40

top computer science institutions worldwide (Computer Science Rankings, 2024)

#8

best computer engineering bachelor's degree schools in the far Western US region (College Factual, 2025)

#26

best school for computer engineering graduate degrees (College Factual, 2025)

Smarter tech for safer navigation

New game-changing apps will impact the way blind people navigate indoor spaces, offering a safer way to move through areas where GPS can’t reach.

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CSE Research News

• Engineering undergrad is fastest to solve national codebreaker challenge for the second year in a row
• Recent UCSC alumni take over the SF MOMA
• UC Santa Cruz Innovation Catalyst Grant program propels research into real-world solutions
• Luca de Alfaro selected as 2024 ACM fellow
• Fellowship to provide full tuition for up to 10 CA students to study Natural Language Processing at UC Santa Cruz

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We’re Hiring!

Open positions include: lecturer, teaching professor, research professor. Find out more.

Upcoming Events

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Explore potential Computer Science and Engineering career paths

• Software Engineer/Developer
• Hardware Engineer/Developer
• Network Engineer
• Web Developer
• Mobile App Developer
• AI/ML Engineer
• UX Designer
• Systems Architect
• Cybersecurity Engineer

Computer engineering faculty and students are researching and developing secure, efficient, and effective networking applications that support the internets of the future.

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) master's degree program provides students the in-depth NLP skills and experience needed for successful careers in this fast-growing field.