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.

Explore potential Computer Science and Engineering career paths

Computer Science and Engineering Professor Roberto Manduchi and student

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

WiFi signals can measure heart rate—no wearables needed

Low-cost WiFi devices can measure heart rate with clinical-level accuracy—without the need for a wearable device.

Computer Science and Engineering Ph.D. student Nayan Bhatia demonstrates Pulse-Fi, technology that uses WiFi signals to measure a person's heart rate.

CSE research news

Why more UC Santa Cruz students are graduating in three years

Three-year graduation is becoming more common at UC Santa Cruz, where intentional planning and advising have helped raise the three-year graduation rate to 10.3 percent, the highest in the University of California system.

Greener Greenhouses — a Q&A with Katia Obraczka

UC Santa Cruz professor Katia Obraczka’s Greener Greenhouses project uses energy-efficient IoT technology to precisely monitor greenhouse conditions, helping growers reduce water and energy use while improving crop production.