This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page was created by a joint effort between ITP staff and ITP students as a mechanism to more effectively answer concerns that prospective students may have. If your question is not answered here checkout ITP @ CU's Blog.
1. What courses should I take in my first semester?
2. What are the research opportunities in ITP?
3. How much would I spend per semester?
4. Is it possible to get fellowships or scholarships?
5. Does ITP provide RA/TA positions?
6. What are the other on-campus job opportunities?
7. Are international students allowed to work off-campus while studying?
8. Are industry internships available during the summer?
9. What are the job prospects after graduation?
10. What could be the job profile of a typical ITP graduate?
11. What other activities are ITP students involved in?
12. What are the possible options for housing?
13. How is the weather?
14. How do I get around Boulder?
It is advisable to take the core courses in the first semester as they are pre-requisites for most of the advanced courses. Please find detailed information at: http://telecom.colorado.edu/courses.
Some of the faculty members associated with ITP are involved in active research in technical, business and policy areas of telecom. Please view individual faculty bios and course pages for information on research areas.
3. How much would I spend per semester?
Tuition rates vary for out-of-state, in-state and distance students. The tuition fee details for out-of-state tuition and fees can be found at the Bursar's Office Website by selecting "Graduate" and the semester of your choice. Other possible expenses include student fees, books, food, utilities, transportation (free buses available) and other typical living expenses.
Although, tuition rates are relatively high--students have the option of completing the program in 3 full-time semesters (rather than 4), which can significantly reduce the overall cost.
ITP does offer a limited number of fellowships to new and existing students. All new students who apply by the priority deadline are considered automatically for any fellowships that are available. Students need not apply for fellowships explicitly. Fellowship amounts vary and they are applied directly to your tuition fees for one semester.
At this time, ITP does not offer any formal teaching assistant or research assistant positions. Several other departments offer teaching assistant positions with tuition remission benefits, ITP students are welcome to apply for those positions outside of our program. Students must contact professors directly to pursue those opportunities.
Active research faculty are sometimes able to raise funds to pay for student research assistants. Opportunities and application procedures are determined by individual faculty members, not by ITP.
ITP offers several student assistant positions; however, they are usually awarded to students who have completed at least one semester in the program. SA is equivalent to a TA in most aspects of work involving designing/grading homework and conducting lab sessions.
Once you are enrolled as an ITP student, you can access hourly on-campus job postings through CU Connect - Financial. You can view the open positions on campus through the Student Employment web site as well: http://www.colorado.edu/studentemployment/
F-1 students can work off-campus in their area of study only after completion of first 9 months. The legalities regarding OPT/CPT can be found at: http://www.colorado.edu/OIE/isss/f1status.html.
Information about internship opportunities are distributed to ITP students. ITP continues to build more relationships with area companies hoping to provide more internship opportunities.
There are many companies in telecom sector in and around Denver-Boulder area. ITP students get internships in companies like Deloitte, Boldtech, Echostar, Avaya, Level 3, Cisco, IBM, and many others.
The Career Services office holds career fairs every semester. Several companies attend the ITP Fall and Spring challenge for potential recruits. ITP has a large alumni base (about 2000 grads in the last 35 years), that advertises available positions for fresh graduates. ITP has a near perfect placement rate over the past several years.
Because ITP is truly interdisciplinary, the job profile depends on a student's area of specialization. An ITP graduate can pursue jobs ranging from technology to business to policy jobs.
ITP organizes events such as the fall and spring challenge to strengthen ITP academia-industry relations. Additionally, ITP students often attend the Silicon Flatirons Center (SFC). Details about SFC conferences can be found at: http://www.silicon-flatirons.org/
The goals of the Fall/Spring Challenge are three fold: (i) provide a valuable applied learning experience for ITP students; (ii) connect students and employers in an environment where students can exhibit their skills and professionalism; and (iii) have fun in competitive atmosphere.
Telecom Students Organization (TSO) actively organizes faculty-student informal meeting called Friday Afternoon Clubs (FACs). TSO works towards developing relations with alumni and industry.
Most of ITP student live off-campus. As with most college towns, Boulder has many rental options. The price varies significantly depending on which part of Boulder you choose to live in; however, a general rental range for a 2-3 bedroom apartment is $800-$1200 per month.
Boulder enjoys excellent weather most of the year. Colorado's front-range is one of the sunniest regions in the US.
CU students receive a bus pass as part of their student fees. The local buses in Boulder run often and give students access to the entire city. In addition, there are regional services to surrounding areas including: Denver, DIA (Denver International Airport), and the Eldora Ski resort. Bus routes and schedules can be found at: http://rtd-denver.com/.