ISA: The Indian Students Association, UTD

A] CLOTHING

The dress code on campus is pretty informal and a T-shirt worn with jeans is almost a universal dress for both sexes here. So, bring plenty of them. Formal clothes may come in useful occasionally. You may, of course, want to bring along some Indian clothes (saris, salwaar-kameez, kurtas, etc) with you.

Formals: One suit (Optional), ties (1/2), shirts and trousers (2/3), traditional saris/kurta.
Casuals: Jeans (3/4), T-shirts & sweats (6+), cotton shirts (2+), shorts (for outdoor, indoor, sports use) (2/3).

Dallas has hot summers (35-40 C) and cold winters (-3 to 15 C) , so you will be needing both summer wear as well as winter clothes. Get a good sweater/jacket, a muffler, a scarf and a woolen cap, but you might get a better coat/jacket in the US. It gets pretty cold here in winter so don't forget the warm clothes. An umbrella might be a good idea, since the rain here, though not a lot, tends to come without a warning.

Footwear: Sneakers, formal shoes, leather chappals/sandals, bathroom slippers.
Winter wear: Sweaters (medium quality, at most 2), muffler/ scarf, woolen cap.

No matter where you stay, you'll have access to washing and drying facilities. These machines have large capacities, so that it is possible to do 2-3 week's laundry at a time. So plan your wardrobe accordingly.

Undergarments: About 12 sets of undergarments and socks, preferably cotton.

Miscellaneous: Towel (1+), napkins (1/2), leather belts (2+), handkerchiefs (6+).

Linen: Bed sheets (double bed size, 2), pillow covers (big, 2), shawl/light blanket (for spring/summer use).
Things you better buy in US: Winter jacket, winter gloves, caps, wind-cheaters, track-suits, good sweaters (they're cheap), comforter.

Note: Indian clothes (particularly cottons) have a tendency to shrink a lot when washed on the hot and/or warm cycle in a washing machine here or by drying them in the dryer, so please be careful with sizes.

B] DRIVING LICENSE

It is preferable that you learn driving and come, if you have time. If you have a driving license in India or will be getting one before coming here, be sure to get an IDP (International Driving Permit) when you come. This will help to you in car insurance purposes when you will rent a car to get a US driving license.

C] PRE-REQUISITE COURSES

If you have any pre-requisites and you feel that you do not need to complete them, then please get all the relevant documents (for each pre-requisite you wish to get waived, get separate official and sealed copy of syllabus and transcript, copy of experience letter and any other documents you feel appropriate) you can to get that pre-requisite waived. Generally, during the middle of the semester students can apply for pre-requisite waivers.

D] KITCHEN

Food is not a problem for either vegetarians or non-vegetarians, although if you are a non-vegetarian you have more choice. There are lots of eating joints in the vicinity, providing Indian/American/Mexican/Oriental foods. But it would certainly be cheaper and healthier to develop some culinary skills. Come well-armed with your pots and pans, your favorite masalas & some recipes .

Cooking Utensils: Non-stick pan (1/2), non-stick tava, pressure cooker (for 3 people)(get spare gaskets and safety valves)
Others: spoons, forks, GOOD knives, cups, glasses (2 each), a melamine (microwaveable) set (Optional) consisting of plates, soup-bowls and regular bowls (2 each).

Although, you can buy almost all kinds of Indian foodstuff here, get a reasonable quantity of the following, enough to last you for your setup period and save you some money initially.

Condiments and spices: garam masala, pav bhaji masala, chole masala, sambhar & rasam masala, haldi, chill powder, jeera, dhania.
Others: pickles, papad, homemade snacks etc.

Note: The US customs officers usually do not make a fuss about spices if they are properly sealed, so please pack everything to be leak-proof.
DO NOT get any fresh fruits or meat.

Remember, the easiest way to make new friends, is to feed the existing Indian food-starved populace with desi delicacies and sweets.. so if there are any specialties of your place, do get them along..

E] PERSONAL ITEMS

Get the following for your first few days (or weeks if you want), but just that much..

Toilette: Toothbrush, toothpaste, tongue-cleaners (if using), soap,
a complete shaving kit (for guys) (all in a toiletry bag)(though you'll soon want to try the 'phirang' stuff, your home kit is good to carry around in travel). You can buy shampoo, talcum powder etc. later.

You will have to buy medical insurance here, but medication is very expensive here, so, get some medicines that you have used for minor ailments and any special ones that you need.

Medicines: Medicines with prescriptions for standard minor ailments like fever, cold, cough, stomach-ache etc. Also personal medication (if on any) and medical history papers. Antiseptic cream, relaxyl etc. Spare eyeglasses/ contact lenses. (Get the eye prescription too !) Get a complete medical checkup done before getting here, including a chest X-ray.

Books are very expensive here, so, find out the books that you will need for your course from us and try to get then from India. A single book might cost you more than a month's grocery bill !! You will find a list of the text books that you may need at the end of this page.

Study Materials & Stationary: your calculator (but you'll soon want to buy some fancy stuff here), micro tip pencils + refills (2), good pens (2), eraser, stapler & staples, Indian calendar, backpack. (Most of the stationary is optional. You can also buy it here).

Documents: You may want to bring along photocopies of your documents (2-3) as each photocopy costs 6cts, and further more it may help if you want to take transfer to another university.
Other: Needles & thread, buttons, sports equipment if you play tennis, squash, soccer.

F] MISCELLANEA

Entertainment: Your favorite Indian/ Western music cassettes/CDs, walkman (optional), your favorite books. If you bring video tapes with you - remember that most VCP's here don't play PAL (video tapes recorded in India).
Personal: Family photos, 'Indian' ethnic stuff (gifts/personal use), Indian postage (to send letters home with someone) etc. An up-to-date address book of all your acquaintances/ friends/ relatives in the USA - Canada region, photos of deities (if religious-minded)

After this Mega-Shopping spree, time to look at some Do's and Dont's
G] TO DO OR NOT TO DO

Things to do before coming here: Learn cooking. Learn driving and get an International Driving Permit (if possible). Also please get a good haircut just before leaving (especially guys).
Things you should not get: electrical appliances - The voltage and frequency used here are different (110V/60Hz). And in any case, appliances like iron, toasters etc are very inexpensive and you can purchase them once you are settled in. Some other things that you might be better off buying here are blank notebooks & file folders.

H] MONEY

The initial expenses are high. Below is an estimate of how much money you might need. This will vary depending on your course and the apartment.

Tuition Fees: The tuition fees for 9 credits hours for the first semester (which is normal for graduate students) is about $6450 (Fall 2006). This includes all other fees like Student Service Fee, Student Union Fee, Information Technology Fee, Instructional Infrastructure Fee, International Education, Library Acquisition Fee, Medical Services Fee, Health Insurance, Records Processing Fee and Recreation Center Fee . TA's and RA's pay about $1500 the first semester. This includes the in-state tuition fees and all expenses mentioned above , discounted by a TPEG grant (which is a grant of about $ 500 every semester for TA/RAs). The school covers the medical insurance for TA/RA's. RAs may get paid slightly more than this amount. Also note that the university no longer gives out TAs to masters students The school also let you pay the fees in three installments over the entire semester or take a short term loan (5% interest) over three months and pay the entire amount at the end of the 3 months. But, we would STRONGLY advise you to bring the entire amount with you atleast for first semester.

Living Expenses: Living expenses are generally $300 - $400 per month. This includes room rent (generally rent is $210 as mostly 4 students stay together in a 2 bedroom apartment), groceries, electricity and telephone bills and other miscellaneous expenses.

You can get a check/DD payable to "University of Texas at Dallas" for the exact amount (if you know it), for a slightly smaller amount, and pay the remainder in cash/travellers checks.

NOTE : These are just estimates. Although we try to update this page regularly, these may not be most current ones, so PLEASE PLEASE check with the admissions office for the exact fees at tuition Fees Schedule .

Apartment: Most of the new students arriving here stay in apartments on the school campus. You have 3 options
- Stay in a 1-bedroom apartment
  - If you take the entire room, Rent: $ 500-700
    
    If you share the room with a roommate, Rent: around $ 300 per head.
  - Deposit $ 100 Processing Fee: $30 (for each roommate)
  Stay in a 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment
  - If you take the entire apartment, Rent: $ 800-1000
    
    If you share a room with a three others, Rent: $ 200-250 per head
  - Deposit $ 100 Processing Fee: $30 (for each roommate)
- Stay in a 4-bedroom, 2-bath apartment. Rent: $ 1200
Most of the new students arriving here stay in apartments on the school campus. At least for the first 1/2 months, you might want to stay with 3 others in a 2-bedroom apartment. You will also need about $100 for other initial expenses. This is because the the apartments are unfurnished and you will have to buy some basic stuff for the apartment. The apartments comes with a gas-range, dish-washer, refrigerator, air conditioner/heater, hot water; some apartments have a washer-dryer.

please note that with the huge number of students coming for fall it might be difficult for everyone to get an apartment oncampus. Under such circumstances the best option would be to move into apartments located close by.
Other: You might have to buy books, stationary, etc. Depending on the courses, this can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 !

NOTE : We would advise you to carry your money in the form of Traveler's Cheques so that you may encash them immediately. DDs take about a fortnight to be credited to your account. Also do carry enough change in case you need to make a phone call.

I] TEXT BOOKS

Text books are very expensive here, so try to get all the text books that you need from India. Below is a list of textbooks that you might need in the course of you studies. These books are for specific courses, and you might want to get some advice from a student in your field about these. In some cases, we have included books for electives, which you may not ever take. So, you might save money and space by not getting books for those courses which you might never take. NOTE : Note the edition of the book that is needed here. Some books may have an Indian edition which is older than the one required here. NOTE : Since the number of courses you would have to take for completion of your degree is more than the text books listed here, it is obvious that you would be taking some courses from other programs, or courses which are not offered every semester, but just once a year or once in 2 years. These courses typically are taught by different teachers every time, and the texts that they use are different. But most of you will be taking the courses (the books of which are) listed here.

Computer Science (MS)
- Telecommunications / Networking / Operating Systems
  - Advanced Concepts in Operating Systems, Mukesh Singhal & Niranjan Shivaratri, McGraw Hill Series, International Edition. (Core)
  - Planning Telecommunication Networks: Thomas G. Robertazzi (Core)
  - Performance of Computer Systems and Networks, Thomas Robertazzi, Springer Verlag, Third Edition [for Course: Performance of Computer Systems ] (Core)
  - Fundamentals of Database Design, Elmasri & Navathe, 2nd Edition , Addison Wesley. (Core)
  - Introduction to Algorithms, (Second Edition)'' by T.H. Cormen, C.E. Leiserson, R.L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein. Note: There are some good changes from the first to second edition, so try to get newer edition. (Core)
  - Telecommunication Software Design: ISDN, BISDN, FrameRelay and ATM: William Stallings [for Telecommunication Software Design ] (Elective)
  - Distributed Algorithms: Nancy Lynch (Elective)
- Traditional Track
  - Compiler Construction, Aho, Sethi & Ullman. (Core)
  - Advanced operating systems: advanced concepts in operating systems by mukesh singhal & niranjan sivaratri(Core)
  - Advanced computer networks- "Computer Networks" by Patterson and Davie (Core)
  - Introduction to Algorithms, (Second Edition)'' by T.H. Cormen, C.E. Leiserson, R.L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein. Note: There are some good changes from the first to second edition, so try to get newer edition. (Core)
  - Fundamentals of Database Design, Elmasri & Navathe, 2nd Edition , Addison Wesley. (Core)
  - Fundamentals of Logic Design, Charles Roth jr, 4th Edition PWS Publications, Co. (Elective)
  - Programming Languages Concepts and Constructs, Ravi Sethi, Addison Wesley. (Elective)
- Software Engineering
  - Object Oriented Software Engg (Prentice Hall) Bernd Bruegge , Allen H. Dutoit (Core)
  - Managing Software Requirements (Addison Wesley )Dean Leffingwell , Don Wildrig (Core)
  - Software Architecture : Perspectives on an emerging discipline ( Prentice Hall ) Mary Shaw , David Garlan (Core)
  - Software Testing (CRC Press) Paul C. Jorgensen (Core)
  - Software Metrics ( PWS Publishing Company) Norman E. Fenton , Shani Lawrence Pfleeger ( Elective )
  - Software Reuse: Architecture, Process and Organization for business success (Addison Wesley) Ivar Jacobson, Martin Griss, Patrick Jonsson. (Elective)
  - System Analysis and Design Methods Whitten , Bentley, Dittman (Elective)
  - Object Oriented Modeling and Design, Rumbaugh, Blaha, Premerlani et al, Prentice Hall. (Elective)
- Intelligent systems
  - Database design: Database Management Systems by Elmasri, Navathe - Edition 5th and above.
  - Design and Analysis of Algorithms: "Introduction to Algorithms" - T.H. Cormen(core)
  - Advanced Operating Systems: Advanced Concepts in Operating Systems, Mukesh Singhal and Niranjan Shivaratri(core)
  - Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence- A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig(core)
  - Machine Learning: Machine learning Tom Mitchell McGraw hill pub.(core)
  - Information Retrieval: Modern Information Retrieval , by Ricardo Baeza-Yates and Perthier Ribeiro-Neto. (Elective)

Electrical Engineering (MS / MSEE)
- Digital Design / VLSI / Microelectronics / Computer Engineering
  - Principles of CMOS VLSI Design, 2nd Edition, Neil Weste & Kamran Eshragian (CE core)
  - Digital Integrated Circuits, Jan M Rabaey
  - Computer Architecture, a quantitative approach 3rd Edition, Hennesey and Patterson (CE core)
  - Operating Systems, Silberschatz & Galvin
  - VHDL Design, Peter Ashenden
  - Synthesis and Optimization of Digital Circuits,
    Giovanni De Micheli
  - Advanced Operating Systems, Mukesh Singhal & Niranjan Shivaratri, McGraw Hill Series, International Edition. (CE Core)
  - Analysis & Design of Analog Integrated Circuits, 3rd Edition, Paul Gray & Robert Meyer
  - 8051 microcontroller, Mazidi & Mazidi (CE core)
- Signal Processing / Communications / Telecommunications Engineering
  - Digital Signal Processing, Third Edition , Proakis and Manolaikis, McGraw Hill (Core for Signal processing and Communications)
  - Stark and Woods: Probability, Random Processes, and Estimation for Engineers, Prentice-Hall, third edition. (Core for Signal processing Communications and Telecommunications Engineering)
  - Linear System Theory and Design by Chi-Tsong Chen. The publisher is Oxford University and shall use the latest edition.(Elective)
  - Data Networks by Bersekas and Gallager, Prentice Hall (Core for Signal processing and Communications)
  - Digital Communications, Third Edition , Proakis, McGraw Hill (Core for Signal processing Communications and Telecommunications Engineering)
  - Adaptive Filter Theory, Simon Haykin, Prentice Hall (Elective)
  - Error Control Coding: Theory and Applications by Shu Lin and Daniel Costello (Elective)
- Management (MBA) / MIS
  - Business Core
    - ACCT 6305: Accounting for Managers
      - Management Accounting, 2nd Ed, Rajiv D Banker, Anthony Atkinson, S. Mark Young
      - Financial Accounting - A Management Perspective, Robert N Holt, Ivy learning Systems
      OPRE 6201: Introduction to Operations Research
      - Introduction to Operations Research, 6th Ed Frederick S Hillier, McGraw Hill
      STAT 5311: Applied Statistics for Management Science
      - Statistics, Management and Economics, Keller and Warrack
      MIS 6204: Information Technologies and MIS Fundamentals (one of the two)
      - Foundations of Information Systems, Vladimir Zwass
      - Management Information Systems: Managing Information Technology in the Networked Enterprise, James A. O'Brian (1999)
    - MECO 6201: Business Economics
      - Exchange and Production: Competition, Coordination, and Control, 3rd Ed , Armen A. Alchian and William R. Allen (AA), South-Western Publishing, 1983
      - These are very important as they are the foundation courses
      - Financial Accounting (latest edition) 3rd Ed , By Hongren and 2 other authors
      Managerial Accounting 13th Ed , by Hongren and others
      
      Introduction to Marketing (latest edition),by Kotler

Indian Students Association

UTD ISA

The Road to Enlightenment