The Master of Science in Computer Science (MS-CS) program has two tracks: a thesis-based option and a non-thesis based option.
A student interested in this degree should already have a background equivalent to an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field. The M.S. in Computer Science program provides a richly interactive face-to-face experience with our world-class faculty members.
The non-thesis track is for students who want to pursue a career in industry. The program will train graduate students to apply mainstream and advanced computer science knowledge to formulating and solving problems that range from those solved by routine computer science applications to those that require advancing the state-of-the-art in the discipline.
The thesis-based track is for students who are considering continuing their studies at the Ph.D. level or who are interested in pursuing a career in applied research. An ideal student for this program track is a recent graduate in Computer Science or a related degree program, who has aptitude and interest in research. This track represents a preparatory period designed to give the necessary tools and background needed to carry out more individualized and self-directed doctoral research. Financial support in the form of graduate assistantships and teaching assistantships may be available on a competitive basis. These assistantships include a tuition waiver and a stipend.
Ideal candidates for this M.S. program have an interest in computer science and have completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline with a GPA of at least 3.0. For students intending to pursue a thesis based program, it is recommended that their undergraduate curriculum includes two semesters of calculus, one semester of linear algebra and discrete mathematics, and one semester each of programming languages, computer architecture, theory of computation, design and analysis of algorithms, compilers, and operating systems. Well qualified students without this background may need additional undergraduate course work to make up any deficiencies based on the research topic they intend to pursue.