Programs
Computer Science
M.S. Requirements
The Master of Science in Computer Science program includes a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work in the foundations of computer science, programming, systems, and applications.
Download the computer science section (PDF) of the University Graduate School Academic Bulletin for more information about the following requirements.
Curriculum
Most of the Computer Science Program’s courses at the 500-level and above are classified into these areas:
- Foundations (middle digit 0 or 1, e.g., B501, B502, B503, B510)
- Programming Languages (middle digit 2, e.g., B521, B522, P523, B524)
- Systems (middle digit 3 or 4, e.g., P536, B538, B541, P542, B543)
- Applications (middle digit 5, 6, 7 or 8, e.g., B551, B552, B553, B561, P565-566, P573, B581, B582)
General courses not associated with a specific area are numbered with a middle digit 9. Courses that involve a major programming project are designated as “programming-in-the-large,” and carry a course number with letter designation P.
Required Computer Science Courses (18 cr.)
- 6 courses in computer science listings at the 500-level or higher
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With prior written permission from the director of Master’s studies, one course may be selected from:
- CSCI B401 Fundamentals of Computing Theory (3 cr.)
- CSCI B403 Introduction to Algorithm Design and Analysis (3 cr.)
- CSCI P436 Introduction to Operating Systems (4 cr.)
- CSCI B443 Introduction to Computer Architecture (3 cr.)
- MATH M471 Numerical Analysis I (3 cr.)
- MATH M472 Numerical Analysis II (3 cr.)
- One course must be a CSCI P-course (3 cr.)
- One course must be a CSCI Foundations course (3 cr.)
- Two of the three areas (Programming, Systems, Applications) must be represented
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Computer Science Electives (3-6 cr.)
Creativity Requirement (6-9 cr.)
Students have a choice among five options to fulfill their creativity requirement.
- C: Computer science concentration.
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Three graduate-level courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) from computer science, including an additional P-level graduate course beyond the core requirements. Only 3 credit hours of these courses may be used for independent study (CSCI Y790 Graduate Independent Study).
- R: Master’s research project.
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Two graduate-level independent study courses (maximum of 6 credit hours), consisting of a survey or original research at a level appropriate for publication as a departmental technical report or conference presentation.
- S: Master’s software project.
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Two graduate-level independent study courses (maximum of 6 credit hours), consisting of substantial individual input into a major software research and development project, documented in the public domain.
- TH: Master’s thesis.
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Two graduate-level independent study courses (maximum of 6 credit hours), consisting of a formal master’s thesis as prescribed by the University Graduate School.
- A: Interdisciplinary application of computer science.
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Three or more courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) in a program that applies computer science to another discipline. These courses must be approved in advance by the graduate faculty and may affect the total number of credit hours you take in order to fulfill your computer science requirements.
