All students must meet the Requirements for the Master's Degree
Overview
The M.S. program in Computer Science offers thesis, project, and course work only options. Acceptance into thesis or project options is conditional upon the student finding an eligible advisor who agrees to supervise the thesis or project. Please see the Department of Computer Science website for current research interests of the department's faculty.
Specific Requirements
Minimum Degree Requirements
| Requirement Description | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Option A (Thesis) | ||
| 30 credits, including a minimum of 21 credits of approved course work, at least 6 of which must be at the 6000-level, and a minimum of 6 credits of thesis research (CS 6391) | 30 | |
| Option B (Project) | ||
| 30 credits, including a minimum of 24 credits of approved course work, at least 6 of which must be at the 6000-level, and a minimum of 3 credits of project research (CS 6392) | 30 | |
| Option C (Non-Thesis) | ||
| 30 credits of approved course work, at least 6 of which must be at the 6000-level | 30 | |
| All Options | ||
| Students in all options must take 4 other core Computer Science Courses, to be determined in consultation with and approval of the student’s graduate advisor and the CS graduate coordinator, depending on a student’s background and interests | ||
| Pass comprehensive exams covering material from the 4 approved core courses | ||
| Fulfill the credit requirement with approved graduate-level course work in computer science or related areas. (Only courses with grades of B- or above are counted towards course work requirements and students with 2 grades below B are eligible for dismissal.) | ||
Comprehensive Examination
For the course-based Master's, students may choose 1 of 2 options to satisfy the MS CS Comprehensive Examination requirements:
Option 1: Receiving a grade of A- or better in all 4 core courses constitutes successfully completing the comprehensive examination requirements.
Option 2: Students must pass a Graduate Comprehensive Exam administered by the CS Department. This exam will be offered at the end of the semester for relevant students.
Thesis or project students must demonstrate mastery of the material by one of three possible routes: an oral exam, a paper, or a code portfolio. The exact format will be decided upon by the Student's Studies Committee (their Project/Thesis advisor and the CS Graduate Program Director) in consultation with the student. For Thesis students, the written Thesis and oral defense can serve as the required paper or oral exam. For Project students, final project code and any associated public presentation can serve as the required code portfolio or oral exam.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Science
Passing of the comprehensive examination.