Computer Science, Master of Science
Overview
The objective of the Master of Science in Computer Science program (MSCS) is to prepare graduate students with the necessary knowledge and skills in Computer Science, as required by business, government, and academia.
Specific current technology fields include courses in:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud and mobile computing
- Software Engineering
The program is designed to meet the needs of current working professionals, who want to get a graduate degree to stay abreast of the changing field of computing, as well as those with a recent bachelor’s degree to advance their knowledge and skills for a career in Computer Science.
Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Young Lee, Graduate Program Coordinator (Computer Science), STEM Building 211E
Admission Requirements
All applicants to the Computer Science program will be reviewed by the department admissions committee headed by the graduate coordinator to determine eligibility for admission to the program based on the criteria listed below.
An applicant for admission must have the necessary academic preparation to complete graduate level courses in Computer Science.
Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from a regionally accredited college or university with a composite GPA of 3.0/4.0 or better in all prior advanced-level (Junior, Senior, and Graduate work) Math and Computer Science related work will receive unconditional admission to the program. Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from a regionally accredited college or university with a composite GPA below a 3.0/4.0 but above a 2.5/4.0 will be granted conditional admission for the first semester in the MSCS program.
If the applicant has not completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science but has a minimum GPA of a 3.0/4.0 or better in their major, they will be granted conditional admission in the MS CS program.
All students on conditional admission will be required to complete CSCI 5337 Applications Programming at A&M-SA in the first semester of admission and get a grade of “B” or better, in order to be permitted to continue in the MS CS program. For conditionally admitted students who successfully complete CSCI 5337 Applications Programming, it will be used as a required elective and will not increase their graduation hours.
Any student admitted on conditional status that earns a “C” or lower in CSCI 5337 Applications Programming at A&M-SA, will not be permitted to continue in the MS CS program.
Students admitted to the Computer Science program may not apply for more than 6 hours of department-approved graduate level coursework to be transferred from another regionally accredited college or university. For conditionally admitted students, CSCI 5337 Applications Programming cannot be transferred in.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science degree in Computer Science without a thesis can be completed through 30 hours of coursework, including a 3-credit-hour graduate seminar course, CSCI 5391. As part of this course requirement a non-thesis student will complete a major project followed by a presentation to demonstrate their Master's level knowledge and skills in computer science.
The Master of Science degree in Computer Science with thesis can be completed through 30 hours of coursework, including 6 credit hours earned from the thesis course CSCI 5395 taken during the last two semesters. The thesis student will complete and defend a thesis to demonstrate Master's level research capabilities in computer science.
Curriculum
Students in the MS Computer Science program can take graduate courses in Cybersecurity as elective courses.
Non-Thesis
Non-thesis track students are required to take 12 hours of required core courses, 15 hours of elective courses, and 3 hours of Graduate Seminar in the last semester for a total of 30 hours.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses (of all students) | 12 | |
| Electives | 15 | |
| CSCI 5391 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Thesis
Thesis track students are required to take 12 hours of required core courses, 12 hours of prescribed elective courses or free approved elective courses in computer science or information systems, and 6 hours of thesis for a total of 30 hours.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses (of all students) | 12 | |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Thesis | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Curricula
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Thesis Track | ||
| Required Core Courses | ||
| CSCI 5304 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5306 | Computer Networks | 3 |
| CSCI 5362 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5343 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Electives | 15 | |
| Secure Software Development | ||
| Mobile App Development I | ||
| Software Engineering | ||
| Software Quality Assurance | ||
| Info Assurance/Risk Management | ||
| Cryptography/Secure Comm | ||
| Security in Emerging Tech | ||
| Information Security | ||
| Software Project Management | ||
| Decision Support Systems | ||
| Enterprise Resource Planning | ||
| Bus Intelligence/Data Mining | ||
| Applications Programming | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Mobile App Development II | ||
| Business Process Integration | ||
| Sys Analysis Design & Impl | ||
| Big Data Analytics | ||
| Cloud Computing | ||
| Special Topic-Computer Science | ||
| Internship in Computer Science | ||
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| CSCI 5391 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Track | ||
| Required Core Courses | ||
| CSCI 5304 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5306 | Computer Networks | 3 |
| CSCI 5362 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5343 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Secure Software Development | ||
| Mobile App Development I | ||
| Software Engineering | ||
| Software Quality Assurance | ||
| Info Assurance/Risk Management | ||
| Cryptography/Secure Comm | ||
| Security in Emerging Tech | ||
| Information Security | ||
| Software Project Management | ||
| Decision Support Systems | ||
| Enterprise Resource Planning | ||
| Bus Intelligence/Data Mining | ||
| Applications Programming (Required elective for conditionally admitted students) | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Mobile App Development II | ||
| Business Process Integration | ||
| Sys Analysis Design & Impl | ||
| Big Data Analytics | ||
| Cloud Computing | ||
| Special Topic-Computer Science | ||
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| Internship in Computer Science | ||
| Thesis | ||
| CSCI 5395 | Thesis (taken twice - once in each of last two semesters) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
These suggested plans of study are intended to be used as a guide in conjunction with official degree requirements outlined in the catalog. This is an example of a degree track for a Computer Science major.
Non-Thesis Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| CSCI 5304 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5306 | Computer Networks (Prescribed Elective) | 3 |
| Prescribed Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CSCI 5362 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5343 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Prescribed Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Electives | 3 | |
| CSCI 5391 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Thesis Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| CSCI 5304 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5306 | Computer Networks | 3 |
| Prescribed Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CSCI 5362 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 5343 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Prescribed Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Prescribed or Free Approved Electives | 6 | |
| CSCI 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CSCI 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
To be taken during the last semester with the approval of the graduate advisor.