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MS Requirements

The Department has two tracks within its Masters degree program, differing by interest in pursuing a PhD.

  • Professional MS is the track for students who do not expect to apply to a PhD program. These students, instead, are pursuing the MS degree to learn more about Computer Science so they are better prepared for a job in the field.

  • Research MS is the track for students who are planning to (or thinking they might) apply for PhD programs. This group includes students who intend to apply for a transfer into the Department's MS+PhD or PhD programs.

Broadly speaking, the requirements for the two tracks are identical, but we suggest different ways of meeting the requirements, depending on the track. From all students starting work toward a Masters degree, the Department expects a solid undergraduate background in Computer Science. If you are unsure of your background, you should consult your advisor.

MS students are required to:

  • Satisfy 4 Core Requirements (at least one from each area)
  • Complete 30 course credits meeting the Course Requirements (core courses taken to satisfy core requirements are included)

Students in the Research MS track are encouraged to participate in research after their first two semesters of coursework.

Sample Schedule

Both tracks of our MS degree usually take two years (four semesters) to complete. We recommend the following distribution of courses of those four semesters:

Year

Fall

Spring

1st

core (3cr)
non-core (6cr) 

core (3cr)
non-core (6cr) 

2nd

core (3 cr)
non-core (3 cr) 

core (3 cr)
non-core (3 cr) 

Of course, your background and the available course offerings may cause you to shift from that model. This list is intended only as a guide. In any case, we do not recommend that students take more than three graduate-level classes in any semester.