Semester-by-Semester Plan

Typically, you can earn an MS degree in computer science from the Center for Advanced Computer Studies in four semesters.

An example course selection plan following the MS in computer science project track (which is available to only on-campus students)  is shown below. It includes one 600-level CSCE course and one graduate course taken outside the department in the fourth semester.

To modify this plan so it fits the requirements of the coursework track, the CSCE 590 class taken in semester four could be dropped. Only two of the three classes listed in the fourth semester need be taken to obtain the 33 hours needed to graduate. Three courses are shown to indicate the different options for the student (project, advanced class, or out-of-department class).

The plan also includes 3 hours of seminar credit, which are required classes, but do not count toward the 33 hours applicable to the degree.

Example plan for masters in computer science degree

Semester 1

• CSCE 500, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, 3 credit hours
• CMPS 430G, Computer Architecture, 3 credit hours
• CPMS 450G, Programming Languages, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 595, Graduate Seminar

Semester 2

• CSCE 555, Principles of Operating Systems Theory, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 588, Neural Networks, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 566, Data Mining, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 595, Graduate Seminar

Semester 3

• CSCE 513, Principles of Computer Communications and Networks, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 521, Automated Reasoning, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 515, Principles of Computer Graphics, 3 credit hours
• CSCE 595, Graduate Seminar

Semester 4

• CSCE 590, Special Project, 3 hours
• CSCE 619, Advanced Topics in Computer Science
• TLCM 502 Telecommunication Systems, 3 credit hours