Computer Science Professional Master's Program
Master of Computer Science (MCS)
The Master of Computer Science (MCS) is a Professional Master's degree program designed for:
- Computer science professionals currently working in business, government, or industry who want to advance their careers.
- Recent computer science graduates who want to extend and deepen their knowledge of the field in order to gain a competitive edge in the job market.
- People without a previous degree in computer science who want to prepare for a career as a working computer science professional.
The MCS program provides a conceptual and practical education in computer science by combining a broad core curriculum with user-selected areas of study. MCS coursework can include CS Professional courses. Students in the MCS program can choose to do a Master's Project (but not a Master's Thesis) or coursework-only. There is no master's comprehensive exam.
The general MCS program requires 30 credit hours of coursework and offers students the most flexibility in selecting elective courses. Students interested in an especially extensive study of a topic can choose one of 11 specializations, but specialization is not required.
Technical Specializations: There are eight specializations in areas of computer science: Computational Intelligence, Cyber-Physical Systems, Data Analytics, Database Systems, Distributed and Cloud Computing, Information Security and Assurance, Networking and Communications, and Software Engineering. Students in these specializations take four of their elective courses in their area of specialization, for a total (as in the general MCS) of 30 credit hours.
Application-Area Specializations: There are three specializations in areas that apply computer science: Business, Education, and Finance. Students take three courses in their area of specialization, for a total of 33 credit hours. Business and Finance courses are taken from the Stuart School of Business (SSB); Education courses are taken from the Department of Mathematics and Science Education (MSED).