Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: Content may no longer be accurate.

Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS)


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  • Grade Requirements: An MSCS student must complete all program courses, including electives, with a grade of “B-” or higher. In addition, the overall program GPA must be 3.0 or higher.
  • Credit Hour Requirements: The program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
  • Program Code: 8023MS
  • CIPC: 110701

Once enrolled, a student must register for at least one MSCS course each semester, except summers, until graduation. Students who fail to do so must petition for readmission into the program.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants for admission into the Master of Science in Computer Science program must possess a bachelor’s degree or be in the final stage of completing the degree. An overall GPA of 3.25 is required from the undergraduate program in which the bachelor’s degree is earned.

Applicants will submit:

  • Completed application.
  • Current resume.
  • Official transcripts from every institution of higher education attended.
  • Scores from the GRE. NOTE: Individuals who have already completed a graduate-level program and are well into established careers in a related field may be admitted without the GRE requirement, based on admission committee approval.
  • Contact information for three references, at least one from a professional context and one from an academic context.

Additional Admission Requirements for International Students

All international students and any applicant educated outside the U.S. must demonstrate proficiency in English. Those whose native language is not English, or whose language of instruction for their undergraduate degree was not English, will be required to submit a score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International Language Testing System (IELTS) which is not more than two years old. Applicants are required to have an internet-based TOEFL score of 79-80 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.0.

Application

The application for admission to the Master of Science in Computer Science program must be submitted online. Official transcripts from each institution of higher education attended and all test scores must be sent directly to the WSU School of Computing.

Deadlines for application are October 15, for students enrolling in spring semester and March 15, for students enrolling in fall semester. Completed applications are considered by the Admissions Committee after each application deadline

Advisement

For issues regarding admissions, registration, and scheduling, students should contact the Graduate Enrollment Director. For questions concerning academic advisement, the primary source of contact is the MSCS Program Director. Students should meet with the director at least once a year while enrolled.

Leveling Courses


As determined on a case-by-case basis, students with non-computer science degrees may be required to take leveling courses in technology-related areas that will adequately prepare them for the MS core courses. The minimum leveling courses for non-computer science degrees are the following:

Course Requirements for MSCS


Required Core MSCS courses (10 credits):


Required Thesis Research, Design Project, or Course-Work Only Option (6 credits):


MSCS Students are required to complete original research resulting in a thesis (CS 6011 ), a substantial project (CS 6010 ), or a course-work option (CS 6450  and another CS graduate elective). The student must declare to the department their intent to do a thesis, project or course-work only option. It is presumed that students will do a research thesis unless the program director is otherwise notified.

Generally, CS 6011  is taken by students who are interested in being introduced to research and development and are considering the possibility of pursuing their doctorate (Ph.D.).

Alternatively, CS 6010  is taken by students with an industry-minded perspective.

The course-work only option is for students seeking to increase their technical depth in Computer Science.

A total of 6 or more credits is required for each of the three tracks.

Select a Track (6 credits):


Thesis Option (6 credits)

Project Option (6 credits)

Course-Work Option (6 credits)

Computer Science Graduate Electives (9 credits)


In addition to the previously listed courses, MSCS students are required to complete 9 hours of Computer Science (CS) graduate electives. For these 9 credits, students may select any other graduate CS courses that do not meet the previous requirements. For a list of scheduled and recently scheduled CS graduate courses, see the following: https://weber.edu/mscs/course-schedule.html.

Additional Graduate Electives (6 credits):


In addition, MSCS students are required to complete 6 additional graduate electives. These additional graduate electives can be any CS graduate course not previously applied to another requirement, any graduate course that is approved by the MSCS graduate director, or one of the approved courses from the following list:

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