Graduate Catalog 2003-2004

Degree: Master of Science

The Department of Computer Science offers the Master of Science degree. The M.S. program provides educational opportunities in a wide range of fields of computer science. It offers a strong set of core courses as well as a large selection of specialized elective courses.

Students who wish may select a specialization in parallel and distributed computing, software engineering, telecommunications, or operations research.

The parallel and distributed computing specialization is designed for students interested in the design, analysis and use of integrated, distributed information processing systems. It includes intensive studies on principles of computer networking, client-server computing, high performance computer architectures, centralized and decentralized operating systems, and creation/visualization of data objects over the network.

The software engineering specialization is designed for students who want a focused study of software engineering. The program provides intensive studies in the software lifecycle, software development methodologies, formal models of software engineering, human-computer interaction, and database management.

The telecommunications specialization is designed for students interested in integrating the development of computing and communications technologies with policy issues. The specialization includes course work in computer networking, distributed computing, and operating systems as well as in the development of telecommunications policy and related social, ethical and legal issues.

The operations research specialization is designed for students who want to use mathematical techniques to model and analyze decision problems. The program includes theory and applications for linear programming, integer programming, network analysis, and simulation.

Prerequisites to Graduate Work

Applicants should have a background in computer science equivalent to that provided by the core undergraduate curriculum. (This does not apply to students with a concentration in operations research, as indicated below.) Prerequisites may be satisfied by courses actually taken as an undergraduate, by remedial course work taken while a graduate student, or by substantial practical experience in the computer field. Also, applicants should have a minimum mathematical background of differential calculus, integral calculus, and discrete mathematics. Additional courses in mathematics and statistics are also desirable. Deficiencies in mathematics may be made up at the beginning of graduate study.

Applicants planning to specialize in operations research should have a full-year sequence in programming using a higher-level language. Additional prerequisites are a full year of calculus, a course in linear algebra, a course in statistics, and an introduction to operations research. Deficiencies in background may be made up at the beginning of graduate study.

Admission Procedure
Applicants seeking admission to the M.S. program in computer science should follow the instructions outlined in the “Graduate Admission” section of this catalog.

Degree Requirements
Master of Science

Candidates must complete a total of 33 hours of graduate course work, including 15 hours of regular computer science course work at the 600 level, three hours of either CS 691 or CS 699, and 15 additional hours of course work. These additional hours may include computer science course work at the 500 or 600 level, with up to three hours chosen from the following: CS 585, CS 589, or approved graduate courses in other departments.

Candidates must maintain a 3.0 grade point average overall, as well as a 3.0 grade point average in computer science courses.

All candidates are required to give an oral presentation on their thesis, project, or co-op experience.

Students may pursue the M.S. degree under one of two plans.

Requirements for Optional Specializations