Approximately 200 students enter the graduate programs annually, split between those entering the MS, the MSD, and the PhD programs. Our admissions standards are high, and hence the competition is rigorous for limited number of open positions within the program. Admission is based on an evaluation of both an applicant’s academic profile and research potential.
PhD Program
The PhD degrees are research focused and typically take five years to complete. Students are supported financially throughout their graduate career via a combination of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships, conditional on good progress.
MS Program
The MS degrees typically take two years and can be completed as a thesis or non-thesis degree. The degrees provide comprehensive course and research experience. MS students have the opportunity to apply for funding as teaching assistants or research assistants.
The PhD and MS degrees asume a completed undergraduate education in computer science or a related field.
The PhD and MS degrees are offered in Computer Science, and in Computing. In the Computing program, students select a track for specialization.
MSD Program
The Master of Software Development (MSD) degree is is a comprehensive and rigorous 16-month STEM program producing capable coders, big data analysts, computer security experts, and more for graduates looking to carve out a new career path. It’s also the perfect next step for those with no CS background who want to enhance their careers by learning software development. Please refer to the MSD page for more details.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs allow students in other departments to learn about a particular topic in depth and receive a certificate for completing the program. The certificate goes on the official transcript. Many of the classes in the certificate programs will be video recorded and live-streamed and made available soon after each class. This will help professional students on a busy schedule from falling behind if they miss a class, and will allow all students to easily review the material as presented in the lecture.
The School of Computing currently offers two Graduate Certificate Programs:
Up to 9 credits from courses taken in a certificate program can later be used in a graduate program.
PhD & MS Admissions
If you’re interested in attending graduate school in the School of Computing, please see our graduate admissions information.
FAQ
For questions related to the PhD and MS program, refer to the Graduate FAQ.
For questions related to the MSD Program, refer to the MSD page.
For questions related to the certificates, see the respective certificate pages.