Program of Study for the Master of Science in Computer Science

Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the Graduate School ; official general GRE exam scores, unless waived; undergraduate course work in: Advanced programming in a high-level language; Discrete mathematics; Introductory theoretical computer science; Data structures; Assembly language; Computer architecture; Calculus (two semesters); Matrix or linear algebra; Calculus-based probability and/or statistics.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet or exceed the criteria for admission to the Graduate School . Meeting this condition does not guarantee admission.

Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility: The standardized exam (GRE) requirement may be waived for applicants who achieved a 3.2 GPA in undergraduate computer science courses involving programming and software engineering, architecture and systems, algorithms and theory, and written communication skills (as demonstrated by a grade of “B” or better in a communication course).

Location: On Campus

Additional Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility Information

Standardized exam (GRE, GMAT, MAT) waiver eligibility for graduate degree programs at Appalachian State varies by program, but requires that applicants hold a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last earned bachelor’s degree or 3.3 or higher in an earned graduate degree. No exam waiver is automatic but will require review and approval by the program and by the Graduate School upon submission of a complete application. An approved waiver request does not guarantee acceptance into the program. A denied waiver request does not mean that a candidate is denied admission to the program, only that a standardized exam score is needed to more fully evaluate the application.  More complete information about standardized exam waivers can be found in the Admissions Requirements section of this Bulletin .

Accelerated Master’s Program

This program offers an Accelerated Master’s  option for undergraduate students currently enrolled at Appalachian State University.

Course Requirements for the Master of Science in Computer Science

Concentration Requirements (9 Hours)

9 hours of graduate elective courses related to a theme and approved by the program director

Thesis Option (15 Hours)

Choose One:

Other Requirements for the MS in Computer Science

• Thesis: Optional
• Proficiency: Not required
• Candidacy: Required for thesis option; awarded upon approval of thesis committee and prospectus
• Comprehensive: A grade of B- or less in any of the required courses listed above requires passing a separately administered examination for the course; an oral defense of the thesis or project is also required
• Product of Learning: Not required