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 a STEM major or have an earned master’s degree.

Location: Boone Campus

Accelerated Master’s Program

This program offers an Accelerated Master’s  option for undergraduate students with a 3.2 or higher currently enrolled at Appalachian State University.

Course Requirements for the Master of Science in Computer Science

Concentration Requirements (9 Hours)

9 hours of graduate courses chosen from:

• C_S 5120 - Applications of Graph Theory and Combinatorics (3)
• C_S 5440 - Topics in Artificial Intelligence (3)
• C_S 5550 - Theoretical Computer Science (3) [DL]
• C_S 5631 - Programming Language Translation (3)

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