The
Master of Science degree in Computer Science prepares students for a professional career in Software Development or Computer Science Research. The program exposes students to the complete life-cycle of computer application development including abstraction, modeling and algorithm development, leveraging computer systems, programming languages and development frameworks, and software development techniques and processes. Students also have the opportunity to study and develop applications in diverse applied areas such as:
- Computer Security
- Robotics and Computer Vision
- Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery
- Databases
- Mobile and Embedded Systems
- Intelligent Systems
- Computer Games
- Distributed Systems and Web Development
- Computer Graphics
- Computer Games
Graduates of the Computer Science Master's program are typically employed as developers and software engineers, and many also pursue a Ph.D. degree. The program is structured to provide students an expertise in the following core areas:
- Programming and Software Development
- Algorithm Design and Computer Science Concepts
- Computer and Database Systems
Students will acquire a broad range of skills including:
- Knowledge of key computer science concepts, techniques and algorithms
- An understanding of the workings and the API (Application Programming Interface) of modern computer systems including database systems
- Skills in programming and software development
- Expertise in your chosen area of Computer Science
- Research skills and experiences that can be applied in any endeavor
Learn more about admission to this program.
Online Learning Options
This degree can be completed entirely online. CDM online degrees are delivered mostly through
COL-enabled courses, although other delivery technologies are also used. If a course is COL-enabled, any student registered in the course has access to the course playback. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize the COL resource wherever available. To complete this degree a student may take any combination of online and on campus courses. For more information on online learning at CDM visit the
Online Learning page.
CourseRequirements
Prerequisite Phase
The goal of the prerequisite phase is to give students the background necessary for starting the graduate program. These prerequisite phase requirements can be fulfilled in one of three ways:
- The student takes the course and earns a grade of B- or higher
- The student takes a Graduate Assessment Exam (GAE) to test out of the course
- The faculty advisor waives the course because of equivalent academic background or work experience.
All students are blocked from enrolling in Graduate Phase courses prior to completing their prerequisites. Students must submit an online Change of Status request (through myCDM) when the Prerequisite Phase is completed to inform the Student Services offices that the block can be removed.
| CSC 202 |
| CSC 211 AND CSC 212 |
| OR CSC 224 |
| OR CSC 396 |
| CSC 383 |
| CSC 373 |
| CSC 374 |
Foundation Phase
| CSC 421 |
| CSC 435 |
| CSC 447 |
| CSC 453 |
| SE 450 |
Major electives
Graduates of the MS in Computer Science program must be proficient in the at least one broad area of Computer Science listed below. For this reason students will take the remaining 8 elective courses as follows:
- 4 courses from one area
- 4 additional courses from any area. Including the option to take the 2-course SE Studio sequence, the 2-course GAM studio sequence, the 1-course CS capstone, the Research Colloquium course, or write an MS Thesis, or develop an MS Research Project.
The courses in each area are listed below. The Independent Study courses (CSC 695) may be taken for up to 8 credits and at most 4 credit hours of CSC 695 can count towards the chosen area.
Special requirements for the Software and System Development area | Many graduates of the Computer Science program work as software developers. Students choosing to specifically prepare for this career path should choose the Software and System Development area.The requirements for students choosing this area are: |
- 4 courses from the Software and System Development area
|
- (1 course from Software Engineering and CSC 597 )
or (SE 491 and SE 591 )
or (GAM 690 and GAM 691 )
|
|
Areas - Software and Systems Development
| CSC 438 |
| CSC 439 |
| CSC 443 |
| CSC 448 |
| CSC 475 |
| CSC 548 |
| CSC 549 |
| CSC 551 |
| CSC 553 |
| CSC 536 |
| CSC 540 |
| CSC 534 |
| CSC 552 |
| GAM 491 |
| SE 560 |
| SE 452 |
| SE 459 |
| SE 554 |
| CNS 450 |
| SE 491 (Capstone) |
| SE 591 (Capstone) |
| CSC 597 (Capstone) |
| GAM 690 |
| GAM 691 |
- Theory
| CSC 431 |
| CSC 440 |
| CSC 444 |
| CSC 489 |
| CSC 421 |
| CSC 503 |
| CSC 521 |
| CSC 525 |
| CSC 531 |
| CSC 535 |
| CSC 557 |
| CSC 547 |
| CSC 580 |
| CSC 591 |
| SE 533 |
- Database Systems
| CSC 452 |
| CSC 454 |
| CSC 543 |
| CSC 549 |
| CSC 551 |
| CSC 553 |
| CSC 554 |
| CSC 575 |
| CSC 589 |
- Artificial Intelligence
| CSC 457 |
| CSC 458 |
| CSC 480 |
| CSC 583 |
| CSC 495 |
| CSC 575 |
| CSC 528 |
| CSC 578 |
| CSC 582 |
| CSC 587 |
| CSC 594 |
| CSC 481 |
| CSC 538 |
| CSC 482 |
| CSC 592 |
| CSC 423 |
| CSC 424 |
| CSC 425 |
| CSC 428 |
| ECT 584 |
- Software Engineering
| SE 430 |
| SE 433 |
| SE 453 |
| SE 459 |
| SE 457 |
| SE 468 |
| SE 470 |
| SE 477 |
| SE 480 |
| SE 482 |
| SE 525 |
| SE 526 |
| SE 533 |
| SE 529 |
| SE 546 |
| SE 549 |
- Security
| CNS 450 |
| CSC 439 |
| CSC 440 |
| CSC 557 |
| SE 525 |
| SE 526 |
| TDC 588 |
- Multimedia
| GAM 450 |
| GAM 453 |
| GAM 474 |
| GAM 475 |
| GAM 476 |
| GAM 486 |
| GAM 490 |
| GAM 575 |
| GAM 690 |
| GAM 691 |
| GPH 436 |
| GPH 469 |
| GPH 570 |
| GPH 572 |
| GPH 580 |
| HCI 440 |
| SE 456 |
| SE 556 |
| SE 558 |
| TDC 573 |
Research and Thesis Options
As part of their electives, students have the option of signing up for the Research Colloquium or an Independent Study, or completing a Research Project, or writing a Master Thesis.
- Research Colloquium
| The research colloquium consists of weekly talks by a variety of speakers including faculty, students, and guests from the academic and business communities. The lectures feature new creative and scholarly work that encompasses the disciplines and areas of interest of the school of computing. Students interested in attending the colloquium and receiving credit should sign up for the CSC 500 course (NOTE: this course carries only 2 credits; it may be taken twice for credit.) Student evaluation is based on attendance as well as an online journal with reflections on each of the presentations. The educational objectives are to expose students to creative and scholarly research at DePaul and elsewhere, and to engage students in the thought process of identifying and solving challenging research problems. |
- Master's Independent Study
| Students interested in a more in-depth study of a particular area can choose to work with a faculty member (not necessarily their academic advisor) on an independent study or research project. The work involved may include system development, empirical studies, or theoretical work. The student will register for up to 4 credit hours of CSC 695 . Four credit hours of CSC695 replace one 500 level CS elective course in the MS in CS program. CSC695 can be taken multiple times for up to 8 credit hours. Students must successfully complete the Foundation Phase courses prior to their first enrollment in CSC 695. Students interested in the Master's Research option must take CSC 695 for 8 credits. Students interested in the Master' Thesis option will typically take 8 credits of CSC695. |
- Master's Research
| A student who has made a significant contribution to a research project, through work done in 2 quarters of CSC 695 (8 credit-hours), may choose to complete the Master's Research option. The student must submit a technical report detailing the results of the research project. This report must be approved by the student's research supervisor and the faculty advisor, at which point it will be made available to the public as a CDM Departmental Master's Research Technical Report. In that case, the student will be allowed to register for the 0 credit course CSC 696 and the transcript will show the research project title as the course topic. |
- Master's Thesis
| A student who has made an original contribution to the area (through work done by CSC 695, typically) may choose to complete a Master's Thesis. The student and the student's research advisor should form a Master's Thesis Committee of 3 faculty. The student will need submit to the committee a thesis detailing the results of the research project. After a public defense, the committee will decide whether to accept the thesis. In that case, the student will be allowed to register for the 0 credit course CSC 698 . and the transcript will show the thesis title as the course topic. The thesis will be made available to the public as a CDM Departmental Master's Thesis Technical Report. |