Computer Science, MS

About the Program

The Master of Science in Computer Science integrates fundamental theoretical concepts with sophisticated practical applications. Graduates will be prepared for employment in the field, and, for those students who are so interested, for further studies in computer science. Students must have the necessary prerequisite knowledge to undertake the study of advanced computer science topics.

Special Program Requirements

• No grade lower than 2.0 is allowed in the Plan of Study, and at most two grades may be below 3.0. A minimum 3.0 GPA must be maintained.
• All courses taken as a temporary (non-degree) student must receive a grade of 3.0 or better.
• No more than two transfer courses (6 credit hours) from other institutions may be used in a Plan of Study. To be eligible for transfer, courses must:
• Have a grade of 3.0 or better. 
• Be approved by the student’s graduate advisor and the chair of the graduate program.
• Not have been used toward a degree at another institution.
• Please refer to the section on graduate study for other regulations governing graduate study at Purdue Northwest.
• A maximum of two non-Computer Science courses (6 credit hours) may be accepted toward the degree if they are in a related area and approved by the CS faculty. Courses must be graduate-level, taken for graduate credit, and have a grade of 3.0 or higher.

Degree Requirements

The Computer Science program is available in either a thesis or coursework-only option.

Coursework-Only Option:

• · Consists of 9 credit hours of required core courses and 21 credit hours of electives, totaling 30 credit hours.
• · At least 24 credit hours must be lecture-based courses.
• · A maximum of 6 credit hours of independent study or similar courses may count toward the 30-credit requirement.

Thesis Option:

• · Students must complete 9 credit hours of thesis research and 21 credit hours of coursework, totaling 30 credit hours.
• · The thesis option includes:
• 3 credit hours of CS 69010 Seminar On Topics In Computer Science  
• 6 credit hours of CS 69810 Research MS Thesis  
• If students switch to the coursework-only option, the 3 credit hours of CS 69010 may count toward the 30-credit coursework requirement.

Total 30 Credits Required

Concentration Options

The Computer Science (CS) program also provides three concentrations as optional tracks for those who desire specialization to gain in-depth knowledge in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and Software Engineering.