Master of Science in Computer Science

The Master of Science in Computer Science (M.S. CS) program is a terminal degree program designed to prepare students for more highly productive careers in industry.

Graduates receive the MSCS for completing one of three options in the program as described in the program of study. The program is designed for students who possess a bachelor's degree in computer science from an accredited institution. Students with a bachelor's degree in other than computer science are encouraged to apply as well, with the understanding that they may be required to complete remedial course work in addition to the requirements of the M.S. CS degree.

Admissions

Admission to the program is highly selective; there are many more qualified applicants than there are places in the program. The challenge for the College every year is to select a class from a highly qualified pool. The College looks for compelling reasons to admit candidates, and the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores and GPA are all reviewed carefully. Having a strong undergraduate background in computer science, including C programming, is highly recommended for applicants. The Admissions Committee welcomes additional pertinent information that will aid in making objective and informed decisions.

Students are admitted to the master's program only once a year. The application deadline is Feb. 1 for admission to the following fall semester.

Learn important information about our admissions process on our Admissions Requirements page.

Program rules

To learn more about our policies and procedures, please read our MSCS Handbook.

• GPA – Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 to graduate, and no course grades below C will be allowed to count toward graduation. All grades labeled below as core and elective courses within your specialization must be B or better.
• A maximum of 6 hours may be taken at the 4000-level and/or with a subject code other than CS or CSE. See exceptions under the Project and Thesis options below.
• Pass-Fail and Audit – All courses applied to the M.S. CS degree must be taken for a letter grade, other than thesis hours.
• The maximum total credit hours of Special Problems (CS or CSE 89xx) that may be applied toward the M.S. CS degree is 3. These courses must be within the CoC.
• There is no maximum number of Special Topics (CS or CSE 88xx) courses that may be used towards the degree.
• Each student must complete the requirements for one specialization.
• No coursework at the 1000, 2000, or 3000 level will count toward the MSCS degree (see Requirements for the Award of the Master's Degree, Rule 7 https://catalog.gatech.edu/academics/graduate/masters-degree-info/)

Program Options

Students may choose from one of the following three options in pursuing the M.S. CS.

• 30 hours of course work (no M.S. project or thesis hours)
• Total course credit hours required: 30
• Minimum CS/CSE course credit hours: 24
• Minimum CS/CSE course credit hours at the graduate (6000-8000) level: 24
• Minimum total credit hours at the 6000-8000 level: 24

Project Option

• 21 hours of course work and a 9-hour project. The student must obtain advance approval of the project proposal by the CoC faculty advisor and M.S. CS coordinator. See your academic advisor for more information.
• Total credit hours required: 30
• M.S. CS project hours (CS 6999): 9
• Total course credit hours: 21
• Minimum CS/CSE course hours required: 15*
• Minimum CS/CSE course credit hours at the graduate (6000-8000) level: 15*

Thesis Option

• 18 hours of course work and a 12-hour thesis. The student must obtain advance approval of the thesis proposal by the CoC faculty advisor and MSCS coordinator. See your academic advisor for more information about the thesis process.
• Total credit hours required: 30
• M.S. CS thesis hours (CS 7000): 12
• Minimum CS/CSE course hours required: 15*
• Minimum CS/CSE course credit hours at the graduate (6000-8000) level: 15*

*May not include MS project or thesis hours.

Specializations

Students in the M.S. CS program choose from 11 areas of specialization. This allows students to better customize their degree program. Learn more about our specializations and their course requirements on our specializations webpage.