Computer Science, MS

Graduate Program Coordinator:
Dr. Sharad Sharma

The Master of Science in Computer Science program emphasizes fundamental computer science concepts and their applications, sciences and engineering. This program provides the professional retraining of secondary teachers, computer scientists and other citizens desirous of a graduate degree in computer science.

Admission to the Program

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better (on a 4.0 point scale). In addition to meeting the general admission requirements of the Graduate School, applicants to the computer science program must fulfill departmental criteria. The Computer Science Graduate Admissions Committee considers applicants on an individual basis. An applicant who fulfills the following requirements may be granted unconditional admission to the program: a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and completion of the following courses in mathematics and computer science: Calculus of One Variable (i.e. Calculus I and II), one additional mathematics course beyond Calculus, (e.g. Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Abstract Algebra, Advanced Calculus, Discrete Structures), and COSC 404 - Software Design and Development (or equivalent).

Applicants who do not have the required mathematics and/or computer science background may be granted provisional admission, subject to completion of these requirements within the first four semesters. Completion of these requirements will not be a part of the applicant’s graduate program. An applicant who does not have a required computer science course (COSC 404) but has gained the knowledge of its contents through work experience or self-study may request a waiver, provided the student takes and passes a departmental examination for that course. For more details, the student should consult with his/her advisor upon admission to the program.

Note:

Students accepted into the graduate program in computer science can pursue either a Masters degree or a Doctoral degree in computer science. However, students pursuing a Doctorate degree can request to be awarded a Masters degree along the way provided they have fulfilled all the requirements for the Masters program.

Program Requirements

The requirements for the master’s degree in computer science are as follows:

1. A minimum of 36 credit hours as described below, with an overall grade point average of 3.00 or better. The coursework must include:
   
   Core Courses (15 credits):
   COSC 502, COSC 504, COSC 514, COSC 522 and COSC 528
   
   and one of the following two options:
   
   Option I: COSC 698 (3 credits ) Applied Research in Computer Science and five (5) elective courses (18 credits).
   or
   Option II: COSC 696 and COSC 697 (6 credits) Graduate (Master’s) Thesis and four (4) elective courses (18 credits).
    
2. A minimum of 30 credits, excluding prerequisite courses, must be completed at Bowie State University. Therefore, no more than six (6) graduate computer science credits may be transferred from other institutions.
3. A student must complete all degree requirements within a period of seven (7) consecutive years.
4. Students with a strong undergraduate computer science background are encouraged to substitute required courses with more advanced electives. Written permission of a graduate advisor is required. Also, each student is required to develop a program of study plan in consultation with his/her advisor. A total of 36 credits are needed to graduate.