The college offers concentrations in Data Science, Security, and Field Experience which meet all of the regular non-thesis master's degree requirements. The requirements for the Concentrations in Data Science and Security emphasize data science and security related courses. The Field Experience emphasizes internship skill development applied to project based courses.
All master's program students are expected to have a solid undergraduate background in computer science. If you are unsure of your background, you should consult master's advisor, Elizabeth Parolski, for course options.
Master's students are required to:
The Master's in Computer Science degree is a non-thesis degree, however, students interested in research are encouraged to participate in independent study research after their first semester of coursework. In addition, we have a Master's Project 6 credit research opportunity.
Our MS degree in Amherst usually takes two years (four semesters) to complete. We recommend the following distribution of courses for the four semesters:
|
Year |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
|
1st |
core (3cr) *International students must be registered for 9 credits to fulfill fulltime visa requirements |
core (3cr) |
Internship (optional) *CPT approval requires students to be enrolled in two consecutive semesters before applying; exception is only for field experience concentration |
|
2nd |
core (3 cr)
|
core (3 cr) -not online *International students are permitted one final semester of less than 9 credits |
|
Your background and the available course offerings may cause you to shift from this model. This list is intended only as a guide. We strongly recommend that students take no more than three graduate-level classes in any semester.
International students should consider a Curricular Practical Training during the first summer following the completion of two academic semesters. See the CICS CPT Process.
All MS students are eligible to apply for 15-week grader appointments after their first semester. Campus graduate hourly positions are also available.
Effective with the cohort entering in Fall 2016, students in terminal master's programs in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences are ineligible for assistantships in the college or elsewhere on campus. Exceptions can be granted only if supported by the Chair of the Faculty and approved by the Dean of the College, in extraordinary circumstances needed to meet instructional or research needs.