UNCC Computer Science Department

MS Program

overview

requirements

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science program in Computer Science requires 30 graduate credit hours, which may optionally include 6 hours of thesis. (MS Thesis Proposal; Topic Approval Form)

At least 15 hours of the courses applied to the degree must be from the Department of Computer Science. At least 24 hours must be from the College of Computing and Informatics. At least 15 hours must be 6000 level or above courses from CCI/COIT. A maximum of 6 hours of graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions.

A. Core subjects and breadth
(MS CS Core and Breadth Form)

Each student must demonstrate knowledge in the following three core subjects listed below. A student can satisfy the requirement of a core subject by having a prior undergraduate course on the subject, or completing the ITCS undergraduate course (which carries no graduate credit hours), or completing a related graduate course.

Programming Languages (ITCS 3102 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 5102
Algorithm Analysis (ITCS 2215 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 6114
Computer Architecture (ITCS 3182 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 5141

All of the above three core subjects must be completed before the end of the first year.

In addition, to ensure breadth, each student must demonstrate knowledge in at least two of the following four subjects listed below before graduation. A student can satisfy the breadth requirement on a subject by having a prior undergraduate course on the subject, or completing the ITCS undergraduate course (which carries no graduate credit hours), or completing a related graduate course.

Operating Systems (ITCS 3143 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 6144
Software Engineering (ITCS 3155 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 6112
Data Bases (ITCS 3160 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 6160
Communications and Networks (ITCS 3166 or equivalent) or related graduate course: ITCS 6166

B. System Course

Each student must complete at least one systems course:

ITCS 5141 Computer Organization and architecture
ITCS 6112 Software System Design and Implementation
ITCS 6144 Operating System Design
ITCS 6148 Advanced Object Oriented Systems
ITCS 6160 Database Systems
ITCS 6166 Computer Communication and Networks
ITCS 6182 Advanced Computer architecture

C. Theory Course

Each student must complete at least one theory course:

ITCS 5128 Programming Languages and Compliers
ITCS 6107 Formal Languages and Automata
ITCS 6114 Algorithms and Data Structures
ITCS 6115 Adv. Topics in Algorithms and Data Structures
ITCS 6165 Coding and Information Theory
ITCS 6170 Logic for Artificial Intelligence
ITCS 6175 Computability and Complexity

D. Areas of Concentration
(MS CS Area of Concentration Form)

Each student must take at least three related courses (9 hours) to form an area of concentration. The three courses forming the student's area of concentration must have the written approval of the student's academic advisor. Students are encouraged to have their areas of concentration aligned with the faculty research areas.