UNCC Computer Science Department

5-Year BA/BS-MS Degree Program

Program Description

The Computer Science Department offers a special program for high quality students who desire to pursue graduate study. By taking certain Computer Science graduate courses in their senior year in lieu of the corresponding undergraduate courses the student can obtain the BA or BS degree in Computer Science and then, with an additional year of graduate study, obtain the MS degree in Computer Science. Successful completion of this program cuts a year off of the standard time required to obtain an MS degree in Computer Science from UNC Charlotte.

According to the Winter 2006 Salary Report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary of undergraduate computer science graduates is $50K, and the average starting salary of Master's degree computer science graduates is $68K. By spending an extra year in school, you may increase your starting salary by 36%!

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, the potential student should, by the end of the first semester of his/her junior year:

Have earned credit for (including courses received through placement or transfer) at least 75 hours of coursework applicable to the undergraduate CS degree;
Have achieved a GPA of at least 3.2 overall and 3.3 in Computer Science courses; and
Have met with the MS Program Director to receive advising and approval for applying to the early-entry program.

Timetable for Gaining Admission to MS Early-Entry Program

First semester of junior year -- meet with the MS Program Director to receive advising about early-entry program.

Junior year -- take GRE exams (only verbal, quantitative, and analytic parts are required).

Second semester of junior year -- complete and submit early-entry application for graduate study in MS in Computer Science to the Graduate School.

End of senior year -- successfully complete requirements for BA/BS degree in CS, up to 12 hours of undergraduate course work can be substituted with corresponding graduate courses (and these graduate courses can also be applied to the MS degree).
Notification of acceptance will be made before the start of the senior year.

Approved Course Substitutions

Required CSCI U/G Graduate Substitutions

ITCS 3160 Database Design & Implementation ITCS 6160 Database Systems

ITCS 3143 Operating Systems ITCS 6144 Operating Systems Design

ITCS 3155 Software Engineering ITCS 6112 S/W Systems Design & Implementation

ITCS 4102 Programming Languages ITCS 5102 Survey of Programming Languages

ITCS 3182 Computer Organization & Architecture ITCS 5141 Computer Org & Architecture

ITCS 3183 Hardware Systems Design ITCS 6182 Advanced Computer Architecture

ITCS 3166 Distributed Computer Info Systems ITCS 6166 Computer Communications & Networks

Elective CSCI U/G Graduate substitutions

ITCS 3XXX/4XXX (up to 9 credit hours) Any graduate courses from the CCI that are not otherwise used in a substitution above (up to 9 hours)