The Master of Science program in Computer Science is overseen by the Computer Science Graduate Committee (CSGC). The basic guidelines for approval of a student’s program are recommendations appearing in the Communications of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the professional society in Computer Science.
Prerequisites for Admission
Completion of the following courses, or their equivalents, is prerequisite to entry into the program:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSC 120 | Computer Programming I | 4 |
| CSC 220 | Computer Programming II | 4 |
| CSC 317 | Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis | 3 |
| MTH 161 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MTH 224 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 210 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MTH 309 | Discrete Mathematics I | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |
Students may be admitted with deficiencies, normally a maximum of 6 credits. These must be completed in addition to the degree requirements.
Admission Requirements
Completion of the following courses, or their equivalents, is prerequisite to entry into the program:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSC 120 | Computer Programming I | 4 |
| CSC 220 | Computer Programming II | 4 |
| CSC 317 | Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis | 3 |
| MTH 161 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MTH 224 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 210 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MTH 309 | Discrete Mathematics I | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |
Students may be admitted with deficiencies, normally a maximum of 6 credits. These must be completed in addition to the degree requirements.
Curriculum Requirements
Thesis Option
Students must complete the Graduate School requirements, and the Departmental requirements described here.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 24 | |
24 credits from approved courses, including at least 9 credits from CSC7XX courses and at least one course from four of the following five core areas. 1 | ||
Algorithms | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 647 | Computational Geometry | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 732 | Parallel Algorithms | |
Data Science / Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Statistical Learning with Applications | ||
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 646 | Introduction to Machine Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 649 | Biomedical Data Science | |
or CSC 650 | Computational Neuroscience | |
or CSC 746 | Neural Networks and Deep Learning | |
or CSC 749 | Automated Reasoning | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
or CSC 752 | Autonomous Robotic Systems | |
Software | ||
| Introduction to Computer Graphics | ||
or CSC 631 | Introduction to Software Engineering | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
or CSC 642 | Statistical Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 646 | Introduction to Machine Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 647 | Computational Geometry | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 649 | Biomedical Data Science | |
or CSC 650 | Computational Neuroscience | |
Systems | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 629 | Introduction to Computer Graphics | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
Theory | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
| Thesis | ||
| CSC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
At least 18 credit hours must be from CSC 6XX and CSC 7XX courses, and may not include more than 6 credit hours from CSC 670.
Curriculum Requirements
Non-Thesis Option
Students must complete the Graduate School requirements, and the Departmental requirements described here.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 27 | |
27 credits from approved courses, including at least 9 credits from CSC7XX courses. and at least one course from four of the following five core areas. 1 | ||
Algorithms | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 647 | Computational Geometry | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 732 | Parallel Algorithms | |
Data Science / Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Statistical Learning with Applications | ||
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 646 | Introduction to Machine Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 649 | Biomedical Data Science | |
or CSC 650 | Computational Neuroscience | |
or CSC 746 | Neural Networks and Deep Learning | |
or CSC 749 | Automated Reasoning | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
or CSC 752 | Autonomous Robotic Systems | |
Software | ||
| Introduction to Computer Graphics | ||
or CSC 631 | Introduction to Software Engineering | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
or CSC 642 | Statistical Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 646 | Introduction to Machine Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 647 | Computational Geometry | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 649 | Biomedical Data Science | |
or CSC 650 | Computational Neuroscience | |
Systems | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 629 | Introduction to Computer Graphics | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
Theory | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
| Coursework Capstone | ||
| CSC 712 | Computer Science Graduate Internship | 3 |
| or CSC 793 | Research Project | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
At least 18 credit hours must be from CSC 6XX and CSC 7XX courses, and may not include more than 6 credit hours from CSC 670.
Curriculum Requirements
Software Systems Concentration
Students must complete the Graduate School requirements, and the Departmental requirements described here.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| CSC 631 | Introduction to Software Engineering | 3 |
| Electives | 21 | |
21 credits from approved courses including at least 6 credits from CSC7XX courses and at least one course from three of the following four core areas. 1 | ||
Algorithms | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 647 | Computational Geometry | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 732 | Parallel Algorithms | |
Data Science / Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Statistical Learning with Applications | ||
or CSC 645 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
or CSC 646 | Introduction to Machine Learning with Applications | |
or CSC 648 | Problem Solving for Bioinformatics | |
or CSC 649 | Biomedical Data Science | |
or CSC 650 | Computational Neuroscience | |
or CSC 746 | Neural Networks and Deep Learning | |
or CSC 749 | Automated Reasoning | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
or CSC 752 | Autonomous Robotic Systems | |
Systems | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 616 | Cybersecurity | |
or CSC 629 | Introduction to Computer Graphics | |
or CSC 632 | Introduction to Parallel Computing | |
Theory | ||
| Data Security and Cryptography | ||
or CSC 640 | Algorithm Design and Analysis | |
or CSC 751 | Semantic Web | |
| Software Development Capstone | 6 | |
Option 1: Complete Internship: | ||
| Computer Science Graduate Internship | ||
Option 2: Complete the following courses: | ||
| Computer Science Software Project Design (Software Design) | ||
| Computer Science Software Project Implementation (Software Implementation) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
At least 18 credit hours must be from CSC 6XX and CSC 7XX courses, and may not include more than 6 credit hours from CSC 670.
Each program must include both theoretical and experimental topics. By graduation students will have knowledge in the areas of Programming Languages, Algorithm Design and Analysis, Theory of Computing, Operating Systems, Computer Networks, and Software Engineering. Each program is approved by the CSGC and the Department Chairman or designate. Programs may be individually tailored to meet varied backgrounds and objectives. It is recognized that there are individuals with undergraduate degrees in other fields wishing to pursue graduate work in Computer Science, and individuals with work experience in the field wishing to advance their formal training in Computer Science.
All Computer Science graduate TAs and RAs must complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training during their first semester in the department. All other Computer Science graduate students must complete RCR training before starting research work. Information about RCR training can be found from UM ethics programs: https://bioethics.miami.edu/clinical-and-research-ethics/responsible-conduct-of-research/index.html.
Sample Plan of Study
Thesis Option (2 Years)
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| CSC 810 | Master's Thesis | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| CSC 810 | Master's Thesis | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Sample Plan of Study
Non-Thesis Option
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| CSC 712 or 793 | Computer Science Graduate Internship or Research Project | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Sample Plan of Study
Software Systems Concentration (1 Year)
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| CSC 631 | Introduction to Software Engineering | 3 |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Approved Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| CSC 710 or 712 | Computer Science Software Project Design (Software Design) or Computer Science Graduate Internship | 3 |
| CSC 713 or 712 | Computer Science Software Project Implementation (Software Implementation) or Computer Science Graduate Internship | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Mission
The Department's mission is to educate and perform scholarly activities in Computer Science.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Student has adequate knowledge of 1) hardware and software systems and 2) design and implementation procedures for software systems.
- Student has foundation of theoretical computer science including discrete mathematics, automata and language theory, design and analysis of algorithms, computational complexity, and correctness of programs.
- Student has understanding and knowledge of the state-of-the-art hardware and software applications in one or more research area and has identified one or more open and interesting problems that computer scientists are currently addressing.
- Student has applied knowledge of computer science theories and software development methodologies to solve an original research topic. The student has written a thesis and presented to his thesis committee or created a significant software project.
