Admission Procedure, Computer Science, Graduate Transition Certificate in Computer Science, Course Descriptions

The Master of Science program with a major in Computer Science is designed to enhance career options for a broad mix of students. The distinctions of the program include both a high quality and accessibility to non-traditional groups of students.  The Master's courses are all taught by full-time faculty holding doctorates or occasionally by carefully selected experts with both academic and with industrial experience.  In addition to welcoming full-time students with degrees in Computer Science, we also cater to two major non-traditional groups of students: those whose schedules allow only for part-time studies and those without a degree in Computer Science.  For the first group, we offer almost all of our classes during the evenings (and a few on Saturdays).  For the second group of students, courses are offered that allow them to "transition" into the Master's courses.  The six transition courses are packaged into the credit-based Graduate Transition Certificate in Computer Science (GTCCS).

Although no specific undergraduate major is required, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school.

Admission Procedure
Applicants for admission to the Master of Science program with a major in Computer Science must submit the following to the Admissions Office:

• An application for admission to the program
• Two official transcripts from each college the applicant has attended
• A certificate of immunization.

• An official copy of scores from the "General Test" of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE),
• A statement of purpose in seeking this degree, and
• Three recommendation forms completed by former or current supervisors, professors, or professional colleagues.

In addition to having a baccalaureate degree from a recognized college/university, one of the following must be met for a student to be considered for this MS program at Southern Polytechnic State University:

Basic

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (out of a possible 4.0) or the equivalent
• Official GRE scores meeting the current admission profile
350V + 600Q + 500A

Advanced
The candidate for admission has already earned a recognized master's or doctor's degree in a closely related, quantitative field of study (e.g., engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics); the GRE is not required for consideration.  The GRE is strongly recommended if the degree is not from the United States.

Alternative
A student holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school who does not meet the criteria for Basic or Advanced categories may be admitted upon convincing the faculty of the School of CSE of extraordinary alternative qualifications (e.g., lengthy and distinguished employment in the computer field) that would predict the likelihood of success in completing the MS program.

If the number of applicants meeting the criteria exceeds the recent profile of the program, the applicants will be ranked on academic merit for further selection.
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Computer Science

The requirements are 36 hours of graduate work as designated below.

Only grades of 'C' or better may be applied to meet the degree requirements (including transition coursework).

An overall GPA of 3.0 ("B") or better is required over all graduate coursework attempted.

A maximum of 2 'C's at the level of 6000 or above may be applied if offset by the same number or more of 'A's at the level of 6000 or above.

Students applying to the program who do not have a degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering may be accepted conditionally. Upon acceptance, the admissions committee will evaluate the student’s transcripts.  If the committee determines necessary prerequisite courses the student must take before being fully admitted into the Master's Program, the student will be admitted with Conditionally Matriculated status. The required prerequisite courses are listed on the student's conditional acceptance letter and are required to make up deficiencies in the student's academic background.

Upon completion of the prerequisite courses with a grade of "B" or better, the student will be fully admitted into the Computer Science program and eligible to register for regular Master's (6000 level) coursework. None of the prerequisite courses (5000 level) will count towards the Master's Program.
 

Some students may be advised to start with the undergraduate Computer Science I course.
 

Electives (18 hours - 6 graduate courses from an approved list, including at least 3 with a CS prefix):

• Approved list will include all 6000 level and 7000 level CS and SWE courses, with the exception of SWE 7903 - Software Engineering Capstone.
• No more than one approved Information Technology course at the 6000 level may be counted toward the Master’s degree in CS.  The approved IT courses include: IT 6643, IT 6663, IT 6683, IT 6723, IT 6753, and IT 6763.
• Students may take a course at the 6000 level or above that is offered by another program with the approval of the CS Department Chair.

Graduate Transition Certificate in Computer Science
The Graduate Transition Certificate in Computer Science prepares individuals for Master's level computer science programs or entry-level positions in the industry. The program is designed for those students holding an accredited bachelor's degree in an area unrelated to computer science and having an interest in computer science.

The focus is on providing broad-based knowledge and skills. The required courses are:
 

Admissions prerequisites include:

• Some knowledge of programming (equivalent to CS 1301)
• Calculus