Computer Science MSCS

Major: Computer Science
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0 
Co-op Option: Available for full-time, on-campus master's-level students
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 11.0701
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-3021; 15-1111; 15-1131; 15-1132; 15-1199

About the Program

The Department of Computer Science in the College of Computing & Informatics houses research groups actively conducting research on a wide range of topics in Computer Science including artificial intelligence, machine learning, algorithms, theory, computer vision and graphics, programming languages, networks, privacy and security, high-performance computing, software engineering, and computer algebra. The department emphasizes both interdisciplinary and applied research and is supported by major federal research grants from the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as well as by private sources.

The Master of Science in Computer Science program is designed to provide breadth of understanding in the core topics of computer science, in-depth advanced material, and a range of topics in the research areas of the faculty. A balance of theory and practice is presented, preparing students to perform cutting-edge research, as well as training students to become practicing computer scientists or software engineers in business, industry, or government. A thesis option is available to prepare students for doctoral studies or other research-oriented career paths.

The program provides room for electives outside of Computer Science in an area which the student wishes to apply their computing skills and from the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Computer Science Foundations (for those with an insufficient Computer Science background).

A graduate co-op is available; for more information, visit the Steinbright Career Development Center's website.

Additional Information

For more information about the Master of Science in Computer Science degree program, including admission requirements, visit the College of Computing & Informatics website.

Master of Science in Computer Science

Students must complete a minimum of 45.0 graduate credits for the MS degree. 

Core Courses15.0
Choose 1 course from each category
Theory
Data Structures and Algorithms I
Theory of Computation
Computer Systems
Operating Systems
Computer Networks
Intelligent Systems
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Programming Systems
Programming Languages
Software Design
Applications
Fundamentals of Databases
Cryptography
Developing User Interfaces
Computer Graphics
High Performance Computing
Game Engine Programming
Applied Symbolic Computation
Introduction to Computer Vision
Privacy
Security Engineering
Major Specific Electives18.0
Choose 6 additional graduate-level CS and/or SE courses, except CS 501, CS 502, CS 503, CS 504.
May include 6 credits of thesis coursework.
Flexible Electives12.0
Choose 4 additional courses, which may include:
Any graduate-level courses within CCI (CI, CS, CT, DSCI, INFO, SE)
Up to 6 credits of independent study
Up to 6 credits of thesis coursework
Up to 6 credits of related graduate-level coursework outside of CCI, with prior approval by the College
Optional Coop Experience *0-1
Career Management and Professional Development for Master's Degree Students
Total Credits45.0-46.0
*

Co-op is an option for this degree for full-time on-campus students. To prepare for the 6-month co-op experience, students will complete: COOP 500. The total credits required for this degree with the co-op experience is 46.0

Students not participating in the co-op experience will need 45.0 credits to graduate.

Sample Plan of Study (MSCS)

Part-Time, no co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
Core Courses6.0Core Courses6.0Core Course3.0Major Electives6.0
  Major Elective3.0 
 6 6 6 6
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
Major Electives6.0Major Elective3.0Flexible Electives6.0Flexible Elective3.0
 Flexible Elective3.0  
 6 6 6 3
Total Credits 45

Note: Second Year Summer is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.

Full-Time, with co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
Core Courses9.0Core Courses6.0Major Electives9.0Graduate Co-op
COOP 5001.0Major Elective3.0  
 10 9 9 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
Graduate Co-opMajor Electives6.0Flexible Electives9.0 
 Flexible Elective3.0  
 0 9 9 
Total Credits 46

Note: Second Year Summer is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.

Dual Degree Opportunities

Graduate students already enrolled in a master's degree program at Drexel have the opportunity, through the dual master's program, to work simultaneously on two CCI master's degrees and to receive both upon graduation. To be eligible, graduate students must be currently working on their first CCI master's degree when requesting admission to the second CCI master's degree. They must obtain approval from the graduate advisors of both programs and work out a plan of study encompassing coursework and/or research (thesis) credits for both degrees.

Some courses may be used to satisfy requirements in both degrees, reducing the total number of courses taken, according to Drexel’s Dual MS Degree Policy. The dual degree for MSCS students is only available to on-campus students. Please contact your advisor for more information on program requirements as some CCI master's degree combinations may require additional prerequisites.

The dual master's student must complete the Change of Curriculum and Status form and obtain approvals from both graduate advisors. Final approval is granted by the Graduate College. The student is then registered in both majors simultaneously. Upon graduation, the student must file two Application for Degree forms.

3675 Market Street

The College of Computing & Informatics is located at 3675 Market. Occupying three floors in the modern uCity Square building, CCI's home offers state-of-the-art technology in our classrooms, research labs, offices, meeting areas and collaboration spaces. 3675 Market offers Class A laboratory, office, coworking, and convening spaces. Located at the intersection of Market Street and 37th Street, 3675 Market acts as a physical nexus, bridging academic campuses and medical centers to the east and south, the commercial corridors along Market Street and Chestnut Street, and the residential communities to the north and west.

The uCity Square building offers:

  • Speculative lab/office space
  • World-class facilities operated by CIC
  • Café/restaurant on-site
  • Quorum, a two-story, 15K SF convening space and conference center
  • Adjacent to future public square
  • Access to Science Center’s nationally renowned business acceleration and technology commercialization programs

Drexel University Libraries

Drexel University Libraries is a learning enterprise, advancing the University’s academic mission through serving as educators, supporting education and research, collaborating with researchers, and fostering intentional learning outside of the classroom. Drexel University Libraries engages with Drexel communities through three physical locations, including W. W. Hagerty Library, Queen Lane Library, and the Library Learning Terrace, as well as a vibrant online presence which sees, on average, over 8,000 visits per day. In the W.W. Hagerty Library location, College of Computing & Informatics students have access to private study rooms and nearly half a million books, periodicals, DVDs, videos and University Archives. All fields of inquiry are covered, including: library and information science, computer science, software engineering, health informatics, information systems, and computing technology. Resources are available online at library.drexel.edu or in-person at W. W. Hagerty Library.

The Libraries also make available laptop and desktop PC and Mac computers, printers and scanners, spaces for quiet work or group projects and designated 24/7 spaces. Librarians and library staff—including a liaison librarian for computing and informatics—are available for individual research consultations and to answer questions about materials or services.

CCI Commons

Located on the 10th floor of 3675 Market Street, the CCI Commons is an open lab and collaborative work environment for students. It features desktop computers, a wireless/laptop area, free black and white printing, and more collaborative space for its students. Students have access to 3675 Market's fully equipped conference room with 42” displays and videoconferencing capabilities. The CCI Commons provides technical support to students, faculty, and professional staff. In addition, the staff provides audio-visual support for all presentation classrooms within 3675 Market. Use of the CCI Commons is reserved for all students taking CCI courses.

The computers for general use are Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OSX machines with appropriate applications which include the Microsoft Office suite, various database management systems, modeling tools, and statistical analysis software. Library-related resources may be accessed at the CCI Commons and through the W.W. Hagerty Library. The College is a member of the "Azure Dev Tools for Teaching” platform that allows students free access to a wide array of Microsoft software titles and operating systems.

The CCI Commons, student labs, and classrooms have access to networked databases, print and file resources within the College, and the Internet via the University’s network. Email accounts, Internet and BannerWeb access are available through the Office of Information Resources and Technology.

CCI Learning Center

The CCI Learning Center (CLC), located in 3675 Market Street's CCI Commons student computer lab, provides consulting and other learning resources for students taking courses offered by the Computer Science Department. The CLC is staffed by graduate and undergraduate computer science students from the College of Computing & Informatics.

The CLC and CCI Commons serve as a central hub for small group work, student meetings, and TA assistance. 

Research Laboratories

The College houses multiple research labs, led by CCI faculty, in 3675 Market Street including: the Metadata Research Center (MRC), Interactive Systems for Healthcare (IS4H) Research, Economics and Computation (EconCS), The TeX-Base Lab, SPiking And Recurrent SoftwarE (SPARSE) Coding, Human-System Evaluation and Analysis Lab (H-SEAL), Applied Symbolic Computation Laboratory (ASYM), Software Engineering Research Group (SERG), Social Computing Research Group, Vision and Cognition Laboratory (VisCog) and the Vision and Graphics Laboratory. For more information on these laboratories, please visit the College’s research web page.

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