Computer Science Graduate Program (CSCI)
Offered Through the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology
in the School of Computing, Engineering and Environment
139 Engineering and Computing Center
Phone: 320.308.4966
Fax: 320.308.4269
E-mail: computerscience@stcloudstate.edu
Web site:http://www.stcloudstate.edu/computerscience/
Department Chairperson: Dr. Jayantha Herath
Department Secretary: Lori Laudenbach
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Ramnath Sarnath
Graduate Faculty: Anda, Hamnes, Herath, Jha, Julstrom, Meichsner, Sarnath
My advice for new graduate students in the program is to attend the lectures, reference course material. Take part in research and read more about a topic you really like. Try not to procrastinate but start early and talk with your professors often when you have doubts.
My graduate assistantship taught me how to bear responsibilities and how to manage my time and work with other students.
- Lasanth Heendaliya
The Profession
The Master of Science in Computer Science prepares students for a profession in the field of information systems. The program qualifies students for a job as a software engineer, a system administrator, a programmer, or a software system analyst and designer.
Employers
Graduates have enjoyed professional employment in a variety of settings, including Guidant, Medtronics, IBM, Beckman Coulter, Silicon Graphics, Quest Publishing, software consulting companies and as instructors at two-year colleges.
Admission Requirements Specific to the Program
- The GRE is required.
- Admission is competitive.
- An applicant for this degree must have completed the equivalent of an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- A strong showing (more than 75th percentile) in the quantitative GRE score is essential.
- A strong score in the verbal section is also important.
- Positive letters of recommendation are important, as is a solid undergraduate academic record.
- Lack of a computer science background is usually not a major concern, since prerequisite courses are prescribed. However, a background in the sciences and mathematics is essential.
- Admission decisions are made at specific times associated with the application deadlines, usually in the week following the deadlines.
- A final admission decision may take up to three weeks to receive from the application deadline and up to ten weeks for I-20s to be issued to international students.
- Fully-qualified applicants will have taken courses that cover the following topics:
- Non-linear data structures: sorting and searching algorithms.
- Computer architecture: hardware organization, I/O interface, interrupt mechanisms and pipeline processor design.
- File systems; hashed indexed, ISAM files; B-trees; external sorting.
- Programming languages: design and implementation.
- Operating systems: process, memory and file system management, device handlers.
- Finite mathematics and modern algebra.
Additional Program Preparation Requirements
- Those without undergraduate computer science background are required to take CSCI 201, 200, and MATH 253, 273, 373 and preparatory courses CSCI 591, 592, and 593.
- Those deemed to have inadequate preparation, or those whose ability to perform well at the graduate level is in doubt, are required to take preparatory courses or test out of CSCI 591, 592, and 593.
Application Deadlines Specific to the Program
Length of Program — Measured by Semesters
- Part-time student following Plan A: five semesters taking six credits per semester (not counting preparatory courses, if taken).
- Part-time student following Plan B: six semesters taking six credits per semester.
- Full-time student: three semesters taking 12 credits per semester (not counting prerequisites and preparatory courses).
Graduate Assistantship Overview
- Five to seven graduate assistantship positions are generally sponsored each year, and are available both fall and spring semesters.
- Graduate assistants in computer science provide teaching assistance to faculty in a variety of situations. In situations where an arrangement can be arrived at, the assistantship is provided via internships in local industry.
Degrees and Plans Offered
- Master of Science: Plan A (Thesis) at 30 credits
- Master of Science: Plan B (Starred Paper) at 32 credits
Program Overview
Upon entering the graduate program, students must select an advisor and a degree plan and submit a program of study before completing 18 credits (usually before the end of the second semester of course work).
Master of Science — Computer Science
Plan A, 30 credits
Research Course
6 credits
- CSCI 699. Thesis in Computer Science, 1-6 credits
Core Courses
10 credits
- CSCI 610. Advanced Concepts in Operating Systems, 3 credits
- CSCI 620. Advanced Computer Architecture, 3 credits
Take One Credit
- CSCI 681. Technical Presentation in Computer Science, 1 credit
Choose One
- CSCI 502. Introduction to the Theory of Computation, 3 credits
- CSCI 504. Design and Analysis of Algorithms, 3 credits
Elective Courses
9 credits
- At least three credits at the 600 level (see below for distribution requirements).
Additional Course Work
5 credits
- As approved by the advisor/committee
- A student may use up to a total of three credits from their preparatory classes (CSCI 591,592 and 593) and their internship experience (CSCI 644) toward these five credits.
Plan B, 32 credits
Research Course
3 credits
- CSCI 697. Starred Paper in Computer Science, 3 credits
Core Courses
10 credits
- CSCI 610. Advanced Concepts in Operating Systems, 3 credits
- CSCI 620. Advanced Computer Architecture, 3 credits
Take One Credit of
- CSCI 681. Technical Presentation in Computer Science, 1 credit
Take Either
- CSCI 502. Introduction to the Theory of Computation, 3 credits
- CSCI 504. Design and Analysis of Algorithms, 3 credits
Electives
12 credits
- At least three credits at the 600 level (see below for distribution requirements)
Additional Course Work
7 credits
- As approved by the advisor/committee
- A student may use up to a total of four credits from their preparatory classes (CSCI 591,592 and 593) and their internship experience (CSCI 644) toward these seven credits.
Distribution Requirements for CSCI Elective Credits for both Plan A and Plan B
The set of elective courses must be chosen from the courses listed below. The courses must cover at least three of the following areas:
Theory
- CSCI 502. Introduction to the Theory of Computation, 3 credits
- CSCI 504. Design and Analysis of Algorithms, 3 credits
CSCI 601. Recursive Function Theory, 3 credits - CSCI 602. Models of Computation, 3 credits
- CSCI 604. Advanced Data Structures, 3 credits
Software Development
- CSCI 530. Object-Oriented Software Development, 3 credits
- CSCI 531. Software Engineering I, 5 credits
- CSCI 532. Software Engineering II, 5 credits
Systems Software
- CSCI 511. Database Theory and Design, 3 credits
- CSCI 512. Distributed Systems Principles, 3 credits
- CSCI 513. Computer Networks, 3 credits
- CSCI 615. Computer Security, 3 credits
- CSCI 606. Introduction to Parallel Computing, 3 credits
Artificial Intelligence
- CSCI 540. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, 3 credits
- CSCI 541. Neural Networks, 3 credits
- CSCI 542. Expert Systems, 3 credits
- CSCI 543. Evolutionary Computation, 3 credits
- CSCI 641. Machine Vision and Manipulators, 3 credits
- CSCI 642. Natural Language Processing, 3 credits
Applications
- CSCI 503. Theory, Design and Construction of Compilers, 3 credits
- CSCI 550. Computer Graphics, 3 credits
- CSCI 621. VLSI Design and Testing, 4 credits
NOTE:
- For Plan A and B at least one-half of the credits must be earned at the 600 level.
- A course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement. A student who successfully completes a course may not afterwards take, for credit, any prerequisite to that course afterwards.
- Students taking graduate courses before being admitted to the graduate program may apply up to nine of those credits to the degree, with the consent of the advisor.
- Students may be able to apply up to ten semester hours of graduate credits completed elsewhere, with approval of the advisor and the graduate dean.
- Students who are required to take preparatory classes (CSCI 591,592 and 593) must complete the courses with grades of B or higher. Failure to do so will render them ineligible to continue in the program.
