Best Universities offering graduate programs in Computer and Information Sciences

Harvard School of Engineering offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in Computer Science, conferred through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. In addition to the Ph.D. in Computer Science, the Harvard School of Engineering also offers master’s degrees in Computational Science and Engineering as well as in Data Science which may be of interest to applicants who wish to apply directly to a master’s program.

10 semester-long graduate courses, including at least 8 disciplinary. At least 5 of the 10 should be graduate-level SEAS "technical" courses (or FAS graduate-level technical courses taught by SEAS faculty), not including seminar/reading/project courses. Undergraduate-level courses cannot be used.

The Master of Science (MS) program is intended for students planning to pursue a professional career directly after finishing the MS program, rather than continuing on in a PhD program. The MS program is also suitable for students interested in undertaking a research project but who are not sure yet whether they want to make the multi-year commitment to a PhD program.

Students should apply to the MS program through the Yale Graduate School. Students in the MS program may enter the Yale PhD program. However students who wish to continue on for a doctoral degree after completing the MS must apply separately for the PhD program, using the standard forms and procedures required for applicants from outside of Yale. The MS is not a prerequisite for the PhD program, and students may apply to the PhD program directly after finishing their undergraduate degree.

At the University of Chicago Department of Computer Science, we welcome students of all backgrounds and identities. In order to achieve our educational and research missions, it is essential to establish and maintain a community of diverse voices. UChicago CS manages and participates in a number of programs and initiatives that support students from groups underrepresented in the field.

The Computer Science (CS) operates and supports computing facilities for departmental education, research, and administration needs. All CS students have access to the departmental student machine for general use (mail, news, etc.), as well as computer labs with public workstations located in the Gates Building. In addition, most students have access to systems located in their research areas.

Each research group in Computer Science has systems specific to its research needs. These systems include workstations (PCs, Macs), multi-CPU computer clusters, and local mail and file servers. Servers and workstations running Linux or various versions of Windows are commonplace. Support for course work and instruction is provided on systems available through University IT (UIT) and the School of Engineering (SoE).

Mission of the Program in Computer Science.

The mission of the program in Computer Science is to develop students' breadth of knowledge across the subject areas of computer science, including their ability to the defining processes of computer science theory, abstraction, design, and implementation to solve problems in the discipline. Students take a set of core courses. After learning the essential programming techniques and the mathematical foundations of computer science, students take courses in areas such as programming techniques, automata and complexity theory, systems programming, computer architecture, analysis of algorithms, artificial intelligence, and applications. The program prepares students for careers in government, law, and the corporate sector, and for graduate study.

the knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.

Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.

the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

Transition from engineering concepts and theory to real engineering applications.

The purpose of the master’s program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is done through course work in the foundational elements of the field and in at least one graduate specialization. Areas of specialization include artificial intelligence, biocomputation, computer and network security, human-computer interaction, information management and analytics, mobile and internet computing, real-world computing, software theory, systems, and theoretical computer science.

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Computer Science and related fields.

The University’s basic requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are discussed in the Graduate Degrees section of this bulletin.

The tens digit indicates the area of Computer Science it addresses:.

The department offers both a major in Computer Science and a minor in Computer Science. Further information is available in the Handbook for Engineering Programs (UGHB) published by the School of Engineering. The Computer Science major offers a number of tracks (programs of study) from which students can choose, allowing them to focus their program on the areas of most interest. These tracks also reflect the broad diversity of areas in computing disciplines. The department has an honors program.

In addition to Computer Science itself, Stanford offers several interdisciplinary degrees with a substantial computer science component. The Symbolic Systems major (in the School of Humanities and Sciences) offers an opportunity to explore computer science and its relation to linguistics, philosophy, and psychology. The Mathematical and Computational Sciences major (also Humanities and Sciences) allows students to explore computer science along with mathematics, statistics, and operations research.

Completion of the program in Computer Science leads to the conferral of the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

The mission of the program in Computer Science is to develop students' breadth of knowledge across the subject areas of computer science, including their ability to the defining processes of computer science theory, abstraction, design, and implementation to solve problems in the discipline. Students take a set of core courses. After learning the essential programming techniques and the mathematical foundations of computer science, students take courses in areas such as programming techniques, automata and complexity theory, systems programming, computer architecture, analysis of algorithms, artificial intelligence, and applications. The program prepares students for careers in government, law, the corporate sector, and for graduate study.

Engineering Fundamentals (13 units minimum see Basic Requirement 3 in the School of Engineering section)—.

Choose one of the following ten CS degree tracks (a track must consist of at least 25 units and 7 classes):.

The Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Fundamentals requirements are non-standard for this track. See Handbook for Engineering Programs for details.

Operating Systems and Systems Programmingand Introduction to Computer Networking (CS 140E can substitute for CS 140).

Introduction to Computer Graphics and Imagingand Interactive Computer Graphics.

Topics in Computer Networks (3 or units, any suffix).

Students may propose an individually designed track. Proposals should include a minimum of 25 units and seven courses, at least four of which must be CS courses numbered 100 or above. See Handbook for Engineering Programs for further information.

For additional information and sample programs see the Handbook for Engineering Programs (UGHB).

MATH 19, MATH 20, and MATH 21 OR MATH 41 and MATH 42 OR AP Calculus Credit may be used as long as at least 26 MATH units are taken. AP Calculus Credit must be approved by the School of Engineering.

The science elective may be any course of 3 or units from the School of Engineering Science list (Fig. 4-2 in the UGHB), PSYCH 30, or AP Chemistry Credit. AP Chemistry Credit and AP Physics Credit must be approved by the School of Engineering.

A signed approval form, along with a brief description of the proposed project, should be filed the quarter before work on the project is begun. Further details can be found in the Handbook for Engineering Programs (UGHB).

A course may only be counted towards one requirement it may not be double-counted. All courses taken for the major must be taken for a letter grade if that option is offered by the instructor. Minimum Combined GPA for all courses in Engineering Fundamentals and Depth is 2.0.

The Computer Science (CS) offers an honors program for whose academic records and personal initiative indicate that they have the necessary skills to undertake high-quality research in computer science. Admission to the program is by application only. To for the honors program, students must be majoring in Computer Science, have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.6 in courses that count toward the major, and achieve senior standing (135 or units) by the end of the academic year in which they . Coterminal master’s students are eligible to as long as they have not already received their degree. Thesis advisers must be members of Stanford’s Academic Council.

In order to receive departmental honors, students admitted to the honors program must, in addition to satisfying the standard requirements for the degree, do the following:.

Students arriving at Stanford have widely differing backgrounds and goals, but most find that the ability to use computers effectively is beneficial to their education. The department offers many introductory courses to meet the needs of these students.

For students whose principal interest is an exposure to the fundamental ideas behind computer science and programming, CS 101 or CS 105 are the most appropriate courses. They are intended for students in nontechnical disciplines who expect to make some use of computers, but who do not expect to go on to advanced courses. CS 101 and CS 105 meet the new Ways of Thinking Ways of Doing breadth requirements in Formal Reasoning and include an introduction to programming and the use of modern Internet-based technologies. Students interested in learning to use the computer should consider CS 1C, Introduction to Computing at Stanford.

Students who intend to pursue a serious course of study in computer science may enter the program at a variety of levels, depending on their background. Students with little prior experience or those who wish to take time to study the fundamentals of programming should take CS 106A followed by CS 106B. Students in CS 106A need not have prior programming experience. Students with significant prior exposure to programming or those who want an intensive introduction to the field should take CS 106X or may start directly in CS 106B. No prior knowledge of these languages is assumed, and the prior programming experience required for CS 106B or X may be in any language. In all cases, students are encouraged to discuss their background with the instructors responsible for these courses.

After the introductory sequence, Computer Science majors and those who need a significant background in computer science for related majors in engineering should take CS 103, CS 107 and CS 110. CS 103 offers an introduction to the mathematical and theoretical foundations of computer science. CS 107 exposes students to a variety of programming concepts that illustrate critical strategies used in systems development CS 110 builds on this material, focusing on the development of larger-scale software making use of systems and networking abstractions.

Joint Major Program: Computer Science and a Humanities Major.

The joint major program (JMP), was authorized by the Academic Senate for a pilot period of six years beginning in 2014-15, permitting students to major in both Computer Science and one of 14 Humanities majors.

Students wishing to declare a joint major may do so until June 18, 2019. After that date, no new joint major declarations will be approved.

Students completing the JMP receive a B.A.S. (Bachelor of Arts and Science).

The Joint Major provides a unique opportunity to gain mastery in two disciplines: Computer Science and a selected humanities field. Unlike the double major or dual major, the Joint Major emphasizes integration of the two fields through a cohesive, transdisciplinary course of study and integrated capstone experience. The Joint Major not only blends the intellectual traditions of two Stanford departments-it does so in a way that reduces the total unit requirement for each major.

Computer Science Major Requirements in the Joint Major Program.

The CS requirements for the Joint Major follow the CS requirements for the CS-BS degree with the following exceptions:.

To declare the joint major, students must first declare each major through Axess, and then submit the Declaration or Change of Major, Minor, Honors, or Degree Program. The Major-Minor and Multiple Major Course Approval Form is required for graduation for students with a joint major.

To drop the joint major, students must submit the Declaration or Change of Major, Minor, Honors, or Degree Program. Students may also consult the Student Services Center with questions concerning dropping the joint major.

Students completing a joint major graduate with a B.A.S. degree. The two majors are identified on one diploma separated by a hyphen. There will be a notation indicating that the student has completed a Joint Major. The two majors are identified on the transcript with a notation indicating that the student has completed a Joint Major.

In general, the M.S. degree in Computer Science is intended as a terminal professional degree and does not lead to the Ph.D. degree. Most students planning to obtain the Ph.D. degree should directly for admission to the Ph.D. program. Some students, however, may wish to complete the master’s program before deciding whether to pursue the Ph.D. To give such students a greater opportunity to become familiar with research, the department has a program leading to a master’s degree with distinction in research. This program is described in detail below.

Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the Coterminal Master’s Program section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the Graduate Degrees section of this bulletin.

After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the and graduate programs on a case by case basis.

In this master’s program, courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sopho year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sopho year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.

The University requires that the graduate adviser be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.

A candidate is required to complete a program of 45 units. At least 36 of these must be graded units, passed with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better. The 45 units may include no than 10 units of courses from those listed below in Requirement 1. Thus, students needing to take than two of the courses listed in Requirement 1 actually complete than 45 units of course work in the program. Only well-prepared students may expect to finish the program in one year most students complete the program in six quarters. Students hoping to complete the program with 45 units should already have a substantial background in computer science, including course work or experience equivalent to all of Requirement 1 and some prior course work related to their specialization area.

Students must complete at least one course designated as having a significant software implementation component. The list of such courses includes:.

Topics in Human-Computer Interaction (CS 377 with any suffix) .

Topics in Computer Networks (CS 344 with any suffix).

Research Project in Software Systems and Security (Not given this year) .

Students with a secondary area of specialization (per Option 2 above) in Computer and Network Security must take five courses those five courses must satisfy the area (A) requirement and additional courses from area (B) should be taken if any area (A) requirements are waived.

Topics in Human-Computer Interaction (CS 377 with any suffix).

Students with a secondary area of specialization (per Option 2 above) in Human-Computer Interaction must take five courses satisfying the areas (A) through (C).

Topics in Computer Graphics (CS 448 with any suffix).

Students with a secondary area of specialization (per Option 2 above) in Software Theory need to take 5 total courses satisfying the area (A) through (D) requirements above.

Students with a secondary area of specialization (per Option 2 above) in Theoretical Computer Science need to take 5 total courses satisfying the area (A) and (B) requirements above.

Additional elective units must be technical courses (numbered 100 or above) related to the degree program and approved by the adviser and MS program administrator. All CS courses numbered above 110 (with the exception of CS 196 and 198) taken for 3 or units are pre-approved as elective courses. Additionally, up to a maximum of 3 units of 500-level CS seminars, CS 300, EE 380, EE 385A, or other 1-2 unit seminars offered in the School of Engineering may be counted as electives. Elective courses may be taken on a satisfactory no credit basis provided that a minimum of 36 graded units is presented within the 45-unit program.

The research adviser must be a member of the Academic Council and must hold an appointment in Computer Science. In addition, the student must complete the following requirements beyond those for the regular M.S. in CS degree:.

Supervised Writing and Research—In addition to the research experience outlined in the previous requirement, students must enroll in at least 3 units of independent research (CS 393, CS 395, or CS 399) under the direction of their primary or secondary adviser. These units should be closely related to the research described in the first requirement, but focused directly on the preparation of the research report described in the next section. The writing and research units described in parts (1) and (2) may be counted toward the 45 units required for the degree.

As a prospective MIT EECS graduate student, you can explore on this website the depth and breadth of research carried out by our world-class faculty and research staff members. You will see that graduate students play a big role in this research building their life's career path. Current graduate students are encouraged to give feedback as we build this website to help in our endeavor to create the best possible graduate experience.

The CIS MSE program offers scholars the opportunity for advanced study in the scientific foundations of the rapidly growing field of computer science. Applicants to the MSE program should have strong training in mathematics and computer science prior coursework should include such areas as operating systems, programming languages, data structures, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, algorithms and theory coursework should be similar to the courses taken by computer science at the University of Pennsylvania.

Candidates who do not have an major in computer science should consider applying to the Master of Computer and Information Technology program (MCIT). Dual degree transfer information for current students can be accessed here. Submatriculation information for current students can be accessed here. CIS MSE students can pursue many areas within their curriculum, including AI, databases, security, programming languages, etc. The CIS Graduate Program prepares our students to be tomorrow innovators, leaders, and visionaries. Our MSE graduates have obtained a wide range of positions in industry and continued in doctoral studies. Here a sample:.

Doctoral Student, Computer Information Science, University of Pennsylvania.

Doctoral Student, Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

The MSE degree requires completion of ten course units that satisfies all of the following requirements:.

At least seven of the ten course units required for the degree must be CIS courses. These seven courses include four core courses and three CIS elective courses described below.

Advanced study in a specific area of computer science is encouraged. Besides coursework, students may pursue Independent Studies to increase their depth of knowledge in a specific area a maximum of two independent studiy credits can be used as electives for the CIS MSE degree. Students are also encouraged to submit a master thesis (see below) which may count as two course units of Masters Student Thesis Research, CIS 597.

FORMS: Click here to access SEAS graduate forms, including the GraduatePetition for Action click here to access CIS graduate forms.

The thesis advisor and student discuss and determine the topic, scope, etc. of the thesis. The advisor and reader will evaluate the thesis and make the determination of its suitability as a research document. An oral presentation of the thesis is required. Once the final thesis document is approved, it is signed by the advisor, reader, and CIS MSE Program Chair, Dr. Swapneel Sheth. Information re: thesis formatting and submission of the thesis to the SEAS Research and Academic Services Office can be accessed here. A copy of the approved version of the thesis should be emailed to the CIS Master chair.

A minimum GPA of 2.7 for master students must be maintained in order to be considered in good academic standing. If this minimum is not maintained, academic probation or dismissal from the program will be invoked. A 2.7 final GPA must be achieved to graduate in all situations. (Effective Fall 2007 class). Students are permitted to graduate with an F grade in a course however, no grade lower than a C will be counted towards the degree. In particular, a C grade or better must be achieved in the core courses or they must be retaken.

Watch for email announcements regarding applying for graduation. Information on applying for a degree graduation can be found here.

If needed, master thesis instructions should be obtained early on in the writing stage. You should make your advisor aware of the need for a timely reading and signature before graduation.

Students who graduate in August or December may participate in the following May Commencement a student graduating in August may participate in the May Commencement prior to graduation contact Mike Felker for information.

Students are allowed a maximum of seven years to complete the MSE degree program.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2019 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Graduate study in computer science within the Computing & Mathematical Sciences department is oriented principally toward Ph.D. research. The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of three academic years of residence; required coursework is generally completed within the first two years. Students must maintain high academic standards during their graduate residence. A student’s Ph.D. research must exhibit originality in the formulation, analysis, and solution of a problem that is significant to the field of study. The option representative and executive officers are available to discuss concerns regarding academic progress.

The doctoral program in Computer Science is a full-time program: Admitted doctoral students have only the Ph.D. as their degree objective, and they have guaranteed funding for up to five years.

GRE scores are not required for admission.