Computer Science Master's Degree

The Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science guides students to broaden and deepen understanding of specific computer science disciplines and concentrations. Students participate in state-of-the-art research and develop critical and analytics skills that can be applied to any number of disciplines and fields, including leadership roles in business, industrial, and technology-based organizations. The M.S. also prepares students for doctoral studies and research. Masters in Computer Science with a Cyber Security Track and Data Science are also available. 

Graduate Computer Science Admission Requirements

To receive regular admission status to the Computer Science Graduate program a student must meet the following criteria. Regular admission is granted to students who have adequate preparation in the discipline.

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
• GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours of coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree
• A 500-word Personal Statement that describes your computer-related experience/skills and what you wish to accomplish in the program
• Resume with three references' information

Conditional Admission

To receive conditional admission status to the Computer Science Graduate program a student must meet the following criteria. Conditionally admitted students will be assigned specific requirements in terms of courses and performance, to include at least twelve hours of 6000-level courses, with a grade of B or better in all courses taken.

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
• GPA below 3.0 – 2.75 in the last 60 credit hours – or – Minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA in all Computer Science and Mathematics classes.
• GRE: Verbal Reasoning: Minimum 145 or better. Quantitative Reasoning: Minimum 148 or better. Analytical Writing: Minimum 3 or better
• OTHER EVIDENCE:
  • 3.0 or better GPA in all computer science and math courses

Departmental – To be considered as having adequate preparation for the computer science master’s program, students must present evidence of having completed courses equivalent to the following UT Permian Basin undergraduate computer science and mathematics courses. Students not adequately prepared may be admitted conditionally with the requirement that any course in this list not already completed be completed with a grade of B or better. Students admitted conditionally to computer science must complete assigned requirements before beginning the actual degree program.

• COSC 1430, 2430 – CS 1 and 2, with programming experience in Java
• COSC 3310 Digital Computer Organization
• COSC 3312 Discrete Mathematics
• COSC 3315 Information Systems
• COSC 3420 Data Structures
• MATH 2413, 2414 Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1, 2

Degree Requirements

Non-Thesis Option:

• Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 semester graduate credit hours of computer science courses.
• Up to two COSC 4xxx courses, if not already taken as part of the undergraduate program, could be counted for graduate credits.
• The Non-Thesis option does not require any credit hours of research.

Thesis Option

• Students are required to complete a minimum of 24 semester graduate credit hours of computer science courses.
• Up to two COSC 4xxx courses, if not already taken as part of the undergraduate program, could be counted for graduate credits.
• The Thesis option requires 6 credit hours of COSC 6399.
• Students must defend the results of the thesis.

Course Listing 

• COSC 6310: Computer Systems Architecture (3) (Prerequisite COSC 4430 or equivalent or permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6315: Distributed Database Systems (3) (Prerequisite: COSC 4415 or equivalent or permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6325: Advanced Operating Systems and Real-time Computing (3) (Prerequisite COSC 4430 or equivalent or permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6350: Wireless Security (3) (Prerequisite COSC 4370 or equivalent or permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6351: Computer Forensics (3) (Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6370: Networking (3) (Prerequisite: COSC 4370 or equivalent or permission of the instructor) 
• COSC 6375: Distributed Systems (3) (Prerequisites: COSC 4330 and COSC 4370 or permission of the instructor)
• COSC 6378: Computer and Network Security (3) (Prerequisites: COSC 6310 and COSC 6370)
• COSC 6385: Analysis of Algorithms (3) (Prerequisite: COSC 3312 or equivalent or permission of instructor)
• COSC 6389: Selected Topics (3)
• COSC 6391: Contract Study (3)
• COSC 6399: Thesis (3) (Prerequisite: MATH 6301 or equivalent)