Program: Computer Science, MS - George Mason University

Degree Requirements (30 credits)

In addition to general university requirements, completion of the MS in CS requires 30 credits of graduate courses.

Courses are grouped in the following five broad areas: Artificial Intelligence and Databases, Programming Languages and Software Engineering, Systems and Networks, Theoretical Computer Science, and Visual Computing. The list of preapproved courses with their areas is provided below.

All the following requirements should be satisfied for the MS in CS degree:

CS 583 - Analysis of Algorithms Credits: 3
(from the Theoretical Computer Science area) and two additional core courses from two other areas must be successfully completed with a grade of B- or better.
At least four courses (12 credits) must be chosen from the advanced courses in the list of preapproved courses from at least three different areas.
At least six courses, including two advanced courses, must be designated CS.
At least eight courses must be taken from the list of preapproved courses. Up to two computer science-related courses that are not on the list of preapproved courses may be taken with the approval of the Computer Science Department.

Plan of Study

Before the end of the second semester, students must have a plan of study approved by their academic advisor. This plan should be kept up to date by regular consultation with the academic advisor. A final signed version of the plan must be included when the student submits a graduation application.

Core Courses by Area

The following basic courses are designated as “core” courses in their respective areas:

Preapproved Basic and Advanced MS CS Courses by Area

The preapproved courses are explicitly classified as “basic” or “advanced” below.

Artificial Intelligence and Databases

Basic Courses:
CS 550 - Database Systems Credits: 3
CS 580 - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Credits: 3
CS 584 - Theory and Applications of Data Mining Credits: 3
INFS 623 - Web Search Engines and Recommender Systems Credits: 3
Advanced Courses:
CS 650 - Advanced Database Management Credits: 3
CS 657 - Mining Massive Datasets with MapReduce Credits: 3
CS 667 - Biometrics and Identity Management Credits: 3
CS 674 - Data Mining on Multimedia Data Credits: 3
CS 681 - Knowledge Engineering Credits: 3
CS 685 - Autonomous Robotics Credits: 3
CS 687 - Advanced Artificial Intelligence Credits: 3
CS 688 - Pattern Recognition Credits: 3
CS 689 - Planning Motions of Robots and Molecules Credits: 3
CS 775 - Advanced Pattern Recognition Credits: 3
CS 782 - Machine Learning Credits: 3
CS 787 - Decision Guidance Systems Credits: 3
CS 811 - Research Topics in Machine Learning and Inference Credits: 3
CS 880 - Research Topics in Artificial Intelligence Credits: 3
CS 884 - Advanced Topics in Computer Vision and Robotics Credits: 3
INFS 740 - Database Programming for the World Wide Web Credits: 3
INFS 760 - Advanced Database Management Credits: 3
INFS 772 - Intelligent Agents and the Semantic Web Credits: 3
INFS 774 - Enterprise Architecture Credits: 3

Programming Languages and Software Engineering

Basic Courses:
CS 540 - Language Processors Credits: 3
SWE 619 - Object-Oriented Software Specification and Construction Credits: 3
SWE 620 - Software Requirements Analysis and Specification Credits: 3
SWE 621 - Software Modeling and Architectural Design Credits: 3
SWE 622 - Distributed Software Engineering Credits: 3
Advanced Courses:
CS 640 - Advanced Compilers Credits: 3
ISA 681 - Secure Software Design Credits: 3
SWE 631 - Software Design Patterns Credits: 3
SWE 632 - User Interface Design and Development Credits: 3
SWE 637 - Software Testing Credits: 3
SWE 642 - Software Engineering for the World Wide Web Credits: 3
SWE 645 - Component-Based Software Development Credits: 3
SWE 721 - Reusable Software Architectures Credits: 3
SWE 727 - Quality of Service for Software Architectures Credits: 3
SWE 737 - Advanced Software Testing Credits: 3
SWE 760 - Software Analysis and Design of Real-Time Systems Credits: 3

Systems and Networks

Basic Courses:
CS 531 - Fundamentals of Systems Programming Credits: 3
CS 555 - Computer Communications and Networking Credits: 3
CS 571 - Operating Systems Credits: 3
ISA 562 - Information Security Theory and Practice Credits: 3
ISA 564 - Security Laboratory Credits: 3
Advanced Courses:
CS 635 - Foundations of Parallel Computation Credits: 3
CS 658 - Networked Virtual Environments Credits: 3
CS 672 - Computer System Performance Evaluation Credits: 3
CS 673 - Multimedia Computing and Systems Credits: 3
CS 675 - Distributed Systems Credits: 3
CS 706 - Concurrent Software Systems Credits: 3
CS 719 - Scalable Internet Services Credits: 3
CS 755 - Advanced Computer Networks Credits: 3
CS 756 - Performance Analysis of Computer Networks Credits: 3
CS 773 - Real-Time Systems Design and Development Credits: 3
CS 779 - Topics in Resilient and Secure Computer Systems Credits: 3
CS 788 - Autonomic Computing Credits: 3
CS 818 - Topics in Computer Systems Credits: 3
ISA 656 - Network Security Credits: 3
ISA 673 - Operating Systems Security Credits: 3
ISA 674 - Intrusion Detection Credits: 3
ISA 697 - Topics in Information Security Credits: 1-6
ISA 763 - Security Protocol Analysis Credits: 3
ISA 764 - Security Experimentation Credits: 3
ISA 785 - Research in Digital Forensics Credits: 3

Theoretical Computer Science

Basic Courses:
CS 530 - Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science Credits: 3
CS 583 - Analysis of Algorithms Credits: 3
Advanced Courses:
CS 600 - Theory of Computation Credits: 3
CS 611 - Computational Methods for Genomics Credits: 3
CS 630 - Advanced Algorithms Credits: 3
CS 633 - Computational Geometry Credits: 3
CS 683 - Parallel Algorithms Credits: 3
CS 684 - Graph Algorithms Credits: 3

Visual Computing

Basic Courses:
CS 551 - Computer Graphics Credits: 3
Advanced Courses:
CS 662 - Computer Graphics Game Technologies Credits: 3
CS 667 - Biometrics and Identity Management Credits: 3
CS 682 - Computer Vision Credits: 3
CS 686 - Image Processing and Applications Credits: 3
CS 752 - Interactive Graphics Software Credits: 3
CS 774 - Computational Vision Credits: 3
CS 777 - Human-Computer Intelligent Interaction Credits: 3
CS 884 - Advanced Topics in Computer Vision and Robotics Credits: 3

Project/Thesis (optional):

Three to six credit hours of the advanced classes may be replaced by a project or thesis. The project or thesis must be guided and approved by a committee of three appropriate faculty members and presented at an appropriate forum. The thesis must meet relevant university requirements.

3 credits of CS 798 - Project Seminar Credits: 3
or
6 credits of CS 799 - Thesis Credits: 1-6

Note:

These courses are not classified by area. Note that CS 695/CS 795 can be used to satisfy the breadth requirement if the area is listed in the syllabus for the course.

CS 695 - Topics in Computer Science Credits: 3
CS 697 - Independent Reading and Research Credits: 1-3
CS 795 - Advanced Topics in CS Credits: 3
CS 798 - Project Seminar Credits: 3
CS 799 - Thesis Credits: 1-6
CS 895 - Research Topics in CS Credits: 3

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Computer Science, MS

Admission Requirements

Degree Requirements (30 credits)

Plan of Study

Core Courses by Area

Artificial Intelligence and Databases

Programming Languages and Software Engineering

Systems and Networks

Theoretical Computer Science

Visual Computing

Preapproved Basic and Advanced MS CS Courses by Area

Artificial Intelligence and Databases

Programming Languages and Software Engineering

Systems and Networks

Theoretical Computer Science

Visual Computing

Project/Thesis (optional):

Note:

Total: 30 credits