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Degree Programs > M.S. in Computer Science

The College of Computer and Information Science offers students the opportunity to pursue studies in the broad field of computer science. The program is designed for men and women who are seeking to prepare themselves for organizations that design, develop, market, or utilize computing systems. A fundamental goal of the College is to help students develop the ability to recognize and solve problems arising in the use of modern digital computers in business and engineering as well as in educational and research environments. In developing the skills necessary to achieve this goal, the student has the opportunity to assimilate ideas and concepts from theoretical studies and from in-depth, hands-on design and programming of both large time-sharing systems and single-user microcomputers.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must submit an online application, official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, a personal statement, official scores of the GRE General Test, and three letters of recommendation. International students must also submit official scores of the TOEFL examination. Acceptance to the College of Computer and Information Science is granted upon recommendation of the college Graduate Committee after a review of the completed application.
Candidates must have completed the undergraduate material listed below.

• Experience in some high level procedural language, e.g. C, C++, Java, Scheme, or Pascal
• Data Structures
• Computer Organization
• One year of college calculus
• Discrete Mathematics

Industrial experience in these areas may be an acceptable substitute for formal coursework. Students may be accepted provisionally while completing these deficiencies, and may take graduate courses concurrently as their preparation allows.

Academic Requirements

Thirty-two semester hours are required for the Master of Science in Computer Science. These must include:

• eight semester hours of core courses, CS5010 Program Design Paradigm, together with the associated recitation lab CS5011, and CS5800 Algorithms,

• four semester hours of core system courses: CS5500 Managing Software Development or CS5600 Computer Systems, and

• twenty semester hours of electives, eight of which must come from the same concentration area. These electives may include readings, project, or a thesis.

• A student must enroll in CS5010/CS5011 during their first semester in the program, unless s/he has received special permission from the Graduate Director of the College.

• During the course of studies, every student must obtain a minimum grade point average of 3.000 among the core courses and a minimum overall average of 3.000.

Academic Probation
A student whose GPA (grade point average) falls below 3.00 will be automatically placed on academic probation and will be notified by the College. Once on probation, a student has the following two academic semesters (summer excluded) to achieve a 3.00 GPA. If at the end of those two semesters, the student's GPA is still unsatisfactory, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program.

Time and Time Limitation

The Graduate School of the College of Computer and Information Science offers courses during the fall and spring semesters. A few summer courses may be offered. With careful planning, full-time students may be able to complete the M.S. program in three semesters. Full-time students with assistantships normally complete the program in two years. Part-time students usually elect one or two courses per academic semester and can complete the M.S. degree in two or three years.

Course credits earned in the program of graduate study or accepted by transfer are valid for a maximum of seven years unless an extension is granted by the Graduate Committee of the College of Computer and Information Science. Students should petition, in writing, to the Director of the Graduate School for such extensions.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 9 semester hours of credit obtained at another institution may be accepted towards the degree, provided the credits consist of work taken at the graduate level for graduate credit, carry grades of 3.000 or better, have been earned at an accredited institution, and have not been used toward any other degree. Transfer credit will be offered only for courses, which match a course offered at Northeastern University and approved by the Graduate Committee. However, no transfer credit will be given for courses listed below as Interdisciplinary Courses.

Approved Courses

M.S. Core
CS5010/5011 Program Design Paradigm
CS5800 Algorithms

System Core
CS5500 Managing Software Development
CS5600 Computer Systems

Ph.D. Core
CS7400 Intensive Principles of Programming Languages
CS7600 Intensive Computer Systems
CS7800 Advanced Algorithms
CS7805 Theory of Computation

CONCENTRATIONS

Artificial Intelligence
CS5100 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
CS6140 Machine Learning
CS6110 Knowledge-based Systems
CS6120 Natural Language Processing
CS7180 Special Topics in Artificial Intelligence
CS7170 Seminar in Artificial Intelligence

Computer-Human Interaction
CS5340 Computer Human Interaction
CS6350 Empirical Research Methods

Database Management
CS5200 Introduction to Database Systems
CS6200 Information Retrieval
CS6220 Data Mining Techniques
CS7280 Special Topics in Database Management
CS7270 Seminar in Database Systems

Graphics
CS5310 Computer Graphics
CS5320 Digital Image Processing
CS5330 Pattern Recognition and Computer Vision
CS7380 Special Topics in Graphics/Image Processing
CS7370 Seminar in Graphics/Image Processing

Information Security
CS6750 Cryptography and Communication Security
CS6740 Network Security
CS6760 Privacy, Security and Usability
CS6540 Foundations of Formal Methods and Software Analysis
CS7580 Special Topics in Software Engineering - Software Security

 

Networks
CS5700 Fundamentals of Networking and Internetworking
CS6710 Wireless Networks
CS6750 Cryptography and Communication Security
CS6740 Network Security
CS7780 Special Topics in Networks
CS7770 Seminar in Computer Networks
CS7775 Seminar in Computer Security

Programming Languages
CS5400 Principles of Programming Languages
CS6510 Advanced Software Development
CS6410 Compilers
CS6412 Semantics of Programming Languages
CS7480 Special Topics in Programming Languages
CS7470 Seminar in Programming Languages
CS7570 Seminar in Software Development

Software Engineering
CS5610 Web Development
CS6520 Methods of Software Development
CS6530 Analysis of Software Artifacts
CS6540 Foundations of Formal Methods and Software Analysis
CS6510 Advanced Software Development
CS7580 Special Topics in Software Engineering
CS7575 Seminar in Software Engineering

Systems
CS5620 Computer Architecture
CS5650 Research in High Performance Computing
CS6610 Parallel Computing
CS6740 Network Security
CS7680 Special Topics in Computer Systems
CS7670 Seminar in Computer Systems

Theory
CS6800 Applications of Information Theory in Computer Science
CS6810 Distributed Algorithms
CS7805 Theory of Computation
CS6750 Cryptography and Computer Security
CS6610 Parallel Computing
CS7880 Special Topics in Theoretical Computer Science
CS7870 Seminar in Theoretical Computer Science

Reading and Project Courses
CS8982 MS Readings
CS8984 MS Readings and Research in Computer Science  
CS8674 Master’s Project in Computer Science
CS6964 Co-Op
CS7990 Master’s Thesis in Computer Science
CS7996 Master’s Thesis Continuation (0SH)
CS8982 PhD Readings and Research in Computer Science
CS9990 Ph.D. Dissertation in Computer Science
CS9996 Ph.D. Dissertation Continuation

ELECTIVES

Any course that appears in a concentration above may count as an elective. Other courses offered at the graduate level at Northeastern University may be taken as electives provided written permission is given by the student's faculty advisor and approval is obtained from the Graduate Committee. Elective authorization petitions are available in the College Administrative Office at 202 WVH.

Specimen Academic Schedule

Most graduate courses in computer science are offered in the late afternoon and early evening, which enables many students to pursue their graduate degrees while continuing with their daytime employment. Courses may be offered in different semesters from year to year. However, the following schedule may serve as a general guide.

Currently, all courses in the College of Computer and Information Science are offered on the Boston campus only.

Graduate Course Offering Plan 2008- 2009

Fall 2008
CS5010 Program Design Paradigm
CS5800 Algorithms
CS7400 Intensive Principles of Programming Languages
CS7800 Advanced Algorithms
CS5200 Introduction to Database Systems
CS5600 Computer Systems
CS5720 Fundamentals of Networking and Internetworking
CS6750 Cryptography & Communication Security
CS5340 Human/Computer Interaction
CS6540 Methods of Software Development
CS6220 Data Mining
CS5400 Principles of Programming Languages

Spring 2009
CS5010 Program Design Paradigm
CS5500 Managing Software Development
CS5010 Program Design Paradigm
CS7600 Intensive Computer Systems
CS7805 Theory of Computation
CS5210 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
CS5100 Implementation of Database Management Systems
CS5310 Computer Graphics
CS6740 Network Security
CS6754 Secure Wireless Ad-Hoc Robots on a Mission
CS5610 Web Development
CS5700 Fundamental of Networks

Interdisciplinary Courses

Fall 2008
IA5010 Fundamentals of IA *
IA5240 Ethics, Privacy & Digital Rights

Spring 2009
IA5100 Computer Systems & Networks *
IA5200 Security Risk Management & Assessment

* Not open to students in CCIS for degree credit

Please note that
(1) MS students interested in pursuing future PhD studies are encouraged to take the intensive core courses, in place of the regular core courses. Approval must be obtained from the instructor.
(2) Students without undergraduate OS background should take CS5600 before taking CS7600.
(3) At most 8 semester credit hours of IAG courses can be counted toward MS in CS.
(4) Course offerings are subject to change.

Reading and Project Courses

Every reading and/or project course requires a petition, approved by the Graduate Committee. Petitions are available in the College Administrative Office at 202 WVH.

Master's Thesis

The Master's thesis option consists of 8 semester hours of research, culminating into an M.S. thesis. This can be accomplished through one of the following two options:

• Option 1: Two 4 credit M.S. Thesis courses: CS7990 taken consecutively.

• Option 2: Either a Readings Course CS8982 or a Project Course CSG8674, followed by M.S. Thesis CS7990.

Both of these options may only be undertaken with the agreement of a thesis advisor and one other official reader.

Thesis Proposal
A student wishing to select the Master's thesis option must submit a short proposal to the Graduate Committee, signed by the advisor, which describes the project and lists the official reader. The reader may be chosen from the faculty of the college, from another NU department, or from another institution or the industrial community when appropriate. The proposal should be submitted at least one month before the thesis project is to begin. The Graduate Committee may accept or reject the proposal, ask for revisions, or ask that additional readers be added to the proposal. Both the merits of the proposal and the academic performance of the student will be considered in deciding whether to accept a proposal for the M.S. Thesis.

Thesis
The thesis advisor guides the research topic. The result of the research is to be an original contribution to the field of Computer Science. The thesis should be developed in terms of the current literature and will include a thorough literature search and review. Emphasis is to be placed upon clear writing, logical development, and significance of the issues. Acceptance of the thesis requires the agreement of the thesis advisor and the reader(s).

Thesis defense
The student will defend the thesis at a public presentation. The defense will be directed by the thesis advisor and the reader(s) will be in attendance. The thesis defense is open to anyone who wishes to attend. The candidate will give a lecture on the subject of the thesis and this will be followed by questions from those in attendance concerning the results of the thesis as well as related matters.

Publication
Upon acceptance, the M.S. thesis will be issued as a College of Computer and Information Science technical report and a copy will be archived at the university library.