Master's (MS) in Computer Science

Who is the Master's in Computer Science program for?

Drexel’s College of Computing and Informatics’ (CCI) Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) is designed for students who hold a four-year bachelor's degree or master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in computer science, software engineering, or a related STEM degree.

Fast Facts

Master's in Computer Science Overview

The Master of Science in Computer Science program is designed to provide breadth of understanding in the core topics of computer science, in-depth advanced material, and a range of topics in the research areas of the faculty. A balance of theory and practice is presented, preparing students to perform cutting-edge research as well as training students to become practicing computer scientists or software engineers in business, industry, or government.

The program provides room for electives outside of Computer Science in an area you might want to apply your computing skills.

A thesis option is available to prepare students for doctoral studies or other research-oriented career paths.

Request More Information

Be in touch with us to get answers to all your questions! We can connect you with a Recruitment Specialist, one of our Graduate Dean’s Ambassadors, or a faculty member to help. Contact our graduate recruitment team at cciinfo@drexel.edu and we’ll get back to you soon.

Meet a Computer Science Student

Master's in Computer Science Curriculum

IMPORTANT NOTE: Drexel operates on the quarter, not semester, system, offering classes during four, 10-week terms throughout the year. (You are not required to take classes every quarter, but full-time students must complete the degree in three years.)

Our master’s degrees are 45 credits (15 courses) which is equivalent to 30- to 33-credit degrees at other universities. The benefit of the quarter system is that students receive instruction in more topic areas than through the semester system and have more freedom to personalize their curriculum using electives.

This degree is available through a traditional course-by-course curriculum or a modular certificate curriculum.

Traditional Curriculum

CCI's Master’s Degree in Computer Science consists of:

• Six required core courses
  
• Five required electives in at least two of the following focus areas: Theory; Intelligent Systems; Programming Systems; Computer Systems; Vision and Graphics; Applications; Software Engineering; Data Science
• Four free elective courses that may be selected from the above focus areas or Computer Science Department-approved courses. You will choose your electives to customize your degree based on your goals and interests.

Full-time, on-campus students who are accepted for fall and winter term admissions can also choose a Graduate Co-op option. Please visit the Steinbright Career Development Center to learn more about cooperative education and its benefits.

Please visit Drexel’s Course Catalog for a full description of each required course and elective for this program. You can also find a sample Plan of Study for the degree.

Modular Certificate Curriculum

This curriculum allows the student to select several certificates in order to 1.) gain a foundation in Computer Science principles and practice and 2.) focus in-depth on specific skills and knowledge through certificates, customized to your needs and professional goals.

Following the modular certificate option enables you to earn marketable credentials — skills set-based certificates — on your way to completing the master’s degree, and it lets you complete a certificate, step away from the program if you need to, and return to seamlessly pick up where you left off.

In the modular certificate option, you will select:

• Required core certificate(s)
• One or two Major Electives
• Optionally one Flexible Elective

In addition, you may need to take a small number of additional courses in order to complete the degree requirements.

There are a number of possible certificate combinations, and you will work with your adviser and the faculty to create the sequence that best fits your needs and background.

The following certificates can be used to create the MS in Computer Science:

Core

• Computer Science Theory & Practice

Major Electives

• Computational Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Computer Security & Privacy
• Software Architecture
• Software Management

Flexible Electives (optionally choose one)

• Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Big Data Analytics
• Computer Science Foundations
• Data Science Foundations
• Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience Research and Design
• Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience Theory and Frontiers
• Machine Learning for Data Science
• Web Application Development

Full-time, on-campus students who are accepted for fall and winter term admissions can also choose a Graduate Co-op option. Please visit the Steinbright Career Development Center to learn more about cooperative education and its benefits.

Where Our Computer Science Graduates Work

• Lockheed Martin
• Facebook
• GoPuff
• Amazon
• AMD
• VUI Search
• Susquehanna International Group, LLP

Computer Science Career Outlook

Computer Science, like all disciplines within the computer and information sciences, has a very healthy employment outlook. Read more about this field and the places you can go with this master’s degree.

Admissions Requirements

Please visit our Graduate Admissions section for admissions requirements and application deadlines.

Finances

Tuition

Please visit Drexel’s official Graduate Tuition & Fees webpage. Note that this master’s degree requires 45 quarter credits.

Scholarships

There are a variety of sources of financial aid and scholarships to help you fund your master’s degree — explore them here.

Get in Touch

Our Recruitment Specialists are here to walk you through the sometimes confusing world of financing your graduate education. Get in touch with us now by filling out this form.

Schedule a Visit or Register for an Online Information Session

Learn more about the College of Computing & Informatics experience through an online information session or an in-person visit. Contact our recruitment team to schedule your visit today by contacting us at cciinfo@drexel.edu!