Computer Science Major, MS

Concentrations (Optional) and Options Available

Knoxville Campus:

• Data Analytics – Thesis, Project, Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams
• Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning – Thesis, Project, Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams

Distance Education:

• Cybersecurity – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams
• Data Mining and Intelligent Systems – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams
• Software Engineering – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams

Admissions Standards/Procedure

• Applicants for admission to the MS program for computer science are expected to have completed a bachelor’s degree with an average GPA of at least 3.00 out of 4.00, both overall and in the senior year.
• A TOEFL score of 550 on the written exam or 80 on the Internet-based Test is required for non-native speakers of English, including those who have earned degrees at U.S. institutions.
  • The score must be no more than two years old from the requested date of entry.
  • Applicants who have received a degree from an accredited U.S. institution within the past two years are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
• Applicants who hold the bachelor’s degree in fields other than computer science will be required to take selected undergraduate courses as determined by the applicant’s prior education and experience.
  • The student will be admitted under non-degree status until the required undergraduate courses are successfully completed with a grade of B or better.
• An international student may not enroll as a non-degree student.

Credit Hours Required

30 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• Option Specific Courses:

• Thesis Option: 24 credit hours graduate coursework, plus minimum 6 credit hours of  COSC 500 - Thesis
• Project Option: 27 credit hours graduate coursework, plus 3 credit hours of  COSC 501 - Project in Lieu of Thesis with a minimum grade of B.

• 24 (thesis option) or 27 (project option) or 30 (coursework only without comprehensive exam) credit hours of graduate coursework:

• At least two-thirds of the total credit hours must be at the 500-level or above.
• A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours of courses outside the department chosen in consultation with major advisor may be applied toward the degree.
• COSC 530 - Computer Systems Organization

• Select one:

• COSC 540 - Advanced Software Engineering
• COSC 561 - Compilers Construction
• COSC 562 - Operating Systems: Design and Implementation

• Select one:

• COSC 580 - Foundations
• COSC 581 - Algorithms

Non-Course Requirements

• Thesis Option: A final oral exam covering the thesis research.
• Project Option: A written final report and/or oral presentation, as determined by the advisor and approved by the committee.

Cybersecurity concentration – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams Option

The Cybersecurity concentration focuses on the theory and practice of cybersecurity, with an emphasis on its application in modern technological business, government, and society.

Data Mining and Intelligent Systems – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams Option

The Data Mining and Intelligent Systems concentration focuses on the theory, practice, and application of data mining and intelligent systems.

Software Engineering – Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams Option

The Software Engineering concentration focuses on the theory and practice of software engineering, including the design and implementation of modern software systems.

Five-Year BS-MS Program Computer Science Major, MS

The department offers a 5 year BS-MS program for qualified students. The primary component of the program is that qualified students may take up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate courses for their senior undergraduate electives and have them count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UT. This program is designed for students attending UT for their Master of Science degree because other universities may not accept these courses for graduate credit since they were used to satisfy requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree.

Significant components of the program are:

• Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.40 to be admitted to the program. Conditional admission may be granted after completing 64 credit hours of required coursework while full admission is granted after completing 96 credit hours of required coursework with a minimum overall GPA of 3.40 in required coursework.
• Students must at least have conditional admission before taking graduate courses for both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. All courses taken for graduate credit must be approved by the departmental chair of the program. Students admitted to the program must request permission from the Graduate School to take approved courses for graduate credit.
• Students admitted to the program must also follow the normal procedure for admission to the Graduate School.
• Admission of students into this program must be approved by the department and the Graduate School.
• Students will not be eligible for graduate assistantships until they are enrolled as graduate-level students in the Graduate School.