Graduate Catalog 2023-2024

Computer Science, Master of Science (117)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/cs/


Program Coordinator

Guangming Xing, guangming.xing@wku.edu, (270) 745-8848

This program is designed to provide post-graduate education for individuals seeking professional careers in computer science. Areas of emphasis are information systems, systems programming, computer networking, and algorithms.

Concentration(s)

  • Net-centric (CSNC)

Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP)

This degree offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated timeframe. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information.

Program Admission

Admission requirements include a minimum 3.0/4.0 undergraduate grade point average. Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering, and other related fields. Minimum requirements include knowledge of programming in a high-level language and data structures. Prior course work or experiences in database applications, software engineering, and operating systems are preferred.  Applicants who do not meet these criteria will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Graduate School Admission

Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate School admission requirements.

Program Requirements (33 hours)

A minimum of 30 semester hours of course work is required, plus the research tool. Both thesis and non- thesis options are available. A minimum of six 500-level computer science courses is required. If any of the required courses have been completed for undergraduate credit, approved electives will be substituted. The research tool, under both options, must be met by successful completion of CS 500.

Required Courses
CS 445GOperating Systems II3
CS 500Research Methods and Projects3
CS 530Automata Theory and Compiler Construction3
CS 543Advanced Database Systems3
CS 549Analysis of Algorithms3
CS 560Software Engineering and Project Management3
Electives
Computer science courses approved by advisor or Net-Centric Concentration15
Total Hours33

 Net-Centric Concentration

CS 450GComputer Networks3
Select 6 hours from the following:6
Advanced Topics in Computer Networks 1
Security in Computing
Select 6 hours of CS electives6
Total Hours15
1

 Up to 6 credit hours.