Computer Science M.C.S.

Online master's in computer science

Today's tech-dependent world is ripe with opportunities for those who have in-depth computer science knowledge. Rising software development needs across industries, a growing emphasis on cyber security, and an increase in cloud computing systems are just a few examples of trends driving demand for those with an advanced computer science education.

Through Colorado State University's online computer science master's program, you will learn from faculty with extensive research and development experience to gain in-depth knowledge in the following areas:

• Networking and security
• Parallel computing
• Software engineering
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Systems software
• Database systems

Advance your career in a growing industry

Approximately 70% of CSU's computer science master's students have job offers upon graduation. The changing world of technology and our increasing reliance on its functionality has led to abundant employment opportunities. Graduates of the program have been highly sought after by major high-tech, computer software, and aerospace companies, including:

• Microsoft
• IBM
• Hewlett-Packard
• Intel
• Motorola
• Raytheon
• Lockheed-Martin

In addition, employment opportunities are rapidly growing in small and medium–sized companies.

Keep up with the pace of innovation with access to the most up-to-date research and trending advancements in the field. CSU's program equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the ever-evolving demands of the profession.

Study online in a community with other professionals

The online computer science master's program provides a professional-level understanding of advanced topics in computer science.

Students entering the master's program are expected to be fluent in an object-oriented language (e.g., Java or C++) and are presumed to have a working knowledge of:

• Calculus, statistics, linear algebra, and discrete mathematics
• Computer programming in an object-oriented language
• Data structures
• Algorithms
• Computer organization/architecture
• Software engineering methodology
• Operating system design concepts

Collaborate on projects and exchange ideas with fellow classmates in a self-paced online program that allows you to earn your degree from wherever you are, on a schedule that fits your goals.

Why accreditation matters

Colorado State University is regionally accredited, which means the University carries the highest level of accreditation available in the United States. Attending a regionally accredited institution allows you to apply for federal financial aid and may also impact your employment, your ability to obtain professional licensure, and your ability to transfer academic credits to another institution. Learn more about earning your degree from an accredited institution.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rapid increase in demand for highly educated computer scientists is due in large part to growth in the computer software industry, including new applications needed for mobile technology, security software to address concerns over cyber security, and the increase in computer systems and applications used in the healthcare industry.

With courses that develop critical thinking and investigatory and expository skills, CSU’s online Master of Computer Science program equips you with the knowledge to develop solutions to tomorrow’s challenges as the world of computer applications continues to advance.

Computer science career data

Like many other STEM-related fields, career opportunities in computer science are expected to grow. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs in computer science will increase by approximately 24% between 2016 and 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Salary information

In a 2017 article, Forbes listed the Master of Computer Science degree in the top 10 for highest paid master’s degrees. As of 2018, Burning Glass Technologies estimates the average annual salary to be $90,587 for a graduate with a computer science master’s degree. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information research scientists earn an average salary of $114,520, computer network architects earn an average of $104,650, and software developers earn $103,560 on average.

In-demand skills

The field of computer science allows for many different areas of specialization. According to Burning Glass Technologies, the most sought-after computer science skills mentioned by industry employers include:

• Software development
• JAVA
• Software engineering
• SQL
• Python
• LINUX
• JavaScript
• Project management
• C++

Job placement

According to the Department of Computer Science at Colorado State University, nearly 100 percent of CSU computer science master's students are employed in the field at graduation.

Build connections in the industry

Colorado State University’s Department of Computer Science maintains close connections to the computer industry. Our graduates are highly sought after by major high-tech, computer software, and aerospace companies, like Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Motorola, Raytheon, and Lockheed-Martin. In addition, employment opportunities are rapidly growing in small- and medium-sized companies.

What do students have to say about our computer science master's degree program? Get a glimpse of their experiences, hear what they think about CSU's faculty and curriculum, and discover how online education is impacting people just like you.

Matt Barclay

See how Colorado State University's online computer science master's program allowed Matt to earn credentials to boost his career, while still being able to work and spend time with his family.

CSU's Online Students

Hear from students and faculty to get a sense of what it’s like to study online with CSU, and how a graduate degree can enhance your life.

Sigfrido "Sig" Narvaez

"My company is aggressively enhancing its product line with cloud and mobility features. As an architect, I need to stay abreast on technology trends, best practices and most importantly, possess advanced computer science foundations for building modern and resilient systems. I decided on CSU online because I can invest the commute to a campus university into study time at home; it was named as a "best buy" program by GetEducated.com; and the program and staff is top notch!"

Ian Elliott

"If you really want to go out there and find a job that pays well and has some merit to it, then computer science is a good place to go and I think that having a master's degree today in the job market is critical – it's a critical discriminator really for a lot of people."

The computer science master's program gives you the flexibility to get the degree you want without a strict timeline. You can complete the program in two years, but it is not required that you do so. The duration of the program will depend on previous coursework, intensity of study, and course availability. Summer courses are required if you want to complete the degree in two years.

For this online program, you can expect a similar workload to a traditional on-campus program. You will spend approximately nine to twelve hours per week on a three-credit course. This will vary depending on your learning and studying style.

Your interaction with faculty and fellow students depends on the specific course. Online courses do provide you with online office hours and email contact as well as discussion board postings. You will also collaborate on projects and exchange ideas with fellow classmates through these same resources.

This self-paced online program allows you to earn your degree while maintaining your busy work and family schedules. Is online learning right for you?

Chuck Anderson

(970) 491-7491
chuck.anderson@colostate.edu

Dr. Charles W. Anderson is a professor of Computer Science at CSU. He graduated with a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1986, and worked at GTE Laboratories in Waltham, MA, until arriving at CSU in 1991. Dr. Anderson works with neural networks, reinforcement learning, EEG pattern recognition, neural modeling, HVAC control, adaptive tutoring, computer graphics, computer vision, and software and hardware testing.

Asa Ben-Hur

(970) 491-4068
asa.ben-hur@colostate.edu

Asa Ben-Hur’s lab specializes in applications of machine learning in bioinformatics and is developing methods for predicting protein function and interactions. The lab is also studying the process of alternative splicing in plants using next-generation sequencing data.

Ross Beveridge

(970) 491-5877
ross.beveridge@colostate.edu

I am a professor in the Computer Science Department at Colorado State University. The best part of being a professor is the balance between teaching and research. Teaching provides immediate gratification: There are always new lectures to prepare, and new and inquisitive students to question us as they learn. What and how we teach are constantly changing, and the intellectual give-and-take with students is invigorating.

Balancing the immediacy of teaching is research. I work in an area called computer vision. Most people can visually see and recognize objects effortlessly. The goal of computer vision is to develop machines that can do this just like people. Much of my own work on computer vision has been done in partnership with my colleague Bruce Draper. The two of us jointly run the Computer Vision Group at CSU. Our recent research is centered on enhanced human-machine communication via shared context, including mutual understanding of physical presence and non-verbal communication.

Bruce Draper

(970) 491-7873
bruce.draper@colostate.edu

I am a professor of Computer Science at Colorado State University. I also hold an appointment in the Molecular, Cellular and Integrated Neuroscience (MCIN) program and work with the CSU Energy Institute. I teach at virtually all levels of the curriculum. At the graduate level, I often teach CS510 (Image Computation) and CS540 (Artificial Intelligence). My research is in recognizing people, their gestures, and their actions, and applying this to complex systems of interacting people and machines. I have served the field in many capacities, including as General Chair of CVPR in 1999 and a senior program committee member for AAAI in 2015, 2016, and 2019.

Joe Gersch

(970) 492-4003
joe.gersch@colostate.edu

Dr. Gersch has been associated with the CSU Computer Science department since Fall 2013. Gersch is also the President of Invykta LLC, a computer security consulting and product development company. Prior to Invykta, he was President and CEO of Secure64 Software Corporation, where he has also served as CTO and COO over the past 13 years. Prior to Secure64, Dr. Gersch was a 24-year veteran of HP, where he managed Research and Development and Marketing departments that delivered innovative products across a wide range of technologies. Gersch holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science.

Sudipto Ghosh

(970) 491-4608
ghosh@cs.colostate.edu

Sudipto Ghosh received a Bachelor of Technology degree in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India in 1993. He received an M.S. degree in computer science from Iowa State University in 1995, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2000. He is currently an associate professor of computer science at Colorado State University.

Ghosh's teaching and research interests include modeling, designing and testing of object-oriented software, middleware technologies, and aspect-oriented and component-based software development. He is a member of ACM and IEEE Computer Society. He is on the editorial boards of four journals: IEEE Transactions on Reliability, Information and Software Technology, Software Quality Journal, and the Journal of Software Testing, Verification, and Reliability.

Ghosh was a general co-chair of the ACM/IEEE 12th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems held in Denver in 2009, and the 14th International Conference on Modularity held in Fort Collins in 2015. He was a program co-chair of the Third International Conference on Software Testing, Verification, and Validation held in Paris in 2010.

Yashwant Malaiya

(970) 491-7031
yashwant.malaiya@colostate.edu

My research interests cover several key areas in reliable and secure computing. I work on topics that include vulnerability discovery, security risks and economics, software reliability, test effectiveness, impact of testing on reliability, fault modeling, and fault tolerance.

Sanjay Rajopadhye

(970) 491-7323
sanjay.rajopadhye@colostate.edu

Sanjay Rajopadhye holds a joint appointment in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. He joined CSU’s faculty in 2001, and was previously a CNRS researcher at Irisa, Rennes, France, where he headed the COSI research group. Rajopadhye received the B. Tech (honors) degree in Electrical Engineering from the India Institute of Tech., Kharagpur and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Utah.

Rajopadhye’s interests cover parallel algorithms and architectures, embedded systems, functional programming, high-performance computing on multi- and many-care architectures, automatic parallelization, and optimization. He is one of the original developers of the polyhedral model, a formalism for reasoning about an important class of compute- and data-intensive programs. The model, originally developed in the context of automatic synthesis of systolic arrays from recurrence equations, has found increasing application from compilation to multi- and many-core architectures.

Indrajit Ray

(970) 491-7097
indrajit@cs.colostate.edu

Indrajit Ray is an associate professor with the computer science department who joined the faculty at Colorado State University in 2001. Prior to that he was an assistant professor in computer and information science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Ray earned a Ph.D. in information technology from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA in 1997. His undergraduate and M.E. degrees in computer science and engineering were earned from the Bengal Engineering College and the Jadavpur University in India.

Indrakshi Ray

(970) 491-7986
indrakshi.ray@colostate.edu

Indrakshi Ray is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Colorado State University. She has also been a visiting faculty member at the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory, and at INRIA in Rocquencourt, France. Prior to joining CSU, Professor Ray was a faculty member at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She obtained her Ph.D. from George Mason University under the joint supervision of Professor Sushil Jajodia and Professor Paul Ammann. She obtained a master's degree in computer science and engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India and a Bachelor of Engineering degree in computer science and technology from B.E. College, Kolkata, India.

Indrakshi Ray's research interests include security and privacy, database systems, e-commerce, and formal methods in software engineering. She has published more than a hundred technical papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings. She is on the editorial board of Computer Standards and Interfaces. She has been a guest editor of ACM Transactions of Information Systems Security and Journal of Digital Library. She has served in various capacities for journals and conferences. She was the Program Chair of ACM SACMAT 2006, Program Co-Chair for CSS 2013, ICISS 2013, IFIP DBSec 2003, and General Chair of SACMAT 2008. She has served on the program committees of various conferences including ACM SACMAT, DBSec, EDBT, ESORICS, and ICDE. She is also a senior member of the IEEE and a member of ACM.

Russell Wakefield

(970) 491-2090
russ.wakefield@colostate.edu

Russell Wakefield has been an instructor in the computer science department at Colorado State University since 2008. He has a B.S. and a M.C.S. degree in computer science; his research areas include database systems, operating systems, and distributed systems. He has over 25 years of industry experience in systems programming and management at corporations including Control Data Corporation, Pyramid Technology, Evans & Sutherland, and most recently 7 years as Director of Engineering at Cisco Systems.

Faculty Awards and Recognitions

Associate Professor Shrideep Pallickara of Colorado State University’s Department of Computer Science was recently honored with a CSU Online Innovative Educator Award. Pallickara is a Monfort Professor and is also a recipient of the University’s Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Learn more.

Questions about the study of computer science

Questions about the application process

Questions about computer science courses

Requirements

• A minimum of 35 semester credits covering a breadth of computer science, no more than 8 of which may be at the 400-level.
• 24 of those credits must be earned at Colorado State University, 21 of which must be earned after formal admission.

Curriculum

The online courses follow a schedule parallel to courses offered on campus, are equivalent to the on-campus courses, are taught by the same CSU faculty, and carry the same academic credit.

Note: Courses may not be offered in the semester as listed below. The time of the course offering is determined on a semester-by-semester basis. For the most updated course offerings, please consult the course catalog through RamWeb.

Fall

Spring

Summer

As a student in CSU’s online Master of Computer Science program, you will receive a degree from a regionally accredited, renowned research institution while taking courses at times and locations that fit your busy life. Additionally, you can expect:

• Training to Meet Growing Demand: Keep up with the pace of innovation with access to the most up-to-date research and trending advancements in the field. Our program equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the ever-evolving demands of the profession in areas like software security and application development for mobile devices.
• A Chance to Improve Job Prospects: The changing world of technology and our increasing reliance on its functionality has led to abundant employment opportunities for those who hold an advanced education in computer science.
• A Well-Rounded Education: Our degree combines concepts in mathematics, science, and engineering to give you a comprehensive perspective when tackling new software challenges.
• Practical Experience: This coursework-only degree gives you immediately applicable skills and knowledge in areas including software testing and design, network security, algorithms, and data structures.

Learn more about CSU's rankings and accolades.

How to Apply

Before applying to the degree program, it is strongly recommended that you contact the program coordinator well in advance of the application deadline to understand and fulfill all requirements.

• Minimum Admission Requirements
• Step 1 – Complete Prescreening Process
• Step 2 – Apply Online
• Step 3 – Submit Application Materials
• Application Deadlines

Minimum Admission Requirements

The Computer Science (M.C.S.) degree requires applicants to have the following:

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• A demonstrated understanding of computer organization/architecture, data structures and algorithms, program/software design methodology, theoretical foundations, and operating systems design concepts.
• A 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate coursework and a GPA of at least 3.2 in Computer Science and Mathematics coursework.
• GRE test scores are recommended, but not required for admission.

Note that meeting the minimum department standards does not ensure admission to the program. Admission to Colorado State University graduate programs is based on a number of factors, including prior academic and professional experience and the statement of purpose.

Step 1 – Complete Prescreening Process

• Complete the preliminary application screening process.

After submitting all the items required as part of the prescreening process, the Computer Science Graduate Admissions Committee reviews your file to determine if it recommends that you formally apply for admission. If you are recommended to apply for admission, move on to Step 2.

Step 2 – Apply Online

• If you're recommended to apply for formal admission, complete the online graduate application form and pay the $50 nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online).
  • Select “Computer Science MCS - Distance” when choosing the program of study.

Step 3 – Submit Application Materials

Because you submitted most of your application materials as part of the prescreening process, you only need to submit official transcripts and test scores (as applicable) to complete your formal application.

• Official Transcript
  Submit one official transcript of all collegiate work completed from every institution attended, whether or not you received a degree from those institutions. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Transcripts should be submitted to:
  

  Graduate Admissions
  Computer Science Department
  Colorado State University
  1873 Campus Delivery
  Fort Collins, CO 80523-1873

• GRE Test Scores
  Though not required, GRE test scores are recommended. Submit official GRE General Test scores through the Educational Testing Service (select institution code: 4075). Scores are typically received by the University 4-6 weeks after your testing date.

International Applicants Only

Submit the following items in addition to those listed above:

• Official Transcript Translation
  Ensure official transcripts include a certified translation into English (only one set of transcripts is required).
• Official TOEFL Scores
  Submit official TOEFL scores through the Educational Testing Service (select institution code: 4075). In general, all applicants from countries in which English is not the official language and who do not have an undergraduate degree from a country in which the official language is English (Canada, U.K., Australia, USA, New Zealand, etc.) must submit TOEFL scores. The minimum score for applicants is 92 on the internet-based test (580 on the paper-based test or 6.5 on the IELTS). The TOEFL may be waived for applicants who have been working in the United States for several years. Contact gradinfo@cs.colostate.edu for details.

Once the Department of Computer Science receives a complete application, the admissions committee reviews the application and promptly notifies the applicant of its decision.

Application Deadlines

Fall and Spring admission is available; Summer admission is not available.

Fall Semester	July 1
Spring Semester	November 1