Computer Science

Develop In-Demand Skills

The Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) program is a professional degree program that is based on course work and an internship requirement (which can be satisfied by suitable employment). The program does not require research, a thesis, or comprehensive examinations. The GRE examination is recommended, but not required, for admission. Our program has flexible evening hours and students are able to enroll on either a part-time or full-time basis.

Increase your technical knowledge while developing the most in-demand skills to secure your career.

The Computer Science M.S. degree offers:

  • Convenience: all courses offered evenings.
  • Courses taught by accessible and experienced Ph.D. faculty with deep knowledge of the field.
  • 30 credit hours that can be completed in 1.5 years.
  • Ability to obtain a degree without the requirement of comprehensive examinations.
  • Potential to participate in faculty research projects, publish findings and present work nationally and internationally.
  • Languages and tools used in courses will vary, but might include C/C++, C#, Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, Prolog, Scheme, MATLAB, Maple, NASM, SQL, NoSQL, HTML, CSS, XML, NodeJS, Docker, git, Eclipse, and Visual Studio.
  • Competitive tuition.

What can you do with a Master's in Computer Science?

Possible careers for which the MSCS program prepares our students include:

  • Application developer
  • Computer systems analyst
  • Software engineer
  • Web developer, front-end and/or back-end
  • Project manager
  • Software systems developer
  • Database designer/administrator
  • Computer network architect
  • Information security analyst
  • Computer programmer

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Degree

Master's

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Duration

1.5 years

Required Credit Hours

30

Application Requirements

Students must complete Duquesne's online application, including submission of an updated resume.  
Application Submission Deadlines
Fall admission: July 1.
Spring admission: December 1.
Graduate assistantship: February 1 for assistantships beginning in the fall (currently, assistantships only begin in the fall).  Applicants should be sure to indicate on their application that they are requesting an assistantship and provide GRE general exam scores.

Students should submit official transcripts from previous educational institutions. These educational institutions should send the transcripts directly to Duquesne University. 

Students must submit two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a reference who can comment meaningfully on your prior academic performance.

A personal statement of at most 500 words that explains why you are applying to the Computational Mathematics and Statistics program and provides any other information you wish the admissions committee to have.

Students must submit their exam scores from the GRE  (the Duquesne school code is 2196 and the department code is 0402).

International Students

For students who do not have an approved waiver of language testing, regular admission to the MSCS program requires language scores of 80 TOEFL (iBT), 6.5 IELTS, or 105 Duolingo English. Also note that we offer a Pathway Program for students who need to improve their English language skills but want to take some Computer Science coursework at the same time.  

Students who successfully complete the Pathway Program, which lasts no more than one year, and who earn appropriate scores on the GRE, will be directly admitted to the MSCS program with six graduate credits earned toward their degree. The program requires applicants to have earned iBT (TOEFL) test scores of at least 60, IELTS scores of at least 5.5, or Duolingo scores of at least 85 prior to starting the program and to have an appropriate background in Computer Science.

For all applicants, there is no fee for the initial on-line application. However, you may need to pay a fee to a third party in order to submit supporting materials such as international credit evaluations and satisfactory test scores on the TOEFL for non-English language speakers.  

Program Requirements

One core course must be taken from each of the following four core areas:

  • COSC 510 or 511 Advanced Operating Systems and Computer Architecture
  • COSC 512 or 513 Artificial Intelligence and Data Management Systems
  • COSC 514 or 515 Networks and Security
  • COSC 516 or 517 Algorithms and Models of Computation
Advanced courses build on the core courses and provide more depth in the core areas.
  • COSC 521 Automated Theorem Proving
  • COSC 522 Data Compression
  • COSC 523 Machine Learning
  • COSC 524 Natural Language Processing
  • COSC 525 String Processing
  • COSC 560 Algorithms/Graph Theory
A requirement of the program is to gain useful, real-world experience applying the tools and concepts acquired in the course of study. A student without prior, relevant work experience is required to complete an internship or employment experience, typically during the summer term. A student with prior, relevant work experience may satisfy the internship requirement by submitting suitable materials. These materials include an academic reflection that addresses the skills, knowledge, techniques, and design principles related to computer science acquired in his or her work along with a portfolio of related work projects, including design documents, programs, and documentation as appropriate, which demonstrate a mastery of these areas. All Duquesne students have access to Handshake through the Center for Career Development as one of the tools in finding internships.
The Computer Science electives must be at the 500-level or above. If a core area has been satisfied, any additional course taken in that core area may be counted as an elective. Up to six credits of 500-level courses may be taken outside the program with departmental approval. These credits may be earned at Duquesne or at other approved institutions, including at Carnegie Mellon or the University of Pittsburgh through cross-registration.
  • COSC 530 Web-based Systems
  • COSC 531 Parallel and Distributed Computing
  • COSC 532 Data Visualization
  • COSC 533 Compilers
  • COSC 535 Theory of Programming Languages
  • CPMA 551 Digital Image Processing
  • CPMA 565 Numerical Methods
  • CPMA 566 Operations Research
  • CPMA 573 Statistical Computing

B.S./M.S. Accelerated Program

Qualified undergraduate students in computer science can apply for a combined BS/MS degrees program after they have earned at least 60 credits toward their undergraduate degree. Under this program, students can potentially earn a Master's of Science in Computer Science degree with one year of study after completing their Bachelor's, rather than the two or more years that might otherwise be required. 

In order to earn both the B.S. and M.S. degrees, the student must earn at least 150 credits, 30 of which must be graduate (500-level or above) credits fulfilling requirements of the Master's in Computer Science program. No more than 15 of these 30 graduate credits can be taken while the student is an undergraduate.

An undergraduate student enrolled in the combined-degrees program also enjoys the following advantages:

  • Automatic approval for enrolling in Computer Science graduate courses, as long as the course prerequisites are met
  • Provisional graduate admission before completion of the undergraduate degree (this becomes regular admission once the B.S. is earned, assuming that the entrance QPA requirements listed below are maintained)
  • Freedom from concern during his or her senior year with graduate school applications and admission decisions

FAQ's

About the Master's in Computer Science program

As of fall 2022, the rate for this program is $1,054 per credit.
Some other estimates include:
  • Living Expenses (room & board) $14,744
  • Other Expenses $5,000 (this includes health insurance, books, fees, etc.)
Yes. We require that students have completed a 4-year Bachelor's Degree or a 3-year Bachelor's degree followed by advanced Computer Science coursework at the graduate level. We also hope that these students have at least completed Calculus I or a Business Calculus before beginning this program. 
Students without all of the appropriate coursework might be admitted provisionally, but if so they will be required to satisfactorily complete missing foundational courses before taking any graduate courses. This foundational coursework will not count towards the necessary graduate credits.

Student Funding

Outstanding applicants may qualify for a limited number of graduate assistantships.

  • Graduate assistantships provide full or partial tuition remission and a stipend.
  • Teaching assistants primarily lead undergraduate labs and tutor undergraduate students. If it is mutually agreeable, they might also have full responsibility for teaching an introductory course.
  • Research assistantships may be available subject to grant funding.

Applications that include an assistantship request will be considered for the Fall term only, and must be submitted by February 1st. Note that to be considered for an assistantship, GRE general exam scores are required.

All students are required to have either relevant job experience or an internship before completing their degrees. Duquesne's location in the heart of Pittsburgh, the demand for students with the skill sets we teach, and the many local employers who have Duquesne alumni as employees all facilitate placements. The internship requirement can be met through either paid or volunteer internships. All Duquesne students are able to use Handshake through the Center for Career Services to assist in finding internships.