Master of Computer Science
Computer science is at the center of our increasingly digital world. This professional master’s degree program in computer science will prepare you for a career in the ever-evolving tech landscape. The program consists of 30 credit hours of coursework in computer science and is designed for those without a prior degree in computer science, or those who are primarily interested in a (non-thesis) program preparing them for careers as working computer science professionals in business and industry. A full-time student with a background in computer science enrolled in the program should be able to complete the requirements in one to one-and-a-half years. Optional specializations in a number of areas are available.
Curriculum
The Master of Computer Science degree program requires a core curriculum of nine credit hours and 21 credit hours of elective courses. At least 20 credit hours must come from 500-level CS/CSP courses.
| Minimum Degree Credits | 30 |
| Minimum Core Course Credits | 9 |
| Minimum 500-Level CS/CSP Credits | 20 |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Programming Core Courses | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Topics in Computer Graphics | 3 | |
| Computer Vision | 3 | |
| Advanced Database Organization | 3 | |
| Syntactic Analysis of Programming Languages | 3 | |
| Topics in Compiler Construction | 3 | |
| Parallel and Distributed Processing | 3 | |
| Operating System Design and Implementation | 3 | |
| Cloud Computing | 3 | |
| Systems Core Courses | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Computer Networks I: Fundamentals | 3 | |
| Computer Networks II: Network Services | 3 | |
| Wireless Networking | 3 | |
| Advanced Operating Systems | 3 | |
| Analytic Models and Simulation of Computer Systems | 3 | |
| Advanced Computer Architecture | 3 | |
| Software Systems Architectures | 3 | |
| Software-Defined Networking | 3 | |
| Theory Core Courses | (3) | |
| Select a minimum of one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Theory of Computation | 3 | |
| Computational Geometry | 3 | |
| Types and Programming Languages | 3 | |
| Design and Analysis of Algorithms | 3 | |
| Science of Programming | 3 | |
| Combinatorial Optimization | 3 | |
| Game Theory: Algorithms and Applications | 3 | |
| Elective Courses | (21) | |
| Select 21 credit hours | 21 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Notes:
- All core and specialization courses must be satisfied by courses taken at Illinois Institute of Technology. Courses transferred for credit cannot be used to satisfy core or specialization course requirements. Core course credit does apply toward the 20-credit hour requirement for CS/CSP courses.
- Elective credit may include 400- and 500-level CS and CSP courses, certain courses transferred from other departments, and up to six credit hours of accelerated courses. Interprofessional Projects (IPROs) and deficiency courses (CS 201, CS 401, CS 402, and Calculus) cannot be included. There is a limit of six CS 597 credits. Consult the computer science department website (science.iit.edu/computer-science) for details.
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Certain specializations have program requirements different from those above. See the Specializations tab on this page for more details.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Business
33 credit hours
This program is designed to help computer science professionals extend and deepen their technical and practical knowledge of the field while introducing themselves to core topics in modern business practices. Students must satisfy the general Master of Computer Science requirements, and complete 24 credit hours of CS/CSP courses and three specialization courses from the Stuart School of Business.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (9) | |
| Select a minimum of three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Strategic Management | 3 | |
| Business Statistics | 3 | |
| Financial Statement Applications | 3 | |
| International Trade | 3 | |
| Analytics for Decision Making | 3 | |
| Leadership and Organization Design | 3 | |
| Financial Management | 3 | |
| Marketing Strategy | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Note: Stuart School of Business tuition and fees apply to these courses. Applicants to the program are not required to take the GMAT. Students who have already taken Stuart School of Business courses as part of a degree program cannot reuse those courses to satisfy specialization course requirements.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Artificial Intelligence
30 credit hours
This program is intended for students who are interested in ways in which computers may learn and adapt based on data so as to solve complex problems in various areas of computer science. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 3 | |
| Computer Vision 1 | 3 | |
| Advanced Data Mining | 3 | |
| Deep Learning | 3 | |
| Interactive and Transparent Machine Learning | 3 | |
| Online Social Network Analysis | 3 | |
| Probabilistic Graphical Models | 3 | |
| Machine Learning | 3 | |
| Natural Language Processing | 3 | |
| Advanced Artificial Intelligence | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
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CS 512 serves simultaneously as a specialization and a Programming core course.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Cyber-Physical Systems
30 credit hours
This program is intended for students who are interested in learning how to work with embedded controllers with integrated sensors and networking abilities and to utilize them for real-world applications. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Mobile Applications Development | 3 | |
| Distributed Real-Time Systems | 3 | |
| Cloud Computing 1 | 3 | |
| Analytic Models and Simulation of Computer Systems 1 | 3 | |
| Cyber-Physical Systems: Languages and Systems | 3 | |
| Cyber-Physical Systems Security and Design | 3 | |
| Advanced Computer Security | 3 | |
| System and Network Security | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Data Analytics
30 credit hours
Intelligent analysis of large amounts of data is a crucial component in supporting business decisions. This program is intended for students interested in learning how to discover patterns in large amounts of data in information systems and how to use these to draw conclusions. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Data Mining | 3 | |
| Data Integration, Warehousing, and Provenance | 3 | |
| Advanced Data Mining | 3 | |
| Data-Intensive Computing | 3 | |
| Online Social Network Analysis | 3 | |
| Machine Learning | 3 | |
| Natural Language Processing | 3 | |
| Computer Vision | 3 | |
| Data Privacy and Security | 3 | |
| Information Retrieval | 3 | |
| Data Preparation and Analysis | 3 | |
| Big Data Technologies | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Database Systems
30 credit hours
This program is designed to provide in-depth knowledge of the principles of design and development of database systems. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Database Organization | 3 | |
| Data Integration, Warehousing, and Provenance | 3 | |
| Advanced Data Mining | 3 | |
| Big Data Technologies | 3 | |
| Advanced Database Organization 1 | 3 | |
| Information Retrieval | 3 | |
| Cloud Computing 1 | 3 | |
| Data-Intensive Computing | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Distributed and Cloud Computing
30 credit hours
The Master of Computer Science with a Specialization in Distributed and Cloud Computing is intended for students who are interested to learn about distributed systems and how they are applied to real world problems, as well as how emerging cloud computing technologies can be used to implement some of the world's most popular services and applications. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (15) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Parallel and Distributed Computing | 3 | |
| Parallel and Distributed Processing 1 | 3 | |
| Advanced Operating Systems 1 | 3 | |
| Distributed Real-Time Systems | 3 | |
| Cloud Computing 1 | 3 | |
| Data-Intensive Computing | 3 | |
| Advanced Computer Architecture 1 | 3 | |
| CS 543 | Software-Defined Networking | 3 |
| Big Data Technologies | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
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CS 546 and CS 553 both serve simultaneously as specialization courses and Programming core courses. CS 550 and CS 570 both serve simultaneously as specialization courses and Systems core courses.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Finance
33 credit hours
The Master of Computer Science with a Specialization in Finance is designed to enable computer science students to further their technical education while opening a path toward a career in finance.
Courses for the MCS/Finance degree program are taken from the Department of Computer Science and the Stuart School of Business. In addition to satisfying the general Master of Computer Science degree requirements, students must complete 24 credit hours of CS/CSP courses and three specified MSF courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Finance Courses | (9) | |
| MSF 504 | Valuation and Portfolio Management | 3 |
| MSF 505 | Futures, Options, and OTC Derivatives | 3 |
| MSF 506 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Note: Stuart School of Business tuition and fees apply to these courses. Applicants to the program are not required to take the GMAT. Students who have already taken Stuart School of Business courses as part of a degree program cannot reuse those courses to satisfy specialization course requirements.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Information Security and Assurance
30 credit hours
Information security, privacy, and information assurance are of prime importance in modern computer systems where data can be accessed from nearly everywhere. The Master of Computer Science with a Specialization in Information Security and Assurance is intended for students interested in aspects of security and assurance in modern e-commerce applications. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
The U.S. government's Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) program has certified the computer science department's courses as meeting the national training standards for Information Systems Security Professionals (NSTISSI 4011) and Systems Certifiers (NSTISSI 4015). These standards describe course content for studying telecommunications security and automated information systems security.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four of the following courses: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Information Security | 3 | |
| Advanced Database Organization 1 | 3 | |
| Data Privacy and Security | 3 | |
| Cryptography and Network Security | 3 | |
| Advanced Operating Systems 1 | 3 | |
| Advanced Computer Security | 3 | |
| System and Network Security | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
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CS 525 serves simultaneously as a specialization course and a Programming core course. CS 550 serves simultaneously as a specialization course and a Systems core course.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Networking and Communications
30 credit hours
This program is designed to provide an in-depth knowledge of the theory and practice of computer networking and telecommunications. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (15) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Data Communications | 3 | |
| Computer Networks I: Fundamentals 1 | 3 | |
| Computer Networks II: Network Services 1 | 3 | |
| Wireless Networking 1 | 3 | |
| High-Speed Networks | 3 | |
| Cryptography and Network Security | 3 | |
| Analytic Models and Simulation of Computer Systems 1 | 3 | |
| Cyber-Physical Systems Security and Design | 3 | |
| System and Network Security | 3 | |
| CS 543 | Software-Defined Networking | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
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CS 542, CS 544, CS 547, and CS 555 all serve simultaneously as specialization courses and Systems core courses.
Master of Computer Science with Specialization in Software Engineering
30 credit hours
This program is designed to provide an in-depth knowledge of theory and practices in software engineering, including hands-on experience in software design, development, and maintenance. Students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and complete four specialization courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Software Engineering I | 3 | |
| Object-Oriented Analysis and Design | 3 | |
| Science of Programming 1 | 3 | |
| Software Metrics | 3 | |
| Software Systems Architectures 1 | 3 | |
| Software Project Management | 3 | |
| Software Testing and Analysis | 3 | |
| Software Quality Management | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
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CS 536 serves simultaneously as a specialization course and a Theory core course. CS 586 serves simultaneously as a specialization course and a Systems core course.
