Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

The curriculum has been designed to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Association for Computing Machinery for Master's Programs in Computer Science. Most full-time degree candidates admitted into the program will complete the degree requirements in two years. The thesis option requires 30 semester hours of graduate work while the non-thesis option requires 39. With prior consent, up to 6 credits of approved graduate-level coursework outside the department may be substituted for elective courses in both the thesis and non-thesis options. The grade point average of all Computer Science courses and pre-approved electives taken at The University of Akron must not be less than 3.0.

Core Courses (required for all students):

  • 3460:535 Algorithms or
  • 3460:635 Advanced Algorithms
  • 3460:601 Research Methodology (Students who took 3460:598 do not need to retake this course.)
  • Two courses from Software, Languages and Systems: 3460:626, 630, 641, 653, 655, 665, 677, and 680.
  • Two courses from Applications: 3460: 645, 658, 660, and 676
Note: 689 may be counted for one of the last two areas upon the approval of the department

Thesis Option (30 credits of graduate work)

24 credits in approved coursework, at least 15 credits of which must be taken at the 600 level. In addition, 3 credits in 3460:698 Master's Research and 3 credits in 3460:699 Master's Thesis. The thesis must be of publishable quality and must be successfully presented at a public defense moderated by three full time Graduate Faculty (two of which must be from Computer Science).

Non-thesis Option (39 credits of graduate work)

39 credits in approved coursework, at least 21 credits of which must be taken at the 600 level.

A note on electives

If consent from the department is received before enrolling, up to three credits of approved graduate-level work outside the department may be substituted for elective courses in both the thesis and non-thesis options.

Courses which have been approved previously:

  • 3350:505 Geographic Information Systems
  • 3350:507 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
  • 3450:527 Applied Numerical Methods I
  • 3450:528 Applied Numerical Methods II
  • 3450:636 Advanced Combinatorics and Graph Theory (applicable to Applications category)
  • 6500:601 Business Analytics and Information Strategy
  • 7100:589 Selected Topic: Game Design

Many courses from Computer Engineering may also be acceptable:

  • 4450:510 Embedded Scientific Computing
  • 4450:515 System Simulation
  • 4450:521 Computer System Design
  • 4450:522 Embedded System Interfacing
  • 4450:527 Computer Networks
  • 4450:540 Digital Signal Processing
  • 4450:562 Analog Integrated Circuit Design
  • 4450:523 Programmable Logic
  • 4450:567 VLSI Circuits and Design