Computer Science Master's Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science or closely related field. Students holding B.S. degrees in other fields, e.g., physics, mathematics, and engineering, may be admitted to Provisional status until selected undergraduate requirements in computer science have been completed.
2. An overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00.
3. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies' English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.
4. Applicant holding degrees from non-ABET accredited programs/universities are strongly recommended to submit scores from the General Test of Graduate Record Examination.

Combined B.S./M.S. Degree in Computer Science

The School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science offers a combined BS/Master program that allows a student to complete a master's degree in as little as one year beyond the bachelor's degree. Students seeking the Master of Computer Science degree through the Combined Degree program must satisfy all requirements for both the B.S. and M.S. degree. A maximum of six (6) credits of prior approved coursework can get double counted toward each of the two degrees. Double counted courses should not include required courses for the B.S. degree, but may include CS and EECS elective courses that are approved for graduate coursework. Degree requirements for the M.S. degree will be those listed by the School of Graduate Studies as found in the graduate school catalog.

Admission Requirements

1. Students may apply for this program upon completion of 95 credits toward the bachelor’s degree.
2. An overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 at the time of admission.
3. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies' English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Accelerated B.S./M.S. Degree (4+1) in Computer Science

The Accelerated Bachelor/Master (ABM) degree program allows exceptional undergraduate students at UND to complete the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees at an accelerated pace.  All requirements for both degrees must be met, and these students may double count up to 12 graduate-level credits towards the requirements for both M.S., thesis and non-thesis, in Computer Science.  ABM students can obtain their Master degree within 12 months after completing the Bachelor of Computer Science degree, provided that the degree requirements can be completed in that timeframe. 

Admission Requirements

High achieving high school students (GPA of at least 3.5/4.0 and an ACT score of 25 or higher) will initially be considered for “identified” status and become eligible for formal admission when they meet the same criteria that undergraduates must meet for admission into the ABM program.  The following are the minimum eligibility requirements:    

1. Students must have completed a minimum of 60 credits, including credits earned from advanced placement and dual credit.  They must apply before completion of the undergraduate degree.
2. Transfer students with a minimum of 60 credits-whether from the transfer institution alone or in combination with UND credits-must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 at the time of admission to the ABM program.
3. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 at UND at the time of admission into the ABM program.

Degree Requirements

The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science offers two options for the M.S. degree, with thesis and without thesis.

Thesis Option:

1. Completion of 30 semester credits of graduate level coursework of which 21 credits must be from CSCI or EECS as approved by the faculty advisory committee.
2. At least one-half of the coursework credits must be at or above the 500-level.
3. A maximum of 9 semester credits of the credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another institution.
4. Form a Faculty Advisory Committee in the first semester in the program.  The chair of this committee must be approved by the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Graduate Committee.
5. Completion of a research project, submission of a thesis report, and a thesis defense.
6. An overall GPA of 3.00 or better in all coursework.
7. The thesis course (CSCI 998) must consist of 5 credits total.
8. One credit of seminar class (EECS 500) is mandatory. 

Non-Thesis Option:

1. Completion of 30 semester credits of graduate level coursework of which 21 credits must be from CSCI or EECS.
2. Three credit hour CSCi 997 Independent Study (requires a written report approved by the faculty advisor) is acceptable.
3. At least 15 coursework credits must be at or above the 500-level.
4. A maximum of 9 semester credits of the credit hours required for the degree may be transferred from another institution.
5. An overall GPA of 3.00 or better in all coursework.
6. Student has to successfully complete a comprehensive final examination on a general area approved by the candidate’s faculty advisor.