MS Computer Science Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is highly selective; there are many more qualified applicants than there are places in the program. The challenge for the College every year is to select a class from a highly qualified pool. The College looks for compelling reasons to admit candidates, and the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores and GPA are all reviewed carefully. Having a strong undergraduate background in computer science, including C programming, is highly recommended for applicants. The Admissions Committee welcomes additional pertinent information that will aid in making objective and informed decisions.

Students are admitted to the master's program only once a year. The application deadline is Feb. 1 for admission to the following fall semester.

Application Requirements

  • Completion of the online application.
  • Receipt of three recommendation letters (requested within the on-line application).
  • Scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. Applicant scores are expected to be at least 153 in the Verbal, 155 in the Quantitative, and 3.0 in the Analytical sections for the MS program.  This requirement cannot be waived.
  • The desirable minimum GPA is 3.0/4.0, though most candidates score higher.
  • See the Institute's English Proficiency Requirements.  Our department requires a 100 minimum score on the TOEFL. We will also accept IELTS to fulfill english proficiency.  A minimum overall score of 7.5 is required, with minimum section scores as follows:  Reading 6.5, Listening 6.5, Speaking 6.5, Writing 5.5.

A student who is enrolled in another graduate program of the Institute may pursue an MSCS while that student is also pursuing his or her degree in the other major. To be granted permission to pursue the MSCS, a student must submit to the Office of Graduate Programs in the College of Computing the material required for admission to the MSCS program. This includes transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the GRE General Test. If the student is approved by the admissions committee to pursue the MSCS, the student will be notified in writing. At no time will a student outside the College be allowed to pursue a concurrent degree without prior permission of the admissions committee.

Admissions FAQ