Graduate Programs of Study

M.S. Computer Science

Graduate Students

The ETSU Department of Computing offers a Master's Degree in Computer and Information systems, with graduate concentrations in Applied Computer Science and Information Technology. We also offer a graduate certificate in Data Analytics; this certificate program is open to any one who meets the ETSU graduate school's criteria for admission.

Our programs are designed to serve recent graduates as well as working professionals. All courses are offered in the evening. Some are also offered on-line.

Scholarships and assistantships are available for full-time students.

M.S. Degree Program

Requirements for admission - all concentrations

All applicants are evaluated on the basis of the following factors:
- Coursework in computing.
  - The equivalent of a major in a computing field is expected. Students lacking this background may be required to complete (with a B- or higher in each course) a sequence of undergraduate foundation courses in computer science and mathematics [listed below].
  - Related professional experience, such as programming, systems analysis, and/or systems design may be substituted for some foundation courses.
- Three letters of recommendation that evaluate the applicant’s academic ability, professional maturity, and communication skills.
- Additional requirements for domestic students
  - A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Degrees from non-accredited institutions will be evaluated on an individual basis.
  - Evidence of competence to begin graduate study. Such evidence should include any one of the following:
    
    an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
    
    a professional record that demonstrates readiness for graduate study in computing
    
    satisfactory GRE scores - at least 146 Verbal and 146 Quantitative
  - A completed application form.
  - A personal essay of 150-300 words, detailing your interests in graduate study at ETSU.
  - A non-refundable application fee of $55.
  - One unofficial transcript from every college or university where the applicant has taken courses.
- Additional requirements for international students
  - A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
    
    European students with three-year Bologna bachelor's degrees and Indian students with three-year bachelor's degrees from Indian Universities ranked A (3.01 - 4.0) through the NAAC accreditation process will be considered to have equivalent four-year degrees.
    
    Degrees from non-accredited institutions or from institutions outside the U.S. will be evaluated on an individual basis.
  - One of the following GPA requirements:
    
    3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
    
    16 on a 20-point scale.
    
    80.0 from Chinese institutions.
    
    1st Class, 2nd Class Honors, or 1st and upper 2nd Division from Indian institutions.
    
    Upper 2nd Class Honors on various British systems.
  Other grading systems will be evaluated upon receipt of transcripts.
  - Satisfactory GRE scores - at least 146 Verbal and 146 Quantitative
  - A completed admissions application
  - A personal essay of 150-300 words, detailing your interests in graduate study at ETSU.
  - A non-refundable application fee of $65.00.
    
    This fee must be submitted before sending any further application materials to the graduate school.
  - One unofficial transcript from every college or university where the applicant has taken courses including proof of all degrees received
    
    If the records are not in English, certified translations that are attested by the awarding institution must be sent in addition to the official documents. Notarized copies and third-party attestations are not acceptable. Individual-year mark sheets from Indian institutions are required. Summary mark sheets are not accepted.
  - Certification of English Proficiency:
    
    Graduate students whose native language is not English must submit one of the following:
    
    Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
    
    Score of 79 (Internet-Based)
    
    Score of 550 (Paper-based)
    
    International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
    
    Score of 6.5
    
    PTE Academic score of 53 or higher
    
    Documentation showing the successful completion of the ELS Language Centers level 112 course.
    
    Proof of degree from an accredited U.S. institution.
    
    All international students who receive a tuition scholarship or graduate assistantship must sit for an oral English proficiency interview immediately upon their arrival at ETSU.
Concentration-specific requirements
- For the applied computer science concentration
  
  Students must complete all foundation courses to be admitted without provisions. For students admitted with foundation course provisions, all foundation courses must be completed within one year of the start of the first semester of study, with marks of B- or better (Note: see undergraduate catalog for course prerequisites):
  - CSCI 1250 Introduction to Computer Science I
  - CSCI 1260 Introduction to Computer Science II
  - CSCI 2020 Fundamentals of Database
  - CSCI 2150 Computer Organization
  - CSCI 2160 Assembly Language
  - CSCI 2210 Data Structures
  - CSCI 3230 Algorithms OR
    an advanced systems course (compiler construction, programming languages, performance analysis, real time programming)
  - CSCI 4250 Software Engineering I
  - CSCI 4717 Computer Architecture OR CSCI 3400 Network Fundamentals
  - CSCI 4727 Operating Systems
  - Three from this list:
    
    MATH 1110/1060 Calculus I
    
    MATH 1120/1070 Calculus II
    
    MATH 1530 Probability & Statistics OR MATH 2050 Probability & Statistics - Calculus-Based
    
    CSCI 1900 Math for Computer Science (i.e., discrete math)
    
    MATH 4340 Graph theory
- For the information technology concentration
  
  Students must complete all foundation courses to be admitted without provisions. For students admitted with foundation course provisions, all foundation courses must be completed within one year of the start of the first semester of study, with marks of B- or better (Note: see undergraduate catalog for course prerequisites):
  - CSCI 1210 Essentials of Web Development
  - CSCI 1250 Introduction to Computer Science I
  - CSCI 1260 Introduction to Computer Science II
  - CSCI 2020 Fundamentals of Database
  - CSCI 2150 Computer Organization
  - CSCI 2910 Server-Side Web Programming
  - CSCI 3400 Network Fundamentals
  - CSCI 4250 Software Engineering I OR a junior/senior level programming or systems course
  - Two from this list:
    
    MATH 1110 Calculus I
    
    CSCI 1900 Math for Computer Science (i.e., discrete math)
    
    MATH 1530 Probability & Statistics OR MATH 2050 Probability & Statistics - Calculus-Based
    
    MATH 2870 Probability & Statistics 2
Note: students who fail to meet these concentration-specific requirements may be eligible for provisional admission.

Time to complete

For full-time students who start in fall, the expected time to complete the M.S. degree is four semesters. Most full-time students who start in Fall 2021, for example, will complete their program of study by Spring 2023. Additional semesters may be needed by students who attend part-time; who are missing foundation courses upon starting graduate work; who enter in spring semester; and who elect the thesis track, but fail to complete in the normally allotted time.

Concentration in Applied Computer Science

Concentration course requirements (39 credits)

Major core courses (12 credits)

CSCI 5200 Software Systems Engineering (3)
CSCI 5230 Software Project Management (3)
CSCI 5300 Principles and Applications of Software Design (3)
CSCI 5520 Research Methods in Computer Science (3)

Concentration Specific Courses (12 credits)

CSCI 5150 Topics in Distributed Systems (3)
CSCI 5220 Software Verification and Validation (3)
CSCI 5260 Artificial Intelligence (3)
CSCI 5620 Analysis of Algorithms (3)

Electives - choose 6 credits
- CSCI 5157 – Interactive Graphics (3)
- CSCI 5410 – Advanced Networking Concepts (3)
- CSCI 5460 – Network and Information Security (3)
- CSCI 5417 – Introduction to System Administration (3)
- CSCI 5507 – Computer Forensics (3)
- CSCI 5537 – Ethical Hacking (3)
- CSCI 5607 – Information Risk Management (3)
- CSCI 5637 – Wireless and Mobile Computing (3)
- CSCI 5657 – Cloud Computing (3)
- CSCI 5677 – Internet of Things (3)
- CSCI 5710 – E-Commerce Implementation (3)
- CSCI 5730 – Enterprise Information Systems (3)
- CSCI 5717 – Computer Architecture (3)
- CSCI 5727 – Operating Systems (3)
- CSCI 5757 – Information Systems Implementation (3)
- CSCI 5767 – Enterprise Programming (3)
- CSCI 5900 – Independent Study (3-6)
- CSCI 5927 – Human Computer Interaction (3)
- CSCI 5957 – Special Topics in Computer Science (3-6)
- MATH 5340 – Graph Theory I (3)
- MSDM 5050 – Web Analytics (3)
Capstone (9 credits) - choose one sequence
- Software Development Project
  
  The project capstone is designed to develop practical skills in computer systems development. The sequence begins with Research Methods, in which students investigate an aspect of software development, relating their investigation to a real-world project of the department's choosing. In the three subsequent courses, a team of students, under the direction of a faculty member, gathers and analyzes requirements, writes specifications, then designs, implements, tests, and delivers a full system. Students choose a development process, manage the project scheduling and complete a project post-mortem to analyze their development process.
  
  CSCI 5910 Software Development Project I (3)
  CSCI 5920 Software Development Project II (3)
  CSCI 5930 Software Development Project III (3)
- Thesis
  
  The thesis capstone is designed to develop the student's ability to pose and investigate a research-quality program in computing, and to report an investigation's results. The sequence begins with Research Methods, in which students write a literature survey for an area of interest and select a faculty thesis advisor. In the three subsequent courses, the student, in conjunction with that advisor, selects a topic, conducts the research, forms a committee, and writes and defends the thesis. Close cooperation with the faculty thesis advisor is required throughout the process.
  
  CSCI 5550 Directed Research 1 (3)
  CSCI 5551 Directed Research 2 (3)
  CSCI 5960 Thesis (3)

Enrollment Data

Academic Year	Enrollment	M.S. Graduates
2019-2020	13	7
2018-2019	14	5
2017-2018	21	7
2016-2017	24	12
2015-2016	27	11
2014-2015	24	6
2013-2014	21	7
2012-2013	20	8

The Applied Computer Science concentration balances the theory of computer science with the practical application of software engineering. It teaches students to develop and use abstract models for analytic, descriptive, and predictive studies of real-world phenomena and systems. Students are exposed to several primary research areas in computer science, such as distributed systems, artificial intelligence, object-oriented software development, and analysis of algorithms. Software engineering topics include requirements analysis, software design, and software verification and validation. The job market has demonstrated increasing demand in the computing workforce. Monster.com reports salaries between $60,000 and $100,000 for Information Technology jobs.

Concentration in Information Technology

Concentration course requirements (39 credits)

Major core courses (12 credits)

CSCI 5200 Software Systems Engineering (3)
CSCI 5230 Software Project Management (3)
CSCI 5300 Principles and Applications of Software Design (3)
CSCI 5520 Research Methods in Computer Science (3)

Concentration Specific Courses (12 credits)

CSCI 5410 Advanced Networking Concepts (3)
CSCI 5460 Network and Information Security (3)
CSCI 5710 E-Commerce Implementation (3)
CSCI 5730 Enterprise Information Systems (3)

Electives - choose 6 credits
- CSCI 5157 – Interactive Graphics (3)
- CSCI 5150 – Distributed Systems (3)
- CSCI 5220 – Software Verification and Validation (3)
- CSCI 5260 – Artificial Intelligence (3)
- CSCI 5417 – Introduction to System Administration (3)
- CSCI 5507 – Computer Forensics (3)
- CSCI 5537 – Ethical Hacking (3)
- CSCI 5607 – Information Risk Management (3)
- CSCI 5620 – Analysis of Algorithms (3)
- CSCI 5637 – Wireless and Mobile Computing (3)
- CSCI 5657 – Cloud Computing (3)
- CSCI 5677 – Internet of Things (3)
- CSCI 5717 – Computer Architecture (3)
- CSCI 5727 – Operating Systems (3)
- CSCI 5757 – Information Systems Implementation (3)
- CSCI 5767 – Enterprise Programming (3)
- CSCI 5900 – Independent Study (3-6)
- CSCI 5927 – Human Computer Interaction (3)
- CSCI 5957 – Special Topics in Computer Science (3-6)
- MATH 5340 – Graph Theory I (3)
- MSDM 5050 – Web Analytics (3)
Capstone (9 credits) - choose one sequence
- Software Development Project
  
  The project capstone is designed to develop practical skills in computer systems development. The sequence begins with Research Methods, in which students investigate an aspect of software development, relating their investigation to a real-world project of the department's choosing. In the three subsequent courses, a team of students, under the direction of a faculty member, gathers and analyzes requirements, writes specifications, then designs, implements, tests, and delivers a full system. Students choose a development process, manage the project scheduling and complete a project post-mortem to analyze their development process.
  
  CSCI 5910 Software Development Project I (3)
  CSCI 5920 Software Development Project II (3)
  CSCI 5930 Software Development Project III (3)
- Thesis
  
  The thesis capstone is designed to develop the student's ability to pose and investigate a research-quality program in computing, and to report an investigation's results. The sequence begins with Research Methods, in which students write a literature survey for an area of interest and select a faculty thesis advisor. In the three subsequent courses, the student, in conjunction with that advisor, selects a topic, conducts the research, forms a committee, and writes and defends the thesis. Close cooperation with the faculty thesis advisor is required throughout the process.
  
  CSCI 5550 Directed Research 1 (3)
  CSCI 5551 Directed Research 2 (3)
  CSCI 5960 Thesis (3)

Enrollment Data

Academic Year	Enrollment	M.S. Graduates
2019-2020	13	8
2018-2019	14	6
2017-2018	13	7
2016-2017	15	4
2015-2016	10	7
2014-2015	15	6
2013-2014	17	9
2012-2013	26	11

The Information Technology concentration combines the ability to create web applications and enterprise software solutions with a solid basis in software engineering. Coursework topics include e-Business site design, development and management, and business process modeling and integration. Students gain experience designing and developing within contemporary Enterprise Resource Planning and Enterprise Application Integration systems. Software engineering topics include requirements analysis, software project management, and software design. The job market has demonstrated increasing demand in the computing workforce. Monster.com reports salaries between $60,000 and $100,000 for Information Technology jobs.

Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics

Anyone who is eligible to enroll in Graduate Studies at East State Tennessee University may apply. A previous background in Computing is not required to complete these courses.

Learn More about Data Analytics

Advisement, Inquiries, Applications

Advisement for graduate students, while not required, is highly recommended. More information about the graduate program, including proposed improvements to our programs for the Fall 2021 academic year, can be obtained from our graduate coordinator, Dr. Brian Bennett.

Brian Bennett, Ph.D.

Assistant Department Chair / Graduate CoordinatorComputing

bennetbt@etsu.edu
423.439.7409
Nicks Hall, Room 4-463

Department of Computing

College of Business and Technology