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2015-2017 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Computer Science and Information Technology - MCST
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 Return to: Graduate Programs
Master of Science in Computer Science and Information Technology
Program Description
The graduate Computer Science and Information Technology (MCST) curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for careers involving the development and support of processes that utilize computer science and/or information technology. The MS in Computer Science and Information Technology curriculum provides students who seek a master’s degree in a technical field the benefit of completing a program designed with a unique pedagogic composition—the combination of a traditional computer science core with applied courses in information technology. This combination develops a skill set for the application of computer technology resources to solve a variety of information need problems. Additionally, this program develops communication and leadership skills required in the corporate/government sector.
Designed to satisfy the post baccalaureate development of working professionals, most courses are offered in the evening. The program is delivered on the campus of Winston-Salem State University in the Elva J. Jones Computer Science Building. This multi-million dollar computer science facility provides an ultramodern instructional infrastructure including: computing instruction laboratories, undergraduate and graduate specialized laboratories, cutting-edge research laboratories, departmental servers and control rooms, faculty and graduate assistant offices, and student study areas.
Mission
The mission of the Master of Science in Computer Science and Information Technology program is to prepare graduates for careers in computer science and information technology, including: systems development and support, consulting, network administration, database administration, and information resource management.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the MS in Computer Science and Information Technology program, students will exhibit the following student learning outcomes:
- Graduates will show evidence of a strong foundation of core computer science knowledge, including architecture, operating systems, and algorithms;
- Graduates will show evidence of mastery of graduate level concepts associated with a selected concentration in computer science or information technology;
- Graduates will exhibit the ability to conduct an independent capstone activity that will produce an original work in the field (thesis for the computer science concentration or project for the information technology concentration).
Application Deadlines
The deadline for receipt of all application materials is June 1st for Fall semester admission and October 1st for Spring semester admission. International students’ must submit application materials one month prior to the published deadline shown above.
Transfer Credits
Subject to the approval of the Department of Computer Science, up to six (6) semester hours of graduate transfer credit may be applied toward the MS in Computer Science and Information Technology degree. Graduate transfer credit will only be granted for courses completed with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer credit should be requested upon admission to the program.
Degree/Option Requirements
The MS in Computer Science and Information Technology requires 30-33 hours. No minor is required. Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 (“B” average). No more than two grades of “C” may be earned in the program.
The MS in Computer Science and Information Technology students must select one of the following concentrations and the culminating activity (project, thesis, or exam) for that concentration:
Project Option: 33 credit hours
- 9 semester hours (SH) of core courses
- 9 SH of required information technology courses
- 12 SH of elective courses
- 3 SH of project work.
Thesis Option: 30 credit hours
- 9 semester hours (SH) of core courses
- 9 SH of required computer science courses
- 6 SH of elective courses
- 6 SH of thesis research
Exam Option: 33 credit hours
- 9 semester hours (SH) of core courses
- 9 SH of required courses in the concentration—computer science or information technology
- 15 SH of elective courses
- comprehensive exam
Time Limits for Completion
The MS in Computer Science and Information Technology program can be completed within two years of full-time study. A student may not take longer than six years to complete the curriculum.
Progression Requirements
Students in the MS in Computer Science and Information Technology program must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 (“B” average). No more than two grades of “C” may be earned in the program.
Core Courses
Required Courses for the Computer Science Concentration
Required Courses for the Information Technology Concentration
Electives
Additional Electives
Foundation Elective Courses
These graduate level electives present content typically found in an undergraduate computer science program.
Admission Requirements
- An earned baccalaureate degree in a related field from an accredited college or university. In lieu of a baccalaureate degree in a related field, evidence of prerequisite course work or equivalent experience in high-level programming, architecture, operating systems, and data structures
- Official application and application fee (see graduate admissions for the current fee amount).
- Official transcript from each institution where undergraduate or graduate work was completed
- Official report of GRE scores—General exam.
- International applicants must submit a Sponsor’s Affidavit, Financial Certification and an Intent to Enroll Form
- Three sealed recommendation forms and/or letters (at least two from faculty and one from a practicing professional)
- A written personal statement (essay describing professional goals, experience, and research interests)
- Resume reflecting work relevant experience
- Documentation of prior learning which satisfies program prerequisite knowledge (in lieu of prerequisite courses—for applicants who do not hold the BS in computer science)
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 550. Non-native speakers of English with international transcripts, regardless of U.S. citizenship, must validate proficiency in the English language. Applicants may submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL language proficiency test. The minimum required TOEFL score depends on the form of the exam taken (Internet based = 79, or paper based = 550). The language requirement also may be fulfilled by completion of INTERLINK, the intensive English language program, such as the one located on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) (www.uncg.edu/ipg/interlink/) through Level 5. The English language proficiency requirement may be waived if the applicant is a graduate of a university in a country where English is the official language.
- Applicants who do not hold the BS in computer science must provide evidence of prerequisite course work or equivalent experience in high-level programming, and data structures (certificates, transcripts, etc.).
All application materials should be submitted to:
Office of Admissions
Winston-Salem State University
206 Thompson Center
Winston-Salem, NC 27110
Graduate Admissions Phone: (336) 750-2250
FAX: (336) 750-3042
EMAIL: graduate@wssu.edu
Faculty
Mustafa Atay
Associate Professor of Computer Science
B.S., Hacettepe University, M.S., Faith University
Ph.D., Wayne State University
Specialization: Information Technology, XML Data Management, Database Systems, Information Retrieval, Data Integration, Semantic Web
Jinsuk Baek
Associate Professor of Computer Science
B.Sc., M.Sc., Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Ph.D., University of Houston
Specialization: Scalable Reliable Multicast Protocols, Mobile Wireless Computing, Network Security Protocols, Proxy Caching Systems and Formal Verification of Communication Protocols
E. Rebecca Caldwell
Associate Professor of Computer Science
B.S., University of North Carolina—Greensboro
M.S., Clark-Atlanta University
Ph.D. University of North Carolina—Greensboro
Specialization: Computer Science Education, Robotics Education, and STEM Education
Debzani Deb
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
BS.C., Shajala University of Science and Technology
M.S., University of Adelaide
Ph.D., Montana State University
Specialization: Software Engineering, High Performance Computing, Data Mining, Computer Education
Christo Dichev
Professor of Computer Science
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Sofia University
Ph.D., Kiev University
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence, Programming Languages, Object Oriented Software, Knowledge-based systems, Heuristic Search, Distributed AI, Information Retrieval, Web Mining and Information Extraction, Decision Support Systems, Informatics and Pattern Recognition
Darina Dicheva
Paul B. Fulton Delta Sigma Theta Distinguished Professor of Computer Science
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Sofia University
Specialization: Database systems, Intelligent Systems, Knowledge-based systems, Virtual Learning Environments, Information Retrieval, Data Mining, Semantic Web
Paul Fisher
R.J. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Computer Science
B.A., M.A., University of Utah
Ph.D., Arizona State University
Specialization: Data Compression, Pattern Recognition, Image Processing, Computational Theory
M. Muztaba Fuad
Associate Professor of Computer Science
BS.C., Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
MS.C., University of Adelaide
Ph.D., Montana State University
Specialization: Self-Adaptive Systems, Distributed and Parallel Systems, Software Engineering, Operating System and Programming Language
Keith Irwin
Associate Professor of Computer Science
B.S., Carnegie Mellon University
M.S., Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Specialization: Information Security, Database Systems, Architecture, Operating Systems
Elva J. Jones
Professor of Computer Science AND Chair, Department of Computer Science
B.S., Winston-Salem State University
M.S., University of North Carolina—Greensboro
M.S., Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Database Systems, Knowledge-based Systems,
Information Retrieval, Visualization and GIS, Imaging, Decision Support Systems, Electronic Commerce, Robotics and Computer Science Education
Shin Shan Jou
Professor of Computer Science
B.S., National Taiwan University
M.A., Ph.D., University of Waterloo
Specialization: Graphics, Imaging, Parallel Computing, Informatics and Pattern Recognition, Computational Science, Simulation, Mathematical Modeling, Object Oriented Languages
Jinghua Zhang
Associate Professor of Computer Science
B.S., Changchun University of Science and Technology
M.S., Ph.D., Michigan State University
Specialization: Computer Graphics, 3D Animated Geometry Compression, Collaboration Techniques, Simulation
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