5-Year (4+1) BS-MS Degree (Computer Science and Information Technology - MCST)

Program Description

The Department of Computer Science offers a special program for high quality Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Computer Science and Information Technology undergraduate students who desire to pursue graduate study. By taking certain Computer Science & Information Technology (MCST) graduate courses in their senior year in lieu of the corresponding undergraduate courses the student can obtain the B.S. degree in Computer Science (CS) or the B.S. in Information Technology (IT) and then, with an additional year of graduate study, obtain the M.S. degree in Computer Science and Information Technology. Successful completion of this program cuts a year off of the standard two-year time required to obtain an M.S. degree in Computer Science and Information Technology from WSSU.  By spending an extra year in school, you earn two degrees and may significantly increase your starting salary!

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, the potential student should, by the end of the first semester of his/her junior year:

• Have earned credit for (including courses received through placement or transfer) at least 75 hours of coursework applicable to the undergraduate CS or IT degree;
• Have achieved a GPA of at least 3.2 overall Computer Science courses; and
• Have met with the M.S. Program Coordinator to receive advising and approval for applying to the early-entry program.

Additional Information

• First semester of junior year – meet with the M.S. Program Coordinator before mid-semester to receive advising about the early-entry program; Identify and meet with a research mentor to make initial plans for the  MCST capstone thesis research or project;
• Second semester of junior year – complete and submit early-entry application for graduate study in M.S. in Computer Science and Information Technology to Graduate Admissions;
• Recommendation for the second semester of junior year- apply for a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) grant and/or academic year undergraduate research grant for the senior year;
• Notification of acceptance will be made before the start of the senior year;
• Senior year – enroll in MCST substitute courses;
• End of senior year – successfully complete requirements for B.S. degree in CS or IT, at least 9 hours of undergraduate course work can be substituted with corresponding graduate courses (and these graduate courses can also be applied to the MCST degree program).

Approved Course Substitutions