Master of Computer Science at Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT's computer science master's degree is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree (or minor) in computer science, as well as those who have a strong background in a field in which computers are applied, such as engineering, science, or business. The degree is offered on a full- or part-time basis and can be completed either on-campus or online.

Computer Science Master's Degree–On-Campus or Online

In the computer science master's degree, you'll apply theoretical principles underlying computer science, ensuring you acquire the intellectual tools necessary to keep up-to-date in this rapidly evolving discipline. With focused course work in areas such as computer graphics and visualization, data management, distributed systems, intelligent systems, programming languages and tools, and security, you'll be prepared for career advancement in a range of areas.

The on-campus and online versions of the program–from curriculum, faculty, and cluster options–are identical. You will have access to RIT's resources, including computing labs and libraries. Skilled advisors in the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education provide advice and guidance to help you plan, prepare, and meet your career goals and aspirations. Application requirements, the admission review process, and tuition are the same for both programs. All applications are considered for scholarships, regardless of online or on-campus study.

Computer Science Master's Curriculum

Regardless of how you complete the computer science master's degree (on-campus or online), the program consists of one core course, three cluster courses, four electives, and a thesis or project. The program prepares for academic and research careers in computer science or related disciplines. It is designed for students who have an undergraduate major or minor in computer science as well as those who have a strong background in a field in which computers are applied.

Full-time students take three or four courses per semester and may be able to complete the course work in three semesters. Full-time students who are required to take additional bridge courses may be able to complete the course work in four semesters.

Part-time students take one or two courses per semester and may be able to complete the course work in four to five semesters. The time required to complete a master's project is one semester. To complete the master's thesis, two semesters is typical.

Clusters: You will select three cluster courses from the following areas:

• The computer graphics and visualization cluster provides the technical foundations for graduate studies in computer graphics and image understanding. Areas for further study include graphics programming, rendering and image synthesis, computer animation and virtual reality, image processing, and analysis, and data visualization.
• The data science cluster studies the foundational data management and knowledge discovery challenges prevalent in the design, analysis, and organization of data. The courses cover general database issues including database design, database theory, data management, and data mining.
• The distributed systems cluster studies systems formed from multiple cooperating computers, including the analysis, design, and implementation of distributed systems, distributed middleware, and computer networking protocols, including security.
• The artificial intelligence cluster encompasses the study of algorithms and architectures that enable effective decision-making in complex environments. Courses cover computer vision, robotics, virtual theater, sensor networks, data mining, document recognition, and the theoretical foundations of decision-making (e.g., Markov chains and the properties of voting protocols).
• The languages and tools cluster combines language design and implementation together with architecture and the use of software development tools. Students specializing in this cluster gain a broad understanding of theoretical and applied knowledge.
• The security cluster spans topics from networking to cryptography to secure databases. By choosing different domains in which to study security students gain a broad understanding of both theoretical and applied knowledge.
• The theory cluster studies the fundamentals of computation, which includes complexity theory to determine the inherent limits of computation, communication, and cryptography and the design and analysis of algorithms to obtain optimal solutions within those limits.

Electives: Electives provide a breadth of experience in computer science and applications areas. Students who wish to include courses from departments outside of computer science need prior approval from the graduate program director. Refer to the course descriptions in the departments of computer science, engineering, mathematical sciences, and imaging science for possible elective courses.

Master's Thesis/Project: Students may choose the thesis or project option as the capstone to the program. Students who choose the project option must register for courses titled Computer Science MS Project. Students participate in required in-class presentations that are critiqued. A summary project report and public presentation of the student's project in poster form occur at the end of the semester.