A candidate for the master of science in computer science degree must complete at least 30 credits and must choose between the project option and the thesis option.
All students must satisfy a breadth requirement: at least two courses must be taken from each of the following three areas:
Theory: 56:198:571 Algorithms; 56:198:573 Computational Geometry; 56:198:575 Crytography and Computer Security; 56:198:576 Theory of Computation; 56:198:577 Computational Complexity Theory; 56:198:578 Combinatorial Optimization
Software/Systems: 56:198:521 Compiler Construction; 56:198:522 Program Transformation and Optimization; 56:198:523 Software Engineering; 56:198:531 Computer Systems Architecture; 56:198:543 Operating Systems; 56:198:546 Computer Networks; 56:198:582 Mobile and Wireless Computing
Applications: 56:198:541 Parallel and Distributed Computing; 56:198:551 Database Systems; 56:198:552 Advanced Database Systems; 56:198:556 Computer Graphics; 56:198:582 Introduction to Computational Biology
Grade Requirements: To graduate, the student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the required 30 graduate credits. No more than 6 credits with grades of C or C+ may be used in meeting the requirements of the master's degree.
Project vs. Thesis Option: The project option requires nine lecture courses (27 credits) and a master's project (3 credits). A student in this option must take the course 56:198:693.
The thesis option requires eight lecture courses (24 credits) and a master's thesis (6 credits). To be eligible for the thesis option, a student must have completed at least four graduate courses and have a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.5. Furthermore, the student must have the endorsement of a graduate faculty member who will serve as the student's thesis adviser. In the thesis option, the student will take 6 credits of 56:198:701,702.
Writing requirement and comprehensive exam: In both the thesis option and the project option, the Graduate School-Camden's writing requirement is fulfilled by the written report, and the school's comprehensive exam requirement is fulfilled by a project presentation during which the examining committee will evaluate the candidate's general knowledge in computer science.
Accelerated Joint B.S.-M.S. Degree Program: Students who demonstrate exceptional academic performance in the undergraduate bachelor of science (B.S.) program in computer science at Rutgers-Camden can apply to an accelerated program that will permit completion of a joint B.S.-M.S. degree in a total of five years. To qualify for admission into this program, an undergraduate student in the B.S. program must meet the following requirements by the end of the fall semester in the third (junior) year:
1. Completion of at least 80 credits toward the B.S. degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
2. Completion of all the computer science (CS) requirements for the B.S. degree (except possibly the two core courses, 50:198:476 and 50:198:493, and two CS electives) with a GPA of 3.6 or higher in the completed computer science courses.
Applicants must provide the following documents in the spring semester of their junior year:
1. Transcripts until the end of the fall semester of their junior year
2. Three letters of recommendation
3. A personal statement (of at most two pages) on academic interests, graduate school plans, and career goals
4. Optionally, other supporting information such as work or research experience and special skills
Once admitted, the student has to finish the remaining B.S. degree requirements in the fourth year of undergraduate studies and ensure that the overall GPA in all CS undergraduate courses remains above 3.5 at the end of the fourth year. Among the CS courses taken in the senior year, up to two CS courses that are also cross-listed for graduate credit in the program may be double-counted (i.e., they count for both undergraduate and graduate credit). A student who has been admitted to the accelerated program but subsequently fails to meet the above requirements by the end of the senior year will not be able to double-count any courses for the graduate and undergraduate programs, and will have to submit satisfactory GRE General Test scores no later than the end of the ninth semester in order to continue in the graduate program.
