Earn a Master's in Less Time
Are you a highly motivated student? Jump-start your advanced education in the Computer Science Accelerated Master's program—designed for students like you. Whether you want to gain a competitive edge for a career in industry or pursue doctoral studies in computer science, the Accelerated Master's puts you on the fast track.
US News & World Report reports that people with master's degrees earn a lifetime average of $400,000 more than their counterparts with bachelor's degrees. And employment in master's-level occupations are expected to grow by almost 17 percent through 2026, the fastest of any education level. It's clear, an advanced degree can provide an immediate and significant return on your educational investment.
Students in the Accelerated Master's program can apply up to six senior-level undergraduate credits toward both a Master of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, or Computer Engineering, Software Engineering.
Earn your master's with only one additional year of study beyond your bachelor's. You're already in learning mode. This is the time.
Accelerated MS Requirements
Admission
- Undergraduate students must apply for admission to the accelerated master's program through the standard Graduate School application process during the latter part of their junior year or early in their senior year.
- The accelerated master's program requires a student to be accepted into the Graduate School and the Master of Science in Computer Science program prior to the awarding of the bachelor's degree.
- Michigan Tech students who will complete a bachelor's degree in the Department of Computer Science or Department of Computer Engineering are eligible to enroll in the CS Accelerated Master's program.
- Students already enrolled in a graduate program may not retroactively enroll in the Computer Science Accelerated Master's program.
Credits
- Students must earn 30 credits past the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Software Engineering to complete the requirements for the Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS).
- Up to 6 credits taken as an undergraduate student may be applied toward both the BS and MS, so long as they satisfy the requirements for both degrees and the student completes a minimum of 150 combined credits (without double-counting any credits).
- See Computer Science Degree Schedule
GPA
- Only students in good academic standing are eligible to enter the Computer Science Accelerated Master's program.
- A student must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 to be considered for the program at the time of application.
- Undergraduate students who are accepted into the program must maintain an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 for the remainder of their undergraduate studies.
- If a student's undergraduate GPA drops below 3.2, the student will be dropped from the accelerated master's program but may reapply to pursue the MS in Computer Science via the normal pathway, which does not allow the 6 credits to be double-counted.
Courses and Research (30 credits)
- The detailed course and course-level requirements for the thesis option, report option, and course work option are outlined on the MS in Computer Science degree page.
- A student wishing to pursue either the thesis or report option should begin conducting research with an advisor in the senior year (for example, through a CS4090 "Special Topics" or CS4099 "Directed Study" course); however, MS research credits may be earned only after the BS is awarded.
- See Computer Science Degree Schedule
Advising
- To help expedite degree completion, a student pursuing the master's thesis or report option should begin to work with a faculty research advisor at the time of application to the accelerated master's program.
- A student planning to pursue the master's course work option is advised to complete 126 credits before officially beginning graduate study.
- Each student will work with a faculty advisor who is a member of the computer science faculty. The advisor's primary responsibilities are to supervise the student's research, academic and professional growth, and development of an academic plan for enrolling in the appropriate courses.
- The academic plan developed by the student and academic advisor will need written approval from the faculty advisor and the departmental graduate coordinator.
- See Computer Science Degree Schedule