M.S. IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

Program Description

The Emory Computer Science Department offers a Master of Science degree in Computer Science. The Emory Computer Science Master's program (CS MS) builds on strengths and recent growth in data-oriented areas of computer science. Areas of emphasis include Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Data Mining, Bio/Health Informatics, High-End Computing, Theory, and Systems. Most of these specializations are available through a choice of coursework. 

Faculty projects relevant to the CS MS program include large-scale data systems and analytics, information retrieval and web search, natural language processing, privacy and security, machine learning, human computer interaction, bioinformatics, health informatics, biomedical informatics, high performance, and scientific computing. Application areas of interest to program faculty include healthcare and health sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

The Emory Computer Science MS program educates students from various disciplines in advanced computing concepts, practical problem-solving, and applications of computational methods. Courses are offered in all areas including data, theory, systems, machine learning, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and human computer interaction.

The MS is an effective gateway into CS for students with backgrounds in other disciplines (basic programming and data structures, as well as quantitative aptitude are the only requirements.) Graduates of the MS CS program most often take up jobs in industry, and a few go on to advanced PhD studies.

MS Computer Science Website

Program Overview

The James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies is committed to graduate education that provides students with deep and broad expertise in their chosen fields, creativity to cross discipline boundaries, courage to challenge convention, and confidence to ask unexpected questions and articulate bold new perspectives.

The CS MS program is offered and administered by the Department of Computer Science (CS). It is primarily intended as a terminal Master’s and a majority of its graduates pursue employment upon graduation. A few students continue on to PhD programs at Emory or elsewhere. The CS MS conducts its own admissions process, but almost all courses for the CS MS degree are also approved for the Emory CSI PhD program, and vice-versa. For students who enter the CS MS program through the CS 4+1 program, this handbook is relevant only upon graduation from Emory College.

As such, the CS MS program is closely associated with the CSI PhD, which is jointly offered and administered by the Departments of CS, Biomedical Informatics (BMI), and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (BIOS). CSI PhD students can receive an MS in CS by candidacy, or as an exit ramp. Terminal MS students only have the option to choose the CS MS track.2 The set of program administrators include:

• Director of Graduate Studies (DGS);

• Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) or Program Administrator (PA);

• MS CS Committee comprising the MS CS DGS, and two additional faculty members

Degrees Offered

The program offers the following degree:

• Master of Science in Computer Science

Program Contacts

Director of Graduate Studies

Joyce Ho | CS-MS-ADMINS@listserv.cc.emory.edu

Graduate Program Administrator

Mathew Estrada | mathew.david.estrada@emory.edu

Program Faculty

Course Requirements

Students must take a course from each of the three core subject areas and at least four elective courses. The specific sets of required and elective courses depend upon a student’s choosing. 

Three (3) Core Subject Areas (1 from each of the following area)

1. Algorithm Subject Area: CS 526 Algorithms OR CS 523 Data Structures and Algorithms;

2. Intelligent System Subject Area: CS 534 Machine Learning OR CS 557 Artificial Intelligence OR CS 570 Data Mining;

3. Computer Systems Subject Area: CS 551 Systems Programming OR CS 554 Database Systems OR CS 580 Operating Systems.

Four (4) Elective Courses

Totaling twelve or more (12+) credit hours in CS, BMI, BIOS, BMED or MATH. Common Electives are listed in Appendix A: CS Course Listing, of the Program Handbook. With prior CS MS DGS approval, other courses can be used to satisfy this requirement. The course list will be updated as course offerings evolve.

MS CS Options

In addition to the 7 courses (3 Core and 4 Elective) described above, MS CS students must choose one of the following three options:

MS CS By Coursework: Three (3) Additional Courses

1. Any three approved additional courses from the list in the Appendix, or other appropriate courses approved by the DGS.

MS CS By Project: A Master’s Level Project and One (1) Additional Course

1. CS MS Project (6+ credit hours): Currently offered under either the CS 597R or CS 599R rubric, this course involves a substantial software development effort under the supervision of a faculty advisor resulting in a tangible artifact appropriate to Master’s level contributions. This can be conducted over one or more semesters with different faculty but must comprise one major comprehensive project.

2. One approved additional course from the list in Appendix A, or other appropriate courses approved by the DGS.

MS CS By Thesis: A Master’s Level Thesis

1. CS 599R Thesis (9 credit hours): A substantial research project at least equivalent to PhD proposal-level work, comprising original research of publishable quality, manifested in a substantial thesis. This can be conducted over one or more semesters but must comprise one major research effort. Students must be enrolled in CS 599R for at least 1 credit hour during the semester in which they defend their thesis.

2. Thesis Defense Details

   1. Thesis Committee: The thesis advisor must be a member of the LGS faculty and serves as the chair of the thesis committee. The committee must include at least three (3) LGS faculty members, with at least two (2) from the CS faculty. The student, in consultation with their thesis advisor, selects the remaining committee members.

   2. Oral component: The oral defense must be scheduled at least one (1) week before the applicable LGS degree completion deadline, to allow adequate time for any required revisions. The defense consists of approximately 30–45 minutes of presentation by the student, followed by questions from the committee.

   3. Written component: A complete draft of the thesis must be provided to all committee members at least one (1) week prior to the oral defense, to ensure the committee has sufficient time to review the work. The thesis must be formatted according to LGS standards. Students are strongly encouraged to review the LGS calendar each semester for applicable deadlines. Failure to meet LGS deadlines may result in a delay of graduation.

Computer Science Master’s Practicum

Each student must complete a practicum experience as a degree requirement, tracked as a program milestone in Degree Tracker. This requirement aims to expose Master’s students to real life problems that CS professionals face in their working environment, and to help students to acquire crucial skills and experience in applying their CS skills in solving practical problems.

Students perform a project under the direction of an Emory faculty member or supervised by a CS expert in the industry. In both cases, the project to be undertaken should be described by the student and submitted for approval by the GPC and DGS. The amount of work for the practicum varies from full-time (i.e., in case of an external internship) to part-time of at least 10 hours per week (i.e., in the case of an internal internship).