2021-22 Academic Catalog

Computer Science and Engineering

This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Department Head: Dr. Shahram Rahimi
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. T.J. Jankun-Kelly

300 Butler Hall
Box 9637
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9637
Telephone: 662-325-2756
Fax: 662-325-8997
E-mail: office@cse.msstate.edu
Website: http://www.cse.msstate.edu

Graduate study is offered in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering leading to the degrees of Master of Science in Computer Science, Master of Science in Cyber Security and Operations, and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science.

Master's and Ph.D. Degrees in Computer Science

The program of study of a Master of Science in Computer Science (MS CS) degree includes advanced courses in Computer Science that are selected according to the goals of the student. Master students may choose between a professional degree with a "General" concentration or a more specialized "Research" concentration. The program of study of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Computer Science includes advanced courses in Computer Science and significant scholarly research in Computer Science, presented in a dissertation. Starkville-campus and online programs are available. 

The department’s core research areas include the following:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computational Science
  • Graphics
  • Human-Centered Computing
  • Software Engineering
  • Systems & Security

These core competencies support research applications in areas such as Bioinformatics, Visualization, Computer Security and Forensics, Human-Computer Interactions, Robotics, and High-Performance Computing. Faculty, research assistants, thesis students, and dissertation students participate in a wide variety of research projects. Many research projects are multi-disciplinary or multi-specialty in nature.

Master's Degree in Cyber Security and Operations

The Master of Science in Cyber Security and Operations (MS CYSO) is designed for students who wish to help meet the challenges posed by increasing cyber-threats. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program is designed to provide students with a focused education within a broad analytical framework for evaluating; understanding; and solving cyber security problems. Either concentration will allow a thesis or non-thesis option. Starkville-campus and online programs are available.

The Cyber Defense concentration will focus on those aspects of cyber security needed to prepare an enterprise level system to protect itself. Material will prepare the students for developing cyber security policies to comply with existing and future laws, conducting risk assessment in enterprise to determine compliance with requirements and implementing security solutions for the enterprise.

The Cyber Operations concentration will focus on those aspects of cyber security that are needed to operate in the cyber domain. Material will prepare the student for advanced operations in the cyber domain such as Penetration Testing, After-Action Analysis, and Malware Analysis. This concentration is designed to satisfy the requirements for the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations program of the Department of Defense. 

For a list of online tuition; instructional support; and other distance fees, please see the Controller’s website.  

Requirements

MS CS and CYSO applicants are required to have a 3.00/4.00 GPA in overall undergraduate work and complete the GRE with a competitive score before admission. International students require a suitable demonstration of English proficiency. Candidates for the master's degree must have completed all pre-requisite courses or their equivalents. For additional details, consult the Computer Science Department's Graduate Handbook.

An entering PhD student with an MS degree should have a 3.50/4.00 grade point average on MS work, while a PhD student entering with only a BS degree (applicable only to Starkville students) is expected to have a 3.50/4.00 on overall undergraduate work. A student with a lower GPA may still be eligible for admission based on outstanding qualifications in other areas. A student must complete the GRE with a competitive score before admission; graduates of Mississippi State University with a 3.50 GPA do not have to take the GRE. International students require a suitable demonstration of English proficiency. Candidates for the PhD degree must have completed all prerequisite courses or their equivalents. Finally, a student must possess those qualifications and research interests that indicate to the Computer Science and Engineering Graduate Studies Committee that the applicant will be successful in the doctoral program. Online students doing research must identify a research area at application time. For additional details, consult the Computer Science Department's Graduate Handbook. 

For a list of online tuition; instructional support; and other distance fees, please visit the Controller's website.

Accelerated Program

Highly qualified undergraduates are encouraged to apply to the Accelerated Program. Doing so will enable the undergraduate student in a bachelor's degree program in Computer Science or Software Engineering to earn up to 9 hours of graduate-level coursework during the final year of their undergraduate studies. The student takes graduate-level courses and earns both undergraduate and graduate credit simultaneously. The student needs to consult with a potential graduate advisor to ensure graduate credit could be applied to a program of study for the graduate degree. Application to this program may be made as early as the end of the junior year (i.e., after completion of 90 or more hours of graded undergraduate courses). See Accelerated Programs for more information. Students interested in applying should also contact the department's Graduate Coordinator, Dr. T.J. Jankun-Kelly, for more details.  

// ex: printoption:/pdf/undergraduate.pdf|Undergraduate Catalog|A PDF of the entire Undergraduate catalog.|/undergraduate/