Computer Science


Department Head		Dr. Brian Slator
Graduate Coordinator		Dr. Kendall Nygard
Department Location		258 IACC
Telephone Number		(701) 231-8562
Degrees Offered		Ph.D., M.S.
Application Deadline		March 31 for fall, applications are also accepted for spring and summer.
Test Requirements		GRE
English Proficiency Requirements		TOEFL ibT 79 IELTS 6

Program Description

The Department of Computer Science and Operations Research offers the M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science. Graduate course work in Operations Research is offered and may be used to provide an operations research concentration to either program. For additional information, please contact the department chair (701) 231-6124.

Admission Requirements

The following minimum qualifications are required of all students seeking an advanced degree:

Master of Science

The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree from an educational institution of recognized standing.

The applicant must show, by a combination of educational background, academic performance, and work experience, the potential to succeed in advanced study and research in computer science. Minimum preparation usually includes the ability to program in one or more modern, commonly used high-level languages; at least one semester of calculus; and experience in using data structures such as linked lists and binary trees. Minimum preparation for unconditional admission to the master's program would normally include courses in computer science principles and theory equivalent to the NDSU courses CSci 160, 161, 222 or 335, 372, and 373.
The applicant for the M.S. must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all previous courses of at least 3.0 (out of 4.0) or equivalent to attain full standing.
International students are welcome. They must submit a TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) to be considered for admission. Eligibility for a teaching or tutoring assistantship requires passing the test of spoken English (TSE) and achieving a TOEFL score of at least 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based) or 100 (internet-based).

Doctor of Philosophy

The applicant must have a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in computer science. In some cases, students with a degree in a closely related area may be considered.

Admission to the program is competitive, and requirements for admission to this program are more rigorous than for admission to the M.S. program. In order to be considered seriously, an applicant must normally have the equivalent of at least a 3.25 GPA (on a 4-point scale). The admissions committee will look at the applicant's overall academic record, as well as any relevant employment and professional experience. Of particular importance is evidence of the applicant's potential for scholarship and independent research at the Ph.D. level.

International students are welcome. TOEFL exam requirements are the same as for the MS degree.

Financial Assistance

Teaching assistantships are available to graduate students. Teaching one section of a lower division service course requires 10 hours of work per week and qualifies the student for a waiver of graduate tuition. Other assistantships that provide a stipend and tuition waiver include research assistantships, which involve assisting faculty with their research, and graduate service assistantships, which involve tutoring, grading or computer-related work with faculty members or organizations on campus. Related previous experience increases the likelihood of a teaching or tutoring assistantship being awarded. For all assistantships, a student's chances are greater after he/she has been at NDSU one or two semesters.

The department offers a tuition waiver only to students who are awarded an assistantship. There is a scholarship program, that includes a tuition waiver, administered by the Dean of the Graduate School. Students should contact the Graduate School office for application forms.

An application for assistantship requires completing an online application sent to the department. Applications for fall semester received by April 15 will be given full consideration.

Degree Requirements

Master of Science

Semester core courses (required of all students):
CSci 708 Foundations of Programming
CSci 713 Software Engineering I
CSci 724 Survey of Artificial Intelligence
CSci 765 Introduction to Database Systems

Thesis Option:

32 total graduate credits
12 core course credits plus two research seminar credits
8-12 credits of additional graduate coursework
6-10 credits of thesis research
Research adviser should be selected by the fourth semester of attendance at NDSU
Comprehensive Examination (on the core courses) completed by the end of the fourth semester.
Final defense

Comprehensive Study Option:

32 total graduate credits
2 core course credits plus two credits of research seminar
14-16 credits of additional graduate coursework
2-4 credits of research
Research adviser should be selected by the fourth semester of attendance at NDSU
Comprehensive Examination (on the core courses) completed by the end of the fourth semester
Final defense

A maximum of 9 semester credits may be transferred into the program. Such courses have to be approved on the plan of study. There may be a maximum of 6 credits of independent study.

All course work must be approved by the student's adviser, Supervisory Committee, department chair, and graduate dean through the plan of study.

Doctor of Philosophy

90 credits with up to 30 included from the M.S. degree
30 credits of research credit
Research adviser should be selected by the fourth semester at NDSU
Qualifying examination (written based on the M.S. core courses)
Research proposal presentation and defense
Dissertation
Final defense

Here are some additional requirements on the course work:

The 90 credits must include three sequences of two courses each at the graduate level in computer science.
Beyond the M.S. degree, a maximum of 9 credits of course work can be transferred. The remainder must be taken at NDSU.
The 90 credits (including any credits transferred ) must be computing-related with at least 45 credits involving significant graduate level computer science material. Generally, these credits would be offered by a computer science department.
The 90 credits may include a maximum of 15 credits of non-didactic courses (independent studies or seminars). Seminars are limited to four of those credits.
The student's advisory committee, the department chair, and the graduate dean all must approve the course work on the plan of study.

Click here for course descriptions.

North Dakota State University

Graduate School