National University

What you'll study

The degree requires ten courses plus a three-part graduate project (three courses, 3 semester credit hours each). The capstone sequence (CSC686, CSC687, CSC688) must be taken in consecutive months and cannot be started until CSC605, CSC607, CSC670 and CSC680 have been completed. Up to 9 semester credit hours of equivalent graduate work from another accredited institution may be applied toward the degree if not previously used for another advanced degree.

• Foundational and prerequisite programming: CSC242 introduces C++ programming design techniques, control structures, data types, functions, arrays and an introduction to object-oriented programming. CSC252 covers object-oriented programming in C++ in more depth including classes, inheritance, polymorphism, pointers, operator overloading, I/O, templates, exception handling and exposure to data structures and basic algorithms. CSC262 introduces Java, object-oriented concepts, GUI objects, event-driven programming, arrays, strings, inheritance, polymorphism and exception handling.
• Core topics (selected descriptions from course catalogue):
  • Java application development review including generic classes, lambda streams, multi-threading and database connectivity (prerequisites CSC242, CSC252, CSC262 unless student holds a CS/CE/SE/IS bachelor’s degree).
  • Software engineering fundamentals: tools, techniques and processes for systematic development; software process and requirements modeling; project design principles and software development life cycle frameworks.
  • Software design and quality assurance: systematic design implementation techniques, industry techniques for testing, quality assurance and configuration control (prerequisite CSC603/CSC600 as noted in catalogue).
  • Operating systems: processes, threads, memory management, multiprogramming, multithreading, IPC, synchronization, virtual machines, client-server and distributed systems, real-time systems, resource allocation, I/O, file systems and security considerations.
  • Computer security: examination of vulnerabilities and threats across programs, OS, networks and databases and evaluation of cryptography and countermeasures, with attention to technical effectiveness and ethics.
  • Human–computer interaction and user interface design: strategies to meet human cognitive capabilities and organizational practices.
  • Databases: introductory DBMS architecture, conceptual data models (ERI, relational), ER-to-relational mapping, relational constraints, database design theory (functional dependencies and normal forms), and SQL operations, including creation/modification of relations and multi-table data retrieval.
  • Advanced SQL implementation and maintenance: Structured Query Language for DDL and DML, creating databases, data manipulation, nested queries, views and handling unstructured data (prerequisites CSC675 and CSC678 referenced in catalogue).

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a baccalaureate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering or Information Systems. Candidates from other majors must either complete CSC242, CSC252 and CSC262 before starting the MSCS or demonstrate equivalent proficiency through additional coursework or by passing challenge exams for those courses. The catalogue notes specific course prerequisites for certain core courses (for example MTH215 prior to CSC242/CSC262).

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for leadership roles in software engineering, systems design, database administration and related computing fields, with applied experience from the client-driven capstone project. The curriculum targets skills employers seek in developing, securing and deploying software and database systems.

Scholarships & funding angle

The programme page does not list specific scholarships. Prospective students should consult the university’s financial aid office or programme admissions for available scholarships, grants, employer tuition benefits and options for transfer of eligible graduate credits (up to 9 semester credit hours) to reduce study load.