Florida Poly offers a broadly based and customizable Masters of Science in Computer
Science program that provides students with an advanced computer science education
—with a focus in general computer science or analytics — leading to careers across
a fast-growing sensor, data analytics, and computation-based economy.
The M.S. in Computer Science program attracts both recent college graduates and working
professionals with clear aptitude in mathematics and logical reasoning. Students in
the computer science major write a thesis. Students in the analytics track master
commercial data analytic tools for visualization and analysis techniques. Students interested in the master's in computer science may choose from two different
pathways:
One-Year Accelerated, Coursework Only Pathway: Students may complete their full 30 credit hour master’s degree in one academic
year, or three total semesters – Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Two-Year Thesis Pathway: With a heavy emphasis on research in your chosen area of study, the two-year thesis
pathway of our graduate program is designed for students with an area of interest
that can benefit from extensive study both inside the classroom and out.
Education Meets Innovation
The M.S. in Computer Science curriculum prepares students with the necessary skills
for advancing their careers across a range of industry applications: business analytics,
web application development, mobile application development, computer graphics and
animation, game development, robotics, AI and machine learning, computational biology
and medicine, modeling, and cybersecurity.
Computer Science Careers
Central Florida and surrounding southeast continue to attract technology start-ups
and research investment, meaning excellent career choices in engineering and computer
science.
Job Growth
The demand for computer professionals nationally shows no sign of slowing, and opportunities
exist in almost every industry. As computer applications continue to expand, occupations
in computer science are projected to be among the fastest growing in the United States
through 2020 and beyond.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections call for very high growth across a variety
of computing careers, including an estimated22,000 new software development jobs, 12,500 new systems analysts jobs, and 11,000
new computing support jobs.
Career Paths
Computer science graduates have a variety of ways to shape their post-graduation career
path: entrepreneur, web application development, computer graphics, video games, enterprise
computing, embedded systems, network administration, mobile applications, computer
security, computer vision, computational biology, high performance (super) computing,
scientific modeling, database systems, computer animations, wireless networks, artificial
intelligence.
Big Data: Mind-Boggling Facts
At Florida Poly we’re educating the next generation of STEM leaders.
50
Billion smart connected devices in the world.
$200
Million big data projects already invested by the White House.
1.7
Megabytes of data will be created every second for every human being on the planet.
The M.S. in Computer Science program shares faculty and resources with electrical
and computer engineering programs, exposing you to an interdisciplinary learning and
research environment that mirrors industry.
Barnett Applied Research Center
Florida Poly’s 90,000-square-foot Barnett Applied Research Center (BARC) was created as a research hub for the Central Florida region to become a magnet for
high-tech development around the school. The Barnett Applied Research Center houses
research and teaching laboratories, student design spaces, conference rooms, and faculty
offices. The building also provides study areas for graduate students, and a small
amount of administrative space.
SunTrax
SunTrax is a large-scale, cutting-edge facility dedicated to the research, development, and
testing of emerging transportation technologies in safe and controlled environments.
Many of the opportunities are related to tolling, ITS, and automated and connected
vehicles. Additionally, the entire site is a connected environment for testing Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
(V2I) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications.
Program Details and Admissions Requirements
The Master of Science in Computer Sciencerequires 30 credits— including 18 credits of core degree requirements, including these six (3 credit)
courses: Scientific Computation and Programming, Advanced Database Systems Design
Credits, Computer Networks Credits, Computation Theory Credits, Advanced Operating
Systems Concepts and Advanced Algorithm Design and Analysis. View the full catalog
here!
Completion of the Master of Science in Computer Science will prepare students to design
and analyze algorithms to solve problems and study the performance of computer hardware
and software. In addition, it will provide students a strong foundation as they encounter
a range of problems, such as determining what problems can be solved with computers and
the complexity of the algorithms that solve them, to designing applications that perform
well on handheld devices that are easy to use and that uphold security measures.
One-Year, Coursework-Only Pathway:
A baccalaureate degree in a field related to your intended graduate major.
A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in degree-specific courses (2.75 for FPU students / alumni).
Transcripts from each postsecondary institution attended (*Waived for FPU students
/ alumni – the university has access to your transcripts).
International applicants: If your postsecondary institution(s) was located outside
of the US, please provide a course by course evaluation of your transcripts for US
equivalency, with GPA calculation, by an evaluator such as WES, Josef Silny, or AES.
A Statement of Purpose (a brief summary of your interest in the degree, as well as
how it may impact your academic and professional goals).
Two letters of recommendation from faculty or professional supervisor (*Letters of
rec are waived for FPU students / alumni).
International applicants: Please provide proof of English literacy by meeting the
requirements listed here.
*Meeting minimum qualifications does not guarantee admission to the program. Additional documentation may be required at
the discretion of the Admission Committee.
Two Year Thesis Pathway
Students seeking consideration to the two year thesis pathway should meet the same
minimum requirements listed above for the one-year, coursework-only pathway in addition
to the following:
An interview with the Faculty Chair of the department to which you’re seeking admission
(or their designees).
A statement outlining any previous research, completed or ongoing projects, publications,
etc.
Additional documentation at the discretion of the Admission Committee.
Upon completion of the Master of Science in Computer Science Degree, Florida Polytechnic
University students will be able to:
Apply knowledge of design IT principles in a defined industry problem.
Conduct research and apply knowledge based on these research skills.
Apply knowledge of managerial skills to coordinate and execute an industry project.
Demonstrate understanding of applied analysis of user requirements, research skills,
managerial skills and IT based knowledge.
Analyze and properly use current computing techniques, methods and theories in an
industry scenario.
