Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Graduate Students

Masters in Computer Science


The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science invites you to explore the program leading to M.S. degree in computer science (CS) program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Computer science (CS) is one of the fastest-growing academic disciplines.  Qualified CS professionals are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, CS related employment is expected to grow 11 percent from 2014 to 2024 in the United States, which is faster than the average of all other fields in the country. In addition, the White House predicts that there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs available by 2020, but US has only 400,000 computer science graduates with the necessary skills to fill them. The skill sets in greatest demand are data science, network administration, cyber security, web development/website design, software development, parallel processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and informatics. Given the computing technology’s explosive growth and its widespread use by all categories of businesses, people with diverse educational and professional backgrounds are seeking advanced degrees in computer science. That is why a master’s degree in CS is more attractive to a broader group of individuals including those with non-CS undergraduate degrees.

Program Accreditation

The program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Program Objectives

The main objective of the program is to produce graduates with broad and up-to-date knowledge, skills, and judgment, who are ready for professional careers in industry, that emphasize advanced design, development and research techniques and/or for doctoral studies.

Student Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing the program, students will have the ability:

  1. To apply advanced knowledge in different fields of computer science and engineering to problem-solving.
  2. To deliver a complete development project meeting the standards, requirements, and constraints.
  3. To communicate ideas and solutions effectively both in writing and orally.

Program Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the College of Graduate Studies admission requirements, regarding GRE scores and English language proficiency, for an M.S. degree, applicants are required to have a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or closely related discipline. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in disciplines other than Computer Science may be admitted to the program with stipulation that they complete the following Computer Science courses before enrolling in follow-on MS CS courses: CSEN 5303: Foundations of Computer Science taken their first semester, and up to five approved CSEN undergraduate courses as Pre-req STEM work to fill in knowledge gaps.

Program Options

A student can satisfy the requirements of an MS in CS degree by satisfying the requirements of the College of Graduate Studies and by selecting one of three degree options. The three options are: Thesis option, Research Project option, and Course Only option. Some of the areas of specialization are: Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, and Cyber-Security. 

Thesis Option: A total of 30 credit hours are required, which consist of  6 credit hours of CSEN 5306 Thesis,15 credit hours of CS Core Courses, and 9 credit hours of courses related to the area of research.  The thesis must be produced and defended according to the guidelines of the College of Graduate Studies.

Project Option: A total of 36 credit hours are required, which consist of 3 credit hours of CSEN 5305 Research Project, 15 credit hours of CS Core courses, and 18 credit hours of courses related to area of research and career objectives of the student.  The Research Project must be produced and defended according to the guidelines of the College of Engineering.

Courses-Only Option: A total of 36 credit hours are required, which consist of 3 credit hours of CSEN 5303 Studies on Current Research, 15 credit hours of CS Core courses, and 18 credit hours of courses related to the career objectives of the student.  The Studies on Current Research course must be conducted according to the guidelines of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Required Core Courses (15 Credit Hours)

  • CSEN 5304 Advanced Computer Architecture
  • CSEN 5314 Database Management Systems
  • CSEN 5322 Operating Systems
  • CSEN 5323 Computer Communication Networks
  • CSEN 5336 Analysis of Algorithms

Areas of specialization and their Courses

Specialization in the following areas is in great demand. Students can also specialize in additional areas, including High Performance Computing, Bio-Informatics, Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, and Internet of Things.

  • Area 1: Data Science    
  • CSEN5303  Foundations of Data Science
  • CSEN5303  Data Mining
  • CSEN5401  Special Problems in Data Science
  • Area 2: Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning
  • CSEN5302 Neural Computation
  • CSEN5350  Application of Neural Networks
  • CSEN5401  Special Problems in Deep Learning
  • Area 3: Cybersecurity 
  • CSEN5303  Cloud Computing
  • CSEN5303  Cryptography
  • CSEN5401  Special Problems in Cyber-Security

Additional Elective CS Courses

  • CSEN 5303 Advanced Topics in Computer Science
  • CSEN 5303 Mobile Application Development
  • CSEN 5303 Web Programming
  • CSEN 5303 Bioinformatics Algorithms
  • CSEN 5303 Massive Parallel Computing
  • CSEN 5303 Object-oriented Design and Programming
  • CSEN 5313 Compiler Design
  • CSEN 5325 Software Engineering
  • CSEN 5333 Real Time Systems
  • CSEN 5336 Programming Languages
  • CSEN 5337 Theory of Computation
  • CSEN 5339 Embedded System Design
  • CSEN 5401 Advanced Problems in Computer Science

Note: Depending on the area of research and career objectives, the student may select up to two of the following non-MS CS courses: MSEE courses, Mechatronics courses taught by EECS faculty.