The objectives of the Computer Science, BS program relate to the abilities of the graduates several years after graduation. Our graduates are expected within three to five years of graduation to have:
- Established themselves as successful and productive computing professionals or engaged in advanced study such as a graduate degree program.
- Worked effectively both in team environments and as individuals.
- Fulfilled their responsibilities in the areas of ethics, continuing professional development, and effective written and oral communications.
The bachelor's program in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Policies
Advanced Placement, Credit by Exam
A score of 4 on the Advanced Placement (AP) computer science exam qualifies the student for credit in CS 112 Introduction to Computer Programming (Mason Core). A score of 4 on the International Baccalaureate (IB) computer science exam qualifies students for credit in CS 112 Introduction to Computer Programming (Mason Core), and a score of 5 or more qualifies students for credit in CS 211 Object-Oriented Programming.
Change of Major
Students who are considering computer science as their major must meet with the College of Engineering and Computing Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising, 2500 Nguyen Engineering Building. Students considering a change of major to computer science must have a GPA of at least 2.75 in all computer science and math courses, and successfully completed one of CS 112 or CS 211, and one of MATH 113, MATH 114 or MATH 125, with a grade of B or better. See Change of Major for more information.
Computer Science, Computer Engineering Double Major
Computer Science majors can earn a double major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering if they complete additional credits beyond the 120 credits required for the Computer Science degree. The additional credits must be part of an approved plan of study. For more information, visit the department website.
Cooperative Education
Students may participate in the Mason cooperative education program or a work-study program in the Washington, D.C. area.
Grades
Students must earn a C or better in any course intended to satisfy a prerequisite for a computer science course. Computer science majors may not use more than one course with grade of C- or lower toward department requirements.
Repeating Courses
Students may attempt an undergraduate course taught by the College of Engineering and Computing twice. A third attempt requires approval of the department offering the course. This policy does not apply to STAT 250 Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core), which follows the normal university policy for repeating undergraduate courses.
The CS Department may not allow students to retake certain high-demand CS courses in which they have already earned a grade of C or better simply to improve their GPA.
Writing-Intensive Requirement
Computer science majors complete the writing-intensive requirement through a sequence of projects and reports in CS 306 Synthesis of Ethics and Law for the Computing Professional (Mason Core) and CS 321 Software Engineering (Mason Core). Faculty members provide feedback on students' expository writing.
Termination from the Major
No math, science, or College of Engineering and Computing course that is required for the major may be attempted more than three times. Those students who do not successfully complete such a course within three attempts will be terminated from the major. Undeclared students in the College of Engineering and Computing who do not successfully complete a course required for a College of Engineering and Computing major within three attempts will also be terminated.
In addition, students in the College of Engineering and Computing with evidence of continued failure to make adequate progress toward declaring or completing a College of Engineering and Computing major will be terminated from the school. Adequate progress is determined by the major program. For more information, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.
Once a student has attempted one of these courses twice unsuccessfully, the third attempt must be no later than the next semester of enrollment, excluding summers. Failure to take the course at that time will result in termination from the major. A third attempt of a College of Engineering and Computing course requires support by the student's major department as well as permission by the department offering the course. This permission is not guaranteed. If the student is unable to take the course when required, the student may request an extension to a future semester; extensions require approval of the student's advisor, their department, and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs. The deadline for extension requests is the add deadline for the semester in which the course is required.
Students who have been terminated from a College of Engineering and Computing major may not register for a College of Engineering and Computing course without permission of the department offering the course. This applies to all undergraduate courses offered by the College of Engineering and Computing except IT 104 Introduction to Computing (Mason Core) and STAT 250 Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core).
A student may not declare any major in the College of Engineering and Computing if the student has previously met the termination criteria for that major at any time, regardless of what the student's major was at the time the courses were taken.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 120
Computer Science Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 110 | Essentials of Computer Science 1 | 3 |
| CS 112 | Introduction to Computer Programming (Mason Core) | 4 |
| or CS 108 & CS 109 | Intro to Computer Programming, Part A (Mason Core) and Intro to Computer Programming, Part B | |
| CS 211 | Object-Oriented Programming | 3 |
| CS 262 | Introduction to Low-Level Programming | 3 |
| CS 306 | Synthesis of Ethics and Law for the Computing Professional (Mason Core) | 3 |
| CS 310 | Data Structures | 3 |
| CS 321 | Software Engineering (Mason Core) | 3 |
| CS 330 | Formal Methods and Models | 3 |
| CS 367 | Computer Systems and Programming | 4 |
| CS 471 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CS 483 | Analysis of Algorithms | 3 |
| Total Credits | 35 | |
- 1
Must be taken within the first year as an Applied Computer Science or Computer Science major.
Senior Computer Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Computer Communications and Networking | ||
| Secure Programming and Systems | ||
| Concurrent and Distributed Systems | ||
| Introduction to Cryptography | ||
| Select four additional courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Game Programming I | ||
| Compilers | ||
| Database Concepts | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Virtual Reality | ||
| Computer Communications and Networking | ||
| Comparative Programming Languages | ||
| Computer Systems Architecture 1 | ||
| Secure Programming and Systems | ||
| Security Engineering | ||
| Concurrent and Distributed Systems | ||
| Mobile Application Development | ||
| Natural Language Processing | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Computer Vision | ||
| Data Mining | ||
| Autonomous Robotics | ||
| Introduction to Cryptography | ||
| Design Exhibition 2 | ||
| Industry-Sponsored Senior Design Project 2 | ||
| Special Topics in Computer Science 3 | ||
| Numerical Analysis I 4 | ||
or OR 481 | Numerical Methods in Engineering | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
- 2
At most 3 credits total of CS 490 Design Exhibition and CS 491 Industry-Sponsored Senior Design Project may be counted toward the senior computer science requirement.
- 3
At most 6 credits total of CS 499 Special Topics in Computer Science may be counted toward the senior computer science requirement.
- 4
MATH 446 and OR 481 are equivalent, and cannot both be counted towards the requirements.
Mathematics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 113 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core) | 4 |
| or MATH 123 & MATH 124 | Calculus with Algebra/Trigonometry, Part A and Calculus with Algebra/Trigonometry, Part B (Mason Core) | |
| MATH 114 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 125 | Discrete Mathematics I (Mason Core) | 3 |
| MATH 203 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 213 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | 3 |
| Total Credits | 17 | |
Note:
MATH 104 Trigonometry and Transcendental Functions, MATH 105 Precalculus Mathematics, MATH 108 Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core), and courses with an IT designation (and any associated cross-listed courses) cannot be counted toward this degree.
Statistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STAT 344 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I 1 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
- 1
Those planning to take MATH 352 Statistics may replace STAT 344 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I with MATH 351 Probability.
Computer Science-Related Courses
Students may need to choose electives to satisfy prerequisites for the following courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II | ||
| Discrete Systems Modeling and Simulation | ||
| Deterministic Optimization | ||
| Stochastic Models | ||
| Digital Electronics | ||
| Digital System Design and Digital System Design Lab | ||
| Embedded Systems and Hardware Interfaces | ||
| Device Driver Development | ||
| Microcontrollers | ||
| GPU Architecture and Programming | ||
| Computer Architecture | ||
| Object-Oriented Software Design and Implementation | ||
| Web Application Development | ||
| Software Testing and Maintenance | ||
| Software Architectures | ||
| Systems Engineering Management | ||
| Human Factors Engineering | ||
| Philosophy of the Natural Sciences | ||
| Symbolic Logic | ||
| Professional and Technical Writing | ||
Any MATH or CS course numbered above 300 (except MATH 351) 1,2 | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
- 1
Those planning to take MATH 352 Statistics may replace STAT 344 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I with MATH 351 Probability.
- 2
Neither CS 530, nor CS 531, may be used towards this degree.
Natural Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits of natural science | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The courses should be intended for science and engineering students and must include a two course sequence with laboratories. Some approved combinations have a total of more than 12 hours.
Approved Two-Course Sequences with Laboratories
The courses must include a two course sequence with laboratories from the list below. The remaining four natural science credits may be another course that uses the chosen sequence as a required prerequisite, or any course from the Mason Core natural science list in a different subject.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ||
| Lecture and Lab, selected from the following: | 4 | |
| Introductory Biology I-Survey of Biodiversity and Ecology (Mason Core) | ||
| Introductory Biology I Laboratory (Mason Core) | ||
| Intro Biology II Lecture (Mason Core) | ||
| Lecture and Lab, selected from the following: | 4 | |
| Introductory Biology II-Survey of Cell and Molecular Biology (Mason Core) | ||
| Introductory Biology II Laboratory (Mason Core) | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 211 & CHEM 213 | General Chemistry I (Mason Core) and General Chemistry Laboratory I (Mason Core) | 4 |
| CHEM 212 & CHEM 214 | General Chemistry II (Mason Core) and General Chemistry Laboratory II (Mason Core) | 4 |
| Geology | ||
| GEOL 101 & GEOL 103 | Physical Geology (Mason Core) and Physical Geology Lab (Mason Core) | 4 |
| GEOL 102 & GEOL 104 | Historical Geology (Mason Core) and Historical Geology Laboratory (Mason Core) | 4 |
| Physics | ||
| PHYS 160 & PHYS 161 | University Physics I (Mason Core) and University Physics I Laboratory (Mason Core) | 4 |
| PHYS 260 & PHYS 261 | University Physics II (Mason Core) and University Physics II Laboratory (Mason Core) | 4 |
Additional Mason Core
Students must complete all Mason Core requirements not fulfilled by major requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Public Speaking (Mason Core) | ||
or COMM 101 | Fundamentals of Communication (Mason Core) | |
| Written Communication | 3 | |
| Composition for Multilingual Writers (Mason Core) | ||
or ENGH 101 | Composition (Mason Core) | |
| Advanced Composition 1 | 3 | |
| Advanced Composition (Mason Core) (Natural Sciences section) 1 | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Arts | 3 | |
| Global History | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Global Contexts | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
CS majors must take the Natural Sciences section of ENGH 302 Advanced Composition (Mason Core).
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete 8 elective credits | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Sample Plan of Study
Detailed four year plans and degree planning checklists can be found at https://advising.gmu.edu/current-student/majors-at-mason/.
Honors in the Major
The Department of Computer Science offers a CS Honors Program for students with strong computational foundations and the drive to delve deeper into computing. The program is based on the bachelor of science in computer science and applied computer science curriculum and is distinct from the University Honors College curriculum.
Entry Requirements
Students must be seeking a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science and must apply for entry into the CS Honors Program after completing 12 credits of CS courses. Applicants must meet the GPA requirements outlined below to enter into the CS Honors Program.
Honors Requirements
CS Honors Program students must fulfill all standard courses required by the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Applied Computer Science degree as well as the following additional requirements:
- GPA Requirement: Students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.50 and a GPA of at least 3.50 for courses which count towards the BS/CS or BS/ACS major including math, natural sciences, and all CS/SWE courses.
- Research Project Requirement: Students must complete a significant research project prior to graduation. Students should seek out a CS faculty member willing to serve as their research advisor for the project. The project should comprise original work by the student and be demonstrated via two channels:
- a written project report that is approved by the student's research advisor and submitted to the department;
- a presentation of the project to an audience of students and/or faculty.
- Advanced Course Requirement: At least two Advanced Courses must be completed. A complete list of acceptable advanced courses is maintained by the CS department and is available on the department web site.
- BS (any)/Statistical Science, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Computer Science, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Curriculum and Instruction, Accelerated MEd (Secondary Education Computer Science Concentration)
- Computer Science, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Information Systems, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Software Engineering, Accelerated MS
- Computer Science, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
BS (any)/Statistical Science, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program (BAM) and obtain an undergraduate BS degree and the Statistical Science, MS in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.
Admitted students are able to use up to 12 graduate credits in partial satisfaction of requirements for the undergraduate degree. Upon completion and conferral of the bachelor's degree and with satisfactory performance (grade of 'B' or better) in each of the graduate courses, students are given advanced standing in the master's program.
See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees for policies related to this program.
Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
No specific undergraduate BS degree is required. Students enrolled in any BS degree may apply to the accelerated Statistical Science, MS program if such an accelerated Statistical Science, MS pathway is allowable from the student's BS program, which will be determined by the academic advisors of both the BS and MS programs.
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits with an overall GPA of 3.0.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific prerequisites.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the Statistical Science, MS program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form:
- Completion of Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completion of application for graduation.
- An overall GPA of 3.00.
- Completion of the following Mason courses each with a grade of C or better:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 213 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | 3 |
| MATH 203 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| or MATH 321 | Abstract Algebra | |
| STAT 250 | Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) | 3 |
| or STAT 344 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I | |
| STAT 346 | Probability for Engineers | 3 |
| or MATH 351 | Probability | |
| STAT 362 | Introduction to Computer Statistical Packages | 3 |
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, students complete all credits satisfying degree requirements for the BS and MS programs, with up to twelve credits overlap chosen from the following graduate courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STAT 544 | Applied Probability | 3 |
| STAT 554 | Applied Statistics I | 3 |
| STAT 560 | Biostatistical Methods | 3 |
| STAT 574 | Survey Sampling I | 3 |
| STAT 663 | Statistical Graphics and Data Visualization | 3 |
All graduate course prerequisites must be completed prior to enrollment. Each graduate course must be completed with a grade of B or better to apply toward the MS degree.
While still in undergraduate status, a maximum of 6 additional graduate credits may be taken as reserve graduate credit and applied to the master's program. Reserve graduate credits do not apply to the undergraduate degree.
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees policies.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply the semester before they expect to complete the BS requirements to have the BS degree conferred. In addition, at the beginning of the student's final undergraduate semester, students must complete a Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form that is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar and Graduate Recruitment and Enrollment Services. At the completion of MS requirements, a master's degree is conferred.
Computer Science, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Computer Engineering in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.
See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees for policies related to this program.
This accelerated option is offered jointly by the Computer Science Department and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.
Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits with an overall GPA of 3.0.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific prerequisites.
Accelerated Master’s Admission Requirements
Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MS program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form: 3.0 overall GPA, successfully meeting Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation), at least 3 credits of approved advanced standing graduate coursework, and completing the application for graduation.
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:
Advanced standing courses: Students may take up to 12 credits of graduate-level courses that will count as advanced standing (i.e., overlap between the BS/MS program) from the list below:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 571 | Operating Systems (to replace CS 471) | 3 |
| CS 580 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| CS 583 | Analysis of Algorithms | 3 |
| CS 584 | Theory and Applications of Data Mining | 3 |
| ECE 508 | Internet of Things | 3 |
| ECE 511 | Computer Architecture | 3 |
| ECE 512 | Computer Architecture Security | 3 |
| ECE 516 | Mobile Systems and Applications | 3 |
| ECE 527 | Learning From Data | 3 |
| ECE 542 | Computer Network Architectures and Protocols | 3 |
Reserve credit courses: Additional courses (up to 6 credits) may be selected from the above list as credits to be put on reserve to be later applied to the graduate program. Students can take these courses while undergraduates but these reserve courses will only count for the graduate degree program.
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees.
Computer Science, BS/Computer Science, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified students in the Computer Science, BS can complete both a BS-CS and a Computer Science, MS in five years through the BS-CS accelerated (BAM) program.
General BAM policies are in the catalog under AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. Policies governing all graduate degrees are in the catalog under AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Admission Requirements
Students in the Computer Science, BS program are encouraged to apply to the BAM program after earning 60 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.30. Students must also have successfully completed CS 310 Data Structures and CS 330 Formal Methods and Models.
Accelerated Option Requirements
Students accepted to the BAM program may earn up to 12 credits of graduate coursework that count towards both the BS and MS degrees. They may begin taking graduate courses after completing 75 undergraduate credits and successfully completing CS 367 Computer Systems and Programming.
The following graduate courses can replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 540 | Compilers (to replace CS 440) | 3 |
| CS 550 | Database Systems (to replace CS 450) | 3 |
| CS 551 | Computer Graphics (to replace CS 451) | 3 |
| CS 555 | Computer Communications and Networking (to replace CS 455) | 3 |
| CS 571 | Operating Systems (to replace CS 471) | 3 |
| CS 580 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (to replace CS 480) | 3 |
| CS 583 | Analysis of Algorithms (to replace CS 483) | 3 |
| CS 584 | Theory and Applications of Data Mining (to replace CS 484) | 3 |
| CS 587 | Introduction to Cryptography (to replace CS 487) | 3 |
| SWE 619 | Object-Oriented Software Specification and Construction (to replace SWE 419) | 3 |
| SWE 637 | Software Testing (to replace SWE 437) | 3 |
| SWE 642 | Software Engineering for the World Wide Web (to replace SWE 432) | 3 |
Notes:
- Students may not use both the graduate course and the undergraduate alternative for their BS degree.
- Students must satisfy all recommended and required prerequisites for the graduate courses they take.
- Students also have the option to take up to 6 additional credits of graduate coursework, on reserve, which can be used for the MS degree only.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply for degree conferral the semester before they expect to complete their BS requirements. At the beginning of their final undergraduate semester, students must submit a completed Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Transition form to the CS department office. The master's degree will be conferred after the student completes the MS requirements.
Computer Science, BS/Curriculum and Instruction, Accelerated MEd (Secondary Education Computer Science Concentration)
Overview
Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a BS in Computer Science (degree without concentration) and an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction (Secondary Education Computer Science concentration) in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 143 credits.
See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program.
This accelerated option is offered jointly by the Department of Computer Science and the School of Education.
Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see Application Requirements and Deadlines.
Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits, and additional unit-specific criteria.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific pre-requisites.
Accelerated Master’s Admission Requirements
Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MEd program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form:
- 3.0 overall GPA
- Completion of specific undergraduate coursework
- Successfully meeting Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following which can be taken as Advanced Standing or Reserve Graduate credit (to be determined by the student and their advisor):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDRD 619 | Disciplinary Literacy | 3 |
| SEED 522 | Foundations of Secondary Education | 3 |
| SEED 540 | Human Development and Learning: Secondary Education | 3 |
| SEED 566 | Teaching Computer Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SEED 676 | Advanced Methods of Teaching Computer Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SEED approved elective | ||
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Computer Science, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified students in the Computer Science, BS can complete both a BS-CS and a Data Analytics Engineering, MS in five years through the BS-MS accelerated (BAM) program.
General BAM policies are in the catalog under AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. Policies governing all graduate degrees are in the catalog under AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Admission Requirements
Students in the Computer Science, BS program are encouraged to apply to the BAM program after earning 60 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.30. Students must have successfully completed CS 310 Data Structures and CS 330 Formal Methods and Models .
Accelerated Option Requirements
Students accepted to the BAM program may earn up to 9 credits of graduate coursework that count towards both the BS and MS degrees. They may begin taking graduate courses after completing 75 undergraduate credits and successfully completing CS 367 Computer Systems and Programming.
The following graduate courses can replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 584 | Theory and Applications of Data Mining (to replace CS 484) | 3 |
| CS 550 | Database Systems (to replace CS 450) | 3 |
| CS 580 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (to replace CS 480) | 3 |
Notes:
- Students may not use both the graduate course and the undergraduate alternative for their BS degree.
- Students must satisfy all recommended and required prerequisites for the graduate courses they take.
- Students must still take the DAEN core courses (AIT 580 Analytics Big Data to Information, OR 531 Analytics and Decision Analysis, and STAT 515 Applied Statistics and Visualization for Analytics).
- Students also have the option to take up to 6 additional credits of graduate coursework on reserve, which can be used for the MS degree only.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply for degree conferral the semester before they expect to complete their BS requirements. At the beginning of their final undergraduate semester, students must submit a completed Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Transition form to the CS department office. The master’s degree will be conferred after the student completes the MS requirements.
Computer Science, BS/Information Systems, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified students in the Computer Science, BS can complete both a BS-CS and an Information Systems, MS in five years through the BS-MS accelerated (BAM) program.
General BAM policies are in the catalog under AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. Policies governing all graduate degrees are in the catalog under AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Admission Requirements
Students in the Computer Science, BS program are encouraged to apply to the BAM program after earning 60 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.30. Students must have successfully completed CS 310 Data Structures and CS 330 Formal Methods and Models.
Accelerated Option Requirements
Students accepted to the BAM program may earn up to 12 credits of graduate coursework that count towards both the BS and MS degrees. They may begin taking graduate courses after completing 75 undergraduate credits and successfully completing CS 367 Computer Systems and Programming.
The following graduate courses can replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 540 | Compilers (to replace CS 440) | 3 |
| CS 550 | Database Systems (to replace CS 450) | 3 |
| CS 551 | Computer Graphics (to replace CS 451) | 3 |
| CS 555 | Computer Communications and Networking (to replace CS 455) | 3 |
| CS 571 | Operating Systems (to replace CS 471) | 3 |
| CS 580 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (to replace CS 480) | 3 |
| CS 583 | Analysis of Algorithms (to replace CS 483) | 3 |
| CS 584 | Theory and Applications of Data Mining (to replace CS 484) | 3 |
| CS 587 | Introduction to Cryptography (to replace CS 487) | 3 |
| SWE 619 | Object-Oriented Software Specification and Construction (to replace SWE 419) | 3 |
| SWE 637 | Software Testing (to replace SWE 437) | 3 |
| SWE 642 | Software Engineering for the World Wide Web (to replace SWE 432) | 3 |
Note:
- Students may not use both the graduate course and the undergraduate alternative for their BS degree.
- Students must satisfy all recommended and required prerequisites for the graduate courses they take.
- Students also have the option to take up to 6 additional credits of graduate coursework on reserve, which can be used for the MS degree only.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply for degree conferral the semester before they expect to complete their BS requirements. At the beginning of their final undergraduate semester, students must submit a completed Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Transition form to the CS department office. The master’s degree will be conferred after the student completes the MS requirements.
Computer Science, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a Computer Science, BS and an Operations Research, MS in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.
Admitted students are able to use up to 12 graduate credits in partial satisfaction of requirements for the undergraduate degree. Upon completion and conferral of the bachelor's degree and with satisfactory performance (grade of 'B' or better) in each of the graduate courses, students are given advanced standing in the master's program.
See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees for policies related to this program.
Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Computer Science, BS students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.3, and completion of all MATH and Science requirements. Students must additionally complete MATH 203 Linear Algebra prior to applying for the graduate program.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific pre-requisites.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
The criteria for admission are identical to criteria for admission to the Operations Research, MS program. Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the Operations Research, MS program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form:
- An overall GPA of at least 3.3
- Successfully meeting Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:
Advanced Standing course: Students must complete all credits that satisfy requirements for both the BS and MS programs. Up to four courses (12 credits) of approved master’s level courses taken as part of the undergraduate degree may be applied to the graduate degree. The courses selected for this purpose must be approved by the academic advisors of both the BS and MS programs and by the SEOR department chair. For the BS programs that allow undergraduate electives from the department of system engineering and operations research, the students may choose the graduate version of such elective courses to replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
- Students selecting up to two courses (6 credits) of approved master’s level courses may select from the combined Computer Science course list and Systems Engineering and Operations Research course list given below.
- Students selecting up to three or four courses (9 or 12 credits) of approved master’s level courses may select at most two courses from the Computer Science course list and select the remaining courses from the Systems Engineering and Operations Research course list given below. Students are highly recommended to select courses marked as core courses because it applies to the master’s degree regardless of the graduate-level concentration chosen in the Operations Research, MS. The undergraduate version of these courses, if any, may not be applied toward the Operations Research, MS. Credit may not be received for both the undergraduate and graduate version of these courses.
- Students must pay attention to the prerequisites required for a course, and the master's degree concentration that the course may satisfy.
Select at most two from the following Computer Science courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Compilers | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Computer Communications and Networking | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Analysis of Algorithms | ||
| Theory and Applications of Data Mining |
Select the remaining from the following Systems Engineering and Operations Research courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research: Deterministic Optimization (Core) | ||
| Operations Research: Stochastic Models (Core) |
While still in undergraduate status, a maximum of 6 additional graduate credits may be taken as reserve graduate credit and applied to the master's program. Reserve graduate credits do not apply to the undergraduate degree.
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply the semester before they expect to complete the BS requirements to have the BS degree conferred. In addition, at the beginning of the student's final undergraduate semester, students must complete a Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form. At the completion of MS requirements, a master's degree is conferred.
Computer Science, BS/Software Engineering, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified students in the Computer Science, BS program can complete both a BS-CS and a Software Engineering, MS in five years through the BS-MS accelerated (BAM) program.
General BAM policies are in the catalog under AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. Policies governing all graduate degrees are in the catalog under AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Admission Requirements
Students in the Computer Science, BS program are encouraged to apply to the BAM program after earning 60 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.30. Students must also have successfully completed CS 310 Data Structures and CS 330 Formal Methods and Models .
Accelerated Option Requirements
Students accepted to the BAM program may earn up to 12 credits of graduate coursework that count towards both the BS and MS degrees. They may begin taking graduate courses after completing 75 undergraduate credits and successfully completing CS 367 Computer Systems and Programming.
The following graduate courses can replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS 540 | Compilers (to replace CS 440) | 3 |
| CS 550 | Database Systems (to replace CS 450) | 3 |
| CS 551 | Computer Graphics (to replace CS 451) | 3 |
| CS 555 | Computer Communications and Networking (to replace CS 455) | 3 |
| CS 571 | Operating Systems (to replace CS 471) | 3 |
| CS 580 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (to replace CS 480) | 3 |
| CS 583 | Analysis of Algorithms (to replace CS 483) | 3 |
| CS 584 | Theory and Applications of Data Mining (to replace CS 484) | 3 |
| CS 587 | Introduction to Cryptography (to replace CS 487) | 3 |
| SWE 619 | Object-Oriented Software Specification and Construction (to replace SWE 419) | 3 |
| SWE 637 | Software Testing (to replace SWE 437) | 3 |
| SWE 642 | Software Engineering for the World Wide Web (to replace SWE 432) | 3 |
Notes:
- Students may not use both the graduate course and the undergraduate alternative for their BS degree.
- Students must satisfy all recommended and required prerequisites for the graduate courses they take.
- Students also have the option to take up to 6 additional credits of graduate coursework on reserve, which can be used for the MS degree only.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply for degree conferral the semester before they expect to complete their BS requirements. At the beginning of their final undergraduate semester, students must submit a completed Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Transition form to the CS department office. The master’s degree will be conferred after the student completes the MS requirements.
Computer Science, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
Overview
Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a Computer Science, BS and a Systems Engineering, MS in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.
Admitted students are able to use up to 12 graduate credits in partial satisfaction of requirements for the undergraduate degree. Upon completion and conferral of the bachelor's degree and with satisfactory performance (grade of 'B' or better) in each of the graduate courses, students are given advanced standing in the master's program.
See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees for policies related to this program.
Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Computer Science, BS students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.3, and completion of all MATH and Science requirements.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific pre-requisites.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
The criteria for admission are identical to criteria for admission to the Systems Engineering, MS program. Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the Systems Engineering, MS program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form:
- An overall GPA of at least 3.3
- Successfully meeting Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:
Advanced Standing course: Students must complete all credits that satisfy requirements for both the BS and MS programs. Up to four courses (12 credits) of approved master’s level courses taken as part of the undergraduate degree may be applied to the graduate degree. The courses selected for this purpose must be approved by the academic advisors of both the BS and MS programs and by the SEOR department chair. For the BS programs that allow undergraduate electives from the department of system engineering and operations research, the students may choose the graduate version of such elective courses to replace the corresponding undergraduate courses.
- Students selecting up to two courses (6 credits) of approved master’s level courses may select from the combined Computer Science course list and Systems Engineering and Operations Research course list given below.
- Students selecting up to three or four courses (9 or 12 credits) of approved master’s level courses may select at most two courses from the Computer Science course list and select the remaining courses from the Systems Engineering and Operations Research course list given below. The undergraduate version of these courses, if any, may not be applied toward the Systems Engineering, MS. Credit may not be received for both the undergraduate and graduate version of these courses.
- Any course chosen from either course list can be used to satisfy SYST 505 Systems Engineering Principles core requirement in the Systems Engineering, MS program.
- Some of the courses in the Systems Engineering and Operations Research course list applies only to certain concentrations in the Systems Engineering, MS program.
- Students must pay attention to the prerequisites required for a course, and the master's degree concentration that the course may satisfy.
Select at most two from the following Computer Science courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Compilers | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Computer Communications and Networking | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Analysis of Algorithms | ||
| Theory and Applications of Data Mining |
Select the remaining from the following Systems Engineering and Operations Research courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research: Deterministic Optimization | ||
| Operations Research: Stochastic Models |
While still in undergraduate status, a maximum of 6 additional graduate credits may be taken as reserve graduate credit and applied to the master's program. Reserve graduate credits do not apply to the undergraduate degree.
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees.
Degree Conferral
Students must apply the semester before they expect to complete the BS requirements to have the BS degree conferred. In addition, at the beginning of the student's final undergraduate semester, students must complete a Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form. At the completion of MS requirements, a master's degree is conferred.