MS in Computer Science - Scientists and Engineers
Application
Deadlines
Spring 2023:
September 15, 2022
Fall 2023:
December 15, 2022
- Program Overview
- Application Information
- Tuition & Fees
- Meet Our Students
- Career Outcomes
- DEN@Viterbi - Online Delivery
- Request Information
Designed for students with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science but a limited background in computer science, this comprehensive, 37 unit program combines an introductory sequence of undergraduate preparatory and foundational coursework with all the graduate breadth requirements necessary to satisfy the traditional MS in Computer Science.
Note: Students admitted to this program are not able change to another program in computer science but may take electives from any computer science area.
International Students: This program is eligible for the OPT STEM extension.
View the slides from a previous webinar that discusses the MS in Computer Science (Scientists & Engineers) program:
Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings, and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.
- A minimum of 37 units (33 degree applicable units) is required for the MS in Computer Science - Scientists and Engineers degree
- Preparatory Programming Requirement Course*: 4 units
- Foundational Requirements Courses*: 8 units
- Core Requirement Courses: 4 units
- Elective Courses: 21 units
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
- A maximum of 8 units may be taken from approved 400-level courses in either Electrical Engineering or Computer Science (excluding CSCI 455x); the remaining units must be approved courses at the 500 or 600 level
- Only one doctoral (600-level) course can be counted in the degree
* The programming requirement and foundational requirements must be completed at USC and cannot be transferred in or waived.
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
|---|---|
| Spring 2024 | September 15, 2023 |
| Fall 2024 | December 15, 2023* |
| * DEN@Viterbi (Online Delivery) Deadline Extension: An application extension for Fall 2024 is available for online DEN@Viterbi applicants who intend to pursue their entire degree program online and do not require a visa sponsorship. Please email den@viterbi.usc.edu to request an application extension. On-campus students who apply by published deadlines will be considered for scholarships if admitted. Online DEN@Viterbi applicants can view the Master's Scholarships (DEN@Viterbi) page for scholarship opportunities. |
|
Visit our Ready to Apply page for more information.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in any engineering or engineering-related disciplines including but not limited to: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Info Engineering, Automation, Materials Science, Communication Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and BME.
The following materials are required to be included with your online application:
- Transcripts: Upload Electronic Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. A mailed hard copy or official e-transcript is not required for admission to our programs.
- Submit an electronic copy of official transcripts (.pdf recommended) and other degree related documents through the online graduate application (International applicants, visit USC Graduate Admission’s Country Requirements page for details on required documents)
- Unofficial transcripts from university student portals are not acceptable
- If the transcript includes a separate grading scale, make sure it is also uploaded
- For upload purposes, all transcript related documents for a single school must be submitted as one document
- If you are admitted, you will be given specific instructions on submitting your hard copy transcripts
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement : The personal statement should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- GRE: General GRE test scores are not required for 2024
- Letters of Recommendation (Optional): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
English Language Proficiency: In addition to application requirements above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score. Please review USC Graduate Admission – Proficiency in English.
IMPORTANT: USC does not accept Duolingo and TOEFL Essentials test scores.
The following is an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition.
TUITION
.
| Academic Year | Per Unit Rate | 3-unit Course | 4-unit Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 - Summer 2024* | $2,424 | $7,272 | $9,696 |
| Fall 2022 - Summer 2023* | $2,309 | $6,927 | $9,236 |
| * Tuition is the same for on-campus and online students | |||
MANDATORY STUDENT FEES - 2023/24
.
| Fee Description | Fee Amount | On-Campus | DEN@Viterbi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Health Center Fee | $600/semester | ||
| Norman Topping Student Aid Fee | $11/semester | ||
| ENGR Student Programming Fee (On-Campus students) | $40/semester | ||
| ENGR Student Programming Fee (DEN@Viterbi students) | $20/semester | ||
| Exam Proctoring | $40 - $100 per course | ||
| Transportation Fee | $93/semester | ||
| Health Insurance (U.S.-based health insurance is required, but it does not have to be through USC) | Fall 2023: $948 Spring 2024: $1,765 |
ESTIMATED COST OF ATTENDANCE - 37 UNIT PROGRAM
.
This downloadable Cost of Attendance document breaks down the tuition and fees by semester. Although the actual number of courses taken each semester may vary by student as can the amount of time taken to complete the program, it can be submitted to banks and scholarship institutions.
PAYMENT
.
USC students may pay their tuition and fees online, via wire transfer or using a payment plan. Details can be found on the USC Student Financial Services Payment Options page. You can check your account balance through the On-line Academic Student Information System (OASIS). Log into OASIS through MyUSC.
.
USC also provides a Tuition Refund Insurance option that enables students to receive a 100% refund of term tuition and fees if they are are forced to withdraw for medical reasons.
MEGAN BULL
Which organizations/activities have you been involved with outside of theclassroom?
I recently joined the Graduates Rising in Data Science (GRIDS) club and have been a part of their External Affairs and Outreach leadership team since the end of February! I’ve helped put on a couple of events with them, including the GRIDSHackathon and a NASA career talk.
What are some personal achievements or experiences you’d like to share?
I started my first NASA internship in June 2021 on the People Analytics team at NASA Headquarters and am looking forward to starting on a new project at the same location with the Earth Science Division in the Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics Focus Area.
What advice would you give future Viterbi students?
Go out of your way to make friends! Studying for a class is so much easier whenyou have a support system of other students in your program.
.
KAMEL BASSEL M. GAZZAZ
What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC?
I come from a cognitive science background and want to bridge that with CS to work on cognitive systems, personified AI, human-AI interactions. The CS for Scientists & Engineers program at USC is a perfect fit for this interdisciplinarity.
Tell us about an exciting and unforgettable experience from your time so far at USC.
Working on the AI digital assistant that allows astronauts to interact with their environment in AR using natural language and dialogue flow for the NASA-SUITS project has been great. It’s still ongoing, our team of USC and UA collaborators is called Team AEGIS, and we’re in the final round along with the teams from CMU, MIT, etc. The winning project will inspire the HUD for NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission!
What do you like most about living in Los Angeles?
The versatility of being able to study at a top tier university, to go to the beach or go snowboarding, to rub elbows with top class executives, creators, founders, join any community with any interest, play any sport, hike, live the way you want to live. Whatever it is you’re into, it’s happening in LA, you just have to go find it.
What advice would you give future Viterbi students?
Be curious, follow your dream, nurture your interests, and never compromise on your identity. Don’t just do LeetCode and try to become a full-stack because that’s what you think will bring success. I see so many people come here and get alienated from who they are, and so many others who find themselves here and become successful. Venture out, explore and be bold to talk to people (us engineers tend to be introverted or reserved, and it’s daunting being in a new country). The physical and metaphysical place you’re in once you get here opens all the doors for you. There are many others who share the same interests as you in each of the facets of your life. You just have to choose which one(s) you’re most excited about entering and then enjoy the rabbit hole that will lead you to an amazing life that is customized to your own passions.
.
LAURA CASAS
What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC?
I chose to pursue a graduate program at USC for two main reasons. First, USC offered a unique program that allowed anyone with science or engineering background to get a Masters degree in computer science. This program was specifically designed for those of us that did not have a computer science background and had not formally taken any CS courses. The program course requirements were focused on students learning the fundamentals of CS that are needed for any specialization. Second, USC offered this program through DEN [online option]. This meant that I was able to pursue my graduate degree without having to uproot my life to a new geographical location.
What are some personal achievements or experiences you’d like to share?
I received a BS in Physics (from USC), was in the aviation industry working as an Air Traffic Control Specialist and will be working as a Software Developer after graduating with an MS in Computer Science. Although it can be frightening/intimidating to change career paths, it is possible to do it, all it takes is a good support system, some mental determination and hard work!
What advice would you give future Viterbi students?
My advice is to read through all assignment directions thoroughly, usually there are a lot of helpful hints!
Alumni Employment
- A2Z Development Center ,Inc.
- AGI (Analytical Graphics, Inc.) - Aerospace Application Engineer
- Airbnb
- Alibaba - Java Engineer
- Alphabet Inc. - Software Engineer
- Amazon
- Amazon Robotics - SW Dev Engineer
- Amazon Web Services
- Amgen
- Amperity - Software Engineer
- Apple Inc.
- Arrival - Software Engineer
- ASML Holding - Software Engineer
- baidu
- Beyond Limits Inc - Artificial Intelligence Engineer
- Bloomberg L.P.
- Boeing
- Boston Consulting Group
- Bytedance
- CalAmp - Software Engineer, API & Microservices
- Center for Systems and Software Engineering
- Cerner Corporation - Software Engineer
- Cisco Systems
- Citigroup - Quantitative Analyst
- Citrix Systems, Inc.
- Cloud4dev - Software Engineer
- Coinbase
- DataB LLC
- Datrium - Member of Technical Staff
- Dolby Laboratories - Software Development Engineer
- Easley-Dunn Productions, Inc.
- Easyfind Company
- eBay Inc. - Software Engineer
- Educative, Inc. - Software Engineer
- Electronic Arts
- Expedia, Inc.
- Farther Finance - Quantitative Software Engineer
- Flexon Technologies
- Fortinet
- Goldman Sachs
- Heartdub - Software Engineer
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Huawei - Software Developer
- Hulu
- IBM
- Ideal Concepts
- Idelji Corporation
- Indeed - Software Engineer
- Information Sciences Institute
- International Digital Economic Academy - C++ Embedded Software Engineer
- Intuit Inc.
- Jingyi Wang - Software Development Engineer
- Lazada - Software Engineer
- LG Corporation - Researcher
- Lockhead Martin -Software Engineer Staff
- Maestro - Senior Software Engineer
- Medtronic, Inc. - Data Scientist
- Memorial SLoan Kettering Cancer Center - Bioinformatics Software Engineer
- Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Microsoft
- Mitsubishi corporation - Senior Systems Engineer
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Manager
- NetApp, Inc. - Application Software Engineer
- Next Insurance - Software Engineer
- Nordstrom, Inc. - Software Engineer
- Northrop Grumman Corporation - Software Engineer
- Nortonlifelock Inc - Associate Software Engineer
- Numecent - Senior Software Engineer
- NVIDIA Corporation
- Oath
- OPPO
- Oracle Corporation
- Parallel Agile
- PayPal, Inc. - Software Engineer
- Pony.ai - Software Engineer
- PwC
- Qualcomm Incorporated - Embedded Software Engineer
- Salesforce - APM
- ServiceNow - Computer Systems Engineer
- Snap Inc.
- Sojern - Software Engineer
- SprintRay
- Stripe
- Supplyframe - Fullstack Software Engineer
- Synopsys, Inc. - Senior Research and Development Engineer
- Tailored Brand - Software Development Engineer
- Tata Consultancy Services - Software Developer / Systems Engineer
- Thankful.ai - Data Scientist
- The Trade Desk
- TikTok - Frontend Engineer
- TuSimple
- Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. - Flight Software Engineer
- Uber - Software Engineer
- Ucfunnel - Software Engineer
- University of California San Francisco - Data Scientist
- University of Southern California
- USC Center For Systems And Software Engineering - Research Assistant
- Verizon Communications - SDE
- Visa Inc. - Software Engineer
- VMWare
- WePay - Software Engineer
- Yahoo! Inc.
- Zillow Group
- Zoox - Software Engineer
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online. If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student. Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
| Preparatory Programming Requirement |
| 1 Course - 4 units total. |
| CSCI 455 | Introduction to Programming Systems Design (4 units) |
| The preparatory programming requirement and foundational requirements must be completed at USC and cannot be transferred in or waived. |
| CSCI 455 is a preparatory requirement for this program, but the units for this course do not count toward the 33 units required for the degree. |
| Foundational Requirements |
| 2 Courses Required - minimum 8 units total. |
| EE 457 | Computer Systems Organization OR EE 450 (4 units) |
| EE 450 | Computer Networks OR EE 457 (4 units) |
| CSCI 402 | Operating Systems (4 units) |
| Emphasis Electives |
| Select the remaining units of approved 500- to 600-level course work from Computer Science. Recommended options include: |
| CSCI 561 | Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (4 units) |
| CSCI 571 | Web Technologies (4 units) |
| CSCI 576 | Multimedia Systems Design (4 units) |
| CSCI 577a | Software Engineering (4 units) |
| CSCI 577b | Software Engineering (4 units) |
| CSCI 585 | Database Systems (4 units) |
| CSCI 591 | Computer Science Research Colloquium (1 unit) |
| See departmental advisor for more approved electives. |
Department Profile
Course Intro:
CSCI 571 (elective course)Web Technologies
Academic Disciplines
- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
- Astronautical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering & Materials Science
- Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Computer Science
- Data Science & Cyber Security
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Financial Engineering
- Energy & Sustainability
- Industrial & Systems Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Systems Architecting & Engineering
Published on July 10th, 2017
Last updated on May 22nd, 2023