Masters Degrees
in
Computing
at
GMU
MS in Software Engineering (SWE)
MS in Information Systems (INFS)
MS in Information Security Assurance (ISA)
MS in Computer Science (CS)
Offered by the
Department of
Computer Science
Jeff Offutt
Professor of Software Engineering
Chair, Graduate Studies Committee
Coordinator, MS-SWE program
Computing MS Degrees
What Is An MS ?



A degree that says you have “mastered” the material in
a field
Beyond a 4-year college degree
Usually 30 credits – one to two years
– 10 classes or 8 classes and an MS thesis

More focused … all classes on one subject
– No General Ed requirements

At GMU, more than 75% of MS students are part-time
students, working full-time
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Why Get An MS ?
1. We haven’t taught you enough as an undergrad to be
successful in your job
2. To update your knowledge and skills
–
3.
4.
5.
6.
More important for people who come back to school after
working for a few years
Higher salary
Job security
More choices of tasks at work
To change field or direction in your field
Most of you will get an MS degree eventually
The questions are when and what field
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When To Get An MS ?
1. Immediately after BS
↑ Can use “accelerated MS” option
↑ You already have study habits
↑ BS knowledge is still fresh
↓ You might need a salary … NOW
↓ You might be really really tired of school
2. A few years after BS (4 or 5)
↑ A little experience will help make the classes more relevant
↑ A way to help take the “next step” at work
↑ Learn new material that was not available
↓ Study habits are gone
↓ Financial impact
↓ Do you have time for school?
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When To Get An MS ?
3. Several years into a career (10 or 20)
↑ Chance to learn new material
↑ Experience helps give confidence and decide what’s important
↓ Conflicts with life … children, house, demanding career, …
↓ Less mental and physical energy to study
↓ It takes more time to learn
↓ You may have forgotten fundamentals (or they may have
changed)
Our students fall in all three categories
Most succeed
ABOUT 40% category 1, 40% category 2,
20% category 3
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How To Get Accepted ?
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Appropriate foundation material
– Discrete math, data structures, computer organization, OO
programming, appropriate theory (for MS-CS)
– You get all these in a BS-CS degree, most in a BS-ECE degree

Undergrad GPA of 3.0 or above
– Exceptions for “close to 3.0” with high grades in major or last
60 hours

Accelerated BS to MS program
– Must have GPA of 3.5 or above
– Take two graduate courses in your senior year – they are
applied to both your BS and MS degrees
– Full-time students will finish the MS in one year
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Which MS Program ?

The CS department at GMU has four
– We also have 100 MS-level lecture based classes

We are truly the university of diversity !!!
– No university in the world can match this
• MS in Software Engineering (SWE)
• MS in Information Systems (INFS)
• MS in Information Security Assurance (ISA)
• MS in Computer Science (CS)
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Which one should I choose ?
How do I know what’s right for me ?
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Which MS Program ?
MS-SWE
How to engineer high quality large scale
software products
MS-INFS
How to design, build, and maintain databases
and other data retrieval systems
MS-ISA
How to provide secure networks, information
systems and software products
MS-CS
Fundamentally understand what we can do
with computing devices
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Distinguishing SWE and CS
Reliability
Building High Quality Software
specifying, modeling, designing,
implementing, evaluating, deploying,
maintaining, …
Engineering software is distinct from the science of
computing
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Computing MS Program “Mosts”
Most theoretical, most
programming
Computer Science
Info Security Assurance
Most specialized
Information Systems
Most diverse students
Most broad, most
teamwork
Software Engineering
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MS in Computer Science
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Courses : 10 Courses for the MS CS Degree
– Core (1): Analysis of Algorithms
– Advanced : At least five “advanced” graduate courses, i.e.,
with graduate prerequisites
– CS : At least six courses must be CS
• Including 2 “advanced” courses
– Electives : At least eight courses from a list of pre-approved
courses
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Distance Education : Students can take enough courses
via distance education to finish an MS
Website
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/programs/masters/cs/
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MS in Information Security and
Assurance

Courses : Ten courses for the MS-ISA Degree
– Foundations : Computer Architecture, Program Design & Data
Structures, Discrete Math, Object-Oriented Programming in
Java
– Core (4): Computer Networks, Information Security Theory
and Practice , Security Laboratory, and Network
– Security Electives : Four ISA courses
– Electives : Two courses from a list of pre-approved courses
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Website
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/programs/masters/isa/
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MS in Information Systems

Courses : Ten courses for the INFS Degree
– Foundations : Computer Architecture, Program Design &
Data Structures, Discrete Math, Object-Oriented
Programming in Java
– Core (4): Computer Networks, Database Management, Info
Systems Analysis and Design, Information Security
– Electives : Six courses from a list of pre-approved courses
– Emphasis Areas : Database Management, Data Mining and
Data Warehousing, E-Commerce, Software Engineering,
Knowledge Management, Information Security and Assurance

Website
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/programs/masters/infs/
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MS in Software Engineering

Courses : Ten courses for the MS-SWE Degree
– Foundations : Computer Architecture, Program Design &
Data Structures, Discrete Math, Object-Oriented
Programming in Java
– Core (4): OO Software Specification and Construction,
Software Testing, Software Modeling and Architectural
Design, Distributed Software Engineering (4 courses)
– Emphasis Area : Three courses from an emphasis area
(Software Design, Software Assurance, Software Management,
Web Applications)
– Electives : Three courses from a list of pre-approved courses

Website
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/programs/masters/swe/
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Emphasis of Concepts
Concept
CS
ISA
INFS
SWE
Heavy
Moderate
Light
Heavy
Programming
V. Heavy
Heavy
Light
Moderate
Theory
V. Heavy
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Algorithms
V. Heavy
Heavy
Light
Moderate
Conceptual
Moderate
Heavy
Light
Heavy
Abstractions
Moderate
Light
Moderate
Heavy
Modeling
Light
Moderate
Light
Heavy
Teamwork
Light
Light
Heavy
V. Heavy
Communication
Light
Light
Moderate
Moderate
Management
Light
Light
Moderate
Moderate
Math
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Emphasis of Quality Criteria
CS Speed of execution, Time-to-market
ISA Security, Reliability
INFS Reliability, Maintainability, Security
SWE Reliability, Maintainability, Usability, Scalability,
Security, Availability, Speed, Time-to-market
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Topics Emphasized
CS Algorithms, AI, Languages, Systems, Networks, Theory,
Graphics
ISA Operating systems, Networking, Theory, Languages,
Intrusion, Software
INFS Databases, Operating Systems, Networks, Systems
analysis, Information systems
SWE OO programming, Requirements, Modeling, Design,
Distributed software, Testing, User interfaces, Web
applications, SOAs, Software patterns and architectures,
Management
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Computer Science and Computing
We have barely started the process that
Physics / Engineering started a century ago
Computer
Science
Computing MS Degrees
Fields Based on Computer Science
Electronic Commerce
Information Security and Assurance
Information Systems
Software Engineering
Telecommunications
Information Technology
... others ... ??
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Frequently Asked Questions (1/4)

Which MS program is better ?
– They are all good, but different. Diversity benefits the student, so it
depends which one is suitable for you.

Which MS program is harder ?
– They all focus on different things, and are harder in different ways

Which will best prepare me for a PhD in CS or IT ?
– It probably depends on what area you want to work in as a PhD student.
You should take MS classes that prepare you for the qualifying exams.

What undergraduate majors are acceptable in the MS programs?
– All MS programs take students from all majors, although foundation
requirements may be required. Most CS students have a CS BS, about half
of SWE students have a CS BS and many of the others are engineering or
science, many INFS students have business BS
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Frequently Asked Questions (2/4)
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Can I transfer from one program to another ?
– Yes and many students do. Foundation requirements are similar and core
courses from one program can usually be used as electives in another.

Can I take classes from another program ?
– Yes, all programs have free electives and most students take classes from
multiple programs

Can I get two MS degrees ?
– Yes, but GMU does not allow a course to be applied to two different MS
degrees. If you took a core course in your second degree as an elective for
your first degree, we will make a substitution.

Can I get certificates with my MS degree ?
– Yes, GMU allows up to two certificates within one MS degree; courses can
count to both an MS and a certificate
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Frequently Asked Questions (3/4)
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Why do I have to take foundation courses ?
– We want all of our students to do as well as possible. Foundation courses
teach undergraduate computing concepts that teachers assume the students
know in MS courses. Many C grades in MS courses are a result of
inadequate preparation.
– The foundation requirements are there to help you !!!
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If I get a C, am I kicked out of school ?
– No. You are allowed to graduate with at most two C grades if you have a
3.0 or above GPA (effectively, for every C, you need to get a
complementary A).

Why is software engineering called “SWE”, not “SE” ?
– “SE” is standard around the country, but our SWE program is the oldest
in the USA, so there was no standard. At GMU, “SE” is used by systems
engineering.
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Frequently Asked Questions (4/4)
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
Why does GMU offer so many computing MS degrees ?
– For the benefit of our many students. GMU is well known for
its diversity – we reflect that diversity by offering a diverse
collection of classes and degree programs. We believe GMU
has the most diverse collection of computing classes in the
nation.
Why do you keep saying “computing” instead of “computer
science”?
– One of our degrees is called computer science, so we use “computing” to
reflect the breadth of our degrees – software engineering, security,
information systems. They are all related to computer science, but have
developed away from the core curriculum, just as engineering disciplines
developed away from physics.
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