2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

Combined Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Requirements
Suggested Order of Coursework

Qualified undergraduates may be admitted to a combined bachelor's/master's program and obtain both a B.S. in computer science and an M.S. in cybersecurity within an accelerated time frame. Students admitted to this program will count up to 12 credits of graduate work in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the undergraduate. After completing 121 credits and all requirements for the bachelor's degree, students are awarded a bachelor's degree. A minimum of 21 graduate credits must be completed after the 121 credits of the bachelor's degree. All other master's degree requirements must be met.

Admission

We encourage computer science students to apply for the combined B.S./M.S. program in computer science and cybersecurity in their second year. It is also possible to apply in the third year, but students in their fourth year typically do not receive the benefits of the combined program. Application requirements include:

Overall GPA of 3.25 or greater
Student must have been admitted to the computer science program
60 hours of academic credit have been completed or are in progress
Two letters of recommendation
Academic transcripts (unofficial transcripts are allowable)

Admission decisions will be made by the school admissions committee based on the student's previous academic success in computer science, as indicated by GPA and grades in the foundation computer science courses, as well as potential success in the graduate program, as indicated by the letters of recommendation. Decisions will normally be communicated to students within four weeks of submitting a complete application to the combined degree program.

Requirements

During Undergraduate Studies

All university requirements, including general education courses, must be completed before the final (graduate) year of the combined B.S./M.S. program. In the final undergraduate year, students will normally take 12 credits of graduate-level courses. If any courses are dual-listed, students in the combined B.S./M.S. program must complete all assignments expected of graduate students and they will be evaluated in the same way as graduate students.

The school has identified the following courses that students may dual-count toward the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Up to 12 credits can be dual counted. Students are strongly encouraged to work with the graduate program director in cybersecurity to ensure all undergraduate and graduate requirements are met.
- CIS 518 in lieu of CIS elective
- CIS 555 in lieu of CIS elective
- CIS 617 in lieu of CIS elective
- CIS 654 in lieu of CIS 457

During Graduate Studies

A student shall be considered a graduate student for all purposes upon fulfillment of one of the following events: the award of a baccalaureate degree, the completion of 12 graduate credit hours, or at the request of the graduate program director with the approval of the academic dean.

Graduation Without Completion of the Program

If a student decides at some point to pursue only the undergraduate portion of the combined degree, The Graduate School will still recognize the graduate courses taken in lieu of undergraduate courses. Credit from the undergraduate degree cannot be used toward a graduate degree at a later date.

The student will still be responsible for completing all of their other computer science degree requirements.

Suggested Order of Coursework

This sample order of coursework assumes that students will complete the CS foundation and general education courses with the help of their advisor and apply for graduate admission at the end of the winter semester of their second year. The following course sequence also assumes a strong mathematics background for the entering student. If mathematics deficiencies exist, completing the mathematics prerequisites should be the student's top priority.

This is only one of many possible sequences of courses. Students are strongly encouraged to work with the graduate program director in cybersecurity to ensure all undergraduate and graduate requirements are met, and to customize the combined program to their areas of interest. The following sequence makes no attempt to minimize credits. For example, the sequence assumes that all general education courses are distinct, and no "double dipping" is done.

Year One