Completion of the curriculum requires 31 credits. Students must also satisfy all the MCS requirements. All incoming MCS students must register for an orientation course: CSC 600 (Computer Science Graduate Orientation)

• CSC 520 – Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Foundations

• CSC 523 – Cognitive Systems
• CSC 529 – Trustworthy and Efficient Deep Learning
• CSC 555 – Social Computing and Decentralized AI
• CSC 591 – Neuro-Symbolic AI
• CSC 720 – Artificial Intelligence II
• CSC 722 – Machine Learning
• CSC 791 – Machine Learning with Graphs
• CSC 791 – Natural Language Processing
• CSC 791 – Efficient Deep Learning
• CSC 791 – Deep Learning Beyond Accuracy

Artificial Intelligence Applications

• CSC 522 – Automated Learning
• CSC 526 – Software Engineering and AI
• CSC 559 – Foundations of Generative AI for Systems
• CSC 582 – Computational Models of Interactive Narrative
• CSC 584 – Building Game AI
• CSC 591 – Foundation of Data Science
• CSC 591 – Artificial Intelligence of Things
• CSC 591 – Self-Driving Cars, Theory and Practice
• CSC 591 – Advanced Robotics
• CSC 791 – Geospatial AI

Upon completion of the Artificial Intelligence Track curriculum, students may request an official letter from one of the Graduate Office Staff, or email [csc-gradoffice@ncsu.edu]. The letter will be on department letterhead, signed by the DGP, and will mention you by name, your degree program, and that you have successfully completed the Masters Track in Artificial Intelligence.

The curriculum requirements for the Data Science Track are summarized in this table.

Completion of the curriculum requires 31 credits. Students must also satisfy all the MCS requirements. All incoming MCS students must register for an orientation course: CSC 600 (Computer Science Graduate Orientation)

Three core courses must be taken as follows:

• Any three courses from the list of Algorithmics courses below

Three courses must be taken from the three Data Science Course Categories:

• Algorithmics
• Systems
• Applications

Students must take courses from at least two categories

Algorithmics

• CSC 505 — Algorithms
• CSC 520 — Artificial Intelligence I
• CSC 522 — Automated Learning and Data Analysis
• CSC 720 — Artificial Intelligence II
• CSC 722 — Advanced Topics in Machine Learning
• CSC 591/791 — Graph Data Mining
• CSC 591/791 — Spatial and Temporal Data Mining
• CSC 591/791 — Machine Learning for User Adaption
• CSC 591/791 — Advanced Algorithms
• CSC 591/791 — Algorithms for Data Guided Business Intelligence
• CSC 591 — Foundations of Data Science

Systems

• CSC 540 — Database Management Concepts and Systems
• CSC 541 — Advanced Data Structures
• CSC 547 — Cloud Computing Technology
• CSC 548 — Parallel Systems
• CSC 591 — Data Intensive Computing
• CSC 742 — Database Management Systems
• CSC 724 — Advanced Distributed Systems
• CSC 750 — Service-Oriented Computing

Applications

• CSC 530 — Computational Methods for Molecular Biology
• CSC 554 — Human Computer Interaction
• CSC 555 — Social Computing
• CSC 561 — Graphics
• CSC 591 — Spoken Dialogue Systems
• CSC 591/495 — Intelligent Game Learning
• CSC 591/495 — Educational Data Mining

Upon completion of the Data Science Track curriculum, students may request an official letter from one of the Graduate Office Staff, or email [csc-gradoffice@ncsu.edu]. The letter will be on department letterhead, signed by the DGP, and will mention you by name, your degree program, and that you have successfully completed the Masters Track in Data Science. 

The curriculum requirements for the Security Track are summarized in this table.

Completion of the curriculum requires 31 credits. Students must also satisfy all the MCS requirements. All incoming MCS students must register for an orientation course: CSC 600 (Computer Science Graduate Orientation).

Four security core courses must be taken as follows:

• CSC 574 – Computer and Network Security
  • CSC 514 – Foundations of Cryptography
  • CSC 515 – Software Security
  • CSC 533 – Privacy
  • CSC 537 – Systems Attacks and Defenses
  • CSC 591/791 – Human Centered Security
  • CSC 705 – Operating Systems Security
  • CSC 774 – Advanced Network Security
  • CSC 789 – Cellular and Telecommunications Security

Three courses must be taken from the Security Foundations Categories:

• Systems Foundations
• Theory Foundations
• Privacy Foundations

Students must take take courses from at least two categories.

Systems Foundations

• CSC 501 – Operating Systems Principles
• CSC 510 – Software Engineering
• CSC 540 – Database Management Concepts and Systems
• CSC 548 – Parallel Systems
• CSC 570 – Computer Networks
• CSC 573 – Internet Protocols
• CSC 575 – Introduction to Wireless Networking
• CSC 712 – Software Testing and Reliability
• CSC 724 – Advanced Distributed Systems

Theory Foundations

• CSC 505 – Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• CSC 512 – Compiler Construction
• CSC 541 – Advanced Data Structures
• CSC 565 – Graph Theory
• CSC 707 – Automata, Languages and Computability Theory
• CSC 722 – Advanced Topics in Machine Learning

Privacy Foundations

• CSC 522 – Automated Learning and Data Analysis
• CSC 554 – Human-Computer Interaction
• CSC 555 – Social Computing
• CSC 591 – Foundations of Data Science

Upon completion of the Security Track curriculum, students may request an official letter from one of the Graduate Office Staff, or email [csc-gradoffice@ncsu.edu]. The letter will be on department letterhead, signed by the DGP, and will mention you by name, your degree program, and that you have successfully completed the Masters Track in Security.

The curriculum requirements for the Software Engineering Track are summarized in this table.

Completion of the curriculum requires 31 credits and the completion of three research projects. Students must also satisfy all the MCS requirements. All incoming MCS students must register for an orientation course: CSC 600 (Computer Science Graduate Orientation)

Students must complete three research projects over the course of their degree, with no more than two per semester. A research project can be voluntarily participating in an approved software engineering research experiment, or it can be a research paper completed during one of the software science courses, in addition to that course’s normal coursework. Research experiments will typically involve some software development task, such as fixing a bug, and will generally take a few hours to complete. Faculty will send out email announcements to the graduate student mailing list with opportunities.

Graduate Program – Master Track in Software Engineering

As software becomes increasingly important to our day-to-day lives, building and maintaining high quality software is critical.

The Masters Track in Software Engineering teaches students the skills necessary to build and maintain such software systems. Topics include both an overview of software engineering and a variety of more in-depth topics, including software security, testing, and DevOps. The track has offerings both in the state-of-the-practice and state-of-the-art software engineering, with a special focus on evidence-based practice.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING TRACK CURRICULUM

The curriculum requirements for the Software Engineering Track are summarized in this table.

Completion of the curriculum requires 31 credits and the completion of three research projects. Students must also satisfy all the MCS requirements. All incoming MCS students must register for an orientation course: CSC 600 (Computer Science Graduate Orientation)

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING RESEARCH PROJECTS

Students must complete three research projects over the course of their degree, with no more than two per semester. A research project can be voluntarily participating in an approved software engineering research experiment, or it can be a research paper completed during one of the software science courses, in addition to that course’s normal coursework. Research experiments will typically involve some software development task, such as fixing a bug, and will generally take a few hours to complete. Faculty will send out email announcements to the graduate student mailing list with opportunities.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING COURSES

Software Science

• CSC 515 — Software Security
• CSC 519 — DevOps
• CSC 591 — Data-Driven Privacy
• CSC 710 — Software Engineering as a Human Activity
• CSC 712 — Software Testing
• CSC 791 — Automated Software Engineering

Software Foundations

• CSC 503 — Computational Applied Logic
• CSC 512 — Compiler Construction
• CSC 517 — Object-Oriented Design and Development
• CSC 520 — Artificial Intelligence I
• CSC 522 — Automated Learning and Data Analysis
• CSC 540 — Database Management Concepts and Systems
• CSC 547 — Cloud Computing Technology
• CSC 554 — Human-Computer Interaction
• CSC 750 — Service-Oriented Computing

Upon completion of the Software Engineering Track curriculum, students may request an official letter from one of the Graduate Office Staff, or email [csc-gradoffice@ncsu.edu]. The letter will be on department letterhead, signed by the DGP, and will mention you by name, your degree program, and that you have successfully completed the Masters Track in Software Engineering.