M.S. Degree for Students with Non-Computer Science Undergraduate Degrees

If you are thinking about additional education in computer science, in preparation for a new career, NIU’s Department of Computer Science could be what you are looking for.

Many students who are contemplating additional education assume that the best path is to get a second undergraduate degree. While this is possible, it is probably better to pursue a Master’s degree in computer science. Even if you have no background in computer science, earning a Master’s degree (as opposed to a second undergraduate degree) will prepare you for jobs that are often more interesting, command higher salaries, and usually offer a better career advancement path. Time and cost are comparable to a second undergraduate degree.

Here's a comparison of the requirements for a second undergraduate degree (B.S.) versus a Master's degree (M.S.):

Here is what we generally require of people with non-CS-related undergraduate degrees.

1. Take three C++ programming classes as deficiencies. (That means that they do not count toward the M.S. degree.) At NIU, these courses are CSCI 240, 241, and 340. It is possible to take the equivalent of the first two at community colleges; see NIU's community college Articulation Handbook for course equivalencies. We do require that you take CSCI 340 at NIU as a final verification that your software development skills are adequate. Generally, these courses are taken in separate semesters, but it is usually possible to start taking graduate courses while you are taking CSCI 340.
2. Before you start taking courses at NIU, apply to the Graduate School as a Student-at-Large (SAL). This is quick and easy to do.
3. During the semester in which you take CSCI 340, apply for admission to the department’s Master of Science program. This will require taking the GRE (just the general exam, not any special topic exam), getting some letters of recommendation, providing your undergraduate transcript, and a couple of other details. Of course, your grades in the deficiency courses (and your progress in CSCI 340) will also be important factors. By this time, you will know if this field is right for you, and your record in the C++ courses will give a good indication of your ability.
4. Once you are accepted, you will take 10 graduate-level courses just like any other grad student: 1 required course, 4 courses in comprehensive exam areas, and 5 electives. You can find much more information on the program under the other Graduate Program links to the left.

It may be of interest that the M.S. program has no special mathematics requirements. Undergraduate general education math courses are sufficient for our program.

The steps above are usually followed for most students. However, every person is different, so it may be possible and appropriate in some cases to modify them. If you have questions or concerns or need further details, please contact:

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