Online Master of Computer Science
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To learn more about this program, fill out the form below and check your email for information on next steps.
The Online Master of Computer Science (MCS) program, offered through an innovative partnership between ASU’s School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering and Coursera, is a rigorous computing degree. You’ll gain a deep understanding of advanced topics like AI, cybersecurity, and big data while strengthening your new skill set through real-world projects.
The Online Master of Computer Science (MCS) is an advanced degree program offered by Arizona State University and hosted on Coursera’s platform, that is targeted at students with an undergraduate education in computing and related disciplines who can best profit from further breadth and background in computer science from a scientific and engineering discipline.
Designed for students seeking to expand their knowledge of computer science or computation, this program reflects the dual nature of computer science as both a scientific and engineering discipline by placing emphasis on both theory and practical applications. Students can study topics such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, software engineering, big data and much more.
The MCS is a non-thesis degree that requires 30 credit hours of coursework. Students receive lectures through the Coursera platform, but are advised and assessed by ASU faculty and teaching assistants on the rigorous set of assignments, projects, and exams required for university degree credit.
Students will gain skills in:
- Design and analysis of computers, computational processes and information transfer and transformation;
- Design of software for networks, graphics, artificial intelligence and database systems;
- Improving software reliability, network security, or information retrieval systems;
- Inventing next-generation computer systems, computer networking, biomedical information systems, gaming systems, search engines, web browsers, and package distribution systems;
- Integrating computer and information sciences with biology, geography, anthropology, public health, urban planning, and mathematics.
Top 25% of all accredited engineering programs in the nation
- ASU #2 for online undergraduate degree programs in the nation
- ASU #5 university in the nation for producing the best qualified graduates
- #8 engineering online programs for veterans (2019)
- #9 engineering online graduate programs (2019)
- #38 engineering undergraduate program - 22nd among public institutions
- #44 graduate program - 24th among public institutions
- 60 engineering student organizations and student professional societies give students leadership opportunities and hands-on experience
- Fulton Schools' 22,000+ students represent 135 countries, all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Ira A. Fulton offers a wide range of degree options. Students are engineers from day one–they don’t have to wait until they are juniors to be engineers.
Featured Courses
For a complete overview of the degree program, including admission, degree requirements, and courses please see the MCS Handbook.
To meet degree requirements, all online MCS students must take one foundations course, one systems course, one applications course, and any seven additional courses from the lists below. Students must also submit a project portfolio.
Foundations
CSE 551 Foundations of Algorithms
CSE 579 Knowledge Representation and Reasoning
Systems
CSE 531 Distributed & Multiprocessor OS
CSE 535 Mobile Computing
CSE 539 Applied Cryptography
CSE 543 Information Assurance and Security
CSE 545 Software Security
CSE 548 Advanced Computer Network Security
CSE 565 Software Verification, Validation, and Testing
CSE 566 Software Project, Process, and Quality Management
Applications
CSE 511 Data Processing at Scale
CSE 539 Applied Cryptography
CSE 571 Artificial Intelligence
CSE 572 Data Mining
CSE 575 Statistical Machine Learning
CSE 578 Data Visualization
Electives
CSE 460 Software Analysis and Design
CSE 466 Computer Systems Security
CSE 598 Engineering Blockchain Applications
CSE 598 Intro to Deep Learning in Visual Computing
Faculty
The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering faculty are world-class engineers, teachers, scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Many of our 320+ faculty members have been honored with the highest awards in their fields.
Concentrations
You can earn your Master of Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity.
Related Careers
Graduates with an ASU Online Master of Computer Science have career opportunities illustrated in the following list. Career examples include but are not limited to:
Requirements
GPA
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (3.25 recommended) in the last 60 credit hours (last two (2) years) of a four (4) year undergraduate degree. If your degree was completed in the U.S., it must be from a regionally accredited university.
Don’t yet meet these admission requirements? Click on the Pathway tab.
Math:
Two (2) semesters of advanced math in Calculus I and Calculus II, and a background course in Discrete Math.
Students with an undergraduate degree in a STEM field have likely completed the math requirement.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge on official transcripts of the topics below.
CSE 230: Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming
- Register-level computer organization. Instruction set architecture. Assembly language. Processor organization and design. Memory organization. IO programming. Exception/interrupt handling.
CSE 310: Data Structures and Algorithms
- Advanced data structures and algorithms, including stacks, queues, trees (B, B+, AVL), and graphs. Searching for graphs, hashing, external sorting.
- Operating system structure and services, processor scheduling, concurrent processes, synchronization techniques, memory management, virtual memory, input/output, storage management, and file systems.
Principles of Programming Languages OR Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science
- CSE 340: Principles of Programming Languages — Formal syntactic and semantic descriptions, compilation and implementation issues, and theoretical foundations for several programming paradigms.
- CSE 355: Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science — Introduces formal language theory and automata, Turing machines, decidability/undecidability, recursive function theory, and complexity theory.
Don’t yet meet these requirements? You can take four short self-paced non-credit courses offered through our Continuing and Professional Education that demonstrate knowledge of these topics. To successfully pass, you must complete each course with a final score of 80% or more.
To begin, enroll in your courses here.
English Proficiency (if applicable)
If all college degrees are from a country outside the U.S., you may need to demonstrate English Proficiency. Learn more about the ways you can demonstrate English Proficiency here.
Note that the MCS degree requires higher English proficiency scores.
- TOEFL: 575 paper-based / 90 Internet-based
- IELTS (Academic version): 7
- PTE: 65
Don’t yet meet this requirement? If you complete the Pathway with a 3.0 or higher, you will have demonstrated English Proficiency. Click on the Pathway tab above to learn more.
Additional Requirements:
- Official Transcripts from all postsecondary institutions you have attended
- Statement of Purpose or Resume
- OPTIONAL: Up to three (3) letters of recommendation
How to complete an application
- Submit online application and pay application fee.
- Send official transcripts to ASU’s Graduate Admission Services.
- Scanned copies and/or transcripts sent by email will not be accepted.
- It is recommended to have your ASU student ID marked on the envelope of the transcripts.
- You can upload unofficial transcripts as part of your application. All unofficial transcripts must be submitted as one document. Unofficial transcripts are only accepted when uploaded directly in the application.
- If you are admitted to the university, you will be required to send official transcripts to the university.
- If you earned your degree from an international institution, please include an attested copy of your degree certificate.
- If you are completing the self-paced non-credit courses that satisfy the prerequisite knowledge requirement, you must download and attach your certificates of completion with a score of 80 or better in the supplemental section of your application.
- If needed, send proof of English proficiency, as instructed here (including exemption rules).
- If you are not a U.S. citizen but are living in the U.S., send a copy of your U.S. visa to gograd@asu.edu
- If you are based outside of the US “Select JN” under Visa
- For any questions, please call us toll-free at 1-844-353-7953 or email mcsenrollment@asu.edu
The Pathway offers you an opportunity to establish a high Graduate GPA in order to meet admission requirements. This is also a great option if you are interested in taking a few MCS courses.
Through the Pathway, you choose and complete any three 500-level (3) courses that are part of the MCS degree program as a non-degree student. If you complete all three courses with a 3.0 GPA on the first attempt within a year, you have demonstrated ability to succeed in the subject matter and can apply to the degree program using this new GPA. The courses you complete in the pathway with a B or better will apply towards the MCS degree, once admitted.
Additionally, students who complete nine (9) graduate credits with a 3.0 or better, do not need to demonstrate English Proficiency. So if you successfully complete the Pathway, you will have satisfied the English Proficiency requirement.
To begin, follow these steps:
Submit your Master of Computer Science Pathway application here.
Be sure to select "non-degree" in the upper left-hand corner when you start your application.
View the most commonly asked questions:
Two (2) semesters of advanced math in Calculus I and Calculus II, and a background in discrete math.
Students with an undergraduate degree in a STEM field have likely completed the math requirement.
We understand that many applicants have IT experience. To reduce the barriers to entry, ASU is providing applicants an option to prove their computer fundamental understanding through a series of four short, non-credit courses of which each will have a proctored exam. Passing the proctored exam will provide completion of the prerequisite.
To begin, enroll in your courses here.
Completing Coursera courses alone does not waive a prerequisite, but completing the courses and working through the material can be an excellent way to prepare for the exams offered in the four short, non-credit courses available through Continuing and Professional Education.
The statement of purpose should include your reasons for undertaking graduate work and an explanation of your academic interests, including their relation to your professional goals. There is no specific length for a statement of purpose.
A resume cannot be accepted as a personal statement. Students are welcome to submit a resume in addition to the personal statement.
Get program details
To learn more about this program, fill out the form below and check your email for information on next steps.
