Cutting-Edge Computer Science Study
We live in an increasingly digital world, and AU's MS in Computer Science will boot up your career in this dynamic, growing field. Our program emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning to develop the knowledge and skills that will prepare you for a career in government, scientific, and commercial settings.
Unlike other computer science MS programs, we train students with diverse backgrounds, not just those who majored in computer science as an undergraduate. This allows our graduates to combine their computer science expertise with their prior education in another field to produce innovative applications of their knowledge and abilities in a variety of settings.
Make your degree fit your intellectual interests and career goals by selecting one of four tracks of specialization: applied computer science, game and computational media, data science, and cybersecurity. After building a strong theoretical foundation with our core coursework, you will receive practical training in applying computer science theory and methods to problem solving across a variety of fields, including media, games, finance, medicine, entertainment, environments, and political science.
This program is designated as a STEM degree program.
Coursework Matched to Career Goals
In this program, you will master theoretical and practical aspects of computer technology by studying programming languages, software engineering, computer architecture, artificial intelligence, simulation, and modeling. You will also develop your reasoning and problem-solving skills as well as your ability to communicate concepts and results to a review committee.
You will build a solid foundation in computer science with our core curriculum and customize your degree to fit your intellectual interests and career goals by choosing one of four tracks of specialization: applied computer science, game and computational media, data science, and cybersecurity. Students can further personalize their degrees by choosing to pursue research and a traditional master’s thesis or a combination of research and an internship.
The program is open to full-time and part-time students: see complete Admissions & Course Requirements.
Expert Faculty Dedicated To Your Success
With small classes and an excellent student/faculty ratio, you will receive individual attention and support from your professors. Our faculty members have extensive experience working with graduate students. They are graduates of top computer science programs and are well-recognized, widely published researchers. These innovative field leaders have diverse academic backgrounds and a wide array of research interests, with special strengths in artificial intelligence, focusing particularly on data science, computer vision, and game design. Whatever your area of interest, you are sure to find a faculty expert on the subject.
Endless Opportunities in the Capital City
Consistently ranked as one of the best cities for job seekers, DC is the ideal city for graduates with computer science skills. AU’s strategic location in the capital city and its robust network of partnerships gives you access to the area’s many research institutions, technology firms, government agencies, and NGOs, where you can get a head start on your career, make important connections, and gain hands-on practical experience with an internship.
Upon graduation, you will find no shortage of employment opportunities. DC has thousands of jobs in computer science, and the field is growing. Because the region is home to a number of private and public organizations providing services to the federal government, there is high demand in cybersecurity, data analysis, and database management fields. The area’s major employers for computer scientists in the game and computer media stream include the Aerospace Corporation, BAE Systems, Capital One, MetroStar Systems, and Zenimax Media with its nearby Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks offices. In the data science track, the area’s major employers include Amazon, Deloitte, Google, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, and the federal government.
Excellent Career Outlook
Our students graduate with unique skills that translate into successful, lucrative, and rewarding career paths. Due to the strong and growing demand for workers with CS skills, the MS in Computer Science is one of the fastest growing degrees in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 19-percent increase in jobs for computer and information research scientists between 2016 and 2026.
Students in the data science track are entering the growing field of extracting insights from very large datasets. Data scientists are in high demand in the DC area and nationwide. Students in the games and computational media track can collaborate with students in the MA in Game Design program AU Game Lab to create their own start-ups or work in the growing global game industry, media companies, museums, cultural centers, public policy groups, and NGOs.
Recent Employers include:
- Adobe Systems Incorporated
- Amazon Web Services, Inc.
- Applied Research in Acoustics LLC
- Association for Women in Science
- Boeing
- CyberData Technologies, Inc.
- GEICO
- ICANN
- Lockheed Martin
- Pew Research Center
- U.S. Air Force
- United Technologies
- Walmart Labs
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Spotlight
Rempee Kalia
MS, Computer Science
More about Rempee
While Rempee Kalia is working towards her Masters of Science in Computer Science (with a Concentration in Data Science) at American University, she’s already using her knowledge and expertise to support international human rights.
At her internship at HURIDOCS, a Swiss-based NGO that helps human rights groups to gather, organize, and use information to create positive change in the world, Kalia is working with colleagues around the world, from Spain to Uruguay. Her responsibilities include researching ways to better incorporate technical documentation instruction, assisting with website development, and improving technical documentation for the flagship tool Uwazi, which organizes human rights information.
AU's Career Center has supported me with a largely diverse pool of career resources, and they looked over my resume and cover letter. It helped me land an internship in the human rights and government field, which is where I want to work after graduation. The importance of these internships is to take a sneak peak of what I want to do after graduation. I am beyond grateful to receive this type of opportunity, and I couldn't have done it without the support of my professors and advisors. Their mentorship has brought me this far!