The ETSU Department of Computer and Information Sciences offers two concentrations in our Master of Science degree program: Applied Computer Science and Information Technology. Our degree programs are designed to offer something to both the recent graduate and the working professional. To allow for maximum flexibility in scheduling, all courses are offered in the evening. Students may complete their degree full time in four terms, or over the course of several years on a part-time basis.
Helpful Links
Computer Science Department Admissions Criteria
School of Graduate Studies Admissions
Online Applications
Computer Science Lab Facilities
Graduate Admissions Forms
Office of Financial Aid
Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships
Information for International Students
Housing and Residence
The MS degree time cycle
For students who start in fall, the normal time to complete the MS degree is four semesters. Most students who start in Fall 2007, for example, will complete their program of study by Spring 2009. Students who enter the program without a full complement of undergraduate prerequisites sometimes need a fifth semester to complete, as do thesis students who enter in spring (due to the timing of the capstone sequence), and thesis-track students who fail to pursue their thesis work with the vigor that theses require.
Graduate assistantships (GAships) and tuition scholarships (TSships)
The department manages approximately two dozen graduate assistantships (GAships) and five tuition scholarships (TSships). These positions are available for full-time students on a competitive basis. GAships require 20 hours per week of work; pay between $7,500 and $9,000, depending on responsibilities; and provide waivers of tuition. TSships, which require 8 hours per week of work, provide waivers of tuition only. GAships and TSship awards are normally continued for up to three semesters following the initial award: the occasional exceptions to this policy involve students who lose support due to (highly) substandard academic or job-related performance, and students who need a fifth semester to complete.
All prospective full-time students are automatically considered for aid. Additionally, students who fail to obtain one of the CIS positions often obtain programming-, networking-, and web-related GAships and TSships from other departments, often with the assistance of the CIS Department.
Most of the department's GAships and TSships are awarded in spring for the subsequent fall. Any student who wishes to receive full consideration for a fall (August) assistantship should make sure to submit all application materials to the ETSU graduate school by 1 March--including their essay, all letters of recommendation, and original transcripts from all institutions of higher education that that student has attended.
The department occasionally awards GAships that begin in spring. For full consideration for a spring (January) assistantship, a student's application should be complete by the previous 1 October.
For more information about assistantships, please see the graduate school's web page on admissions and scholarships or contact the CSCI graduate coordinator.
Second career students
The department routinely accepts second career students with modest experience in some computing-related area, such as programming, network and system administration, digital media, or electrical engineering. Second-career students typically complete the program in two to three years, with the extra time devoted to an additional set of foundation courses designed to prepare them for graduate study.
Our Alumni
The program's alumni currently hold software and technical positions in various organizations worldwide, including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Dept. of Energy (Y-12 Facility), Eastman Chemical Company, Ford Motor Company of Germany, Siemens AG, Sprint, Environmental Systems Corporation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Nintendo (Japan), Computer Associates, and Microsoft.
Faculty Credentials
Four of the nine members of the faculty who actively teach graduate courses hold Ph.D.'s: two from the University of Wisconsin, one from Renssalear, and one from Florida State. The other five, junior members of the graduate faculty are currently working on their dissertations at Iowa State, Carnegie-Mellon University, and Nova Southeastern.
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Martin Barrett, or 423-439-7409.
Assistant Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Phil Pfeiffer, or 423-439-5355
