Master of Science in Computer Science: Scientific Computing

Rutgers–Camden offers a Master’s program in Computer Science with a concentration in Scientific Computing. It is designed to prepare students for careers in data-intensive science, engineering, or finance fields. The program provides a strong foundation in algorithms and programming relevant to current and emerging computational applications.

Through rigorous coursework and a capstone project or thesis, students will:

  • develop theoretical understanding and practical skills to tackle diverse computational problems in industry and academia, such as big-data analytics, modeling proteins for drug discovery, mining massive internet transaction datasets for business decision support systems and forecasting ecosystem behavior for sustainable management
  • be prepared for career opportunities in companies and organizations where scientific computing and data science play an important enabling role, for example, in biotechnology, telecommunications, finance, and scientific research

The program also aims to provide graduates with a strong foundation in theory and algorithms to pursue further educational opportunities in PhD programs in science and engineering at leading academic institutions in the U.S. and internationally.

Admission

Requirements
Students require a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B average or equivalent) and a firm foundation in linear algebra and multivariable calculus. A bachelor’s degree in a basic science or engineering field is preferred but not required.
Application deadlines

Both Fall and Spring admissions are allowed. The application deadlines for all application materials are:

  • Fall admission application deadline: March 15
  • Spring admission application deadline: October 15

Applicants with strong records who wish to be considered for assistantships, fellowships, or other financial aid may only apply for fall term admission. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis with preference given to applications submitted before the deadline for both decisions and funding opportunities. Applications received after the deadlines will be considered based on available space and budgetary constraints.

Application process

Applicants apply online through the Rutgers Graduate and Professional Admissions website to program Computer Science: Scientific Computing (56198) at The Graduate School–Camden.  All applicants to the MS in Scientific Computing must submit the following:

  • At least two strong letters of recommendation: among these, we prefer at least one letter from an academic mentor.
  • Academic transcripts
  • Personal statement (at most two pages long) about academic interests and career goals
  • For applicants whose native language is not English, official TOEFL score report

GRE scores are strongly preferred but not required.

Curriculum

The Master’s program requires the completion of 30 credits with the following options:

  • Capstone project option: 27 credits of coursework and the completion of a capstone project (3 credits).
  • Thesis option 24 credits of coursework and the completion of a two-semester-long sequence of thesis (3+3 credits) under the guidance of a faculty member.

The coursework consists of 4 core courses and, depending on the option chosen, either 5 or 6 elective courses. With prior approval from the Graduate Program Director, students may take up to two relevant elective graduate courses either from other departments at Rutgers or from other schools at Rutgers, reflecting the interdisciplinary emphasis of the program and the interdisciplinary trends driving modern computer science.

Admitted students whose undergraduate degrees are not in computer science will be required to take up to a background (deficiency) course on programming if they have not taken an equivalent course in their bachelor’s degrees. Credits from the deficiency course do not count toward the 30 credits required for the MS program.

View the course descriptions.

Core courses (12 credits, choose at least four courses from the following)
Elective courses (five or six courses, 15-18 credits)

The following courses may be taken as elective courses for the MS program. Note: Students will only be permitted to transfer up to 9 credits of graduate coursework in courses taken outside of the Graduate School-Camden (school code 56). 

Graduate School–Camden

School of Business–Camden

  • 53:716:502 Business Analytics
  • 53:716:504 Management Science

Other 500-level and above Computer Science courses offered at any of the Rutgers campuses, may be taken only when approved on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate Director. 

Capstone project (3 credits)

Students will design, implement, and demonstrate a significant software project.

Thesis (6 credits)

Students will conduct a research project and write a Master’s thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Thesis work will be carried out over two consecutive semesters (3 credits per semester). At the end of the second semester, the thesis and an oral presentation of the thesis project will be assessed by a committee of graduate faculty members.

Background (deficiency) Courses

Timetable

The MS program is designed to be completed in three to four semesters of full-time study, but may also be completed in two semesters of intensive study or in five to six semesters of part-time study.

Graduation Requirements

  • Minimum of 30 credits to be completed, which includes 3 capstone project credits or 6 thesis credits.
  • Grade Requirements: To graduate, the student must receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the required 30 graduate credits.  No more than 9 credits with grades of C or C+ may be used in meeting the requirements of the Master’s degree.
  • Thesis Requirements: The six thesis credits must receive a grade of B or better. All thesis work must be completed and defended by the end of the second semester of registration for thesis credits. In the event that the thesis defense in not successful, the candidate will be granted a one month extension to complete and defend the thesis again. If the second attempt is also unsuccessful, the candidate will receive a C grade on all 6 thesis credits. The candidate will then have the option of completing six additional credits through course work. In this case, the requirement that no more than 9 credits with grades of C or C+ are counted towards the Master’s degree implies that 27 of the 30 non-thesis credits must have a grade of B or better. 

Funding and Tuition

We offer highly-competitive scholarships of up to $10,000 to the best applicants to the program each year. More information on tuition and other funding opportunities is available at the Rutgers Graduate and Professional Admissions website.

Contact

Sunil Shende
Computer Science Graduate Program Director
gradcompsci@camden.rutgers.edu

Department of Computer Science
227 Penn Street, Room BSB-322
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Camden, NJ 08102
Phone: (856) 225-6077
Fax: (856) 225-6624