Master of Science

M.S. in Computer Science: Program Guide for Current Students

An M.S. coursework-only option (a master's along the way) is available to Ph.D. students who seek to earn a Master of Science degree on the way to their Ph.D.

Students not pursuing a Ph.D. who wish to complete a coursework-only master's (no thesis) should enroll in the Master of Engineering degree program. Compare the two degrees here.

Contacts

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Klaudia Escobar Villatoro , redirect
Administrative and office specialist, Master of Science and Ph.D. programs, D.C. area
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Andrea Sirles , bio
Graduate program coordinator

Degree requirements

To earn a M.S. in Computer Science at Virginia Tech, students must fulfill the following:

Total Credits: Minimum of 30 graduate-level credits.
Coursework: At least 21 credits from approved, letter-graded courses.
Research: Sufficient credits of CS 5994 (Research & Thesis) to meet the 30-credit total.
GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all graduate coursework.
Examinations: Completion of the Final Thesis Defense.
Timeline: 2 years

Coursework requirements (21 graded credits)

To fulfill the 21-credit coursework requirement, students must:

Fulfill the Breadth Requirement: Complete one course in at least four distinct areas, including Area 0 (Ethics). View approved breadth area courses »
CS Courses: Take at least 7 CS courses at the 5000 or 6000 level, including at least 1 courses at the 6000 level. Students can take a max of 6 credits of 4000-level CS courses and only if approved for graduate credit.
Cognate Course: [Optional] 1 approved non-CS course relevant to your research.
Additional Requirements: CS 5944: Graduate Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit each) and CITI training course: Responsible Conduct of Research and Conflict of Interest Training.

Requirement	Details
Breadth Requirement	Complete one course in at least four distinct areas, including Area 0 (Ethics).
CS Courses	At least 7 CS courses at the 5000 or 6000 level. - At least 1 course at the 6000 level. - Maximum of 6 credits of 4000-level CS courses (only if approved for graduate credit).
Cognate Course [Optional]	Can include 1 approved non-CS course that is relevant to your research.
Additional Requirements	CS 5944: Graduate Seminar (2 semesters, 1 credit each). Complete the following two courses offered by the Research Division through the CITI training course: Responsible Conduct of Research and Conflict of Interest Training.

M.S Degree Milestones

M.S. students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 2 years of entering the program. Timely progress through key milestones is essential to maintain good academic standing and eligibility for funding.

Timeliness and Progress

Completion within 2 years: Students must complete the M.S. within two years. This is the standard timeframe for satisfactory academic progress.
Beyond 2 Years: Students who do not complete the degree within two years must submit a detailed degree completion plan to the Director of Graduate Programs to continue in the program.

Impact of Missing Milestones

Failure to meet established milestones—such as selecting a faculty advisor, forming a committee, or submitting the Plan of Study—indicates a lack of satisfactory progress. This may result in:

Ineligibility for assistantship or departmental funding
Academic hold that prevents registration
Academic probation or dismissal from the program

Students are responsible for knowing and meeting all deadlines. Consult with your advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator regularly to stay on track.

Milestone	Deadline
Select Advisor	End of 1st semester
Submit Plan of Study	End of 2nd semester
Apply for Degree	Year 2 at the beginning of final semester
Thesis Defense	End of 2nd year
Submit ETD	After successful thesis defense

M.S Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee plays a central role in guiding your academic progress, research development, and degree completion. Forming this committee early in your M.S. program is essential to ensure timely progress through key milestones.

Requirement	Details
Total Members	At least three members. Two out of three members must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree. Non-Ph.D. members must possess recognized expertise and research experience.
Chair/Advisor	Must be a tenured/tenure track, collegiate faculty, professor of practice (approved to serve on MS committees), or emeritus positions in the Department of Computer Science.
External Member [Optional]	May include one member from outside the CS@VT Department. The external member must be approved prior to adding them to the committee. Current List of Approved Committee Members . Contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to initiate the approval process.
Graduate School Approval	All members must be pre-approved by the Graduate School. Current List of Approved Committee Members
Substitute Members (for exams, if needed)	Must be pre-approved by the Graduate School. Current List of Approved Committee Members

Examination Timeline

You must be registered during the term you take each exam. Follow the steps by the dates and deadlines shared by the Graduate School

Exam	Purpose	Recommended Timing	Scheduling Notes
Final Defense	Defend completed thesis	Year 2, final semester	Schedule at least 2 weeks in advance; Submit via Graduate School's Signature Approval System requires full committee approval

Typical Schedule

The table below shows a typical distribution of courses and other responsibilities over the 2 years that is typical for a student to complete an MS Thesis. Note that this assumes the student starts in the Fall. Also of note is that some of the order of courses shown is a recommendation, not a requirement. For example, whether you take the courses for breadth early in a program of study or later up to you.

Year	Fall	Spring
Year 1	CS 5xxx (3cr) (First breadth area) CS 5xxx (3cr) (Second breadth area) CS 5944 Graduate Seminar (1cr) CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed)	CS 5xxx (3cr) (Third breadth area) CS 5xxx or 6xxx(3cr) (Fourth breadth area) CS 5944 Graduate Seminar (1cr) CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed) Note: Student submits Student Activity Report in late Spring. Note: Department evaluates all graduate students on Green Thursday. Note: If a student is going on summer internship, there might be other requirements to be met in this semester. For example, international students must have a Plan of Study on file before going on internship. Check with GC for details.
Year 2	CS xxxx (3cr) CS 5xxx or 6xxx (3cr) CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed) Note: Should take a CS 6xxx if the student has yet to fulfill this requirement	CS 5xxx or 6xxx (3cr) CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed)

Year

Fall

Spring

Year 1

CS 5xxx (3cr) (First breadth area)
CS 5xxx (3cr) (Second breadth area)
CS 5944 Graduate Seminar (1cr)
CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed)

CS 5xxx (3cr) (Third breadth area)
CS 5xxx or 6xxx(3cr) (Fourth breadth area)
CS 5944 Graduate Seminar (1cr)
CS 5994 Research Thesis (credits as needed)

Note: Student submits Student Activity Report in late Spring.

Note: Department evaluates all graduate students on Green Thursday.

Note: If a student is going on summer internship, there might be other requirements to be met in this semester. For example, international students must have a Plan of Study on file before going on internship. Check with GC for details.

Year 2