Admission Information for Master's in Computer Science

Graduate School Admission Information

A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university may be considered for admission to the program. This program is designed for students with the foundation provided by the baccalaureate degree in computer science. However, students with degrees in other disciplines may be admitted. Students whose academic training is considered inadequate in certain areas will be required to complete additional undergraduate and/or graduate foundation/prerequisite courses as determined by the department.

Non-Computer Science Degree Applicant Foundation Course Information 

Application Procedures

To be accepted into the master’s degree program in Computer Science (any concentration), a student must complete all of the following:

1. Have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. An official transcript is required from each previously attended college. An application and non-refundable application fee of $35 for domestic, $40 international, should also be submitted to the Graduate School.
2. Students with a previous degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited U.S. University may be granted admission to UTC’s Graduate School and the M.S. Computer Science Program based on a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (based on a 4.0 scale), or a GPA of 3.0 in the senior year. International students, and domestic students without a previous degree in the computing discipline, will be admitted based on a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.9 (based on a 4.0 scale), or a GPA of 3.2 in the senior year.
3. International students whose first language is not English must have an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 220 or above on the computer-based test, or a score of 83 or above on the Internet-based test, or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or above.*
4. *Duolingo English Test scores are now being accepted at UTC.  A score of 115 or higher (160-point scale) on the Duolingo English Test will be considered as an acceptable alternative to a TOEFL/IELTS score for admission to the program.  Scores must be no more than two years old. 

International Students

Prospective international students should refer to the following info on the International Students website:

International Student Application Guide 

WARNING: Misrepresentation of academic credentials constitutes a Class A misdemeanor, under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-133.

Prerequisite Work for Students Without a Previous CS Degree

The master’s degree program in Computer Science is designed for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a closely related field such as Computer Engineering. However, students whose undergraduate degree is in another field may be admitted to the M.S. CPSC program. As part of the admissions process, the Graduate Program Coordinator evaluates each student’s transcript(s) of prior work. Based on this evaluation, students who lack sufficient preparation in mathematics and/or computing sciences may be assigned foundation/prerequisite course work.

The specific prerequisite courses assigned may vary from one student to another, but no more than the following three prerequisite courses will be assigned:

• CPSC 5001 - Fundamentals of Computation
• CPSC 5002 - Fundamentals of Programming and Algorithms
• CPSC 5020 - Computing Systems

The department normally offers CPSC 5001, 5002, and 5020 in both fall and spring semesters. Those three courses are offered at least once each academic year.

Students should be aware that none of the above courses will count toward the requirements for the master’s degree. To earn the M.S. degree in Computer Science (any concentration), students must complete 33 graduate credit hours including a thesis, or 36 hours including a project, not including the graduate foundation courses (CPSC 50xx) listed above.