Computer Networking

The Master of Science in Computer Networking online degree program is designed for individuals who cannot attend on-campus classes. This degree has a non-thesis option and is ideal for students who cannot attend on-campus classes due to jobs or geographical constraints. It does not require on-campus attendance, and may be used in preparation for further graduate studies or employment in an industrial research, development or design environment.

The program is exclusively available to United States residents and military personnel serving overseas.

Eligibility

The program is jointly managed by the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Students seeking admission must specify which department they wish to be admitted through.

Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer engineering or electrical engineering.

Individuals who do not hold an undergraduate degree in one of these fields are required to complete the following course work before applying for admission:

• Τhree semesters of calculus
• One semester of probability/statistics
• Two semesters of an object-oriented language
• One semester of data structures
• One semester of computer organization
• One semester of signals and systems or discrete mathematics

The GRE is required for all applicants.

Plan of Study

A minimum of 31 credit hours is required for all students. A minimum of 9 credits should be taken from a group of Core Networking courses, and a minimum of 3 credit hours should be taken from a group of Theory courses. Also, a 1-credit hour graduate orientation course is required of all students.

The remaining 18 credits could be taken from a list of courses which have been grouped into the following four tracks:

• Networking Design
• Network Hardware
• Network Software
• Networking Services
• Internet of Things

These tracks are for guidance purposes and students may choose to focus in one of these tracks or may take courses from one or more tracks.

At least 3 credits of the minimum 31 credits required for graduation must be a 700-level course.

Subject to approval by the student's advisor, other courses from the pool of CSC and ECE courses not listed in the four tracks and also courses from other departments can be taken. Also, up to 3 credits can be taken from a list of Business courses, and up to 6 credits of additional Business courses can also be taken with approval by the student's advisor.

For the non-thesis option, take a minimum of 18 credits as described above. You may substitute up to 3 credits with an independent study (CSC 630 for CNC students, and ECE 634 for CNE students).

For the thesis option, you may substitute up to six credits with thesis work (CSC 695 for CNC students, and ECE 695 for CNE students).

Special Topics

For the MSCN students admitted through the ECE department (CNE students) prior approval from Dr. Sichitiu is required if you plan to take an ECE special topics (ECE 592/792) course or a CSC special topics (CSC 591/791) course and have it counted towards graduation.

For the MSCN students admitted through the CSC department (CNC students) , prior approval from Dr. Perros is required if you plan to take an ECE special topics (ECE 592/792) course and have it counted towards graduation.

Online Courses

All the online engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical and Computer Engineering courses are administered by the Engineering Online unit within the College of Engineering. Visit the Engineering Online (EOL) web site at to see a listing of online courses to be offered each semester and to register for an online course in this program. You cannot register through MyPack Portal for EOL courses.

Please note that not all courses will be offered via EOL but enough courses will be offered so that students can complete their degree. Also, students can take on-campus courses if they want but the fee structure is different and more costly.

Career Prospects

Networks are everywhere — everything from health care to banking and business is reliant on the internet and computer systems. Professionals with deep experience in computer networking keep us online and protect our jobs, personal information, transportation, comfort and health care. The Master of Science in Computer Networking prepares graduates for a successful career in keeping the world connected.

Additional Resources

For detailed information regarding engineering online programs and how to apply and enroll, please visit the Engineering Online website.