Why Master’s in Computer Science?
The Masters in Computer Science program is a very flexible program that can be customized in many ways by a student in collaboration with their faculty advisor and the graduate coordinator. Students can focus on cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, software engineering, human computer interaction, Artificial Intelligence via courses and research. Or they can pursue a broader set of courses with a capstone course. Starting Fall 2026, an Artificial Intelligence emphasis will be available to students in the Masters of Computer Science program.
The program consists of a minimum of 30 credits and can be typically completed in two years by a full-time student. Students can choose a thesis, project, or capstone course as the culminating activity. For more details, see the link to the handbook below.
As a graduate student in the CS department, you will benefit from:
- small classes taught by highly regarded faculty members,
- opportunities to participate in cutting edge research, and
- a collegial department atmosphere, where students and faculty interact frequently.
CS Master’s Handbook
The current masters handbook addresses many of the questions you may have about the CS Master’s program including how to apply, frequently asked questions, degree guidelines, culminating activity (thesis project or capstone) process, graduate assistantships, and other resources and policies.
Accelerated Master’s in Computer Science
The Accelerated Master of Science in Computer Science is an exciting opportunity for selected Boise State University undergraduate students in the Boise State Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program. This program allows current Boise State undergrads to work with their CS faculty advisor to select up to three graduate courses that can be taken during their undergraduate career for application to both Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Master of Science in Computer Science degree requirements. This “double-dipping” allows students to potentially complete a bachelors and masters in five years.
For more information, please contact the graduate coordinator or computerscience@boisestate.edu.