MS in Computing
Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Wichita State University Degree Requirements

 

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The Master of Science in Computer Networking is a unique program that prepares graduate students for career-oriented jobs in the rapidly-growing computer networking industry, or gaining admission into PhD programs around the world. Its curriculum is designed to ensure that students can study theoretical foundations of computer networking as well as modern research trends in courses taught by active researchers having national and international recognition. The department has state-of-the-art laboratories for use by its students, who are also actively sought after by local companies through the university's Cooperative Education opportunity. This provides students with invaluable job experience, financial assistance, and contacts for potential full-time jobs after graduation.

Admission Requirements

The program admits students with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or an area related to information technology. Students from other areas with at least one year of university-level engineering mathematics may be admitted with an extra requirement to complete some undergraduate background deficiency courses prescribed at the time of admission.

To be considered for admission to the program, a student must have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (or an equivalent score from another country). Students whose bachelor's degree is from an institution outside USA are required to submit official scores of the GRE General Test along with the admission application.

The process of applying to the program and other eligibility criteria, such as TOEFL/IELTS requirement for international students, are the same as already established by the Graduate School of the Wichita State University.

Degree Requirements

Graduating Options:

Three Options are available to complete the MSCN degree:

  • Thesis Option (30 credit hours, including 6 hours of thesis, CS 892)
  • Project Option (33 credit hours, including 3 hours of project, CS 891)
  • Coursework Option (36 credit hours of courses)

Every MSCN student must take the following:

  • CS 736
  • At least one of CS 721 and CS 731
  • At least 12 credit hours of major courses numbered 800 or higher
  • At least 3 credit hours of major courses with a research writing and presentation component
Major Courses:

Some MSCN Major Courses have a research writing and presentation component, while others fo not.

The MSCN Major Courses with Research Writing and Presentation Component are:

  • CS 697AM - High Performance Computing Systems (3)
  • EE 824 - Cooperative Communication Systems (3)
  • EE 826 - Digital Communication Systems - II (3)
  • CS 834 - Routing and Switching - II (3)
  • CS 835 - Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks (3)
  • CS 837 - Energy Intelligent Mobile Computing (3)
  • EE 877AA - Information Theoretic Security (3)
  • EE 877B - Smart Grid Applications (3)
  • EE 836 - 5G Wireless Communications (3) (This course is replacing EE 877M - 5G wireless communications class (3) effective Fall 2015)
  • EE 886 - Error Control Coding (3)
  • CS 891 - MS Project (3)
  • CS 892 - MS Thesis (6)
  • CS 898AB - Privacy Enhancing Technologies (3)
  • CS 898AD - Security and Cooperation in Wireless Networks (3)
  • CS 898AJ - Algorithmic Techniques for Big Data Analysis (3)
  • CS 898AM - Cyber Physical Systems Security
  • CS 898AN - Cloud Computing Security
  • CS 898AY - Seqyential Decision Problems (3)
  • EE 986 - Wireless Spread - Spectrum Communication (3)

Other MSCN Major Courses are:

  • CS 721 - Advanced Algorithms and Analysis (3)
  • EE 726 - Digital Communication Systems - I (3)
  • CS 731 - Mathematical Foundations of Computer Networking (3)
  • CS 736 - Data Communication Networks (3)
  • CS 737 - Wireless Networking (3)
  • CS 764 - Routing and Switching - I (4)
  • CS 766 - Information Assurance and Security (3)
  • EE 777C - Network Programming (3)
  • EE 790 - Independent Study (3)
  • CS 767 - Foundations of Network Security (3)
  • CS 836 - Computer Performance Analysis (3)
  • CS 843 - Distributed Computing Systems (3)
  • EE 856 - Information Theory (3)
  • EE 864 - Multi - Service Over IP (4)
  • EE 877S - Detection and Estimation (3)
  • CS 893 - Individual Reading (3)
  • CS 898D Cyber Physical Systems Security (3)

Electives:

Up to 12 credit hours of elective courses, i.e. courses other than the major courses listed above, may be taken by an MSCN student. Of these 12 hours of electives, at most 6 hours may be from outside the EECS department.

Any elective course taken at WSU should be numbered 600 or higher, and any elective transferred from another institution should be a graduate-level course that can be counted towards a graduate degree program at that institution. Electives from outside EECS taken by thesis or project students need to be approved by their faculty advisors, and those taken by coursework students should have significant computer-related or mathematical concepts, as determined by the graduate coordinator. Some examples of acceptable electives from outside EECS are:

  • AE 759 - Neural Networks for Systems Modeling and Control (3)
  • DS 850 - Operations Management   (3)
  • IME 724 - Statistical Methods for Engineers (3)
  • IME 731 - Foundations of Optimization (3)
  • IME 761 - Robot Programming and Applications (3)
  • IME 775 - Computer Integrated Manufacturing (3)
  • IME 780AA - Advanced Biocomputing (3)

  • IME 780AN - Big Data Analytics in Engineering   (3)

  • IME 780AP - Neural Networks and Machine Learning   (3)
  • IME 877 - Foundations of Neural Networks (3)
  • MATH 615 - Elementary Number Theory (3)
  • MATH 657 - Optimization Theory (3)
  • ME 637 - Computer-Aided Engineering (3)
  • ME 729 - Computer-Aided Analysis of Mechanical Systems (3)
  • ME 737 - Robotics and Control (3)
  • ME 747 - Microcomputer-Based Mechanical Systems (3)
  • PHYS 616 - Computational Physics Laboratory (2)
  • PHYS 730 - Principles of Computer Modeling (2)
  • PYS 902 - Advanced Research Methods (4)
  • PYS 922 - Seminar in Software Psychology (3)
  • SOC 811 - Advanced Research: Quantitative Methods (3)
  • STAT 701 - Matrix Theory (3)

MIS 611 will not be counted as an elective for MSCS and MSCN programs if it was taken after spring 2016. Those who already had it on a plan of study approved before 03/22/2016 will not be affected and can still take it.

Students are highly recommended to consult with their advisors and/or the graduate coordinator prior to registering in an elective courses outside the EECS department, if that course does not appear in the above list.

Plan - of - Study

Soon after completing all background deficiency courses, if any and 12 credit hours of MSCN degree courses, students file a plan-of-study, in which they state their choice of graduating option, major courses, and any elective courses. At least 60% of all credit hours on this plan that are from WSU need to be from courses numbered 700 or higher.