Prescribed Courses

15-18 credits

  • COMP 505 Theory of Computation (3). Prerequisite: CMPSC 463
  • COMP 511 Design and Analysis of Algorithms (3). Prerequisites: CMPSC 463
  • COMP 512 Advanced Operating Systems (3). Prerequisite: CMPSC 472
  • COMP 519 Advanced Topics In Database Management Systems (3). Prerequisites: MATH 315, CMPSC 430
  • COMP 594 Master's Studies (3) or COMP 600 Thesis Research (1-6). Prerequisites: A minimum of two of the 500-Level Computer Science required courses or permission of the program

Additional Courses

After specific course requirements are met, appropriate selection of electives enables students to meet individual interests. Students in the Computer Science graduate program at Penn State Harrisburg must take at least 21 or 24 (depending on the option) of the required 30 graduate credits at the 500 level.

  • COMP 513 Formal Methods for Software Engineering (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 487W, COMP 511, or permission of the program.
  • COMP 516 Advanced Programming Languages (3). Prerequisite: COMP 460
  • COMP 517 Computer Security (3). Prerequisite: MATH 315
  • COMP 520 Advanced Artificial Intelligence (3). Prerequisite: CMPSC 463 or permission of the program
  • COMP 524 Evolutionary Computation (3). Prerequisite: COMP 511 or permission of the program
  • COMP 545 Computer Architecture (3). Prerequisite: CMPSC 312
  • COMP 596 Individual Studies (1-9).
  • COMP 597 Special Topics (1-9).

Certain 400-level courses may be counted toward the remaining credit hours. These courses include the following Computer Science (CMPSC) and Mathematical Science (MATH) courses:

Computer Science (CMPSC)

  • CMPSC 426 Object-Oriented Design (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 425, CMPSC 462
  • CMPSC 438 Computer Network Architecture And Programming (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 312, CMPSC 425
  • CMPSC 441 Artificial Intelligence (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 122, MATH 315
  • CMPSC 444: Secure Programming (3) rerequisite: CMPSC 221; Concurrent: CMPSC 430 or CMPSC 431 or CMPSC 421W
  • CMPSC 455: Numerical Analysis I (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 201, CMPSC 202, or CMPSC121; MATH 220; MATH 230 or MATH 231 
  • CMPSC 457 Computer Graphics Algorithms (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 122, MATH 220
  • CMPSC 460 Principles of Programming Languages (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 312, CMPSC 462, CMPSC 469
  • CMPSC 469 Formal Languages with Applications (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 360, MATH 315
  • CMPSC 470 Compiler Construction (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 312, CMPSC 425, CMPSC 462, CMPSC 469
  • CMPSC 475 Mobile Applications Programming (3) Prerequisite: CMPSC 312, CMPSC 462
  • CMPSC 487W Software Engineering and Design (3) Prerequisite: Engl 202C, CMPSC 425, CMPSC 462
  • CMPSC 497 Special Topics (1-9) (This course may or may not count toward graduate credit; it depends on the specific topic)

Mathematical Science (MATH)

  • MATH 412 Fourier Series and Partial Differtial Equations (3). Prerequisites: MATH 230 or MATH 231; MATH 250 or MATH 251
  • MATH 425 Introduction to Operations Research (3). Prerequisite: MATH 141 And MATH 220
  • MATH 431 Linear Algebra and Discrete Models Ii (3). Prerequisite: MATH 430
  • MATH 450 Mathematical Modeling (3). Prerequisite: MATH 315 And MATH 430 or MATH 405 or MATH 412
  • MATH 455 Introduction to Numerical Analysis I (3). Prerequisite: CMPSC 201, CMPSC 202 or CMPSC 121; MATH 220; MATH 230 or MATH 231
  • MATH 465 Number Theory (3). Prerequisite: MATH 311W
  • MATH 468 Mathematical Coding Theory (3). Prerequisite: MATH 311W; Advanced Calculus
  • MATH 497 Special Topics (1-9).

Both the graduate coordinator and the student’s academic adviser must provide approval before 400-level courses not listed above may be applied toward credit in the Computer Science graduate degree program.

500-level Courses from Other Programs

With permission from the Computer Science graduate program, students can receive at most 3 credits toward the M.S. degree for the following courses:

  • INFSY 556
  • INFSY 566
  • EE 556

Students who plan to apply one of these courses toward the M.S. degree must obtain pre-approval from the Computer Science graduate program coordinator.

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