Admission Criteria
Admission to the program is competitive. Preference is given to students with undergraduate preparation in computer science or professional experience in computing. Strong students from other disciplines are also encouraged to apply. Students judged able to complete the program but lacking background in computing can be admitted with a conditional requirement to complete a preparatory course sequence in computer science. The Master of Science program in computer science is not currently accepting students for its concentration in digital forensics and its five-year concentration in digital forensics.
Mission
The graduate program in computer science prepares highly skilled professionals with advanced expertise in creating and maintaining secure and reliable computing systems. Two different concentrations are available: information security and digital forensics. Both concentrations lead to the M.S. degree in computer science and include courses in core areas of computer science.
Information Security
We are committed to providing a premier information security education that equips graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to design, implement and maintain secure modern information infrastructures and systems. InfoSec is a distance-education offering, completely Internet-based. Students can expect to finish their studies in two to two and one half years.
Director: Dr. M. Hossain Heydari
This concentration is offered in a remote, electronic distance-learning format that, while satisfying all requirements for the Master of Science program, is especially appropriate for people with professional interests in information security. Further information can be obtained from the InfoSec website. The distance-learning courses are available only to students in the information security concentration, who will pay a different tuition rate than students taking traditional courses at the university.
Further information can be obtained from the InfoSec website at www.jmu.edu/InfoSec.
