Graduate Program Assessment

Full details of the learning objectives, assessment plan, student outcomes, and evidence of continuous improvement for the Computer Science - MCS, MS, and PhD programs can be found in the catalog.

Full Details about Computer Science MCS, MS, and PhD Programs

Program Learning Objectives

The Program Learning Objectives (PLOs) of the graduate program of the Computer Science Department support the mission of USU, the College of Science, and the CS Department. They are as follows:

  • PLO 1: Graduates demonstrate mastery of fundamental Computer Science theory and their ability to formulate a problem, analyze it, and develop an efficient and effective solution.
  • PLO 2: Graduates will be successful in their career, finding a job, and progressing in their field.
  • PLO 3: Graduates will have excellent oral as well as written communication skills.
  • PLO 4: Ph.D. and Master’s Plan A & B graduates will demonstrate a contribution of new knowledge via a thesis or dissertation and through original research culminating in publication.

The Master of Science in Computer Science (MS/CS) is a graduate program with 15 research faculty members whose expertise falls in the following areas: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Multi-Agent Systems, Data Science/Data Analysis/Data Mining, Database and Software Systems, Computer Security, Theoretical Computer Science, Visualization, Virtual Reality, and High Performance Computing. This degree is available to students with a computer science undergraduate degree or adequate prior computer science course work. Students may pursue Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Report) to achieve their degree. Plan A students must complete a total of 30 graduate credits, including six credits of CS 6970. Plan B students must complete a total of 34 graduate credits, including two or three credits of CS 6970.

The Master of Computer Science (MCS) (coursework only) is also offered by the department.  MCS students must complete a total of 33 graduate credits, with no CS 6970 credits.

The Master of Science in Data Science (MS/DS) is also offered by the department.  It is an MS Plan A degree requiring students to take nine credits from the required class list, 14 additional credits of coursework from either the list of required courses or the list of elective courses in the Data Science Curriculum, and one credit of CS 6900 Seminar.  MS/DS students must complete a total of 30 graduate credits, including six credits of CS 6970 or STAT 6970.

The PhD degree in Computer Science is also offered by the department.  Doctoral students must complete a total of 70 graduate credits for students with a BS degree in Computer Science or a total of 40 graduate credits for students with an MS degree in a recognized Computer Science graduate program, including at least 18 credits of CS 7970.