Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) and Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)

Program Requirements

The Computer Science and Information Technology Department and the School of Graduate Studies offer a combined Bachelor's and Master's degree in which students earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Science in Data Science within five-years. 

Entrance requirements for BSCS/MSDS degrees are:

  • 3.0 GPA
  • Acceptance into Graduate School

Freshman – Junior Standing Requirements

Students will complete the course requirements for undergraduate BSCS (https://catalog.clayton.edu/academic-catalog/information-mathematical-sciences/computer-science-information-technology/computer-science-bs/).

Senior Standing Requirements 

Students will complete up to 6 credit hours of approved graduate-level CSCI courses from MSDS curriculum along with their remaining undergraduate coursework. 

The student must submit the following to Graduate Admissions during their senior year: application, application processing fee, and transcripts from all institutions attended. Three letters of reference are also required.

Please Note: This is a suggested course sequence and assumes a starting freshman with no prior college credit who intends to complete their degree in four years. Students should consult with their academic advisor and review the course prerequisites and minimum grade requirements as seen in the Academic Catalog. 

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I 3
MATH 1112
or MATH 1113
 Trigonometry & Analytic Geom
or Pre-Calculus
 3
POLS 1101 American Government 3
HIST 2111
or HIST 2112
 Survey of US History to 1877
or US HIST Since Reconstruction
 3
CSCI 1301 Computer Science I 3
CSU 1000 First Year Seminar 1
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
ENGL 1102 English Composition II 3
CRIT 1101 Critical Thinking 3
CSCI 1100 Applied Computing 3
CSCI 1302 Computer Science II 3
MATH 2020 Introductory Discrete Math 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
Area B2: Foreign Languages or Communications 1
Area C1: Literature, Philosophy, or Foreign Language 3
Area D1 (Science Majors): 1st Natural Sciences with Lab 4
MATH 1501 Calculus I 4
CSCI 2302 Data Structures and Algorithms 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
Area C2: Fine Arts OR Intermediate Foreign Language 3
Area E2: World History 3
CSCI 1302 Computer Science II 3
ITFN 2214 Web Application Development 3
ITFN 2512 Interm. Networking & Security 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
Area D1: 2nd Natural Sciences with Lab 4
MATH 2140 Introductory Linear Algebra 3
CSCI 3305 Operating Systems 3
CSCI 3306 Computer Networks & Security 3
CSCI 3310 Databases Design & Implement. 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
Area E4: Social Sciences-One Behavioral Sciences Course 3
CSCI 3300 Professional Dev and Ethics 3
CSCI 3320 Software Engineering Design 3
CSCI 3333 Programming Languages 3
Math 2503 OR 3rd Natural Sciences with Lab 4
 Credit Hours16
 Total Credit Hours93

Cybersecurity Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 4333 Theory of Computation 3
CSCI 4320 Software Engineering Practicum 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
ENGL 3900 Professional & Tech. Writing 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours27

Big Data Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 4333 Theory of Computation 3
CSCI 4320 Software Engineering Practicum 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
ENGL 3900 Professional & Tech. Writing 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours27

General Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 4333 Theory of Computation 3
CSCI 4320 Software Engineering Practicum 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
ENGL 3900 Professional & Tech. Writing 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
Major Concentration 3
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
Free Electives 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours27

Applied Project Track

Plan of Study Grid
Fifth Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 5101 Foundations of Information Sys 3
CSCI 5112 System Analysis & Design 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
CSCI 6599 Special Project 3
MSDS Electives 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours24

Thesis Track

Plan of Study Grid
Fifth Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 5101 Foundations of Information Sys 3
CSCI 5112 System Analysis & Design 3
Concentration Course 3
CSCI 6574 Research Techniques 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
CSCI 6600 Thesis 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours24
1

Students who take CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur should not take CSCI 4317 OS Security, Prog, & Admin or ITFN 4601 OS Security, Prog, & Admin

2

Dual Credit-Course counts towards both degrees

3

Students who take CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design should not take CSCI 4201 Advanced Topics in Databases