Requirements

Once the graduate school deems your application complete, it is forwarded to the Center for Advanced Computer Studies for further review. The graduate school does not forward the application to the Center until after receiving all transcripts, three letters of reference, and TOEFL or IELTS scores (for international students). Also you should include a statement of purpose, especially if you are interested in research.

Upon receiving the application from the graduate school, the Center makes a decision of acceptance or denial within three weeks. Before we notify the applicant of the outcome, the graduate school must approve the Center's decision. So, you will here of the outcome from the graduate school before you hear it from the Center.

Besides the graduate school requirements, the department has its own additional requirements. The applicant needs a four-year bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer engineering, computer science, or electrical engineering, or a related field (with GPA equal to 2.75).  Either a TOEFL or IELTS score is required of international students without a degree from the U.S., U.K., or English-speaking Canada. The recinnebded TOEFL is 81 and the recommended IELTS is 6.5.

For the MSCE degree, the Center also imposes specific course prerequisites in both computer science and mathematics. The computer engineering prerequisites are, at a minimum, elementary digital logic, microprocessor hardware, and data structures (EECE 240, 340, 342), assembly language programming (CMPS 351), and discrete mathematics and logic design (CMPS 341). The mathematics prerequisites for the MSCE degree are, at a minimum, two courses in college-level differential and integral calculus through differential equations (e.g., MATH 270, 301,).

Upon admission the MSCE program, the department assesses whether the incoming student has completed the equivalent of two core courses (not listed above) at the senior undergraduate level. These courses are computer architecture (CMPS 430) and operating systems (CMPS 455). These courses are considered prerequisites. If the student has not taken these classes as an undergraduate, then they or their graduate level equivalents must be taken while in the MSCS program. Since prerequisite courses form a foundation for graduate courses, students are required to schedule prerequisites in preference to other courses, and complete them as soon as offerings permit.

Please see the following page that answers most questions that we receive by potential applicants: https://cmix.louisiana.edu/node/271