Master of Science in Computer Science
Fully Online. Transformative Education. Hands-on Experience. A career with global impact starts here with a Master of Science in Computer Science.
Our fully-online Master of Science in Computer Science at Saint Mary’s College of California provides students with cutting-edge education paired with a clear sense of social responsibility founded in the liberal arts tradition. Students will study algorithms, information security, artificial intelligence, and cyber security with a focus on the impact of technology upon larger society. Graduates of the program will be prepared as leaders in defining how technology can be a tool for achieving justice.
Our new MS in Computer Science at Saint Mary’s provides working professionals, recent graduates and those looking to transition into the field the opportunity to complete a Masters degree in as quickly as 1 year. Courses are offered 100% online, with most classes meeting synchronously on weekday evenings. The curriculum not only advances the students' knowledge in the field of computer science with an artificial intelligence concentration and cyber security offerings, it also prepares students to articulate ethical complexities behind programming choices in the modern day.
Our first cohort begins this Fall and students are scheduled to complete their degrees in Summer 2026. Applications for a 2025 start are open. Our Fall 2025 deadline is Friday May 2nd, 2025.
What makes the New Online Master of Science in Computer Science Unique?
Online, Advanced, Critical
Saint Mary’s Master of Science in Computer Science is a one year program. Students start in the Fall and complete the program over 3 semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer). The program is designed with working professionals in mind, with completely online, mostly synchronous classes and the small-cohort learning model that Saint Mary's prides itself on. The program prepares students to develop advanced knowledge in computer science, while also developing socially responsible leaders in the field. Students complete the program through a client driven practicum course that allows the student hands-on experience working in industry or non-profit organizations, facilitated by Saint Mary’s.
Getting Started
The program requires 5 core classes, 4 of which are taken in the student’s first fall semester. The 5th course, Graduate Tech Ethics, is taken during the student’s spring semester. Courses 1-4 below are prerequisite courses for the specialization courses in Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security.
Core Courses
1. Advanced Algorithms (3 units)
2. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (3 units)
3. Information Security (3 units)
4. Computer Systems and Networking (3 units)
5. Graduate Tech Ethics(3 units)
Students will be required to take 1 course from the cyber security offerings, and the three courses from the artificial intelligence sequence (for a total of 4 courses from below). Students take 3 of the below courses during their Spring semester, and 1 during their last semester in the Summer.
Artificial Intelligence Courses:
a. Deep Learning (3 units)
b. Computer Vision (3 units)
c. Language Processing and Knowledge Graphs (3 units)
Cyber Security Courses:
a. Incident Response and Cybersecurity Management (3 units)
b. Digital Forensics (3 units)
Students complete the program through the completion of Practicum.
Practicum (3 units)
- Practicum is client-driven and done with/at an industry or non-profit partner during the final Summer term.
More information about courses being offered in 2025-2026, course rotation, and course descriptions can be found by exploring our curriculum.
Overall Program Tuition for the 2025-2026 year is $1300 a unit, for a total program cost of $39,000 for the 30 unit program
Saint Mary’s is approved to offer the Online Master of Science in Computer Science to students who reside in one of the following states:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. If you do not reside in one of these states, please reach out to our admissions office by contacting cas38@lyhymh.net for more details.
For more information, see Saint Mary’s State Authorization Policies and Procedures Page
Launch Your Tech Career with Saint Mary's Online MS in Computer Science
No matter what your background, Saint Mary's online MSCS program prepares you for success in the fast-growing tech industry. With a focus on graduate level study in computer science, as well as cyber security and artificial intelligence, students are prepared for jobs such as a machine learning engineer, AI engineer, information security analyst, cloud solutions architect, systems analyst, network architect, or research scientist.
Admissions Pathways
Students with a BS in Computer science will be expected to have taken coursework in programing, data structures and advanced algorithms. If the student's transcripts do not provide evidence of such, they may be asked for further information during the admissions process.
Students will be asked to demonstrate competencies or provide evidence of past coursework in programming, data structures and algorithmic languages through transcripts or professional experience.
To start the MS CS program at Saint Mary's students are expected to have proficiency equivalent to the following courses:
Fast-track your path to a master’s by completing the CS certificate (3 courses) or the CS minor (6 courses) alongside your undergraduate degree.
SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
Udayan Das, Ph.D.
Program Director, MS Computer Science
udd1@lyhymh.net
Collin Skeen
Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment
cas38@lyhymh.net
925-631-4190