The Computer Science program offers an M.S. degree in Computer Science, Information Security, and Software Engineering, as well as a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science. The following are the minimum admissions requirements for such degrees:
- Required Degrees: To be admitted to the Department of Computer Science as a CS graduate student you should have an undergraduate or graduate degree in Computer Science or related field from an accredited university. Students without an undergraduate degree in CS will be required to complete undergraduate prerequisites not on their undergraduate transcript before graduating with a graduate degree in CS. Students without a prior undergraduate or graduate degree in computer science should have at least completed COP4530 (Data Structures) or an equivalent class to be considered competitive for admissions. Here is the list of Undergraduate Prerequisites for the MS & PhD CS Degreee Program.
- GRE Scores: The minimum GRE scores required for admission are a 145 on the verbal section and a 150 on the quantitative section. The average GRE-V score for admitted students is 155 (65%), GRE-M, 166 (80%). For the old scoring system, the minimum GRE score required for admission is 1100 (Verbal and Quantitative combined) with a minimum of 650 on the Quantitative.The GRE requirement has been waived for Master’s applicants through the end of 2026. PhD applicants are still required to submit the GRE as part of their admissions packet. If an MS applicant already has a GRE score and would like to submit it, they will still be used as part of the admissions review. Preference will not be given to MS applicants who submit GRE scores. However, if an applicant is a borderline case, the scores can help give strength to the candidate’s profile.
- GRE Waiver Request:
Starting in Fall 2025, PhD applicants will be able to petition the department for a GRE waiver if they meet the following criteria. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) requirement may be waived for applicants who meet two or more of the following requirements:- Earned or will earn a bachelor’s Computer Science degree from FSU with an Upper-division undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
- Earned or will earn a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field with an Upper-division undergraduate GPA of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher from any other domestic college or university that is regionally/nationally accredited or an internationally accredited college or university GPA as obtained from a NACES accredited credential evaluated transcript to be submitted as part of the documentation for evaluation.
- Earned a graduate degree in Computer Science or a related field and earned a GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher from any regionally or internationally accredited college or university.
- Undergraduate research experience in Computer Science or a relevant field with detailed research statements and reports/publications.
- Post-graduate research experience in Computer Science or a relevant field.
- Co-authored research paper published in a peer-reviewed journal in Computer Science or a relevant Field.
- Relevant employment for 3 years or more in Computer Science.
- A 1-year funding offer from a faculty member from the FSU Department of Computer Science.
Note: Applicants with a competitive GRE score will still be able to apply to the program.
- TOEFL Scores: The minimum required score on the IBTOEFL for admission consideration is 80 (213 computer-based, 550 paper-based). However, the Computer Science Department considers a score of 100-105 competitive, especially when students are seeking assistantships. The ability to lecture in English will be a major consideration in the selection of students for Teaching Assistantships.***Please note that we will accept the following English Proficiency Scores for admission consideration, but they do not satisfy the English Proficiency requirements for Teaching Assistantship eligibility. Only a TOEFL speaking score of 26 or higher can fully satisfy the English Proficiency requirement for Teaching Assistantships.
- International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS): Minimum overall score of 6.5
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Minimum overall score of 55
- Duolingo: Minimum overall score of 120 (Summer 2022 and Forward)
- Cambridge C1 Advanced Level: Minimum overall score of 180 (Fall 2022 and Forward)
- Michigan Language Assessment: Minimum overall score of 55 (Fall 2022 and Forward)
- Grade Point Average: Students should have at least a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average to be considered competitive. Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 in their undergraduate degree fall below both the department and university standards.