Computer & Information Science, MSE
The Computer & Information Science, Master of Science in Engineering (CIS MSE) program offers scholars the opportunity for advanced study in the scientific foundations of the rapidly growing field of computer science. Applicants to the CIS MSE program should have strong undergraduate training in mathematics and computer science; prior coursework should include such areas as operating systems, programming languages, data structures, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, algorithms, and theory; coursework should be similar to the courses taken by computer science undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania.
Candidates who do not have an undergraduate major in computer science should consider applying to the Master of Computer and Information Technology program (MCIT). Other degree options for current students can be found here.
CIS MSE students can pursue many areas within their curriculum, including AI, databases, security, programming languages, etc. The CIS Graduate Program prepares our students to be tomorrow's innovators, leaders, and visionaries. Our CIS MSE graduates have obtained a wide range of positions in industry and continued in doctoral studies.
For more information: https://www.cis.upenn.edu/mse-in-cis/
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.
Curriculum
The MSE degree requires completion of ten course units that satisfy all of the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| CIS Courses | ||
| At least seven of the ten course units required for the degree must be CIS courses. These seven courses include four core courses and three CIS elective courses described below. | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| Select four courses from the following: | 4 | |
| Theory Courses | ||
| Analysis of Algorithms | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Systems Courses | ||
| Software Systems | ||
| Operating Systems Design and Implementation | ||
| Networked Systems | ||
| Internet and Web Systems | ||
| Machine-Learning Courses | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Applied Machine Learning | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Other Courses | ||
| Software Foundations | ||
| Computer Organization and Design | ||
| The four core courses must include 1) at least one systems course, or CIS 5010; 2) at least one theory course; and 3) at most one machine-learning course. (the other machine-learning courses can still be taken as electives.) | ||
| CIS Elective Courses | ||
| Any CIS courses numbered from CIS 5000 to CIS 7000 | 3 | |
| At most one CIS 7000 class can be included | ||
| CIS or Non-CIS Elective Courses 1, 2 | ||
| Each of the three remaining courses must be a CIS course (numbered from CIS 5000 to CIS 8000) or a course from the list of approved non-CIS courses | 3 | |
| Total Course Units | 10 | |
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Advanced study in a specific area of computer science is encouraged. Besides coursework, students may pursue Independent Studies to increase their depth of knowledge in a specific area - a maximum of two independent study credits can be used as electives for the CIS MSE degree. Students are also encouraged to submit a master's thesis (see below) which may count as two course units of Masters Student Thesis Research, CIS 9990.
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Master's Thesis: A student wishing to complete a master's thesis may enroll in two course units of CIS 9990: Masters Thesis Research, which count as two electives towards the ten credits needed for the CIS MSE degree. The student first chooses a thesis advisor, who must belong to the CIS Graduate Group, proposing a suitable thesis topic. The thesis advisor and student discuss and determine the topic, scope, etc. of the thesis. The advisor and student also determine one other faculty member to be a reader for the thesis. Once the advisor, reader, and topic have been chosen, the student should email Redian Furxhiu who will provide a google doc master's thesis approval form which can be shared with the thesis advisor, reader, and CIS MSE, for approval. The advisor and reader will evaluate the thesis and make the determination of its suitability as a research document. An oral presentation of the thesis is required. This can take the form of a public presentation open to all CIS faculty and students to attend, or in lieu of that, a conference presentation or poster presentation (decided by the thesis adviser). Once the final thesis document is approved, it is signed by the advisor, reader, and CIS MSE Program Chair, Dr. Swapneel Sheth. Information re: thesis formatting and submission of the thesis to the SEAS Office of Academic Services can be accessed here. A copy of the approved version of the thesis should be emailed to the CIS Master's chair.
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Other Program Requirements:
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 for master's students must be maintained throughout the program. A 2.7 final GPA must be achieved to graduate.
- Students are allowed a maximum of seven years to complete the MSE degree program.
Concentrations
Students can select one of the following concentrations:
Artificial Intelligence
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select any 4 CU's from the list below: | 4 | |
| Applied Machine Learning | ||
or CIS 5200 | Machine Learning | |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Deep Learning for Data Science | ||
| Ethical Algorithm Design | ||
| Natural Language Processing | ||
| Machine Perception | ||
| Computer Vision & Computational Photography | ||
| Advanced Topics in Machine Learning | ||
| Theory of Machine Learning | ||
| Advanced Topics in Natural Language Processing | ||
| Principles of Deep Learning | ||
| Design of Mechatronic Systems | ||
| Introduction to Robotics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Computer Vision
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 5200 | Machine Learning | 1 |
| CIS 5800 | Machine Perception | 1 |
| CIS 5810 | Computer Vision & Computational Photography | 1 |
| CIS 6800 | Advanced Topics in Machine Perception | 1 |
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Software Foundations
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select any 4 CUs from the list below: | 4 | |
| Software Foundations | ||
| Principles of Embedded Computation | ||
| Software Analysis | ||
| Advanced Programming | ||
| Software Engineering | ||
| Advanced Topics in Programming Languages | ||
| Computer-Aided Verification | ||
| Friendly Logics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Systems
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select any 4 CUs from the list below: | 4 | |
| Software Systems | ||
| Embedded Software for Life-Critical Applications | ||
| Operating Systems Design and Implementation | ||
| Wireless Communications for Mobile Networks and Internet of Things | ||
| Database and Information Systems | ||
| Computer and Network Security | ||
| Networked Systems | ||
| Internet and Web Systems | ||
| Advanced Topics in Databases | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Theoretical Foundations
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select any 4 CUs from the list below: | 4 | |
| Analysis of Algorithms | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Fundamentals of Linear Algebra and Optimization | ||
| Ethical Algorithm Design | ||
| Cryptography | ||
| Theory of Machine Learning | ||
| Advanced Topics in Programming Languages | ||
| Friendly Logics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Sample Course Plan, non-thesis track1
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| 2 CU's Core Courses | 2 | |
| 1 CU CIS Elective Courses | 1 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| 2 CU's Core Courses | 2 | |
| 1 CU CIS Elective Courses | 1 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| 1 CU CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| 2 CU's of CIS or Non-CIS Elective Courses | 2 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| 1 CU of CIS or Non-CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| Course Units | 1.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 10.00 | |
Sample Course Plan, thesis track1
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| 2 CU's Core Courses | 2 | |
| 1 CU CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| 2 CU's Core Courses | 2 | |
| 1 CU CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| 1 CU CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| 1 CU of CIS or Non-CIS Elective Course | 1 | |
| CIS 9990 | Master's Thesis | 1 |
| Course Units | 3.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| MSE 9990 | Master's Thesis | 1 |
| Course Units | 1.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 10.00 | |
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10 course units are required for the Computer & Information Science, MSE degree. As long as any prerequisites for the courses are met, students can complete the core courses and elective courses in any sequence. Thesis must be completed in year two of the program. The plans listed are only an example of one type of plan for each track.