The program is designed around students who are working full-time. Classes are held in the evening, with multiple classes being offered each Fall and Spring semesters to support both first-year and second year students.The MCS does not offer classes in the summer. If you have identified a mentor for your Graduate Project, you can work on this in the summer but you would need to speak with your mentor about this.
International students must take at least 9 hours per semester (full time) except the last semester can be less than 9 hours and can work off-campus only in summers until that last semester. These are federal regulations, not MCS Program restrictions.
Domestic students can and do work full time, but international students must be aware that they cannot work full-time while attending this program. With prior approval from the International Student Services (ISS) office, it’s possible to work part-time on campus while attending program or work limited hours off-campus during summer. It’s very important to make an appointment with an ISS advisor before working. To make an appointment, please email: iss@uvu.edu
The MCS program has a total of 30 credit hours. The MCS does not use a cohort system,, so the time it takes to complete the degree is up to the individual. A full-time load for a Graduate student is 3 classes or 9 hours, so most MCS students work full-time and attend the program part-time, typically 2 classes per semester. A plan such as the one below, if you choose to follow it, allows you to take 2 classes per semester on the same days of the week until you graduate.
|
Monday/Wednesday |
Tuesday/Thursday |
1st Year |
Block of Core Classes |
Block of Elective Classes |
2nd Year |
Block of Elective Classes |
Block of Core Classes |
3rd Year |
Block of Core Classes |
Block of Elective Classes |
4th Year |
Block of Elective Classes |
Block of Core Classes |
The graduate project does involve some research, but the emphasis is on applied research rather than theoretical research. For example, the main deliverable is a software product, not a Masters Thesis. The project is intended to allow you to demonstrate competency across broad areas of computer science and depth in one areas. MCS research does not need to be original--original research is typically PhD level--but can be, and should make some kind of contribution to the field.
The other two major elements of the MCS project are writing a 20-page journal-style technical report on the project, including a user's manual for the project, and and passing an oral defense. The paper does not need to be published, but the quality needs to be good technical writing. More details about Project guidelines and requirements are found on the Program Information page of the MCS website.
International students are eligible to apply, however the program focuses on full-time
working students who attend school part-time, so we very limited funding opportunities
for you. Unless you have prior contact with a professor who already has funding to
support you, it is highly unlikely that you will receive funding while at UVU at this
time.
See more information about working and support under "Is this a full-time or part-time
program?"
You do not need to have a BS degree in CS, but we would expect that you have some upper level CS classes and/or years of industry experience beyond the minimum required classes. Industry experience is not a substitute for computer science classes, but your industry experience will be considered when evaluating your application. The minimum required classes are just that—the minimum. If you have not yet taken those classes (or equivalent from another institution), you can register as an undergraduate at UVU to complete them or take them at another university. These courses must be completed prior to starting the MCS program. Once they are completed, we strongly suggest you take at least one or two upper-level CS classes to build your computer science skills to the level you will need to be successful in the MCS.
The prerequisite courses are not intended to be exclusionary--they are required so that you can be successful in the MCS program.
Tuition rates can be found at http://www.uvu.edu/tuition/. Financial Aid information can be found at https://www.uvu.edu/graduatestudies/guide.html#fa. Currently, there are no scholarships available for the MCS program
You can find more information and how to apply at http://www.uvu.edu/mcs/.
You can also contact the MCS Academic Advisor Shandi Erickson at 801-863-6328 or shandi.erickson@uvu.edu.