M.S. Computer Science - Specializations

Georgia Tech's innovative MS CS degree program allows students to specialize their degree, to fit their academic and professional goals. 

Explore the 11 specializations listed below to discover the possibilities of a Master's of Science in Computer Science at the Georgia Tech College of Computing. 

Specialization in Computational Perception and Robotics 

Core Courses

(6 hours)

Algorithms: Pick one (1) of:

  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity

  • CS 6515  Introduction to Graduate Algorithms 

  • CS 6520  Computational Complexity Theory

  • CS 6550 Design and Analysis of Algorithms

  • CS 7520  Approximation Algorithms

  • CS 7530  Randomized Algorithms

  • CSE 6140  Computational Science and Engineering Algorithms

And pick one of:

  • CS 6601 Artificial Intelligence
  • CS 7641 Machine Learning

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) courses from Perception and Robotics, with at least one course from each.

Perception

  • CS 6475 Computational Photography
  • CS 6476 Computer Vision
  • CS 7499 3D Reconstruction
  • CS 7636 Computational Perception
  • CS 7650 Natural Language
  • CS 8803 Special Topics: Multiview Geometry in Computer Vision

Robotics

  • CS 7630 Autonomous Robotics
  • CS 7631 Autonomous Multi-Robot Systems
  • CS 7633 Human-Robot Interaction
  • CS 7649 Robot Intelligence: Planning
  • CS 8803-O01 Artificial Intelligence for Robotics

Specialization in Computer Graphics

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CS 6491 Foundations of Computer Graphics 

and

  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity

or

  • CS 6515  Introduction to Graduate Algorithms

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) from:

  • CS 6457 Video Game Design and Programming
  • CS 6475 Computational Photography
  • CS 6476 Computer Vision
  • CS 6485 Visualization Methods for Science and Engineering
  • CS 6764 Geometric Modeling
  • CS 7490 Advanced Image Synthesis
  • CS 7491 3D Complexity Techniques for Graphics, Modeling, and Animation
  • CS 7492 Simulation of Biology
  • CS 7496 Computer Animation
  • CS 7497 Virtual Environments

Specialization in Computing Systems

Core Courses

(9 hours)
  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity

or

  • CS 6515  Introduction to Graduate Algorithms

And, pick two (2) of:

  • CS 6210 Advanced Operating Systems
  • CS 6241 Compiler Design
  • CS 6250 Computer Networks
  • CS 6290 High-Performance Computer Architecture
  • CS 6300 Software Development Process OR CS 6301 Advanced Topics in Software Engineering
  • CS 6390 Programming Languages
  • CS 6400 Database Systems Concepts and Designs

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) courses from:

  • CS 6035 Introduction to Information Security
  • CS 6200 Graduate Introduction to Operating Systems
  • CS 6220 Big Data Systems and Analytics
  • CS 6235 Real Time Systems
  • CS 6238 Secure Computer Systems
  • CS 6260 Applied Cryptography
  • CS 6262 Network Security
  • CS 6263 Intro to Cyber Physical Systems Security
  • CS 6291 Embedded Software Optimization
  • CS 6310 Software Architecture and Design
  • CS 6340 Software Analysis and Testing
  • CS 6365 Introduction to Enterprise Computing
  • CS 6422 Database System Implementation
  • CS 6550 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
  • CS 6675 Advanced Internet Computing Systems and Applications
  • CS 7210 Distributed Computing
  • CS 7260 Internetworking Architectures and Protocols
  • CS 7270 Networked Applications and Services
  • CS 7280 Network Science
  • CS 7290 Advanced Topics in Microarchitecture
  • CS 7292 Reliability and Security in Computer Architecture
  • CS 7560 Theory of Cryptography
  • CS 8803 FPL Special Topics: Foundations of Programming Languages
  • CSE 6220 High Performance Computing

Specialization in Human Centered Computing

This specialization is only available to students enrolled in the Human Centered Computing PhD program.

Core Courses

(9 hours)
  • CS 6451 Intro to HCC

AND

  • CS 6452 Prototyping Interactive Systems

AND

  • CS 7455 Issues in HCC

Electives

(6 hours)

Pick two (2) from:

  • CS 6455 User Interface Design and Evaluation
  • CS 6456 User Interface Software
  • CS 6460 Educational Technology: Conceptual Foundations
  • CS 6465 Computational Journalism
  • CS 6470 Design of Online Communities
  • CS 6474 Social Computing
  • CS 6476 Computer Vision
  • CS 6601 Artificial Intelligence
  • CS 6750 Human-Computer Interaction
  • CS 6795 Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • CS 7450 Information Visualization
  • CS 7460 Collaborative Computing
  • CS 7461 Machine Learning
  • CS 7470 Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing
  • CS 7476 Advanced Computer Vision
  • CS 7610 Modeling and Design
  • CS 7637 Knowledge-Based AI
  • CS 7620 Case-based Reasoning
  • CS 7650 Natural Language
  • CS 7695 Philosophy of Cognition
  • CS 7697 Cognitive Models of Science and Technology
  • CS 7790 Cognitive Modeling
  • CS 8803 Computational Creativity
  • CS 8803 Expressive AI
  • CS 8803 Game AI
  • CS 8803 Human Robot Interaction
  • CS 8803 Computers, Communications & International Development
  • CS 8803 Computational Social Science

Specialization in High Performance Computing

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CSE 6140 Computational Science and Engineering Algorithms
  • CSE 6220 High Performance Computing

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) from:

  • CSE 6221 Multicore Computing: Concurrency and Parallelism on the Desktop
  • CS/CSE 6230 High-Performance Parallel Computing: Tools and Applications
  • CS 6241 Compiler Design
  • CS 6290 High-Performance Computer Architecture
  • CS/CSE 8803 Special Topics: Parallel Numerical Algorithms
  • CSE 6236 Parallel and Distributed Simulation
  • CSE 8803 Special Topics: Hot Topics in Parallel Computing

Specialization in Human-Computer Interaction 

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CS 6456 Principles of User Interface Software
  • CS 6750 Human-Computer Interaction

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) courses from the two sub-areas below, including at least one from each sub-area:

Sub-area: Design and evaluation concepts

  • CS 6010 Principles of Design
  • CS 6320 Software Requirements Analysis and Specification
  • CS 6455 User Interface Design and Evaluation
  • CS 6460 Educational Technology: Conceptual Foundations
  • CS 6465 Computational Journalism
  • CS 6470 Design of Online Communities
  • CS 6795 Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • CS 7465 Educational Technology: Design and Evaluation
  • CS 7467 Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
  • CS 7790 Cognitive Modeling

Sub-area: Interactive technology

  • CS 6763 Design of Design Environments
  • CS 6770 Mixed Reality Experience Design
  • CS 7450 Information Visualization
  • CS 7460 Collaborative Computing
  • CS 7470 Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing

Specialization in Interactive Intelligence

[Prerequisite: An undergraduate or above algorithms/computational thinking course.]

Core Courses

(9 hours)

Take one (1) course from:

Algorithms and Design

  • CS 6300 Software Development Process
  • CS 6301 Advanced Topics in Software Engineering
  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity

  • CS 6515 Introduction to Graduate Algorithms

And, two (2) courses from:​

  • CS 6601 Artificial Intelligence
  • CS 7620 Case-Based Reasoning
  • CS 7637 Knowledge-Based AI
  • CS 7641 Machine Learning

Electives

(6 hours)

Pick two (2) courses from:

Interaction

  • CS 6440 Introduction to Health Informatics
  • CS 6460 Educational Technology: Conceptual Foundations
  • CS 6465 Computational Journalism

  • CS 6471 Computational Social Science

  • CS 6750 Human-Computer Interaction 

  • CS 7632 Game AI
  • CS 7634 AI Storytelling in Virtual Worlds
  • CS 7650 Natural Language
  • CS 8803 Special Topics: Advanced Game AI

Cognition

  • CS 6795 Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • CS 7610 Modeling and Design
  • CS 8803 Special Topics: Computational Creativity

Specialization in Machine Learning 

Core Courses

(6 hours)

Algorithms: Pick one (1) of:

  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity
  • CS 6515 Introduction to Graduate Algorithms
  • CS 6520 Computational Complexity Theory
  • CS 6550 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
  • CS 7510 Graph Algorithms
  • CS 7520 Approximation Algorithms
  • CS 7530 Randomized Algorithms
  • CSE 6140 Computational Science and Engineering Algorithms

And, pick one (1) of:

  • CS 7641 Machine Learning
  • CSE 6740 Computational Data Analysis: Learning, Mining, and Computation

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) of:

  • CS 6220 Big Data Systems & Analysis

  • CS 6476 Computer Vision 

  • CS 7535 Markov Chain Monte Carlo
  • CS 7540 Spectral Algorithms
  • CS 7545 Machine Learning Theory
  • CS 7616 Pattern Recognition
  • CS 7626 Behavioral Imaging 
  • CS 7642 Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making
  • CS 7643 Deep Learning 
  • CS 7646 Machine Learning for Trading
  • CS 7650 Natural Language
  • CS 8803 Special Topics: Probabilistic Graph Models
  • CSE 6240 Web Search and Text Mining
  • CSE 6242 Data and Visual Analytics
  • CSE 6250 Big Data for Health
  • ISYE 6416 Computational Statistics
  • ISYE 6420 Bayesian Methods
  • ISYE 6664 Stochastic Optimization

Specialization in Modeling and Simulations

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CSE 6730 Modeling and Simulation: Foundations and Implementation

And pick one (1) of

  • CSE 6220 High Performance Computing
  • ISYE 6644 Simulation
  • MATH 6640 Introduction to Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) of:

  • CSE 6220 High Performance Computing 
  •  CSE 6236 Parallel and Distributed Simulation
  • CSE/CHEM 8803 Special Topics: Quantum Information, Computation, and Simulation
  • INTA 6742 Modeling, Simulation and Military Gaming
  • ISYE 6644 Simulation
  • MATH 6640 Introduction to Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations

Specialization in Scientific Computing 

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CSE/MATH 6643 Numerical Linear Algebra

Pick one (1) of:

  • CSE/MATH 6644 Iterative Methods for Systems of Equations
  • MATH 6640 Introduction to Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) of:

  • CS/CSE 6230 High-Performance Parallel Computing: Tools and Applications
  • CS/CSE 8803 Special Topics: Parallel Numerical Algorithms
  • CSE 6140 Computational Science and Engineering Algorithms
  • CSE 6220 High Performance Computing
  • CSE/MATH 6644 Iterative Methods for Systems of Equations
  • CSE 8803 Special Topics: Algorithms for Medical Imaging and Inverse Problems
  • CSE 8803/CHEM 6485 Computational Chemistry
  • MATH 6640 Introduction to Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations

Specialization in Social Computing

Core Courses

(6 hours)

Pick one (1) of:

  • CS 6470 Design of Online Communities
  • CS 6474 Social Computing

Pick one (1) of:

  • CS 6465 Computational Journalism
  • CS 6471 Computational Social Science
  • CS 7460 Collaborative Computing

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three (3) more classes including additional classes from the above and:

  • CS 6238 Secure Computer Systems
  • CS 6250 Computer Networks
  • CS 6456 Principles of User Interface Software
  • CS 6505 Computability, Algorithms, and Complexity
  • CS 6515 Introduction to Graduate Algorithms 
  • CS 6675 Advanced Internet Computing Systems and Applications
  • CS 6750 Human-Computer Interaction
  • CS 7210 Distributed Computing
  • CS 7270 Networked Applications and Services
  • CS 7450 Information Visualization
  • CS 7467 Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
  • CS 7650 Natural Language
  • CS 8893 Special Topics in Cognitive Science: Cognition and Culture

Specialization in Visual Analytics

Core Courses

(6 hours)
  • CS 7450 Information Visualization

AND

  • CSE 6740 Computational Data Analysis

OR

  • CSE 6242 Data and Visual Analytics

Electives

(9 hours)

Pick three from:

  • CS 6456 Principles of User Interface Software
  • CS 6465 Computational Journalism
  • CS 6485 Visualization Methods in Science and Engineering
  • CS 6490 Computer Graphics
  • CS 6750 Human-Computer Interaction
  • CS 6795 Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • CSE 6242 Data and Visual Analytics
  • CS 8803 VDS Visual Data Analytics