Graduate Admission Requirements

The Department of Computer Science offers the MS in Computer Science, MS in Computer Network & System Administration (CNSA), MS in Cyber Criminology, MS in Cybersecurity, and the PhD in Computer Science. The following consolidates all admissions requirements from the individual program pages.

General Admissions Requirements

Required Degrees

To be admitted to the Department of Computer Science as a 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 completed COP4530 (Data Structures) or an equivalent class to be considered competitive for admissions.

Undergraduate prerequisite lists:

 

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.

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.

PhD GRE Waiver Request (Starting Fall 2025)

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) requirement may be waived for PhD 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 or internationally accredited institution.
  • 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 accredited institution.
  • 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.

English Proficiency (International Applicants)

We accept any of the following English Proficiency test scores for admission consideration:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Minimum score of 80
  • IELTS Academic: Minimum overall score of 6.5
  • PTE Academic: Minimum overall score of 55
  • 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)

Only a TOEFL speaking score of 26 or higher fully satisfies the English Proficiency requirement for Teaching Assistantships.

Program-Specific Admissions Requirements

MS in Computer Network & System Administration (CNSA)

Required Degrees: To be admitted to the Department of Computer Science as a CNSA graduate student, you should have an undergraduate or graduate degree in Computer Science or related field from an accredited university. If you are a current FSU student, the CNSA major is the option that was set up for BA in Computer Science and BS in Cyber Criminology undergraduates to matriculate towards. 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 completed COP4530 (Data Structures) or an equivalent class to be considered competitive for admissions.

MS and PhD in Computer Science

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.

MS in Cyber Criminology (CC)

Required Degrees: To be admitted to the Department of Computer Science as a Cyber Criminology graduate student you should have an undergraduate BS or BA degree in Computer Science or BS degree in Cyber Criminology. The program is designed primarily for our BA Computer Science and BS Cyber Criminology undergraduate students who wish to continue on in the pursuit of their MS degree in this field. Students who do not meet these undergraduate degree guidelines will be required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisites before graduation with a graduate degree in Cyber Criminology. 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.

MS in Cybersecurity

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 completed COP4530 (Data Structures) or an equivalent class to be considered competitive for admissions.

Additional Requirements for Students Seeking Admission to the Computer Science Department from Other FSU Departments

  • Previously Enrolled in CS: Students who enrolled in the CS Graduate Program within the past seven years will need to complete an application for readmission.
  • Previously Enrolled in Another FSU Graduate Program: Students who enrolled in another FSU graduate program within the past seven years at FSU must do the following:
  1. An application for readmission must be completed.
  2. If the student is wishing to transfer departments without completing their degree program or concurrently pursue a second degree in CS, a student must meet with their current graduate advisor and then meet with either Kim Brown or Sarah Jahnke.