Introduction

Computer Science forms the foundation for innovations in various fields such as industry, healthcare, education, entertainment, and the public sector. With rapid technological advancements, the demand for specialists with the skills to apply computer science in addressing complex challenges and improving the quality of daily life continues to grow. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this need is even more evident due to strategic investments in technology and the increasing expansion of computer science applications in sectors such as the oil industry, Arabic language processing, security, communications, and transportation. In response to these trends, the Department of Computer Science has established the "Master of Science in Computer Science" program to meet the growing demands and prepare highly qualified and specialized professionals.

Program Mission

The mission of the MSCS program is to:

  • Prepare highly qualified graduates in all Information Technology areas, possessing the necessary theoretical as well as applied skills in Computer Science and Information Technology.
  • Cooperate with specialized national and international institutions for developing systems and programs on the national and international levels and exchanging opinions related to Computer Science fields.
  • Raise the standards of teaching and research through organizing national and international academic meetings and conferences.
  • Provide state-of-the-art quality education relevant to the national and international markets by conducting theoretical and practical studies in the Computer Science areas with the support and participation of private sector.

Program Goals

The objectives of the MSCS program are to prepare the graduate with:

  • Demonstrate excellence in problem-solving by applying theory to practice.
  • Focus on design and development techniques for construction, validation and verification of various software systems.
  • Build academic or professional career and pursue life-long knowledge and learning in the area of computer science.
  • Face challenges conducting community-based applied research and share knowledge with the scientific societies of the world.

Student (Program) Outcomes

At the time of graduation, students will have:

  • A solid skill in the areas of computer science focusing on modeling, algorithms, software and computer systems, and apply it to various problem solving techniques
  • An ability to analyze, design and implement software systems of varying complexity and critical nature
  • A critical thinking, innovative skills and ability to investigate the recent developments in the field of computing
  • An ability to identify the current issues of theoretical or practical nature and learn the various methodologies for conducting research
  • A skill to analyze and solve research or project type problems, produce the technical documents, publish the results and present it orally
  • An ability to work independently or in a team to accomplish a common goal and communicate with a wide range of audiences

Admission Requirements

The admission criteria to join the MSCS Program are as follows:

  • Fulfil the conditions stated in the graduate studies rules for Saudi Universities.
  • Have a bachelor’s degree, from a recognized university by the Ministry of Education, in any of the following fields:
    • Computer Science, Computer Information Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks, Information Technology.
    • Mathematics, Statistics (with a prior exposure to programming).
    • Electrical Engineering, Communication Engineering.
    • A related field with a substantial Computing and Mathematics contents.
  • Have a minimum CGPA of 3.75/5.00 or equivalent in the bachelor’s degree. A minimum CGPA of 3.5/5.00 and less than 3.75/5.00 might be accepted based on the university regulations.
      Demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the followings:
    • Scoring 61 or above in Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL-iBT), 5.0 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or equivalent.
    • Earning the bachelor’s degree with English language as medium of instruction.
  • Provide two letters of recommendation from either faculty at a prospective student’s undergraduate institution, or from current employers/managers. If neither is available, applicants will need to provide a clear explanation why this is the case.
  • Provide a letter of approval from the employer if the candidate is currently employed.
  • Pass entrance exam and/or personal interview that conducted by the department.
  • Meet any other criteria recommended by the department or the college.

Graduation requirements

The degree "Master of Science in Computer Science" will be awarded on successful completion of 36 units for Research Track and 42 units for Course Work Track from graduate level courses. The distribution of units for both the tracks is given in the table. The minimum CGPA required for graduation is 3.75 out of 5.00.

Category
Unit (Research Track)
Units (Course Work Track)

Core Courses

15

15

Elective Courses

12

18

Dissertation

9

0

Project

0

9

Total

36

42

Course Specifications

Course Code
Course Name
Course Specification Document
Course Type
MSCS 611 Advanced Algorithms MSCS-611.pdf Core
MSCS 612 Distributed Computing MSCS-612.pdf Core
MSCS 613 Advanced Computer Architecture MSCS-613.pdf Core
MSCS 614 Advanced Software Engineering MSCS-614.pdf Core
MSIS 615 Research Methodology MSCS-615.pdf Core
MSCS 690 Project Proposal MSCS-690.pdf Core in the Coursework Track
MSCS 695 Project Implementation MSCS-695.pdf Core in the Coursework Track
MSCS 700 Dissertation MSCS-700.pdf Core in the Dissertation Track
MSCS 622 Cryptography MSCS-622.pdf Elective
MSCS 623 Image Analysis MSCS-623.pdf Elective
MSCS 624 Machine Learning MSCS-624.pdf Elective
MSCS 625 Applications of Artificial Intelligence MSCS-625.pdf Elective
MSCS 627 Theory of Programming Languages MSCS-627.pdf Elective
MSCS 629 Software Validation and Verification MSCS-629.pdf Elective
MSCS 721 Computer Vision MSCS-721.pdf Elective
MSCS 722 Software Requirement Engineering MSCS-722.pdf Elective
MSCS 723 Pattern Recognition MSCS-723.pdf Elective
MSCS 724 Stochastic Processes MSCS-724.pdf Elective
MSCS 725 Game Modeling and Development MSCS-725.pdf Elective
MSCS 726 Computational Geometry MSCS-726.pdf Elective
MSCS 727 Advanced Modeling and Simulation MSCS-727.pdf Elective
MSIS 611 Advanced Database Management Systems MSIS-611.pdf Elective
MSIS 627 Information Retrieval & Extraction MSIS-627.pdf Elective
MSIS 628 Multimedia Systems Design MSIS-628.pdf Elective

Communication and Inquiries

CS Department Chairman: Dr. Eid Albalawi

Email: ealbalawi@kfu.edu.sa

IP: 013 589 2248