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Online Master of Science in Computer Science


Learn the foundations of programming and the advanced skills needed to become an agile software engineer with Merrimack’s online M.S. in Computer Science (MSCS) — no experience or technical background required.

If you have an aptitude for math and an interest in programming, Merrimack’s flexible bridge program can be a perfect fit. 

Quick facts:

  • 100 percent online.
  • Tuition under $23,000.
  • Complete part time in 16-18 months.
  • No prerequisites or coding experience needed.
  • No GRE or GMAT required.
  • Financial aid eligible.

Learn more about Merrimack’s online Master of Science in Computer Science.

By submitting this form, I agree to be contacted via email, phone, or text to learn more about the programs at Merrimack College.

Six of the 10 “Best Jobs in America for 2022” are in the computer science and software engineering fields, including: 

Sources: Glassdoor, 2022, 2024

What Our Students Say

“The M.S. in Computer Science program at Merrimack is providing me with a well-rounded set of theoretical computer science skills as well as practical software engineering skills, and it’s my hope this will help me transition into a software engineering role.”

– Computer science graduate

“If you’re considering a program in software engineering you should give Merrimack serious consideration. I felt supported and I think the coursework is preparing me for a good future and building on itself logically. I think this would be a good choice for someone looking to get into this field.”

– Computer science graduate

“I like the flexibility first and foremost. It allows me to be a stay-at-home dad. It allows me to plan and work on work in times that are good for me, but I don’t lose any of the interaction. I think the flexibility is number one. It’s been a flexible and wonderful option.”

– Computer science graduate

Master of Science Computer Science, Software Engineering Concentration Online Coursework


You’ll develop industry-recognized skills and learn to write and deploy object-oriented software applications that are efficient, maintainable and expandable across multiple languages, including Java, Javascript and Python.

Core Courses (16 credits)

New students take the Mastery Skill Profiler to determine their current level of programming and discrete mathematics skills. Students may skip this 0-credit foundational course if their results demonstrate proficiency in foundational mathematical and processing skills.

This course will introduce students to basic mathematical and processing topics. These topics include numbering systems, summations, progressions, combinatorics, logarithms, matrices, probabilities, and how to use basic processing tools to compute those. The topics are intended to set a solid discrete mathematical foundation to develop basic programming skills in a simple script language and to allow the student to support discrete mathematics operations with basic script language commands. Credits: 0

This course is an introduction to programming concepts. Emphasis will be placed on algorithms, test-driven design, development, and structured programming in the Python language. Topics include program development, modularity, variables and data types as numbers, strings, arrays and lists, plus the basic programming concepts as conditionals and Boolean algebra, loops, I/O operations, classes, and objects, abstract data types, sorting algorithms, and recursion. Credits: 4

This foundational course is an introduction to algorithmic thinking and the mathematics of computer science. Topics include abstract data types such as lists, stacks, queues, hash maps, trees and graphs, but also basics of asymptotic analysis, recursion and various algorithmic strategies including brute force, decrease-and-conquer and divide-and-conquer. Programming exercises will help create proficiency in Python Programming language. Emphasis will be placed on understanding underlying mathematics, such as discrete probability, statistics, graph theory and set theory. Credits: 4

This course is an extension of the process of algorithmic thinking and the mathematics of computer science. Topics include asymptotic analysis, and various algorithmic strategies including transform-and-conquer, dynamic, greedy, amortized analysis, linear and integer programming, randomized, and approximation algorithms. Emphasis will be placed on understanding underlying mathematics, such as discrete probability, statistics, graphs, and set theory. Credits: 4

This course will introduce students to basic concepts of computational theory from a practical point of view. This course will introduce the students to C++ programming language, assuming a fluency in the Python programming language. The students are expected to understand the definition of a language using finite automata and regular expressions. The concepts of pushdown automata and Turing machines will be demonstrated as a basic model of computation, equivalent to all existent programming languages. The students will be introduced to the concept of decidability, which is the determination if a language can be Turing-decidable or not, thus allowing us to investigate the power of algorithms to solve problems. Credits: 4

Software Engineering Concentration (16 Credits)

Great products start out from great designs authored by effective teams. This course introduces the student to the software development lifecycle at the graduate level. Focus will be placed on design and documentation methodologies used by practitioners. Students will learn to author clear and effective software documentation for a host of different design methodologies. Software design methodologies discussed will include waterfall, spiral, scrum, and agile. Other topics include version control, issue tracking, software project management, debugging, and profiling. Credits: 4

An introduction to databases at the graduate level. In this course, students will learn to effectively design, implement, and deploy both relational and non-relational databases. Topics include relational databases, normal forms, consistency, basic SQL, stored procedures, query optimization, non-relational and no-SQL databases. Examples will be drawn from industry. Students will also obtain hands-on experience with several database engines. Credits: 4

This course introduces students to key programming language families and concepts, and key system programming concepts. Topics include procedural, object-oriented, and functional programming language principles, the role of type systems and type safety, multi-threaded programming and associated design techniques including parallelization, deadlock and deadlock avoidance, and basic scheduling algorithms. Examples will be drawn from contemporary systems and languages. Credits: 4

This course will introduce students to advanced concepts in programming. These topics will include the development and use of large-scale application programmer interfaces (APIs), effective documentation of APIs, authoring clean and useful APIs, sockets, generics, regular expressions, client-server model applications, and design patterns such as factories, decorators, and MVC. Credits: 4

Student Support Resources

Students in the School of Engineering and Computational Sciences benefit from a dedicated success team.

Support includes:

  • Access to coding LinkedIn Learning courses.
  • Personal student success coaching.
  • 1:1 tutoring.
  • 1:1 mentoring from faculty and program staff.
  • Career services support for professional growth.

It’s Easy to Apply Online

A complete application includes:

  • Online application (no fee).
  • Official college transcripts from all institutions attended.
  • Resume.
  • Personal statement.
  • Contact information for one reference or one letter of recommendation.

GRE and GMAT scores are not required.


Key Dates and Deadlines

This program enrolls six times a year. Each term is eight weeks.

Term
Application Deadline
Classes Begin
Fall II
Monday, October 7, 2024
Monday, October 21, 2024
Spring I
Monday, January 6, 2025
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Spring II
Monday, March 3, 2025
Monday, March 17, 2025
Summer I
Monday, April 28, 2025
Monday, May 12, 2025
Fall II
Application Deadline
Monday, October 7, 2024
Classes Begin
Monday, October 21, 2024
Spring I
Application Deadline
Monday, January 6, 2025
Classes Begin
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Spring II
Application Deadline
Monday, March 3, 2025
Classes Begin
Monday, March 17, 2025
Summer I
Application Deadline
Monday, April 28, 2025
Classes Begin
Monday, May 12, 2025

At Merrimack College, we’re proud of our long history of providing quality degrees to students entering the job market. Our faculty are more than just teachers. We are committed to helping you grow — academically, personally and spiritually — so that you may graduate as a confident, well-prepared citizen of the world.

  • Most Innovative Schools (No. 14)
  • Regional Universities North (No. 33)
  • Best Undergraduate Teaching (No. 31)
  • Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (No. 86)
    (at schools where doctorate not offered)
  • Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 14)
  • Best Value Schools (No. 47)
  • Merrimack College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
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