Binghamton University offers a Master of Science in Computer Science with an optional Artificial Intelligence track through the School of Computing in the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science.
The 31-credit degree is available on the Binghamton campus and, starting in fall 2026, as an exclusively online program. Machine learning is not required of every student. It enters the degree through the Artificial Intelligence track, which makes Introduction to Machine Learning and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence required courses and fits inside the 31 credits.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Computer Science |
| Tracks | Artificial Intelligence or Cybersecurity (both optional) |
| School | School of Computing, Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science |
| Location | Binghamton, New York or Online |
| Format | Campus or exclusively online |
| Credits | 31 |
| Culminating Experience | 1-credit project or 4-credit thesis |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| GRE | Not required for the Artificial Intelligence track application |
| Deadlines | Rolling for fall and spring |
| Tuition | $471 per credit for New York residents in 2026–27 |
| Typical Length | Three semesters full time online; five semesters part time |
Official MS in Computer Science Artificial Intelligence track page
Curriculum
Binghamton does not offer a standalone master’s degree in machine learning or artificial intelligence. Students earn the MS in Computer Science and can add the Artificial Intelligence track or the Cybersecurity track. The degree is 31 credits with or without a track.
Students complete 31 graduate credits in computer science, consisting of:
- 9 credits of core courses
- 3 credits of a computer systems elective
- 18 credits of electives and a 1-credit project, or 15 credits of electives and a 4-credit thesis
Students must maintain at least a B average in all graduate coursework. The school recommends finishing the three core courses in the first two semesters.
Core Courses
- CS 551 – Systems Programming
- CS 571 – Programming Languages
- CS 575 – Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms
Students also take at least one computer systems elective:
- CS 520 – Computer Architecture and Organization
- CS 528 – Computer Networks
- CS 550 – Operating Systems
None of the core or computer systems courses is a machine learning course. A student who does not choose the Artificial Intelligence track can finish the degree without one.
Artificial Intelligence Track
Track students replace four of their electives with four track courses. Two are required:
- CS 536 – Introduction to Machine Learning
- CS 565 – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Students then choose two artificial intelligence electives. The 2026–27 Academic Guide lists:
- CS 515 – Social Media Data Science Pipeline
- CS 517 – Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
- CS 524 – Intelligent Mobile Robotics
- CS 535 – Introduction to Data Mining
- CS 537 – Introduction to Deep Learning
- CS 555 – Introduction to Visual Information Processing
- CS 556 – Introduction to Computer Vision
- CS 636X – Advanced Topics of Machine Learning
Approved special topics courses numbered CS 580, CS 581, and CS 680 also count, in areas such as computational social science, deep learning, and natural language processing. The School of Computing track page additionally lists CS 518 – Natural Language Processing, CS 519 – Multi-Modal ML in Biomedicine, and CS 525 – Robot Perception.
The track page lists CS 375 Design and Analysis of Algorithms and MATH 327 Probability and Statistics as prerequisites.
Other Electives
With the track, a project-option student has two free electives left and a thesis-option student has one. Electives outside the track list include:
- CS 532 – Database Systems
- CS 533 – Information Retrieval
- CS 547 – High Performance Computing
- CS 552 – Introduction to Cloud Computing
- CS 557 – Introduction to Distributed Systems
- CS 558 – Introduction to Computer Security
- CS 561 – Topics in Data Privacy
At most two electives may come from other Watson College departments or other schools in the university, with approval.
Project or Thesis
Project-option students take ten courses and develop and present a 1-credit project in CS 595. Thesis-option students take nine courses and write and defend a 4-credit thesis in CS 599.
Cost and Tuition
Binghamton is a State University of New York campus. Campus tuition differs for New York residents and nonresidents, and exclusively online programs have their own nonresident rate.
For fall 2026, Student Accounts lists these graduate tuition rates:
| Category | Per Credit (1 to 11 credits) | Per Semester (12 or more credits) |
|---|---|---|
| New York resident, campus or online | $471 | $5,655 |
| Nonresident, campus | $1,130 | $13,565 |
| Nonresident, exclusively online | $565 | $6,785 |
At 31 credits and the per-credit rate, tuition comes to about $14,601 for a New York resident, about $35,030 for a nonresident on campus, and about $17,515 for a nonresident in the exclusively online program, before fees.
Campus graduate students also pay broad-based fees of $1,320 per semester at nine or more credits. Exclusively online students pay a smaller set of fees: about $69.70 per credit plus a $5 transcript fee each semester. Some courses carry additional course fees.
The nonresident online rate applies only to students admitted to the exclusively online program, which must be chosen at the time of application. Rates can change each year, so students should confirm current costs with Student Accounts.
View Binghamton University tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a very closely related field, with adequate preparation in programming in two languages.
Graduate Admissions lists a minimum 3.0 GPA for the program. The university accepts a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA, a 3.0 in the last 60 semester credits, or a 3.0 graduate GPA.
Applicants without a computer science degree must complete preparatory coursework before enrolling at Binghamton, including:
- calculus through Calculus II
- discrete mathematics
- programming in Python and hardware fundamentals
- computer architecture
- data structures and algorithms
- operating systems
- design and analysis of algorithms
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- graduate application and application fee
- unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
- personal statement of two to three pages
- two letters of recommendation
- resume or curriculum vitae
- proof of English proficiency when required
Graduate Admissions lists the GRE as not required for the MS in Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence application. For the general and online MS in Computer Science applications, the GRE is optional and is strongly recommended for applicants who want to be considered for a teaching or research assistantship.
The Artificial Intelligence track, the general degree, and the online degree each have their own application choice, so applicants should select the one they intend to complete.
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | Rolling |
| Spring | Rolling |
Applications are reviewed as they are submitted. The university recommends applying early, especially for applicants seeking funding.
Program Format
The campus program is taught in person in Binghamton. Students choose the project or thesis option and may add a track at no extra credit cost.
The exclusively online MS in Computer Science began in fall 2026. It has the same 31-credit requirements and the same Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity tracks, with courses numbered in a CS Z series. Lectures are pre-recorded and split into short segments, and instructors hold live office hours each week.
Binghamton states that full-time online students can finish in three semesters, or 1.5 years. Part-time students taking two courses per semester can finish in five semesters, or 2.5 years.
Master’s students are generally self-funded, although the School of Computing considers all eligible applicants for teaching and research assistantships.
Who Is This Program Best For?
Binghamton’s MS in Computer Science is a strong option for students with a computer science background who want machine learning inside a full computer science master’s degree at public university tuition.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- machine learning and artificial intelligence as required track courses
- deep learning, data mining, and computer vision electives
- intelligent mobile robotics
- a thesis option alongside the project option
- an online program with a reduced nonresident rate
- rolling admission with no GRE requirement for the track
The degree is a computer science master’s first. Its required core covers systems programming, programming languages, and algorithms, and only four of the ten or so courses belong to the Artificial Intelligence track. Deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision are electives, not requirements. Applicants without a computer science degree face a long list of prerequisite courses. Students who want a degree built entirely around AI or data science, or who are changing careers from another field, may want to compare other New York schools.
Official Binghamton University Program Links
- MS in Computer Science program page
- Artificial Intelligence track
- Exclusively online MS in Computer Science
- 2026–27 Academic Guide entry
- Artificial Intelligence track admission requirements
- School of Computing graduate programs and how to apply
- Tuition and fees
- Graduate cost of attendance
Related Machine Learning Programs in New York
Students can also compare Binghamton University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in New York.
- City College of New York – New York
- Clarkson University – Potsdam
- Columbia University – New York
- Cornell University – Ithaca
- Fordham University – New York
- Hofstra University – Hempstead
- Long Island University – Brooklyn
- Manhattanville University – Purchase
- Marist University – Poughkeepsie
- Mercy University – Dobbs Ferry
- New York University – New York
- Pace University – New York
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Troy
- Rochester Institute of Technology – Rochester
- St. John’s University – Queens
- Stony Brook University – Stony Brook
- SUNY Buffalo State University – Buffalo
- SUNY New Paltz – New Paltz
- SUNY Oswego – Syracuse
- SUNY Polytechnic Institute – Utica
- Syracuse University – Syracuse
- University at Albany – Albany
- University at Buffalo – Buffalo
- University of Rochester – Rochester
- Utica University – Utica
- Yeshiva University – New York