Fort Hays State University offers a Master of Science in Computer Science through its Department of Computer Science and Informatics. The university has no master’s degree in machine learning, artificial intelligence, or data science, and this is its closest program for that audience.
The 33-credit-hour degree is offered on campus in Hays and fully online. The required core covers programming, databases, operating systems, and software engineering. Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery and Digital Image Processing are electives, and students finish with a 9-hour thesis or project.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Computer Science |
| School | Department of Computer Science and Informatics |
| Location | Hays, Kansas or Online |
| Format | On campus or fully online |
| Credits | 33 |
| Culminating Experience | Thesis or project (9 credit hours) |
| Minimum GPA | 2.5 on the last 60 undergraduate credit hours |
| GRE | Not listed as a requirement |
| Tuition | $362.73 per credit hour for Kansas residents and for all FHSU Online students |
| Typical Length | 2 years |
Official MS in Computer Science page
Curriculum
Fort Hays State’s program is a general computer science degree. No course titled machine learning, artificial intelligence, or deep learning appears in its published course list, and the machine learning content comes from one data mining elective.
Students complete 33 credit hours consisting of:
- 12 credit hours of core courses
- 12 credit hours of major electives
- 9 credit hours of capstone work, as a thesis or a project
Core Courses
- CSCI 601G – Advanced Programming
- CSCI 812 – Advanced Database Management
- CSCI 831 – Advanced Operating Systems
- CSCI 841 – Advanced Software Engineering
Advanced Database Management covers query optimization, distributed databases, data warehousing, and big data. Advanced Operating Systems focuses on distributed operating systems.
Major Electives
The 2026–27 catalog lists five electives, and students take four of them:
- CSCI 866 – Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery
- CSCI 896 – Digital Image Processing
- CSCI 612G – Fundamentals of Research
- CSCI 663G – Introduction to Cryptography
- CSCI 851 – Advanced Data Structures
Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery covers classification, association analysis, cluster analysis, predictive models, pattern recognition, and text mining, and it requires a major analytics project on a real data set. Digital Image Processing covers filtering, image enhancement, restoration, compression, feature extraction, and image pattern classification.
Thesis or Project
Students choose one 9-hour capstone option. In the thesis option, CSCI 899 – Research Thesis, students write and defend a thesis on a topic in computer science or a related interdisciplinary field. In the non-thesis option, CSCI 897 – Project, students write, demonstrate, and defend a software project that solves a real-world problem.
The Graduate School also requires a comprehensive examination or equivalent assessment for all master’s degrees.
Cost and Tuition
Fort Hays State is a public university. On-campus rates differ by residency, while FHSU Online charges one graduate rate regardless of residency.
For the 2026–27 academic year, Fort Hays State lists these graduate rates. On-campus figures include mandatory fees.
| Category | Per Credit Hour | 9 Credit Hours per Semester |
|---|---|---|
| On campus, Kansas resident or regional | $362.73 | $3,264.57 |
| On campus, nonresident | $778.81 | $7,009.29 |
| On campus, Midwest Student Exchange Program | $430.54 | $3,874.86 |
| FHSU Online, all students | $362.73 | $3,264.57 |
At 33 credit hours, the total comes to about $11,970 at the resident or FHSU Online rate and about $25,701 at the on-campus nonresident rate.
The on-campus rates combine base tuition with $42.98 per credit hour in mandatory campus and infrastructure fees. FHSU Online courses carry no added online fee. A nonresident student who takes any on-campus course pays the nonresident rate for all courses, including online ones, and international students are billed as nonresidents.
The graduate application fee is $40 for domestic applicants and $50 for international applicants. Rates are approved each year by the Kansas Board of Regents and can change.
View Fort Hays State tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a Bachelor of Science degree from a regionally accredited institution. The program page does not name a required major, but the core courses build on undergraduate work in programming, data structures, operating systems, databases, and software engineering.
The program requires a minimum 2.5 GPA on the last 60 undergraduate credit hours.
The Graduate School reviews applications from international students with three-year degrees case by case.
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- graduate application and application fee
- official transcripts
- personal statement explaining the applicant’s motivation for the degree
- two letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency when required
Fort Hays State does not list the GRE among the requirements for this program. Letters of recommendation must be on letterhead, signed, and less than two years old. International applicants with degrees from outside the United States or Canada also need a course-by-course transcript evaluation from a NACES member.
Application Deadlines
Fort Hays State does not publish a fixed application deadline for domestic applicants to this program.
For international applicants, the Graduate School lists these deadlines:
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall (international applicants) | June 1 |
| Spring (international applicants) | November 1 |
International students cannot start in the summer term. Domestic applicants should confirm entry terms and dates with the Graduate School.
Program Format
Fort Hays State lists the MS in Computer Science as available on campus and online, and the program page states that it is offered entirely online. The Graduate School also lists it among programs that international students can complete fully online from outside the United States.
The catalog’s sample plan takes two years. Students take nine credit hours in each of the first three semesters, with the four core courses in the first year, and finish with six thesis hours and the comprehensive assessment in the final spring.
The Graduate School requires a cumulative 3.0 GPA and completion of the degree within eight years.
Who Is This Program Best For?
Fort Hays State’s MS in Computer Science is a practical option for software developers and computer science graduates who want a low-cost general master’s degree, online or in western Kansas, with some data mining coursework.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- data mining, classification, and cluster analysis
- digital image processing
- databases, data warehousing, and distributed systems
- software engineering and advanced programming
- a thesis or project that can focus on a data or machine learning topic
- one online tuition rate regardless of residency
Machine learning is a small part of this degree. Data mining and image processing are electives, the elective list has only five courses, and there are no published courses in deep learning, natural language processing, or computer vision within the program. Students who want a dedicated machine learning, artificial intelligence, or data science curriculum may want to compare other Kansas schools.
Official Fort Hays State University Program Links
- MS in Computer Science program page
- Academic catalog entry
- Department course descriptions
- Graduate School admission
- International graduate admission
- Graduate tuition rates
- Tuition and fees
Related Machine Learning Programs in Kansas
Students can also compare Fort Hays State University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in Kansas.
- Kansas State University – Manhattan
- Ottawa University – Overland Park
- Pittsburg State University – Pittsburg
- University of Kansas – Lawrence
- Wichita State University – Wichita