Brandeis University offers a Master of Science in Computer Science through the Michtom School of Computer Science, with a 9-course track for computer science graduates and a 12-course track for graduates of other fields.
The degree is taught in person in Waltham. Machine learning is not required of every student. It enters the degree through electives such as Introduction to Machine Learning, Statistical Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Unsupervised Learning and Data Mining, which students choose within their nine graduate courses.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Computer Science |
| Tracks | 9-course track for computer science graduates; 12-course track for non-majors |
| School | Michtom School of Computer Science, School of Science, Engineering and Technology |
| Location | Waltham, Massachusetts |
| Format | Campus |
| Credits | 36 (9 courses) or 48 (12 courses) |
| Culminating Experience | Coursework only, or an optional master’s project |
| GRE | Optional |
| Tuition | $59,600 per academic year (2026–27) |
| Fall Deadlines | January 15, March 1, April 15, then rolling until May 15 |
| Spring Deadlines | October 15 (priority), November 15 (final) |
| Typical Length | Three semesters (9 courses) or four semesters (12 courses) |
| STEM Designated | Yes |
Official Graduate Programs in Computer Science page
Curriculum
Brandeis does not offer a standalone on-campus master’s degree in machine learning or artificial intelligence, and the MS in Computer Science has no named machine learning track. The University Bulletin describes one degree with two tracks, and a faculty committee places each admitted student in the track that fits their background.
Students complete one of the following:
- 9-course track (36 credits): nine 4-credit COSI courses numbered 100 or above, for students with an undergraduate degree in computer science
- 12-course track (48 credits): three undergraduate core courses plus the same nine graduate courses, for students with a degree in another field
The nine graduate courses are all electives. The one condition is that students who have not completed an operating systems course must include COSI 131a – Fundamentals of Computer Systems. Up to three 100-level cross-listed courses can count toward the nine.
Core Courses for Non-Majors
- COSI 12b – Advanced Programming Techniques in Java
- COSI 21a – Data Structures and the Fundamentals of Computing
- COSI 29a – Discrete Structures
Students can take at most two core courses per semester and must keep a B+ average across the three. Those with no programming experience take an online placement exam and may need COSI 10a – Introduction to Problem Solving in Python first.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Electives
The 2026–27 University Bulletin lists these courses, among others:
- COSI 101a – Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
- COSI 104a – Introduction to Machine Learning
- COSI 123a – Statistical Machine Learning
- COSI 126a – Unsupervised Learning and Data Mining
- COSI 149b – Practical Machine Learning with Big Data
- COSI 159a – Computer Vision
- COSI 165b – Deep Learning
- COSI 212b – Interactive Machine Learning Systems
- COSI 116a – Information Visualization
- COSI 119a – Autonomous Robotics
- COSI 143b – Data Management for Data Science
- MATH 125a – Mathematics for Machine Learning
Because every graduate course is an elective, it is possible to finish the degree without a machine learning course. Students who want a machine learning focus should plan it with their faculty advisor from the first semester.
COSI 104a is the prerequisite for most of this list. Statistical Machine Learning and Deep Learning also require undergraduate mathematics courses in calculus, linear algebra, and probability, and several of these electives are usually offered only every second year.
Natural Language Processing Electives
The school also runs an MS in Computational Linguistics, and its courses are open as electives to computer science students who meet the prerequisites:
- COSI 114a – Fundamentals of Natural Language Processing I
- COSI 115b – Fundamentals of Natural Language Processing II
- COSI 124a – Information Extraction in Natural Language Processing
- COSI 132a – Information Retrieval
- COSI 136a – Automatic Speech Recognition
- COSI 217b – Natural Language Processing Systems
- COSI 230b – Natural Language Annotation for Machine Learning
- COSI 231a – Advanced Machine Learning Methods for Natural Language Processing
- COSI 233a – Discourse and Dialog
Other Computer Science Electives
- COSI 103a – Fundamentals of Software Engineering
- COSI 107a – Introduction to Computer Security
- COSI 127b – Database Management Systems
- COSI 130a – Introduction to the Theory of Computation
- COSI 141a – System and Network Security
- COSI 147a – Distributed Systems
- COSI 167a – Advanced Data Systems
- COSI 180a – Algorithms
Coursework and Project Tracks
Students enroll in either the coursework-only track or the project track. The project track adds a Master’s Project course in the semester after all other coursework is complete.
Students working with a faculty member register for COSI 300a or COSI 300b – Master’s Project. Students who want an experiential project register for COSI 293a – Computer Science Graduate Internship. The Bulletin does not describe a thesis for this degree.
Cost and Tuition
Brandeis is a private university and charges the same tuition to Massachusetts residents and nonresidents. Full-time master’s students in the School of Science, Engineering and Technology are billed a flat rate rather than by the credit.
For the 2026–27 academic year, Student Financial Services lists:
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, fall and spring semesters | $59,600 |
| Fees | $220 |
| Health insurance, individual plan* | $4,685 |
| Part-time master’s tuition, per 4-credit course | $7,676 |
*Some students may qualify for a health insurance waiver.
At the 2026–27 rate, tuition works out to about $29,800 per semester. That is roughly $89,400 for the three-semester track and $119,200 for the four-semester track, before fees, insurance, and scholarships. Students on the four-semester track pay the following year’s rate for their second year.
Brandeis states that the majority of its computer science master’s students receive some form of scholarship. Scholarships are awarded at the time of admission and need no separate application. Rates can change each year, so students should confirm current costs with Student Financial Services.
View Brandeis University graduate tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. or international institution. Three-year international degrees equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree are accepted.
The program is open to graduates of any field. Applicants with a computer science degree are placed in the 9-course track, and those from other fields are placed in the 12-course track.
Brandeis does not publish a minimum GPA for this program.
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- online application and $75 application fee
- unofficial transcripts for review, with official transcripts required on enrollment
- two letters of recommendation, with academic references strongly preferred
- resume
- statement of purpose
- a supplemental past coursework question
- proof of English proficiency when required
The GRE is optional. Brandeis strongly encourages scores from computer science master’s applicants whose transcripts do not show a college mathematics course with a grade of B+ or higher.
International applicants who do not qualify for an English test waiver submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or PTE Academic scores. Brandeis recommends an IELTS score of at least 7.0 or a Duolingo score of at least 130.
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | January 15, March 1, and April 15, then rolling until May 15 or until the cohort is full |
| Spring | October 15 (priority), November 15 (final) |
Graduate Admissions lists the application as open for spring 2027 and fall 2027 entry.
Program Format
The MS in Computer Science is taught in person on the Waltham campus. The Bulletin sets a minimum in-person residency of three semesters, and the degree has no online version.
The program is designed around three courses per semester. The 9-course track takes three semesters, or about a year and a half, and the 12-course track takes four semesters, or two years.
The degree is STEM designated in both tracks, which allows eligible international students to apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. International students must complete two semesters in F-1 status before starting an internship under Curricular Practical Training.
Brandeis undergraduates can also reach the degree through a combined bachelor’s and master’s program with a fifth year of graduate courses.
Who Is This Program Best For?
The Brandeis MS in Computer Science is a strong option for students who want to build their own machine learning course plan inside a small, in-person computer science program near Boston.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- machine learning and statistical machine learning
- deep learning and computer vision
- unsupervised learning and data mining
- natural language processing and computational linguistics
- entering computer science from another major through the 12-course track
- a STEM-designated degree that can be finished in three semesters
The degree is a computer science master’s first. Machine learning is a choice within it, not a requirement, and there is no machine learning track or thesis. Some machine learning electives are offered only every second year and carry mathematics prerequisites, there is no online option, and published tuition is high before scholarships. Students who want a degree built entirely around AI, an online or part-time format, or lower published tuition may want to compare other Massachusetts schools or the university’s MS in Computational Linguistics.
Official Brandeis University Program Links
- Graduate Programs in Computer Science
- Master of Science in Computer Science
- Master of Science in Computer Science for Non-Majors
- University Bulletin 2026–27, Computer Science
- Master’s application requirements
- STEM-designated graduate programs
- Graduate tuition and fees
Related Machine Learning Programs in Massachusetts
Students can also compare Brandeis University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in Massachusetts.
- Boston College – Chestnut Hill
- Boston University – Boston
- Clark University – Worcester
- Fitchburg State University – Fitchburg
- Harvard University – Cambridge
- Northeastern University – Boston
- Tufts University – Medford
- University of Massachusetts Amherst – Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Lowell – Lowell
- Wentworth Institute of Technology – Boston
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute – Worcester