The science is never settled when it comes to computers, programming, networking, security and data management. What was science fiction 20 years ago — computers that predict the future, software that thinks like people, cars that drive themselves — are now computer science reality.
“Virtually every topic that you have seen in your undergraduate courses has an associated and active area of research, from algorithms, architecture, and artificial intelligence to wearable computing,” according to CONQUER, which characterizes the ongoing evolution of computer science.
Moreover, everything in computer science is related to everything else. For instance, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data analytics all intersect: they all are on the leading edge of other technologies such as cloud and edge computing, data and network security, and blockchain and Web 3.0.
To prepare the next generation of computer scientists for careers shaping the future, Norfolk State University’s online Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science program has a curriculum focused on theoretical and practical explorations in computers and data systems.
The curriculum culminates with a Master’s Project course that enables students to choose one topic for exploration out of the tightly woven, interrelated subjects for a one-to-one, hands-on learning relationship with a faculty member.
Prior to the project course, students immerse themselves in a comprehensive program comprising the latest developments in programming languages, databases, algorithms, communication networks and cloud computing. Participants also can tailor the program to their academic and career goals. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts demand for computer scientists will grow by 21% through 2031.
By choosing from diverse electives that explore practical issues of hardware and software implementation, advanced computer architecture and operating systems, graduates of the program will be prepared for any number of roles.
What Are Key Fields of Computer Science Research?
In its analysis of the top 12 emerging fields in computer science research, Insights2Techinfo lists the following:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics
AI refers to the development of software that enables computers to mimic human thinking to perform tasks. Its cognitive algorithms appear in e-commerce, healthcare, transport, manufacturing, gaming, defense, logistics and many other industries. Leading research areas include assistive robotics in healthcare, autonomous vehicles, speech and language recognition and intelligent information systems.
The Norfolk State M.S. Computer Science online program provides students interested in pursuing one of the fastest-growing fields of digital research with electives in AI and machine learning. The electives cover topics like functional and logical programming, robotics and extracting knowledge from data to make decisions, predictions and visualizations.
Data Mining and Databases
As businesses grow increasingly dependent on data, the volume of digital information and its growth projections are hard to conceptualize. Research into data management focuses on new techniques for classifying, organizing and searching datasets for trends and patterns.
Norfolk State’s online M.S. in Computer Science program includes an elective course, Database Principles and Design, that focuses on the basic principles of computer communication. Students who wish to go deeper into this high-demand field can choose from data-science electives that cover theories, techniques and best practices in data manipulation, statistical analysis and machine learning.
High-Performance Computing (HPC)
Research in HPC centers on discovering ways to solve complex problems that require substantial computational power. Optimizing computing power requires, among other things, advanced architectures such as parallel processing, memory hierarchies and scalable storage solutions to support computationally-intense workloads such as scientific simulations and big data analytics.
Norfolk State’s courses in advanced computer architecture and parallel computing focus on HPC-related domains such as the design and organization of computer systems, processors, memory and I/O, shared and distributed memory, parallel computation models, graph algorithms and numerical algorithms.
How an Advanced Degree Can Help
Research in any field is important to make improvements and foster innovation. In the technology and computer science field, technology helps us find ways to better our lives, develop new tools and keep up with the latest advances in the field. Graduates of Norfolk State’s online M.S. in Computer Science program will have the skills to start or propel their computer science field as it relates to research best practices. Other relevant courses in the program that equip students with research skills are the Secure Software Development course and the Machine Learning course.
Learn more about Norfolk State University’s online M.S. in Computer Science program.
