A graduate certificate or diploma (the terms are used interchangeably in North America) in computer science denotes specialization in a sub-field or discipline of computer science gained through intensive graduate-level study. As such, it supplements an already established area of expertise (in computer science or not related to the field) and adds value to a previously earned Bachelor's or graduate degree. Delivered in various formats from residential to online, graduate certificates in computer science comprise 4 - 6 courses (typically 12 - 18 credit hours) taken in a prescribed sequence at the graduate level.
The concurrent graduate certificate or diploma in computer science allows students currently enrolled in a Master's or Doctoral degree program in the field to pursue an in-depth exploration of one aspect of their field. For example, a student working towards a Master's in Computer Science with a specialization in Computer Graphics may take the Graduate Certificate in Internet Technology to augment their expertise.
The stand-alone, direct-entry graduate certificate/diploma program in computer science provides an opportunity for graduate-level study of theory and research to students who are not interested in pursuing a full graduate degree. This could include professionals with a Bachelor's degree working in the field or anyone who does not have the time or interest in a traditional graduate program. Then too, some students who take the stand-alone certificate already have a graduate degree and use their certificate to augment a particular area of interest.
A selection, but not inclusive list, of graduate certificates/diplomas in computer science includes
Graduate Certificate in Computer Science (Generalist) Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science Graduate Certificate in Computational Science Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Research Graduate Certificate in Computer Networking and Telecommunications Graduate Certificate in Game Design Graduate Certificate in Geographical Information Science (GIS) Graduate Certificate in Multimedia Management Graduate Certificate in Modeling and Simulation Graduate Certificate Program in Database Technology Graduate Certificate in Networks and Distributed Systems Graduate Certificate in Computer Forensics Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Graduate Certificate in Information Systems Graduate Certificate in Internet Technology Graduate Certificate in Security and Information Assurance Graduate Certificate in Space Engineering Systems Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering Graduate Certificate in Systems Software Graduate Certificate of Engineering Science (Computer Science)
Featured Grad Schools Offering graduate certificate in computer science Programs
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Graduate Certificate in Computer Science (Generalist)
