Khoury College of Computer Sciences

Computer Science – Align

Master's: Oakland
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The Align computer science program allows motivated students and professionals holding a bachelor’s degree in any discipline to earn a master’s in computer science from Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences. Technology thrives on new, diverse, and unexpected ideas. Break into tech to make an impact.

Oakland
Location
Full-Time
Part-Time
Commitment
2.5-3 Years
Duration of Program
Fall
Entry Terms
Yes *
Meets F1 Visa Requirements
Overview

Full-time students complete the program in 2.5 years. This includes a two-semester bridge of graduate-level courses to prepare students without a CS background to study alongside those with a bachelor's in the field. There's also an optional two-four months of paid, full-time CS work experience in a company. Khoury College has 700+ partner companies.

Increase your impact in areas that interest you

Apply computer science in your areas of expertise—or explore an entirely new career. First, you’ll build skills in the core areas of CS. Then you’ll explore the junctions of CS and law, music, biology, business, education, or whatever interests you through projects and co-op/internship opportunities.

Learn About Research at Northeastern

Build professional connections in Oakland

Your location in Oakland, California, puts you in the heart of a beautiful 135-acre campus, home to Mills College at Northeastern. One of the most diverse cities in the nation, Oakland is a wellspring of creativity, culture, and innovation—and a key player in the success of the Bay Area tech industry. The Align computer science master’s gives you access to tech companies big and small, from Square and Pandora to Rockbot and Mayvenn. 

  • One of the fastest-growing high-tech sectors in the U.S. (The Center Square, 2022, on the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro area)
  • #4 most diverse city in the U.S. (Oakland, World Population Review, 2023)
  • 2.38 times higher employment in creative and entertainment fields (Deloitte and Data Wheel, Data USA, 2020)
  • Part of the Bay Area ecosystem, home to Fortune 500 companies across industries, as well as small and creative startups
  • 4,200+ Northeastern alumni connections in the Bay Area 

Oakland brings together expertise in technical and creative fields with attention to impact. Leading industries include:

  • Professional, scientific, and technical services.
  • Health care and social assistance.
  • Education.
  • Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media.

Learn about key co-op and internship partners, faculty connections, and more on the Oakland campus website.

More Details

Unique Features

  • Master’s in computer science designed for students without a background in tech
  • Unique CS learning environment that prioritizes diversity of thought
  • Collaborative peers from different industries who move through the program with you
  • Faculty with connections to diverse employers in and beyond Oakland
  • Incredible opportunities for paid, full-time co-ops or internships to help you break into the tech industry

Career Outlook

Job growth in computer science is much faster than the average job growth of 7–8%

  • 22% + expected growth for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers 
  • 22% +expected growth for computer and information research scientists 
  • 33% + expected growth for information security analysts 
  • 13% + expected growth for web developers and digital designers

Source: 2020–2030, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Curriculum

Gain in-demand CS skills through flexible curriculum

After completing the graduate-level bridge courses, you’ll be prepared for standard coursework in computer science. Make the program your own with a range of electives in important breadth areas.

Bridge courses:

  • Fundamentals of Computer Science
  • Discrete Structures
  • Computer Systems/Algorithms
  • Object-Oriented Design

Master’s core course:

  • Algorithms

Electives in a range of areas:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer-Human Interface
  • Data Science
  • Graphics
  • Information Security
  • Networks
  • Programming Languages
  • Software Engineering
  • Systems
  • Theory

View Full Curriculum

 

Testimonials

"I graduated from Boston University with a degree in film and television in the fall of 2020. Shortly after graduation, I started working at a nonprofit in downtown Boston as a podcast producer, while also working as a production assistant for Channel 7 News. I joined the Align program with no prior experience in computer science. ... The support from professors and teaching assistants is amazing, and it will prepare you for any challenge that comes your way."

—Bruce Neri, Align MSCS '24, BS in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Looking for something different?

View more Computing and IT programs
Admissions

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-50 university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

$75.9K *
Tuition

Financial Support Funding can include full-time co-op/internship, TA/tutor position, Federal Student Aid, scholarships

Check Costs per Credit Align MSCS is a total of 44 credits

Requirements

  • Online application and fee waiver
  • PDF or scanned copies of unofficial undergraduate transcripts; you can submit official transcripts from colleges/universities attended at the time of admission
  • Two out of three essay prompts
  • Statement of purpose that should include career goals and expected outcomes and benefits from the program
  • Recent professional resumé listing detailed position responsibilities
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • GPA minimums: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, 8.0 on a 10.0 scale, or 80 on a 100 scale
  • Official TOEFL (100 minimum) or IELTS (7.5 minimum) examination scores (international students only)
  • GRE Optional

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Global Engagement Learn how our teaching and research benefit from a worldwide network of students, faculty, and industry partners.

Admissions Dates

Fall Entry
Domestic Students August 1
International Students April 15
Curriculum

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.


For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

 

Experiential Learning

Learning goes way beyond academics. All knowledge you’ll gain is reinforced through projects and real-world scenarios. You can also build diverse computer science work experience through a paid, full-time computer science co-op (four–eight months) or internship. An optional part of your program, this opportunity is a deciding factor for many students who choose Northeastern.

Hold a co-op or internship in an industry-preferred program

Khoury College can help connect you with co-op, internship, and project opportunities with the college’s 700+ industry partners. Align MSCS helps prepare you to meet the preferred qualifications for job postings with top companies. Many companies offer co-op students full-time employment upon completion of their degree.

Strong support to kick-start your next career move

Your work experience is closely integrated with the course curriculum and advising system. Northeastern’s career staff will support you in preparing for and succeeding during your work experience. Additionally, you’ll have a team of academic advisors and peer mentors to help you along the way. 

This comprehensive support system adds depth to your studies, exposes you to different career paths and opportunities, and helps you develop a deep understanding of computer science and its many intersections—highly valuable to your future employers.

Faculty

Our Faculty

Northeastern University faculty represents a broad cross-section of professional practices and fields, including finance, education, biomedical science, management, and the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside you to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Align computer science master’s faculty are talented, connected to industry, and know how to teach graduate-level computer science to beginners—and love doing it. Some of the faculty are even former Align students themselves, and all of them have impressive industry experience. 

Students

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll gain access to students at 14 campus locations, 300,000+ alumni, and 2,900+ employer partners worldwide. Our global university system provides students unique opportunities to think locally and act globally while serving as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

You’ll be studying graduate-level computer science with faculty and students who know how important diverse backgrounds and insights are:

  • 150+ disciplines represented
  • 53% identify as female (fall 2022)
  • 15% of domestic students identify as a race or ethnicity historically underrepresented in technology (average, 2018–2022)
  • 1,000+ accomplished Align MSCS alumni 

All Align students come from noncomputer science backgrounds, with 150+ disciplines represented, including history, business, biology, political science, and more.

Ask a Student About Align

Career results for Align MSCS graduates

  • More than 40% of graduates are employed by top global tech companies
  • The 10 biggest employers of Align graduates are Amazon/AWS, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Stripe, and Apple
  • More than 70% of graduates are employed in software engineering positions in their first role after graduation
  • More than 35% of alumni are promoted to senior titles three or more years after graduation

Positions include:

  • Systems and infrastructure engineer at LinkedIn
  • Full-stack engineer at Fidelity
  • Mobile app developer at Bose
  • Software engineer at Meta
  • Software developer at Amazon
  • Software engineer at Snowflake
  • Agile developer at SAP

Source: Data is based on 1,000 alumni LinkedIn profiles in 2022.

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