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With performance-based admissions, you can enroll right away into the Master of Science in Computer Science. No transcripts or applications are required.
Step 1
Choose an experience
Step 2
Enroll in a course
Step 3
Complete a pathway &
earn admission
Choose a pathway in either data structures and algorithms or software architecture. Then, simply earn a B or better in the for-credit version of all three courses within your chosen pathway to earn admission to the online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Pathway courses are part of the required curriculum, so you make direct progress toward your degree as you work toward degree admission.
Start whenever you are ready. The non-credit experience offers flexible dates and independent, self-paced coursework. In contrast, the premium for-credit experience offers 6 start dates per year, following an 8-week session calendar with coursework due before the end of each session. The for-credit experience also includes support from course facilitators, access to additional CU resources, and the ability to earn university credit. For maximum flexibility, consider starting in the more flexible non-credit experience, and then upgrading to the for-credit experience during an open enrollment window—your progress will transfer with you.
Follow the steps below to learn more.
Non-Credit Experience
We encourage you to start with a non-credit course so you can preview course content and determine whether you are ready to complete the course within an 8-week for-credit session.
Our non-credit experience includes:
Dates for non-credit courses are flexible, and these courses are available on-demand.
Non-credit courses carry a monthly subscription fee, which you pay directly to Coursera rather than to the University of Colorado Boulder. Some courses offer a free trial period.
Because monthly subscription fees are paid to Coursera, not to the University of Colorado Boulder, Coursera subscription fees are not credited toward tuition when students upgrade.
Non-credit courses are not supported by faculty or course facilitators.
Students can earn course completion certificates from Coursera for non-credit courses and specializations. This non-credit certificate of completion does not confer transcripted credit from the University of Colorado Boulder. To complete degree requirements, you must upgrade and complete classes for credit.
If you decide to upgrade and pay tuition at any point, all assignments you have completed in the non-credit experience will automatically be applied to your for-credit experience.
Be sure to save your work outside of the Coursera platform. Due to their interactive nature, discussion board posts and peer-graded assignments may not transfer from session to session when you upgrade.
You can start a non-credit MS-CS on Coursera course at any time.
To enroll in the non-credit experience:
- Sign up for an account on Coursera
- Find the course you are interested in
- Click the Enroll button
- Pay the monthly Coursera subscription fee
- Work on the course at your own pace
Upgrade, pay tuition, and complete additional coursework at any time to earn CU credit for the course. You must complete pathway courses for credit to earn degree admission.
For-Credit Experience
Start directly in a for-credit course or enroll in the non-credit version first to preview course content. You may upgrade from non-credit to for-credit during any open enrollment window.
Our for-credit experience includes access to all non-credit content plus:
For-credit courses have session start and end dates. Each session is 8 weeks long. See session dates and deadlines.
All for-credit coursework must be submitted by the posted deadlines for your 8-week session, and tuition cannot be carried over to future sessions.
This program offers “pay-as-you-go” tuition. When you enroll, you only pay tuition for the courses you will take in the next 8-week session. You can take a session off any time without charges or penalties.
You will pay tuition of $525 per credit hour to the University of Colorado Boulder at the time of enrollment.
For-credit courses are supported by course facilitators through weekly office hours, discussion forums, and email.
Your CU tuition also grants you access to additional CU services, including online library and alumni/career services, CU on Coursera membership, and a CU student email address.
Students receive academic credit for their for-credit courses on a transcript from the University of Colorado Boulder. This credit is stackable toward fully accredited graduate certificates and/or degrees awarded by CU. The diploma that MS-CS on Coursera students earn is the same as the diploma for our on-campus program and has no "online" or "Coursera" designations.
- Onboarding course: Prior to accessing for-credit content for the first time, you must activate/link your student accounts and pass a free non-credit onboarding course (3–5 hours). You only need to complete these steps once.
- Additional materials: Additional material and assessments must be completed to earn credit; these materials are only available to students who pay tuition.
- Recommended course load: We recommend new students take 1 course in their first session, and continuing students to take no more than 3 courses per session (equivalent to a full-time graduate-level course load).
- For every credit hour, you will spend approximately 5–8 hours total each week watching videos, participating in discussions, and completing readings and assignments.
- Students who take 3 courses per session complete the degree in about 2 years. You must complete all courses within 8 years.
You do not need to be an admitted degree student to enroll in for-credit versions of MS-CS courses.
To enroll in the for-credit experience:
- Click the Enroll Now button during an open enrollment period
- Complete the registration form for 1–3 courses in your chosen pathway
- Pay your tuition
- Check your email for next steps
- Complete onboarding steps
You must complete all coursework by the posted deadlines for your 8-week session to earn CU credit.
To be admitted to the MS-CS on Coursera degree:
- Complete a 3-course pathway for credit
- Earn a grade of B or better in each course within your chosen pathway
See Step 3: Complete a Pathway & Earn Program Admission below for details.
Enroll in the Non-Credit Experience
You do not need to wait for an open enrollment period to enroll in the non-credit experience.
To enroll in non-credit versions of MS-CS on Coursera courses:
- Log into your account on Coursera
- Find the course you are interested in
- Click the Enroll button
- Pay the Coursera subscription fee
Upgrade, pay tuition, and complete additional coursework at any time to earn CU credit for the course.
Enroll in the For-Credit Experience
You do not need to be an admitted degree student to enroll in the for-credit experience.
To enroll in for-credit versions of MS-CS on Coursera courses:
- Click the Enroll in a For-credit Course button during any open enrollment period
- Complete the registration form for 1–3 courses in your chosen pathway
- Pay your tuition
- Check your email for next steps
- Complete onboarding steps
You must complete all coursework by the posted deadlines for your 8-week session to earn CU credit.
To earn admission to the MS-CS on Coursera, simply complete a 3-course pathway for credit with a grade of B or better in each course.
3. Complete a Pathway & Earn Program Admission
Our unique performance-based admissions process means you earn program admission simply by performing well in a three-course pathway. There is no application form, and we never ask for application documents like transcripts, test scores (GRE, TOEFL, etc.), application essays, or letters of recommendation.
Students are automatically admitted to the degree program after meeting all of the following admission requirements in the for-credit experience:
- Earn a B or better in all three pathway courses within your chosen pathway
- Achieve a pathway GPA of 3.00 or higher in your chosen pathway
- Earn an overall cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher
- Indicate interest in degree admission (via the enrollment form)
Pathway options include Foundations of Data Structures and Algorithms and Software Architecture for Big Data:
- Pathway courses must be taken for credit to earn program admission
- Each pathway is a series of three 1-credit breadth courses from the required degree curriculum
- You make direct progress toward your degree as you complete your pathway
Questions?
Check out our FAQ.