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Curriculum

Master in Computer Science (MCS)

The Master in Computer Science is designed to be completed within four semesters (120 ECTS). You will attend compulsory courses in computer science, select among the specialisations, and enrich your curriculum with management and entrepreneurship courses as well as the electives from Contextual Studies.

Curriculum Overview

Core Competencies

Each area focuses on developing different competencies:

  • the computer science courses focus on technical competencies, with the opportunity to specialise in either Data Science/AI or Software and Systems Engineering;
  • the management courses foster business acumen;
  • and the Contextual Studies courses develop and sharpen our students' reflective competencies.

Together, this combination of competencies creates a potent mix of practical skills, business skills and societal understanding.

Our Study Structure

Visually the curriculum may be split into three main areas: the green area features the computer science courses (90 ECTS, 75%); the white areas stand for management courses (10%); and the beige areas represent Cotextual Studies courses (15%). Each area focuses on developing different competencies: so the computer science courses focus on technical competencies, with the opportunity to specialise in either Data Science or Software and Systems Engineering; the management courses foster business acumen; and the context courses develop and sharpen our students' reflective competencies. Together, this combination of competencies creates a potent mix of practical skills, business skills and societal understanding.

The basic study structure can be summarised as follows:

  • Computer Science
    • Compulsory Courses
    • Specialisation Courses
    • Master's Project
    • Master's Thesis
  • Management Courses
  • Contextual Studies Courses

In the first semester you will attend four mandatory courses, which together form the basis of the programme.

  • Advanced Software and Systems Engineering
  • Data Science
  • Cybersecurity
  • Human-Computer Interaction

Within the core electives for Computer Science you will choose between one of the specialisations offered: namely, Data Science or Software and Systems Engineering. Within the chosen specialisation you will earn at least 18 ECTS, with the option of taking 6 ECTS credits' worth of courses in the other specialisation.

Data Science, including Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Secure and Private Computing, Advanced Databases.

Software and Systems Engineering, including Software Assessment courses such as From Planning to Experimentation, Event-Driven and Process-Oriented Architectures, Ubiquitous Computing, Web-Based Autonomous Systems, Programming Languages.

The Master's Project will enable you to combine your skills and knowledge obtained during your studies on the Computer Science programme and to apply them to a software engineering project. The project takes place in the third semester and is conducted in groups. During the project you will be supervised by one of our professors and her/his team of researchers. The project can be executed in collaboration with industry or partner institutions.

The master’s thesis covers the entire fourth semester and enables you to concentrate on a complex research question dealing with a topic in the field of computer science. While the Master's Project is geared toward practice, the master's thesis is research-oriented. You will work on the thesis individually, but you will be closely supervised by a faculty member and their research team. An excellent master's thesis gives you the opportunity to pursue an academic career.

For your management courses, you can choose between a wide range of courses offered in the HSG portfolio. Here you will find courses on topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing and strategic management. Some of the courses are tailored to the Computer Science programme, while others are offered by other master's programmes at the University of St.Gallen.

As a unique and valuable element of each master’s programme in St.Gallen, the Contextual Studies offer a wide range of topics covering social, economic, and legal aspects of technology. The purpose of these courses is to foster critical thinking; you reflect on what you have learned in a different context. The courses may include fields such as history, philosophy, psychology or ethics. A wide selection of such courses is offered, and you will take these courses together with students from across all master's programmes, which helps to foster integrative thinking.

Contextual Studies

The Contextual Studies programme is another unique feature of the University of St.Gallen (HSG). It integrates knowledge across disciplinary boundaries and particularly strengthens your social and cultural competencies. You gain a holistic perspective by learning to see beyond the immediate. You will take courses offered  in Focus Areas and also in the Skills section; in the latter, you acquire additional competencies and practical skills essential for success in the business world. The Contextual Studies programme complements your specialised studies and is rewarded with 18 ECTS credits.

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What you will learn in our Master in Computer Science

Find out more about our curriculum in this video where you will see one of many possible paths for your studies. You may choose to structure your studies differently (e.g. by taking fewer courses per semester but then prolonging your studies).
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