Where Theory Meets Real-World Impact
At Brown, computer science Master's students and alumni don't just study complex systems—they pioneer them. Our community is actively:
- Scaling Supercomputing: Breaking exaflop barriers to power AI climate change models.
- Advancing AI: Benchmark-testing LLMs on complex technical jargon and winning industry hackathons.
- Publishing Award-Winning Research: Earning top honors across systems and software conferences.
- Preserving History: Deploying cutting-edge media access and digital preservation technologies.
Brown's Master of Science (Sc.M.) in Computer Science offers a flexible, high-value graduate experience, with either two years on-campus or in the new artificial intelligence and machine learning online track. Students build technical depth in systems, networking, AI and more – while gaining faculty mentorship and a global network of Brown alumni.
Residential students choose from research or coursework-only options that can be easily customized to align with your goals, and both options offer the professional track which extends the opportunity for industry experience. Online students in the AI/ML track can specialize in a curriculum that features a new full-stack approach to mastering AI and ML as they are developed, practiced and impact our lives, and while having course material effectively delivered to them using the latest remote learning technology and conveniently scheduled for busy professionals. All students, on-campus and online, learn from world-renowned faculty who have earned a reputation for innovation and collaborate with industry and government partners on real-world challenges.
Outcomes
Brown graduates are hired by top companies and hold positions as:
Software Engineer
Senior Software Developer
Machine Learning and AI Engineer
Data Scientist
Product Manager
Senior Architect
Vice President of Engineering
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Research Scientist
Brown CS master's graduates are regularly admitted to top PhD programs at schools such as Boston University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, Ohio State University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, University of Oxford, University of Washington, University of Southern California.
Faculty
A growing community of outstanding teachers and researchers both broad and deep:
- Teaching: Offer small, accessible classes covering a wide range of timely, practice-oriented topics
- Research: Pursuing diverse, interdisciplinary, and cutting-edge research
- Advising: Providing individualized academic consultation through structured, open-door interactions
- Reputation: Maintaining and expanding strong networks with leading roles and rich scientific experience
Experiences
"My experience at Brown has taught me to be comfortable working through open-ended problems combining technical methods with critical judgment, communicating and organising ideas clearly, and iterating closely with a team. That mindset was central to our success in the hackathon." — Ankit "Patrick" Verma, current master's student
"I really appreciate the flexibility and freedom of Brown’s master’s program. There is a wide range of AI courses to choose from, and faculty work across many different areas of the field. The CS department is also a very supportive and collaborative community, making it a great place to learn and grow." — Oliver Nan, Cohere
"Brown CS empowered me with a top-notch, research-driven curriculum and practical, real-world experience that are valuable in both industry and academia. It is so much more than a Master's degree. Some technology we learned will be outdated in decades, but the close partnership with world-class faculty and friendships with fellow students and future leaders will stay, as well as our determination to make the world a better place, 1 bit at a time." — Art Jiang, Uber AI Solutions
"During my master’s at Brown, I had the chance to be deeply involved in research and work closely with faculty. They taught me how to think through hard problems, develop my own research taste, and engage thoughtfully with researchers in the broader community. My time at Brown has shaped a lot of who I am as a researcher today." -- Jacob X. Li, Ph.D. student at MIT
Curriculum
A Master’s in Computer Science from Brown offers total flexibility—whether you choose to explore broad technical foundations or specialize deeply in a single domain. Here, you design a curriculum tailored to your precise career goals, equipping you to excel as a leader across industry, government, or academia.
Learn more about Brown’s Master’s in Computer Science degree and the two tracks by selecting an option below.
Tailor your path across broad CS foundations or targeted specializations
to build the essential skills for high-impact technical leadership.
Gain full-stack AI expertise to develop and lead intelligent systems,
guided by top Brown faculty researchers and industry practitioners.
More
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