Objective Main Features Structure Course List Venue Award Tuition Fee

Objective

  • To provide a broadly based advanced post-graduate programme for professionals who already possess a degree in IT-related subjects.
  • To furnish graduates with expertise in the practical design, construction, theory, and usage of advanced information systems.
  • To equip students with comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the scope of Computer Science.
  • To train local IT professionals to meet the society needs.
Graduates will have sufficient knowledge and experience to apply their expertise in the context of a higher research degree, or to take a leading role in their respective industries.

Main Features

  • The program covers most state-of-the-art topics of Computer Science.
  • The program aims at providing a broad spectrum of the knowledge and application of Computer Science.
  • Students can complete their studies in 2 years on a part-time evening basis, or in 1 year on a full-time basis.
  • This program has strong backup from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Structure

To qualify for the MSc in Computer Science, students should complete 8 elective courses (24 credits in total) within 1 year for full-time mode, and in not less than 2 years. There is no compulsory course required in the programme. The offering of elective courses is subject to change, and is to be determined by the programme committee based on studentsˇ¦ preference survey.

Course List (2007-2009)

Course Code Course Title
CSC7110 Programming Languages: Theory and Implementation
CSC7111 Advanced Topics in Parallel/ Distributed Systems
CSC7112 Topics in Software Systems
CSC7120 Computational Complexity
CSC7121* Advanced Topics in Database Systems
CSC7122 Topics in Theoretical Computer Science
CSC7130 Advanced Topics in Artificial Intelligence
CSC7220 Advanced Computer Architecture
CSC7221 Advanced Topics in Internet Technologies
CSC7230 Object-Based Distributed Systems
CSC7231 Image Processing and Computer Vision
CSC7232 Computer Models for E-Business
CSC7233 IT Project Management
CSC7240 Multimedia Technology
CSC7241 Advanced Topics in Information Systems
CSC7242 Internet-based Virtual Reality
CSC7250 Seminar
CSC7251 Project I (must be paired with CSC7260)
CSC7260 Project II
CSC7280** Computer Game Software Production
CSC7281 Decision Analysis & Game Theory

*This course is being submitted for CEF approval. If successful, the students may claim max. HK$8,000 from the Continuing Education Fund of the HKSAR Government.
**This course is approved by CEF. Students may claim max. HK$8,000 from the Continuing Education Fund of the HKSAR Government.

Course List

CSC7110 Programming Languages: Theory and Implementation

This course focuses on the theory and implementation of modern programming languages. Topics include: logic, lambda calculus, type theory, domain theory, category theory, semantics, and implementation for languages of different paradigms.

CSC7111 Advanced Topics in Parallel/ Distributed Systems

This course covers selected topics in parallel/distributed systems. The detailed contents may be changed from year to year depending on the current development and the teacher specialty.

Special Topic for 2008-10: Service-Oriented Computing Service-oriented computing has become an important paradigm for building distributed applications. This course explores the current and future developments in the concepts, architectures and techniques of service-oriented computing. Key topics include basic web services, service selection and orchestration, semantics, transactions, processes, agents, quality of service, security, compliance and trust.

CSC7112 Topics in Software Systems

This course will introduce to students topics in software systems. Topics will be selected from theories, design and implementation methodologies, object technologies and software agent technologies. The detailed contents may be changed from year to year depending on the current development and available expertise.

Special Topic for 2007-09: Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems

Characteristics of autonomous agents- Agent architectures: BDI architecture, purely reactive architectures and hybrid architecture. Multiagent systems: speech acts theory, agent communication, and agent cooperation protocols. Agent-oriented programming. Distributed hierarchical planning. Distributed rational decision making: protocols and strategies, Nash equilibrium and Pareto optimality, auctions, voting, Clarke tax, OCSM-contracts. Argumentation and negotiation.

CSC7120 Computational Complexity

This course introduces advanced topics in computational complexity: relations between complexity classes, reduction and completeness, P vs NP, NP and coNp problems, approximability and parallel computation.

CSC7121 Advanced Topics in Database Systems

This course will introduce to students advanced topics in database systems including query languages, concurrency control, deadlock resolutions, recovery schemes, distributed database systems, and object-oriented approach.

Special Topic for 2007-09: Data Mining

Data Mining provides useful tools for the analysis, understanding and extraction of useful information from huge databases. Applications range from business, finance, medicine and engineering. This course will introduce the techniques used in data mining. Topics will include clustering, classification, estimation, forecasting, statistical analysis and visualization tools.

CSC7122 Topics in Theoretical Computer Science

This course will introduce to students topics in Theoretical Computer Science. The detailed contents may be changed from year to year depending on the current development and available expertise.

CSC7130 Advanced Topics in Artificial Intelligence

This course will cover selected topics from: advanced pattern recognition, neural networks, expert systems and fuzzy systems, evolutionary computing, learning theory, constraint processing, logic programming, probabilistic reasoning, computer vision, speech processing, and natural language processing.

CSC7220 Advanced Computer Architecture

This course explores current and future trends in the design of high-performance computing systems. Topics to be discussed will include: Pipelining, branch prediction, hardware/software techniques for exposing more parallelism, memory system design, interconnection networks, and clusters.

CSC7221 Advanced Topics in Internet Technologies

This course will cover advanced topics in Internet technologies. Topics will vary from year to year depending on the current research features. Sonic typical topics to be discussed will include: multimedia streaming, delivery and fault tolerance, content distribution network, peer-to-peer network and services, network economics and incentive, network security and distributed key management, service overlay network, routing and convergence.

CSC7230 Object-Based Distributed Systems
This course will provide students with understanding and awareness of the main advantages, challenges, design issues, and current techniques in the area of distributed systems and software, based on the object-oriented paradigm and middleware. Topics will include: architectural models for distributed systems, examples of servers such as file servers and name servers, remote procedure calls and multicast communication, Java RMI, emerging standards (CORBA, DCOM) and platforms (lona Orbix, Visigenix), the features of Unix which are geared towards distributed working, the relevance of concurrency control and transactions in the sharing of distributed data, reliability and security issues.

Special Topic for 2008-10: Modern Distributed System Applications

The course will illustrate how distributed system techniques can be applied in P2P architectures, Multimedia systems, Ubiquitous computing, Web services, and RFID technologies.

CSC7231 Image Processing and Computer Vision

This first part of the course includes funcamental topics in image processing, e.g. image enhancement techniques, color image processing, image segmentation, and image compression. The second part of the course focuses on topics concerning methodologies of recovering 3D information from 2D images. Specifically, techniques for camera calibration, stereoposis, motion analysis, pose estimation and structure from motion will be discussed. These techniques will have practical applications to virtual reality, model reconstruction and graphics.

CSC7232 Computer Models for E-Business

Models for e-Business, Customer Behavior Models, The Anatomy of e-Business Functions, Infrastructure for Electronic Business, A Qualitative Analysis of Authentication Services, A Qualitative Analysis of Payment Services, A Capacity Planning Methodology for e-Business, Performance Modeling Concepts, Solving Performance Models of e-Business Sites, Modeling Contention for Software Servers, Characterizing e-Business Workload.

CSC7233 IT Project Management
This course covers the key elements of the project management framework related to information technology. Topics include the identification of elements and processes of project management, processes involved in project integration management, project scope management, various tools and techniques used to develop project schedules and resource planning, processes of project quality management, project communications management, risk management, human resources management, and project procurement management. Experts from industry will also be invited to share their experience in the topics.

Special Topic for 2008-10:

Key topics include the introduction of project management framework, the identification of key elements and processes of project management, the familiarization with the tools and techniques for scheduling and resource planning, the discussion on the issues of risk management, human resources management, communications management, quality management, and procurement management. The students would gain experiences in applying project management processes and knowledge by working on a group project and through case discussion.

CSC7240 Multi-media Technology

This course will introduce to students advanced topics in multimedia technology. The detailed contents may be changed from year to year depending on the current development and the teacher specialty.

CSC7241 Advanced Topics in Information Systems

This course will introduce to students advanced topics in Information Systems. The detailed contents may be changed from year to year depending on the current development and the teacher specialty.

CSC7242 Internet-based Virtual Reality

This course introduces various user-computer interaction techniques and interface tools on internet. It will discuss the current R&D trends in virtual reality (VR) technology, especially internet-based VR technology applied to various applications including architecture modeling and navigation, virtual prototyping, 3D arts and design, multi-user real-time VR entertainment on Internet, virtual tourist, tele-medicine and distant learning, and interactive visualization.

CSC7250 Seminar

The seminar is a series of 12 sessions with speakers invited from academia or industry to present a range of current topics in computer science to widen the studentsˇ¦ horizon and perspectives.

CSC7251 / CSC7260 Project I and II

The Project provides a challenge for students to apply their computing knowledge and expertise to carry out independent research and development work in any area of Computer Science. A project report has to be written under the supervision of the lecturing staff.

CSC7280 Computer Game Software Production #

This course focuses on the programming issues in computer gaming software production, discusses the process in developing a game application and analyzes various considerations in technologies used. The main emphasis is on the real time performance requirement in computer game development. Indoor/outdoor rendering, networking, artificial intelligence, physics as well as the game design issues would be introduced. The students would further gain the production experience through the game development project in the course.

CSC7281 Decision Analysis & Game Theory
This course introduces decision theory and game theory used in computer science, in particular, artificial intelligence and multiagent systems. Topics include utility theory, decision under risk, decisions under uncertainty, social choices, strategic games and Nash equilibrium, extensive games and subgame perfect equilibrium, repeated games and folk theorems, and applications in computer science.


Venue

All classes will be schedule in classrooms near the KCRC University Station on The Chinese University of Hong Kong campus.

Award

In order to fulfill the MSc degree requirements, students must:
  1. Achieve a GPA of 2.0 or above.
  2. Fail in not more than one subject.
  3. Pass eight courses in order to gain the 24 credit units in total.
  4. Pass the "IT Proficiency Test". (Please refer to the "Student IT Competence".)

Upon successful completion of the programme, students will be awarded the Master of Science in Computer Science Degree by The Chinese University of Hong Kong.


Tuition Fee

Total
HK$80,000

Tuition Fees
Full-time mode (1 year) :HK$40,000 per term (total of two terms)
Part-time mode (2 years) :HK$20,000 per term (total of four terms)
Deadline for Application :Early admission batch: 19 January 2008
Normal admission batch: 28 February 2008