Computer Science and Engineering

The MSc programme in Computer Science and Engineering focuses on the design and use of computing components—both software and hardware—to solve technical problems efficiently and competitively.

Modern society infrastructure is based on information technology. IT plays an essential role in our daily lives, and businesses are dependent on computers and communications equipment.

DTU has a strong and growing IT environment with competencies in areas such as safe and secure systems, system integration, distributed and embedded systems, networks, software engineering, algorithms and logic, system-on-chip, and digital systems. As a student on the programme, you will form part of this exciting environment.

Study programme focus

The Computer Science and Engineering programme is concentrated on the design and use of computing components—both software and hardware—to ensure our students become capable of solving technical problems efficiently and competitively. 

Focus is on understanding and using the right abstractions for advanced IT solutions which typically include both existing and future components. Computer Science and Engineering thus covers a wide range of courses in software development, safe and secure IT systems, algorithms and logic, and knowledge-based systems, and distributed and embedded systems.

Specializations

You can choose to specialize in one of the six study lines:

• Computer Security
• Digital Systems
• Efficient and Intelligent Software
• Embedded and Distributed Systems 
• Reliable Software Systems
• Software Engineering

You should be aware, however, that your choice of courses in your individual study plan offers a high degree of flexibility, and it is not mandatory to follow a study line. Therefore, you have every opportunity to design your own study programme and career by choosing from the wide range of courses offered at DTU. 

Programme provision

In order to obtain the MSc in Computer Science and Engineering the student has to meet the following requirements:

• Have passed General Competence Courses adding up to at least 30 ECTS points
• Have passed Technological Specialization Courses adding up to at least 30 ECTS points
• Have carried out a Master Thesis of at least 30 ECTS points within the scope of the general program
• Have passed a sufficient number of Elective Courses to bring the total number of ECTS points for the entire course of study to 120 

Courses

General Competence Courses

One of the following courses is mandatory and if more than one of the courses are taken then all but one course count as elective courses:

The remaining courses have to be chosen from the list of courses below:

Only applicants holding either a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor in Engineering or a Bachelor of Natural Science degree can be admitted to a Master of Science in Engineering programme. From September 2017 the bachelor degree must be less than 10 years old.

The individual MSc Eng programme states in detail which bachelor programmes qualify and whether applicants have to complete supplementary educational activities.

Requirements for supplementary educational activities can equate to up to 30 ECTS credits and are specified in the form of a list of courses under the individual MSc Eng programmes.

The specific requirements must be met before graduating from the bachelor programme or in connection with conditional admission to a particular MSc Eng programme. The courses must be passed prior to the commencement of studies within one year from the conditional admission.

Supplementary educational activities in connection with conditional admission to an MSc Eng programme do not form part of the MSc Eng programme, and partial tuition fees are charged. If the supplementary courses have not been passed within the deadlines specified, the conditional admission to the programme is withdrawn.

The Master of Science in Engineering programmes are offered in English. Therefore applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English (B-level, IELTS, TOEFL- or Pearson test).

Academic requirements for this programme

Academic Requirements (Danish Students)

The following bachelor programmes at DTU entitle students to admission to the MSc Eng Programme in Computer Science and Engineering:

• B Eng in Internet Technology and Economics (with a study plan from 2009 or later)
• B Eng in IT (also from the former IHK)
• B Eng in IT and Economics
• B Eng in IT and Electronics
• B Eng in Software Technology
• BSc Eng in Software Technology

The following bachelor programmes from outside DTU entitle students to admission to the MSc Eng Programme in Computer Science and Engineering:

• B Eng in ICT (ASE/AU, VIA, and also from the former IHA)
• BSc Eng in Software (AAU)
• BSc in Computer Science (AAU, AU, KU, RUC, SDU)
• BSc in Software Development (ITU)
• BSc in Software Engineering (University of the Faroe Islands)

Students with similar qualifications can be admitted after individual evaluation.

It is expected that students themselves can acquire any prerequisites within computer science that they may be missing due to an atypical background.

In order to get the optimal benefit of the MSc Eng programme, it is recommended that the elective parts of the bachelor education are used to build up the right prerequisites for the desired study plan.

Students with a BSc Eng in Electrical Engineering from DTU have access to be admitted subject to having completed courses as follows: 

It is mandatory to take the following two courses:

It is mandatory to take at least one of the following courses:

In addition the following courses are recommended:

Students with a BSc Eng in Mathematics and Technology from DTU or a BSc Eng in Network Technology and IT from DTU have access to be admitted subject to having completed courses as follows:

It is mandatory to take the following three courses:

It is mandatory to take at least one of the following courses:

In addition the following courses are recommended:

Other students with a relevant BSc Eng or B Eng degree from Denmark have access to be admitted subject to an individual evaluation.

The required level may be gauged by comparison with the contents of the DTU courses listed above.

International Students

The MSc in Computer Science and Engineering programme requires a bachelor degree in computer science or related fields, for example a BSc Eng in Software Technology degree. Students with a bachelor degree in related fields can be admitted if they can document competences as described below.

The student must have solid skills in mathematics and thorough knowledge of software development, including:

• Knowledge of at least one programming language and of general programming paradigms
• Knowledge of the use of basic data structures for effective realization of algorithms
• Experience with development of small and medium-sized programs

The student is expected to be generally capable of studying and using new programming languages.

The student must also be able to document competences within several of the following topics:

• Computer science modelling, including automatons and semantics
• Databases, including data models and query languages
• Declarative programming, including functional programming and logic programming
• Digital systems, including digital electronics, computer architectures and systems construction
• Concurrency, including concurrent programming and concurrent systems
• Networks, including web technology and communications networks

The individual study lines and courses may have stricter requirements, and it is a good idea to check them too.

Admission is decided on the basis of the relevance and quality of the bachelor degree. 

International students may have a background that differ from the typical student at the MSc programme and should be willing to acquire by themselves any prerequisites that they may be missing.

All steps in the admission procedure are handled through DTU's Office of International Affairs, whereto inquiries about formalities should be directed. Questions about the academic qualifications and the programme content should be directed to the director of studies.