A Guide to Online Computer Science Degrees in Texas

Established in 1890, the University of North Texas is ranked among the best Tier 2 colleges in the country and is Carnegie R1 school. It has been named as one “America’s Best College Buys” for over twenty years in a row, and Princeton Review and Forbes have recognized UNT, as well. The school’s 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio supports a vibrant, collaborative educational community while maintaining personalized instruction. A quarter of classes have less than 20 students, an impressive number for a school of 38,000. Its 326,000 alumni can be found in a wide range of careers, and over 200,000 live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Like many schools, North Texas’s online program offerings have grown to meet the increased demand for distance education, and students interested in computer science can choose between 8 undergraduate and graduate tracks: 2 bachelor’s in Information Science and Applied Technology & Performance Improvement; 5 master’s in Library Sciences, Information Sciences, Applied Technology and Performance Improvement, Learning Technologies (with an accelerated option), and a PhD Learning Technologies. All UNT online courses combine rigorous, nationally recognized curricula with flexible delivery to accommodate students’ unique schedules, including for adult learners and working professionals. By leveraging the Blackboard learning platform, students have easy access to instructors, group discussion boards, live chatrooms, videoconferencing, and more.
Homepage

Texas Tech University in Lubbock was founded in 1923 as Texas Technological College. With a total enrollment of about 36,000, TTU has a student-to-faculty ratio of 22:1, creating a dynamic, collaborative learning environment with personalized instruction. About a third of classes consist of less than 20 students and half have have between 20 to 49. Its graduate programs are particularly well-regarded, and the Wall Street Journal has ranked Texas Tech 18th in the country for graduate desirability for job recruiters. Alumni are active at over 120 chapters, and notable graduates include Stephen Graham Jones, Jim Marrs, Scott Pelley, numerous politicians, and business executives.

Texas Tech offers 3 graduate degrees for computer science students, including 2 master’s in Software Engineering and Systems and Engineering Management, and a PhD in Systems And Engineering Management. All courses are designed for maximum flexibility, allowing students to complete course work according to their schedules, and the Blackboard learning platform supports a dynamic learning experience, with easy access to instructors, group discussion boards, live chat rooms, video conferencing, and more. TTU guarantees 24/7 tech support, and a dedicated Instructional Design team ensures that all content delivers smoothly.
Homepage

Sam Houston State University, founded in 1879, is the third oldest public college in Texas, and was the first university in the state to be classified as an R1 Research University by the Carnegie Foundation, and has been ranked highly by Forbes, Washington Monthly, and US News. With an enrollment of 20,000 and 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students benefit from both a vibrant learning community and small enough classes to ensure individualized instruction. (Over a quarter of classes have less than 20 students, and less than 15% have over 50.) Alumni include prominent business professionals, politicians, writers, and academics.

For computer science students, Sam Houston offers online master’s in Information Assurance and Instructional Technology and an online EdD in Instructional Technology. The MS in Information Assurance consists of 36 credits, with core classes like Operating System Security, Organizational System Security, Business Continuity Management, and Directed Management and Development Project; the last 18 credits are elective to customize course work. The MEd in Instructional Technology is 30 credits (15 core; 15 computer science), and the EdD is 60 credits, with two cores in Instructional Tech and Educational Research. (Some example courses: Technology Sustainability, Program Evaluation, Qualitative Analysis, Distance Learning.) All SMSU online courses are built to accommodate working professionals and adult learners, and students progress according to their own schedules. Student services include tech support, career services, financial aid opportunities, and more.
Homepage

Founded in 1947, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi has a total enrollment of about 11,700 and is ranked among the best Tier 2 schools by US News. The school’s 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio fosters a dynamic, collaborative educational atmosphere while still maintaining one-on-one instruction. A fifth of classes have less than 20 students, and 60% have between 20-49. For those interested, the university also excellent financial aid opportunities: 60% of full-time undergraduates receive some form of aid, and the percentage of need met is over half. Alumni include politicians, screenwriters and producers, businesspeople, and academics.

Corpus Christi offers master’s degrees in Geospatial Surveying Engineering and Instructional Design and Educational Technology. (A BS in Geographic Information Science occasionally offers individual online course availability, but can be categorized as a hybrid track, at most.) The GSE degree is a ABET-accredited and consists of 36 credits with thesis and non-theses options. The MS in Instructional Design and Ed Tech consists of 36 credits, including in: Computer Applications in Education, Strategies for Technology Integration, Instructional Design Applications, Internet Resources in Education and Training, and a practicum. All online courses are built to accommodate working professionals and are therefore highly flexible, delivering through Blackboard learning technology, which includes tech support, group discussion threads, web conferencing, chat rooms, and more.
Homepage

Established in 1895, Our Lady of the Lake University is a private school with a total enrollment of about 3,300, split between undergraduate and graduate students. Ranked among the best West region universities by US News, OLLU’s 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps to support a tight-knit educational community that combines personalized instruction with collaborative learning. Over 60% of classes have less than 20 students, and none have over 49. Founded by the Catholic Sisters of Divine Providence order, the university has a special emphasis on a compassionate, coeducational liberal arts curriculum, and lists its core values as “community, integrity, trust, and service.”

OLLU offers an online Master of Science in Information Systems and Security that consists of 30 hours, designed for working professionals looking for upper management positions like CIO, CTO, or CSO. Core courses include Data Base Management Systems, Information Systems Development, Telecommunications and Networking, and Information Systems Hardware and Software Platforms. From there, students take specialized courses like Information Assurance Planning and Management, Special Topics in Information Systems and Security, and Internet Security Architectures. Applicants should have earned at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and must submit GRE or GMAT scores. Student services include career development, academic advising, testing, transfer assistance, and more.
Homepage