Computer Science – Master

Become the expert needed to design secure and performant computer systems for smart digitalisation in society and the industry.

Updated on 14. Oct. 2026

Facts

Duration

2 years (4 semesters)

Language of instruction

English

ECTS credits

120

Start of studies

August every year

Student association

ISI

Application and admission

Academic admission requirements below Information about the application process below

Tuition fees

See tuition fees for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens

Tre personer sitter ved et bord bak hver sin PC. — You will learn to design and implement systems that utilize complex infrastructure, including the cloud, wireless networks and blockchain.

About the programme

Adoption of Artificial intelligence, and continued digitalisation, in both industry and society at large, requires increasingly complex computer systems. With a master’s in Computer Science, you become the expert needed to architect, develop, and deploy such systems and ensure their security and performance.

Building on a bachelor’s in computer science, the master covers a broad range of more advanced topics, including network security and efficient data processing.
You will learn to design and implement systems that utilize complex infrastructure, including the cloud, wireless networks and blockchain.
Through the Generative AI course and a selection of elective courses, you will gain the skills to understand and apply the technologies that drive artificial intelligence.
The programme places a strong emphasis on practical skills, offering hands-on experience. You apply and extend your knowledge in programming assignments and course projects.
You can write your master's thesis in collaboration with industry, and participate in innovation and research.
The programme has two specialisations: one for science students and one for engineering students. The specialisation for engineering students leads to the Norwegian professional title 'sivilingeniør'.

Career prospects

We encounter digital technology everywhere, and researchers and developers in Computer Science are crucial in making information society and digitalization a reality.

Developers in Computer Science are indispensable in almost all industries. Here are some examples of businesses where you can find employment:

consulting companies
telecommunications companies
oil-related businesses
hospitals and other public agencies

A degree in Computer Science provides a basis for work with:

software security
software development
design of computer networks and systems

Further education

Graduates can qualify for admission to the PhD programme in Science and Technology with relevant specialisation at the University of Stavanger.

All study programmes at the UiS have a set of defined learning targets. Read more about the learning outcome for this study programme.

A graduate should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

K1: Have advanced knowledge in Computer Science including cloud computing, security, networks, distributed systems and generative AI.

K2: Have deep knowledge in the subject areas’ scientific theories and methods.

Skills

S1: Use relevant methods for research and software development in an independent manner.

S2: Analyse and relate in a critical manner to different information sources and apply these to structure and formulate professional reasoning within information technology.

S3: Perform an independent, limited research- or development project under guidance and in line with established ethical norms for research.

S4: Exploit knowledge in wireless communication, sensor networking, distributed communication systems and generative AI.

S5: Design, model, simulate, and develop advanced network-based computer systems with focus on dependability and security.

General competence

G1: Analyse relevant professional and research ethical problems.

G2: Apply one’s knowledge and skills to new areas to conduct complex tasks and projects.

G3: Communicate comprehensively about own work and master the subject area’s form of expression.

G4: Communicate professional problems, analyse, and draw conclusions within the subject area, both with specialists and the general public.

Academic requirements

a) Specialisation for Engineering Students

Admission requires a completed bachelor's degree in computer science, informatics or similar, with a minimum of 50 ECTS credits in informatics/computer science courses. A minimum of 25 ECTS credits in mathematics, 5 ECTS credits in statistics, and 7.5 ECTS credits in physics is required. Applicants with foreign education must have the equivalent.

If you have completed studies/courses outside the University of Stavanger, you must upload original course descriptions in Norwegian or English, which include clearly defined learning outcomes (curriculum). The course titles and codes must match the transcript of records. If you do not upload course descriptions, your application may be deprioritised.

b) Specialisation for Science Students

Admission requires a completed bachelor's degree in computer science, informatics or similar, with a minimum of 50 ECTS credits in informatics/computer science courses. In addition, students must have at least 20 ECTS credits in mathematics or statistics.

If you have completed studies/courses outside the University of Stavanger, you must upload original course descriptions in Norwegian or English, which include clearly defined learning outcomes (curriculum). The course titles and codes must match the transcript of records. If you do not upload course descriptions, your application may be deprioritised.

Supplementary rules for admission (PDF)

This study program is taught in English, see how to meet the language requirements.

Application and admission

International and local applicants have different deadlines and application procedures, depending on your citizenship, language skills and educational background.

Am I an international or local applicant?

Ready to apply?

Application portal "Søknadsweb"

By going on exchange to one of our partner institutions abroad as part of your studies, you will have an opportunity to get a unique education. In addition to improving your career opportunities, you grow as a person and gain the ability to greater reflect on the topics you study as part of your degree.

Schedule for the exchange
3rd semester

Students can go on a study abroad experience during the 3rd semester of the master's programme in Computer Science. Abroad, you must choose courses that provide an equivalent specialisation in your field of study, and these must be approved before you leave. It is also important that the courses you are going to take abroad do not overlap with courses you have already taken or will take later in your studies. It is recommended to think about your specialisation and/or your field of interest. You must choose at least one non-science/technological course equivalent to 5-10 ECTS (e.g. economics, languages, ethics, project management, green transition or similar).

More opportunities

In addition to the recommended universities listed below, UiS has a number of agreements with universities outside Europe that are applicable to all students at UiS, provided that they find a relevant course offering. Within the Nordic region, all students can use the Nordlys and Nordtek networks.

Find out more

Contact your study adviser at the faculty if you have questions about guidance and pre-approval of courses: Sheryl Josdal

General questions about exchange:
Go to the exchange guide in the Digital student service desk

All about exchange

See where you can travel

Australia

Adelaide University

Danmark

Aalborg Universitet

Frankrike

Grenoble Institute of Technology

Italia

Politecnico di Milano University

Italia

University of Pisa

Nederland

University of Twente, Enschede

Polen

Lodz University of Technology

Tyskland

RWTH Aachen University

Tyskland

Technical University of Munich

Studyplan with courses

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Data Science and Computer Science?

Data Science – working with data and insights

When you study Data Science, you learn how to turn raw, complex data into actionable knowledge. You work with the entire data lifecycle – from data collection and processing to analysis and practical application.

You will gain expertise in:

advanced statistics
data mining
machine learning
analysis of large datasets

The programme focuses on developing intelligent, data-driven solutions, for example for smart cities, smart energy and digitalisation. These skills are highly sought after across the modern labour market.

Computer Science – developing and building computer systems

When you study Computer Science, you learn how to design, develop and manage complex computer systems. The focus is on understanding how systems are built, how they interact, and how to ensure the operate securely and efficiently in different contexts.

You will gain expertise in:

programming and system design
algorithms and statistics
security, reliability and scalability
distributed systems, simulation and modelling

The programme provides a foundation for architecting, developing and managing commercial computer systems for a wide range of purposes and industries.