Master of Science Computer Science

Master's Programme Computer Science

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Am 01. Oktober 2026 werden Änderungen der Prüfungsordnung im Master Informatik in Kraft treten. Die Änderungen betreffen auch alle schon immatrikulierten Studierenden. Auf dieser Seite finden Sie alle relevanten Informationen dazu.

Overview

Degree	Master of Science
Duration	4 semesters
Credits	120 ECTS
Language	German and English (certificates are required)
Content	The programme is essentially a broad computer science Master's programme, but has distinctive interdisciplinary specialisations. It imparts the informatics basics to develop and maintain systems of software and hardware analytically, creatively and constructively. The methodical and analytical training combined with a broad spectrum of applications qualifies graduates of this degree for a field that is in high demand on the labour market and in science.
Internationality	Stays abroad possible during studies
Start	Summer and winter semester

This programme offers you:

Depending on your choice of focus, you will have strongly developed skills in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Algorithmics, Scientific Computing, Visual Analytics or Software Engineering. All of these areas are highly relevant and in demand in both academia and industry.
The degree programme is characterised by great flexibility and choice. There is not a single compulsory course in the curriculum.

Structure

The structure of the degree programme is shown in the figure below. It is characterised by great flexibility and wide-ranging options for students. All courses in the compulsory elective area of computer science are assigned to a specific subject area (see below). The programme structure only stipulates that students must achieve a certain minimum number of credit points in individual subject areas. Students select one of the subject areas as their focus area. In the focus area, courses totalling at least 21 CP must be completed. Students select two further subject areas as supplementary areas to the focus area, in each of which they must complete at least 12 CP. This ensures a certain subject breadth within the scope of the informatics education. The study structure is completed by a seminar in computer science (6 CP), a Master's thesis (30 CP), interdisciplinary qualifications (6 CP) and the achievement of 24 CP in an application field (see below).

Subject areas

Subject areas structure the courses according to the content areas of computer science. A subject area can contain courses in different forms (lecture, tutorial, practical, project) and with different scopes. Currently there are the following subject areas:

Algorithms and Theory
Engineering of Software-Intensive Systems
Artificial Intelligence and Visual Analytics
Scientific Computing and High Performance Computing

Please refer to the module handbook for the specific courses in the subject areas.

Fields of application

The application field enables students to apply the computer science fundamentals in a concrete context and to use them creatively. Students must decide on one of the following fields of application when they start their studies and take courses there to the extent of 24 CP.

Application field "Mathematics"
Application field "Physics"
Application field "Economics"
Application field "Digital Humanities"
Application Field "Computational Biology"
Application area "Earth and Atmosphere"

Please refer to the module handbook for the specific courses in the application fields.

Interdisciplinary qualifications

In addition to the subject-specific content, students must take courses in the module "Interdisciplinary Qualifications" amounting to 6 CP, which cover relevant topics outside of the subject-specific expertise. For this purpose, students can choose from a catalogue of courses in the areas of entrepreneurship, philosophy of science, interdisciplinarity, ethics/philosophy and society. The module is ungraded.

Some of the courses recommended here can be found in the course plan of the masters programme in KLIPS. Students also have the opportunity of applying for credit for courses not listed in KLIPS for the "Interdisciplinary Qualifications" module. For this purpose, a request must be sent to the examination office. This also applies in particular to the courses offered by the ProfessionalCenter of the University of Cologne, which are listed in KLIPS as "Extracurricular Courses".

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Häufig gestellte Fragen rund um Zugangsvoraussetzungen und den Bewerbungsprozess - aber auch Fragen, die erst während des Studiums auftreten - finden Sie in den Studiengangs-FAQs beantwortet: