Benefit from the Seidenberg Portable Lab alongside your peers in the online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Developed by faculty members at the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, this innovative approach provides students with free enterprise server virtual machines to download and run on their own home computers or laptops using an emulator. Everyone in the program has access to the same lab computers, no matter their location.

To learn cutting-edge technologies, students need to develop projects on enterprise server computers. Rather than relying on university or other servers that can’t support such complex environments, the Seidenberg method provides students with their own full-featured personal labs. All aspects are preinstalled and preconfigured, and it is truly portable, as it can be kept on a USB drive for use on any computer. Detailed tutorials for installation and usage are provided by Lixin Tao, professor and computer science department chairperson and an international pioneer in cloud computing and machine learning.

Students each receive:

  • Their own copy of software development tools
  • Clusters of enterprise servers, including database servers, web servers, and application servers
  • Firsthand experience with networking and current computing technologies needed to address industry challenges

Practical Experience to Prepare for Your Career

The MS in Computer Science is a how-to, hands-on program that enables students to garner real-world experience through the use of virtual machines. As a  STEM designated degree, this Pace program has been recognized by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and prepares students for in-demand jobs.

Pace has consulted with IBM, Microsoft, and Google to ensure that the concepts and techniques students learn and apply in the program allow them to graduate well-prepared for roles in the field. The MS in Computer Science also utilizes computing resources and tools from the IBM Academic Initiative.

Our industry focus pays off; 94% of all Seidenberg School bachelor’s and master’s graduates were employed within one year after graduation.

Students in the master’s program are exposed to complex enterprise computing environments. Throughout various labs, they learn about cryptography, Java/web security, web technologies, web services, cloud computing, machine learning, business process automation, and big data processing. Working through guided exercises, students:

  • Create engaging, dynamic and scalable websites and cloud applications
  • Develop web services and client applications to enable instant global communications
  • Improve cloud server performance by parallel computing over 1,000 processors
  • Develop engaging games and mobile applications
  • Understand and secure e-commerce transactions through the latest cybersecurity protocols and technologies
  • Automate company process execution for improved solution/service quality with reduced staffing level
  • Empower applications with artificial intelligence and knowledge
  • …and more.