Program at a Glance
- Online and On Campus
- Part-Time Study
- 16 Credits
- 8–12 Months to Completion
- 17 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees Range—Part-Time Study*: $14,020–$15,720
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees.
Learn to Develop Web Applications
Available on campus and online, the Graduate Certificate in Web Application Development at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) introduces the fundamental concepts of web applications, providing a comprehensive coverage of both client-side and server-side development. The latest topics in JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, Vue.js, Angular, PHP, and Node.js are widely covered. You also learn, and work with, cutting-edge technologies for building desktop and mobile web applications. Over the course of the certificate program, you will create real-world web application projects that also involve interacting with databases such as Oracle, MySQL, and NoSQL databases like MongoDB.
By completing the BU MET Web Application Development certificate, you will have the skills necessary to pursue roles such as:
- Web application developer, designing user interactions on websites, databases for website functionality, and coding for mobile platforms
- Full stack web developer, capable of developing UIs using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and Vue.js, and interface with databases
- Web solutions engineer, who can leverage coding skills or experience in JavaScript as well as design and develop tools and applications for small- to large-scale data processing
#8, Best Online Master's in Computer Information Technology Programs
MET’s online master’s degrees in computer information technology are ranked #8 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2024.
Learn More
Request Information
Receive more details about your program of interest.
Learn More
Computer Science Career Outlook
Top computer science careers in data science, software development, and other popular areas of IT.
Learn more
Why BU Should Be Your Top Choice for Computer Science Graduate Study
- Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s computer science courses ensure you get the attention you need, while introducing case studies and real-world projects that emphasize technical and theoretical knowledge—combining in-depth, practical experience with the critical skills needed to remain on the forefront of the information technology field.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s computer science graduate programs, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty and seasoned industry leaders in a wide range of technology fields who are committed to teaching the latest technologies within the framework of ideas, concepts, and methods that drive innovation.
- Extensive Network: Study alongside peers and professionals with solid IT experience, learn from faculty who have valuable contacts across several sectors, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
- Track Record: Learn from the best—BU MET’s Department of Computer Science was established in 1979 and is the longest-running computer science department at BU. Over its four decades, the department has played an important role in the emergence of IT at the University and throughout the region.
Prepare for the Future of Technology with BU MET
The four-course Web Application Development graduate certificate is part of BU MET’s portfolio of computer science and IT graduate programs. For over forty years, the Department of Computer Science at Metropolitan College has prepared students to tackle contemporary challenges in the field. Our programs are uniquely flexible—we offer courses evenings on campus, fully online, or in a blended format that combines online study with occasional campus visits—so you can balance graduate school with your career, family, and other obligations. We take pride in providing training in critical specialization areas and emphasizing practical, insightful, and adaptable knowledge that can be immediately applied on the job while informing your career growth for years to come. We also offer extensive advising to help you identify the subjects you’ll need to achieve your career goals.
Our degree programs are certified by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS)—the MS in Computer Information Systems has additional accreditation from the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Boston University is designated a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense and Research by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.
Gain Expertise in Web App Development
Metropolitan College’s Graduate Certificate in Web Application Development will equip you with:
- Advanced knowledge of web application development languages.
- Proficiency in server-side web language/platform-specific technologies like Java and .NET, and client-side languages/frameworks like JavaScript.
- Competence sufficient to apply acquired knowledge in migrating to new and emerging standards and technologies.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
You can earn the master’s in Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Web Application Development by completing the Graduate Certificate in Web Application Development and the Graduate Certificate in Information Technology, plus two additional courses: Introduction to Probability and Statistics (MET CS 546 ) and either Information Structures with Java (MET CS 520) or Information Structures with Python (MET CS 521). Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at csadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
Web Application Development Graduate Certificate Curriculum
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET CS 601 Web Application Development
Fall ‘24
Prerequisites: WAD 100 - Learn essential front-end development skills, starting with foundational JavaScript techniques, such as DOM manipulation and event handling, and advancing to interactive web technologies like HTML's Drag and Drop, Canvas, and SVG. You will be exposed to asynchronous operations, including AJAX, the Fetch API, and Web Workers, and learn to craft responsive designs using Flexbox, CSS Grid, and advanced CSS selectors. A comprehensive exploration of TypeScript and its main feature, static typing, and capabilities will also be covered. The course concludes with a comprehensive dive into ReactJS, covering its core architectural concepts, component-based structure, and state management techniques [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Sheehan |
CAS 116 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O2 |
IND |
Hur |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 602 Server-Side Web Development
Fall ‘24
The Server-Side Web Development course concentrates primarily on building web applications using PHP/MySQL and Node.js/MongoDB. The course is divided into various modules covering in depth the following topics: PHP, MySQL, Object oriented PHP, PHP MVC, Secure Web applications, Node.js and MongoDB. Along with the fundamentals underlying these technologies, several applications will be showcased as case studies. Students work with these technologies starting with simple applications and then examining real world complex applications. At the end of this course, students would have mastered the web application development on the server-side. Prerequisite: MET CS 601. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Sheehan |
EPC 206 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 701 Rich Internet Application Development
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET CS 520 or MET CS 601 and programming experience, or instructor's c onsent - The Rich Internet Application (RIA) Development course concentrates primarily on building rich client web applications in the browser for desktop and mobile devices. The course is divided into various modules covering in depth the following technologies: HTML5, AngularJS, and Ionic framework. Along with the fundamentals underlying these technologies, several applications will be showcased as case studies. Students work with these technologies starting with simple applications and then examining real world complex applications. At the end of this course, students would have mastered the latest and widely used RIA methodologies. Course Prerequisites: METCS520 (Information Structures) and METCS601 (Web Application Development), or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
O1 |
IND |
Winderbaum |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
And one course selected from the following (some courses may not be available in the online format):
MET CS 526 Data Structures and Algorithms
Fall ‘24
This course covers and relates fundamental components of programs. Students use various data structures to solve computational problems, and implement data structures using a high-level programming language. Algorithms are created, decomposed, and expressed as pseudocode. The running time of various algorithms and their computational complexity are analyzed. Prerequisite: MET CS300 and either MET CS520 or MET CS521, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Raghu |
MCS B33 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
|
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
O2 |
IND |
Burstein |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 532 Computer Graphics
Graduate Prerequisites: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 or consent of the instructor - This course is primarily the study of design of graphic algorithms. At the end of the course you can expect to be able to write programs to model, transform and display 3- dimensional objects on a 2-dimensional display. The course starts with a brief survey of graphics devices and graphics software. 2-d primitives such as lines and curves in 2- d space are studied and a number of algorithms to draw them on a rectangular surface are introduced, followed by a study of polygons, scan conversion and other fill methods. Attributes of the primitives are studied as well as filtering and aliasing. Geometric transformations in 2 dimensions are introduced in homogeneous coordinates, followed by the viewing pipeline, which includes clipping of lines, polygons and text. Hierarchical graphics modeling is briefly studied. The graphics user interface is introduced and various input functions and interaction modes are examined. 3-d graphics is introduced through object representations through polygonal methods, spline techniques, and octrees. This is followed by 3-d transformations and the 3-d viewing pipeline. The course ends with a study of algorithms to detect the visible surfaces of a 3-d object in both the object space and the image space. Laboratory Course. Prereq: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 544 Foundations of Analytics and Data Visualization
Fall ‘24
Formerly titled CS 544 Foundations of Analytics with R.
The goal of this course is to provide students with the mathematical and practical background required in the field of data analytics. Probability and statistics concepts will be reviewed as well as the R tool for statistical computing and graphics. Different types of data are investigated along with data summarization techniques and plotting. Data populations using discrete, continuous, and multivariate distributions are explored. Errors during measurements and computations are analyzed in the course. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing topics are also examined. The concepts covered in the course are demonstrated using R. Laboratory Course. Prereq: MET CS546 and (MET CS520 or MET CS521), or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Kalathur |
MCS B31 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
Diwania |
CAS 208 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
Pan |
CAS 201 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A4 |
IND |
Pan |
CAS 213 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Kalathur |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
O2 |
IND |
Kalathur |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 555 Foundations of Machine Learning
Fall ‘24
Formerly titled CS 555 Data Analysis and Visualization with R.
This course provides an overview of the statistical tools most commonly used to process, analyze, and visualize data. Topics include simple linear regression, multiple regression, logistic regression, analysis of variance, and survival analysis. These topics are explored using the statistical package R, with a focus on understanding how to use and interpret output from this software as well as how to visualize results. In each topic area, the methodology, including underlying assumptions and the mechanics of how it all works along with appropriate interpretation of the results, are discussed. Concepts are presented in context of real world examples. Recommended Prerequisite: MET CS 544 or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Wu |
PHO 201 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
Alizadeh-Shabdiz |
PSY B51 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
Alizadeh-Shabdiz |
MET 101 |
R |
9:00 am – 11:45 am |
O2 |
IND |
Alizadeh-Shabdiz |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 561 Financial Analytics
This course presents financial algorithms used in applications of computer science in financial decision analysis, risk management, data mining and market analysis, and other modern business processes. The course covers theoretical background on probabilistic methods used for financial decision making and their application in number of fields such as financial modeling, venture capital decision making, operational risk measurement and investment science. Number of financial applications and algorithms are being presented for portfolio risk analysis, modeling real options, venture capital decision making, etc. The course concludes with algorithms for financial risk assessment and presents the security concepts and challenges of financial information systems. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 570 Biomedical Sciences and Health IT
Fall ‘24
This course is designed for IT professionals, and those training to be IT professionals, who are preparing for careers in healthcare-related IT (Health Informatics). This course provides a high-level introduction into basic concepts of biomedicine and familiarizes students with the structure and organization of American healthcare system and the roles played by IT in that system. The course introduces medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology, disease processes, diagnostic modalities, and treatments associated with common disease processes. IT case studies demonstrate the key roles of health informatics and how IT tools and resources help medical professionals integrate multiple sources of information to make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
O1 |
IND |
Keskin |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 580 Health Informatics
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS570) - This course presents the fundamental principles, concepts, and technological elements that make up the building blocks of Health Informatics. It introduces the characteristics of data, information, and knowledge in the domain, the common algorithms for health applications, and IT components in representative clinical processes. It presents the conceptual framework for handling biomedical data collection, storage, and optimal use. It covers the concepts of population health and precision medicine and the information systems that support them. It introduces basic principles of knowledge management systems in biomedicine, various aspects of Health Information Technology standards, and IT aspects of clinical process modeling. Students design a simple Health Informatics solution as a term project. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
O2 |
IND |
Zhang |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 581 Health Information Systems
Fall ‘24
Health Information Systems are comprehensive application systems that automate the activities of healthcare delivery including clinical care using electronic health records (EHRs), coordination of care across providers, telehealth, management of the business of healthcare such as revenue cycle management, and population health management. The course covers the functionality of these systems, the underlying information technology they require and their successful operations. It addresses challenges in this rapidly changing field such as complex data, security, interoperability, mobile technology and distributed users. The course emphasizes applied use of health information systems through case studies, current articles, and exercises. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Levinger |
CAS 213 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E1 |
IND |
Levinger |
CAS 213 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 599 Biometrics
In this course we will study the fundamental and design applications of various biometric systems based on fingerprints, voice, face, hand geometry, palm print, iris, retina, and other modalities. Multimodal biometric systems that use two or more of the above characteristics will be discussed. Biometric system performance and issues related to the security and privacy aspects of these systems will also be addressed. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 622 Advanced Programming Techniques
Fall ‘24
HUB
Polymorphism, containers, libraries, method specifications, large-scale code management, use of exceptions, concurrent programming, functional programming, programming tests. Java will be used to illustrate these concepts. Students will implement a project or projects of their own choosing, in Java, since some concepts are expressible only in Java. Prerequisite: MET CS 342 or equivalent knowledge of Java. Or MET CS 521 and MET CS 526. Or instructor's consent. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Creativity/Innovation, Critical Thinking. [ 4 cr. ]
BU Hub Learn More - Creativity/Innovation
- Critical Thinking
- Quantitative Reasoning II
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Rawassizadeh |
KCB 107 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 632 Information Technology Project Management
Fall ‘24
HUB
This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the principles, processes, and practices of software project management. Students learn techniques for planning, organizing, scheduling, and controlling software projects. There is substantial focus on software cost estimation and software risk management. Students will obtain practical project management skills and competencies related to the definition of a software project, establishment of project communications, managing project changes, and managing distributed software teams and projects. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
O1 |
IND |
Kanabar |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 633 Software Quality, Testing, and Security Management
Fall ‘24
Theory and practice of security and quality assurance and testing for each step of the software development cycle. Verification vs. validation. Test case design techniques, test coverage criteria, security development and verification practices, and tools for static and dynamic analysis. Standards. Test-driven development. QA for maintenance and legacy applications. From a project management knowledge perspective, this course covers the methods, tools and techniques associated with the following processes -- Plan Quality, Perform Quality Assurance, and Perform Quality Control. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
ELENTUKH |
PSY B33 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
ELENTUKH |
CAS 222 |
F |
11:15 am – 2:00 pm |
E1 |
IND |
ELENTUKH |
PSY B33 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 634 Agile Software Development
Fall ‘24
This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the principles, processes, and practices of agile software development. Students learn techniques for initiating, planning and executing on software development projects using agile methodologies. Students will obtain practical knowledge of agile development frameworks and be able to distinguish between agile and traditional project management methodologies. Students will learn how to apply agile tools and techniques in the software development lifecycle from project ideation to deployment, including establishing an agile team environment, roles and responsibilities, communication and reporting methods, and embracing change. We also leverage the guidelines outlined by the Project Management Institute for agile project development as a framework in this course. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Heda |
HAR 228 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O2 |
IND |
St John |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 635 Network Media Technologies
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS231 & METCS232 & METTC535) CS 231 or CS 232 and TC 535 or consent of the instructor. - The purpose of this course is to provide students with a deeper understanding of Media-specific Technologies not only so that they will be able to use the ones covered in this course, but more importantly be able to analyze and evaluate new technologies. This course applies the principles from CS 535 to understand the engineering that lead to them as well as the special problems that confront network technologies that operate directly over the physical media. These Media specific layers have three problems to solve: the usual one of multiple users of a common resource, accommodating the particular characteristics of the media, and providing (to the degree possible) a media- independent service to the layers above. While CS 535 provides a high-level view of some of these technologies, in this course, they are considered in much greater detail as to how these technologies address their requirements and take advantage of the assumptions made. The emphasis is on those technologies that are either representative of a type or take a unique perspective on the problem. Hence, the traditional data link protocols, such as HDLC, modern Ethernet (primarily VLANs), WiFi (802.11) represent the first type, while media technologies, such as DOCSIS, RFIDs, IoT, and cellular mobile networks are representative of the second. The course will consider how these technologies solve mobility, routing, congestion, QoS (multi-media), security, etc. A major project is part of this course. Prereq: MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 and either MET CS 625 or MET CS 535; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 664 Artificial Intelligence
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342. - Study of the ideas and techniques that enable computers to behave intelligently. Search, constraint propagations, and reasoning. Knowledge representation, natural language, learning, question answering, inference, visual perception, and/or problem solving. Laboratory course. Prereq: MET CS 341, MET CS 342, MET CS 520 or MET CS 521. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Kalathur |
CAS 225 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Braude |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 665 Software Design and Patterns
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS341 or METCS342 and METCS565) or consent of the instructor - Software design principles, the object-oriented paradigm, unified modeling language; creational, structural, and behavioral design patterns; OO analysis and design; implementation of semester project. Laboratory course. Prereq: (MET CS 526 or MET CS 622) and one of the following (MET CS 341, MET CS 342, MET CS 520, or MET CS 521). Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Orsini |
CAS 324 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 669 Database Design and Implementation for Business
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restrictions: Only for MS CIS. This course may not be taken in conjunc tion with MET CS 469 (undergraduate) or MET CS 579. Only one of these courses can be counted towards degree requirements. - Students learn the latest relational and object-relational tools and techniques for persistent data and object modeling and management. Students gain extensive hands- on experience using Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server as they learn the Structured Query Language (SQL) and design and implement databases. Students design and implement a database system as a term project. Restrictions: This course may not be taken in conjunction with MET CS 469 (undergraduate) or MET CS 579. Only one of these courses can be counted towards degree requirements. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Maiewski |
HAR 408 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
Russo |
CAS 204A |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
|
PHO 205 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E1 |
IND |
|
PHO 205 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Mansur |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
O2 |
IND |
Mansur |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 674 Database Security
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: CS 579 or CS 669 or consent of the instructor - The course provides a strong foundation in database security and auditing. This course utilizes Oracle scenarios and step-by-step examples. The following topics are covered: security, profiles, password policies, privileges and roles, Virtual Private Databases, and auditing. The course also covers advanced topics such as SQL injection, database management security issues such as securing the DBMS, enforcing access controls, and related issues. Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
O1 |
IND |
Carroll |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 677 Data Science with Python
Fall ‘24
Students will learn major Python tools and techniques for data analysis. There are weekly assignments and mini projects on topics covered in class. These assignments will help build necessary statistical, visualization and other data science skills for effective use of data science in a variety of applications including finance, text processing, time series analysis and recommendation systems. In addition, students will choose a topic for a final project and present it on the last day of class. Prerequisite: MET CS 521 or equivalent. Or, instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Pinsky |
PSY B51 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
Enxing |
CAS 214 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
Pinsky |
CDS 264 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A4 |
IND |
Mohan |
KCB 102 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O2 |
IND |
Liu |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 683 Mobile Application Development with Android
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS342) or instructor's consent. - This course discusses the principles and issues associated with mobile application development using Android as the development platform. Topics covered will include Android application components (Activities, Services, Content Providers and Broadcast Receivers), ICC (Inter-component Communication), UI design, data storage, asynchronous processing, 2D graphics, and Android security. Students will develop their own apps in Java and/or Kotlin using Android Studio in their semester-long projects. Prior knowledge of Java programming is required. Prerequisite: MET CS 342 OR MET CS 520 OR MET CS 521. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
|
PHO 205 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E1 |
IND |
|
PHO 205 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 684 Enterprise Cybersecurity Management
Fall ‘24
This course covers important topics that students need to understand in order to effectively manage a successful cybersecurity and privacy program, including governance, risk management, asset classification and incidence response. Students are first introduced to cybersecurity & privacy policy frameworks, governance, standards, and strategy. Risk tolerance is critical when building a cybersecurity and privacy program that supports business goals and strategies. Risk management fundamentals and assessment processes will be reviewed in depth including the methodology for identifying, quantifying, mitigating and controlling risks. Asset classification and the importance of protecting Intellectual Property (IP) will prepare students to understand and identify protection mechanisms needed to defend against malicious actors, including industry competitors and nation states. Incident Response programs will cover preparation and responses necessary to triage incidents and respond quickly to limit damage from malicious actors. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Campbell |
KCB 102 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O2 |
IND |
Pak |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 685 Network Design and Management
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS535 OR METCS625) or instructor's consent - . This course will cover contemporary integrated network management based on FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Administration, Performance, and Security management) model. The introduction to the course will be an overview of data transmission techniques and networking technologies. The middle part of the course will be on Network Management Model, SNMP versions 1, 2 and 3, and MIBs. In the second part of the course, particular focus and emphasis will be given to current network management issues: various wireless networks technologies (WLAN, WiFi, WiMax), Voice-over-IP, Peer-to-Peer Networks, networking services, Identity Management, and Services Oriented Architecture Management. Prereq: MET CS 535 or MET CS 625. or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Arena |
MCS B29 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 688 Web Mining and Graph Analytics
Fall ‘24
Prerequisites: MET CS 544, or MET CS 555 or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent. - The Web Mining and Graph Analytics course covers the areas of web mining, machine learning fundamentals, text mining, clustering, and graph analytics. This includes learning fundamentals of machine learning algorithms, how to evaluate algorithm performance, feature engineering, content extraction, sentiment analysis, distance metrics, fundamentals of clustering algorithms, how to evaluate clustering performance, and fundamentals of graph analysis algorithms, link analysis and community detection based on graphs. Laboratory Course. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
|
CAS 201 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A2 |
IND |
Ghaedi |
MCS B31 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
Vasilkoski |
CAS 116 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Joner |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 689 Designing and Implementing a Data Warehouse
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: CS 579 or CS 669 or consent of the instructor - This course surveys state-of-the art technologies in DW and Big Data. It describes logical, physical and semantic foundation of modern DW infrastructure. Students will create a cube using OLAP and implement decision support benchmarks on Hadoop/Spark vs Vertica database. Upon successful completion, students will be familiar with tradeoffs in DW design and architecture. Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669 and either MET CS 520 or MET CS 521. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Polnar |
COM 215 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 690 Network Security
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS535 OR METCS625) or instructor's consent. - This course will cover advanced network security issues and solutions. The main focus on the first part of the course will be on Security basics, i.e. security services, access controls, vulnerabilities, threats and risk, network architectures and attacks. In the second part of the course, particular focus and emphasis will be given to network security capabilities and mechanisms (Access Control on wire-line and wireless networks), IPsec, Firewalls, Deep Packet Inspection and Transport security. The final portion of the course will address Network Application security (Email, Ad-hoc, XML/SAML and Services Oriented Architecture security. As part of our course review we will explore a number of Network Use Cases. Prereq: MET CS 535 or MET CS 625; Familiarity with OSI and TCP/IP protocol stack; Background-familiarity with binary numbers, prime numbers, binary- hexadecimal-decimal conversions, etc; Familiarity with computer programming concepts; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A2 |
IND |
Zhang |
CAS 226 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E2 |
IND |
Zhang |
CAS 226 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 693 Digital Forensics and Investigations
Fall ‘24
Provides a comprehensive understanding of digital forensics and investigation tools and techniques. Learn what computer forensics and investigation is as a profession and gain an understanding of the overall investigative process. Operating system architectures and disk structures are discussed. Studies how to set up an investigator's office and laboratory, as well as what computer forensic hardware and software tools are available. Other topics covered include importance of digital evidence controls and how to process crime and incident scenes, details of data acquisition, computer forensic analysis, e-mail investigations, image file recovery, investigative report writing, and expert witness requirements. Provides a range of laboratory and hands-on assignments either in solo or in teams. With rapid growth of computer systems and digital data this area has grown in importance. Prereq: Working knowledge of windows computers, including installing and removing software. Access to a PC meeting the minimum system requirements defined in the course syllabus. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
E1 |
IND |
Arena |
EPC 206 |
S |
9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Navarro |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 694 Mobile Forensics and Security
Overview of mobile forensics investigation techniques and tools. Topics include mobile forensics procedures and principles, related legal issues, mobile platform internals, bypassing passcode, rooting or jailbreaking process, logical and physical acquisition, data recovery and analysis, and reporting. Provides in-depth coverage of both iOS and Android platforms. Laboratory and hands-on exercises using current tools are provided and required. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 695 Cybersecurity
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS625) or instructor's consent - This course introduces fundamental concepts, principles of cybersecurity and their use in the development of security mechanisms and policies. Topics include basic risk assessment and management; basic legal and ethics issues, various cyber attacks, defense methods and tools; security principles, models and components; different crypto protocols, techniques and tools, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms, hashing, public key infrastructure, and how they can be used; security threats and defense to hardware, operating systems, networks and applications in modern computing environments. Hands-on labs using current tools are provided and required. Prerequisite: METCS535 or METCS625 or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Zhang |
CGS 121 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E1 |
IND |
Zhang |
CGS 121 |
T |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 699 Data Mining
Fall ‘24
Prerequisites: MET CS 521 & MET CS 546; MET CS 579 or MET CS 669; or consent of instructor. - Study basic concepts and techniques of data mining. Topics include data preparation, classification, performance evaluation, association rule mining, regression and clustering. Students learn underlying theories of data mining algorithms in the class and they practice those algorithms through assignments and a semester-long class project using R. After finishing this course, students will be able to independently perform data mining tasks to solve real-world problems. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A2 |
IND |
Lee |
HAR 322 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
A3 |
IND |
Lee |
MET 101 |
W |
2:30 pm – 5:15 pm |
O2 |
IND |
Joner |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 775 Advanced Networking
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS535) or consent of the instructor - This seminar course provides a strong foundation in networking and Internet architecture, data transfer protocols, including TCP, SCTP, QUIC, and IPv6, and a deep look at network resource allocation with an emphasis on protocol- independent hardware for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and congestion management. The course goes into greater depth of current topics such as: naming and addressing, synchronization, congestion management and resource allocation (routing) and how they manifest in different environments. There will be assigned readings from the professor that require considerable class participation, both in presenting material and discussing it.
Prereq: MET CS 535 OR MET CS 625,or instructor's consent required. [ 4 cr. ]
MET CS 777 Big Data Analytics
Fall ‘24
This course is an introduction to large-scale data analytics. Big Data analytics is the study of how to extract actionable, non-trivial knowledge from massive amount of data sets. This class will focus both on the cluster computing software tools and programming techniques used by data scientists, as well as the important mathematical and statistical models that are used in learning from large-scale data processing. On the tools side, we will cover the basics systems and techniques to store large-volumes of data, as well as modern systems for cluster computing based on Map-Reduce pattern such as Hadoop MapReduce, Apache Spark and Flink. Students will implement data mining algorithms and execute them on real cloud systems like Amazon AWS, Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure by using educational accounts. On the data mining models side, this course will cover the main standard supervised and unsupervised models and will introduce improvement techniques on the model side.
Prerequisite: MET CS 521, MET CS 544 and MET CS 555. Or, MET CS 677. Or, Instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Alizadeh-Shabdiz |
PSY B51 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
O1 |
IND |
Trajanov |
|
ARR |
12:00 am – 12:00 am |
MET CS 779 Advanced Database Management
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS579 OR METCS669) or consent of the instructor - This course covers advanced aspects of database management including normalization and denormalization, query optimization, distributed databases, data warehousing, and big data. There is extensive coverage and hands on work with SQL, and database instance tuning. Course covers various modern database architectures including relational, key value, object relational and document store models as well as various approaches to scale out, integrate and implement database systems through replication and cloud based instances. Students learn about unstructured "big data" architectures and databases, and gain hands-on experience with Spark and MongoDB. Students complete a term project exploring an advanced database technology of their choice. Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Polnar |
FLR 121 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 781 Advanced Health Informatics
Fall ‘24
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS570) - This course presents the details of information processing in hospitals, hospital information systems (HIS), and more broadly health information systems. It presents the architecture, design, and user requirements of information systems in health care environment. It focuses on Information Technology aspects of Health Informatics specifically addressing the design, development, operation, and management of HIS. The first part of this course covers the introductory concepts including information processing needs, and information management in health care environment. The second part covers detailed description of HIS including hospital process modeling, architecture, quality assessment, and applicable tools. The final part of the course covers management of HIS and related issues and extension of this topic to other health care organizations. The course will have a term project providing students a hands-on experience in design and research of HIS. Prereq: MET CS 580; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
D'Amore |
SAR 104 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
E1 |
IND |
D'Amore |
SAR 104 |
W |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 783 Enterprise Architecture
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS682) or strategic IT experience or instructor's consent - This course builds upon the strong technical foundation of our MSCIS and MSCS curricula, by providing students with the CIO-level management perspective and skills of an enterprise architect, in the context of the technologies that implement those architectures. Current technologies and processes explored in the enterprise architecture context include blockchain, microservices, multimodal/analytic databases, DevOps, SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), containers/Docker, and some leverage of AI techniques. We cover both the migration of legacy enterprise systems and de novo enterprise architecture development, vendor selection and management, cybersecurity in the enterprise, and complex system integration. Enterprise architecture decisions are presented in the context of the business goals and alignment that are critical for success, given globalization and the reality that "all companies are now technology companies." The course content is rich with case studies that illustrate practical application of enterprise architecture approaches and lessons learned. The course also includes a number of realistic enterprise architecture assignments and an incremental term project with components spanning the course, to provide students with hands on enterprise architecture experience. Students develop the understanding and skills needed to define and implement successful enterprise architectures that provide real strategic and concrete value to organizations, such as substantially reducing IT costs while improving performance, agility and alignment of information technology to business goals. On-campus classrooms follow a "flipped classroom" format, where significant class time is devoted to in-class group workshops. Prereq: MET CS 682. Or strategic IT experience. Or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Yates |
STH 113 |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 789 Cryptography
Fall ‘24
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS248 & METCS566) or consent of the instructor - The course covers the main concepts and principles of cryptography with the main emphasis put on public key cryptography. It begins with the review of integers and a thorough coverage of the fundamentals of finite group theory followed by the RSA and ElGamal ciphers. Primitive roots in cyclic groups and the discrete log problem are discussed. Baby-step Giant-step and the Index Calculus probabilistic algorithms to compute discrete logs in cyclic groups are presented. Naor -- Reingold and Blum -- Blum -- Shub Random Number Generators as well as Fermat, Euler and Miller-Rabin primality tests are thoroughly covered. Pollard's Rho, Pollard's and Quadratic Sieve factorization algorithms are presented. The course ends with the coverage of some oblivious transfer protocols and zero-knowledge proofs. There are numerous programming assignments in the course. Prereq: MET CS 248, or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Pascoe |
CAS B06A |
M |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 793 Special Topics in Computer Science
Fall ‘24
Fall 2023 Topic: Generative AI
This course focuses on recent advances in generative AI. It starts by reviewing statistics and regression models related to generative models, then common deep learning methods described. Later, models for designing new content, such as images, music, or text, will be explored, including GAN, VAE, Autoregressive and Diffusion Models. MLP, CNN, RNN, and Transformer models covered in CS 767 are reviewed. Students should be fluent in Python programming and CS 555 and CS 677 [ 4 cr. ]
Section |
Type |
Instructor |
Location |
Days |
Times |
A1 |
IND |
Rawassizadeh |
CAS 201 |
R |
6:00 pm – 8:45 pm |
MET CS 799 Advanced Cryptography
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METCS789) or instructor's consent - This course builds on the material covered in CS 789 Cryptography. It begins with the coverage of commutative rings, finite fields, rings of polynomials, and finding of the greatest common divisor in the ring of polynomials. Irreducible polynomials are discussed. Field extensions and fields Fᴩ [x]/P are thoroughly covered. The main emphasis is put on elliptic curves over Fᴩ and F₂ and the ElGamal cipher on elliptic curves is presented. Block ciphers DES and double and triple DES are introduced. AES and WHIRLPOOL block ciphers and modes of operation are covered. The course continues with the introduction of message integrity and message authentication. In the last part of the course cryptographic hash functions SHA-512 and WHIRLPOOL as well as various digital signatures are introduced. Finally, entity authentication and key management issues are discussed. Prereq: MET CS 789; or instructor's consent. [ 4 cr. ]
Computer Science Faculty
Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.
Learn More
Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include
scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.
Learn More
How Much Does This Program Cost?
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. Course enrollment in this certificate program is 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, and tuition is charged the part-time per-credit rate.
Web Application Development Graduate Certificate (Online and On Campus)
Enrollment Status |
Part Time |
Courses per Semester |
2 courses (8 credits) |
Time to Degree |
2 semesters (8 months) |
Tuition* |
$550-$975 per credit** |
Fees per Semester* |
$60 |
Total Degree Cost* |
$14,020– $15,720 |
*Based on 2024-2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
Apply Now
What to Read Next: MET Computer Science & IT Knowledge Center
News & Events
Events
August 21st, 2024
at:
10:00am - 10:30am
Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for INTERNATIONAL students)
Details
Events
August 21st, 2024
at:
1:00pm - 1:45pm
Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for DOMESTIC students)
Details
Events
September 5th, 2024
at:
1:00pm - 1:45pm
The Inside Scoop: BU MET Graduate Admissions for Domestic Students (US Citizens & Permanent US Residents)
Details
Back to Programs