Completing the CMTS Certificate
The CMTS certificate requires a minimum of 12 credit hours completed across four components: one core course, three elective courses, and a capstone project.
The two core course options — MATH 609 and STAT 604 — are fixed requirements and are not eligible for substitution. You must complete one of these two courses to satisfy the core requirement.
Coursework from the approved lists below completed before your admission to the program may count toward the certificate retroactively. However, courses not on the approved elective list cannot be counted retroactively — elective substitutions require ISC Director approval before enrollment in the substitute course and cannot be applied after the fact. See Course Substitutions for full details.
The capstone project follows a separate timeline. Because the capstone topic must be proposed and approved by the ISC Director after formal admission, there is no retroactive pathway for the capstone.
Core Course
Select one of the following core courses. Your core course counts toward the two qualifying courses required for admission eligibility.
The two core course options are fixed requirements and are not eligible for substitution. You must complete either MATH 609 or STAT 604 to satisfy the core requirement.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MATH 609 | Numerical Analysis |
| STAT 604 | Topics in Statistical Computations |
For full course descriptions, visit the Texas A&M Graduate and Professional Catalog.
Both core courses are available in online and face-to-face formats. Available modality may vary by semester — some semesters may offer only one delivery format. Always verify the current delivery format in Howdy before registering.
Elective Courses
Select three courses from the approved elective list below. At least one elective must come from outside your home department. See the callout below for details on this requirement.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| CSCE 608 | Database Systems |
| CSCE 626 | Parallel Algorithm Design and Analysis |
| CSCE 629 | Analysis of Algorithms |
| CSCE 640 | Quantum Algorithms |
| CSCE 649 / VIZA 659 | Physically-Based Modeling |
| CSCE 659 | Parallel/Distributed Numerical Algorithms and Applications |
| CSCE 660 / MATH 660 | Computational Linear Algebra |
| CSCE 735 | Parallel Computing |
| GEOP 620 | Geophysical Inverse Theory |
| MATH 610 | Numerical Methods in Partial Differential Equations |
| MATH 648 | Computational Algebraic Geometry |
| MATH 649 | Principles of Deep Learning |
| MATH 661 | Mathematical Theory of Finite Element Methods |
| MATH 676 | Finite Element Methods in Scientific Computing |
| MATH 677 | Mathematical Foundations for Data Science |
| MEEN 672 | Introduction to Finite Element Method |
| NUEN 618 | Multiphysics Computations in Nuclear Science and Engineering |
| NUEN 647 | Uncertainty Quantification and Data Science for Engineering Applications |
| PETE 656 | Advanced Numerical Methods for Reservoir Simulation |
| STAT 608 | Regression Analysis |
| STAT 624 | Databases and Computational Tools Used in Big Data |
| STAT 626 | Methods in Time Series Analysis |
| STAT 639 | Data Mining and Analysis |
| STAT 654 | Statistical Computing with R and Python |
For full course descriptions, visit the Texas A&M Graduate and Professional Catalog.
Many of these elective courses are available fully online. Delivery format may vary by semester — check current course listings in Howdy to confirm the available delivery format for your intended term.
If you wish to substitute a course not on this list for one of your elective requirements, ISC Director approval is required before you enroll. Substitutions are reviewed case-by-case with no set limit on the number permitted. See Course Substitutions for the request process.
Outside-Department Elective Requirement
At least one of your three elective courses must come from outside your home department — for example, if your home department is Mathematics, at least one elective must come from CSCE, GEOP, MEEN, NUEN, PETE, STAT, or another non-Mathematics department on the approved list. This requirement reinforces the interdisciplinary nature of computational science, and if you have questions about whether a specific course satisfies it for your situation, contact the CMTS certificate program before registering.
Contact the CMTS ProgramCapstone Project
In addition to four required courses, all CMTS students must complete a capstone project. The capstone is not a course — it is a project completed alongside your regular studies that demonstrates your ability to apply computational methods in a scientific or engineering context.
What counts as a capstone project?
The capstone project requirement may be fulfilled through one of the following pathways:
- An independent study graduate course within your home department
- An independent study graduate course outside your home department
- A component of a master's thesis or project required by your home department
- A component of a doctoral dissertation
Regardless of pathway, the ISC Director must approve your proposed capstone topic before you begin work. The ISC Director also certifies the computational component of the project and documents its completion.
Full details on the capstone approval process are available on the Capstone Project page.Admission Is Required Before Beginning the Capstone
You must be formally admitted to the CMTS certificate program before submitting a capstone project proposal or beginning any capstone work. Proposals submitted before formal admission will not be approved. There is no retroactive pathway for the capstone project.
Review Eligibility & How to ApplyReceiving Your Certificate
The CMTS certificate is a degree-dependent certificate. This means you must be an actively enrolled Texas A&M graduate student pursuing a degree to participate in the program. However, the certificate can be awarded independently of your degree — you do not need to wait until your degree is conferred, provided all certificate requirements are complete.
You are responsible for submitting a certificate graduation application.
To receive your certificate, you must submit a certificate graduation application through Howdy during the term in which you complete your final certificate requirement. This step does not happen automatically — you must initiate it. Submitting during your completion term ensures your certificate is awarded on schedule.
Visit the Texas A&M Registrar's certificate tracking and awarding page for full instructions, current deadlines, and fee information. Note that the Office of the Registrar assesses a certificate processing fee when you submit your graduation application. Verify the current fee amount and any related requirements directly with the Registrar, as these details are subject to change.
Questions About Requirements?
For questions about program requirements, elective eligibility, or the capstone project, contact the CMTS certificate program at cmts-certificate@tamu.edu.
