17-year-old prodigy graduates with master's degree in computer science: 'I am proud of myself'

A Pittsburgh-area teenager who's at the right age to earn a high school diploma instead recently walked across the stage to accept another diploma: a master's degree in computer science.

On Saturday, 17-year-old Raja "RJ" Krishnaswamy graduated with a master's degree in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed the master's program in one year, having just graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from Pitt last spring as part of what he called a "BS/MS program" at the school.

In fact, Krishnaswamy has two other college degrees under his belt as well: an associate degree in mathematics and another in software economics from the Community College of Allegheny County. He first enrolled at CCAC at age 9, when most kids are in the fourth or fifth grade.

"College classes are fun," he told Pittsburgh magazine in 2017. "They’re thought-provoking."

Krishnaswamy showed a strong intellectual aptitude at an early age — a very early age. He reportedly began singing the alphabet song when he was just 8 months old, reading the "Harry Potter" book series at age 3, and solving algebra problems a couple of years after that.

"His Christmas list had 30 books on different mathematic topics," recalled Krishnaswamy's proud father, whose name is also Raja Krishnaswamy. "His list was this big, and most of them were books, so that's what he wants."

Still, the master's program at Pitt wasn't easy. RJ Krishnaswamy noted that, like almost all master's students, he "had to defend a thesis." "It's been hard work," he said.

Though Krishnaswamy has not decided what he'll do next, he did apply for a doctoral program at Pitt, and at least one of his professors there certainly believes Krishnaswamy has even more academic potential in store. "On to publications!" said Daniel Mosse, a professor of computer science.

Someday, Krishnaswamy hopes to become a software programmer like his father. But for now, he's enjoying his manifold accomplishments.

"I am proud of myself," he said following graduation last year.

"It was just awesome!"

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