The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a four-year degree program intended to prepare students for either a career requiring a thorough background in the field or for graduate school. It is modeled to some extent on the curricular recommendations of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and provides both considerable breadth and depth.
Requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Computer Science are as follows:
I. Departmental requirements: 45 credit hours (48 with Senior Thesis Capstone) including:
A. Core Principles:
Course ID | Course Title |
---|---|
CSCI-1320 | Principles of Computer Science I |
CSCI-1321 | Principles of Computer Science II |
CSCI-1323 | Discrete Structures |
CSCI-2320 | Principles of Data Abstraction |
CSCI-2321 | Principles of Computer Design |
CSCI-2322 | Principles of Functional Languages |
CSCI-3320 | Principles of Theoretical Computer Science |
CSCI-3321 | Principles of Software Engineering |
CSCI-3322 | Principles of Algorithms |
B. Departmental Colloquium: Four semesters of CSCI-2094 Computer Science Colloquium.
C. Curricular Groups: At least three hours from each of the following groups:
1. Applications Group
Course ID | Course Title |
---|---|
CSCI-3311 | Information Assurance and Security |
CSCI-3342 | Computer Networks |
CSCI-3343 | Database Systems |
CSCI-3344 | Artificial Intelligence |
CSCI-3353 | Graphics |
CSCI-3353 | Big Data and Machine Learning |
CSCI-3366 | Parallel and Distributed Programming |
CSCI-3195, CSCI-3295, CSCI-3395 | Special Topics in Applications |
2. Systems Group:
Course ID | Course Title |
---|---|
CSCI-3323 | Principles of Operating Systems |
CSCI-3334 | Compiler Construction |
CSCI-3196, CSCI-3296, CSCI-3396 | Special Topics in Systems |
3. Design Group:
Course ID | Course Title |
---|---|
CSCI-3312 | Introduction to Game Development |
CSCI-3345 | Web Application Design |
CSCI-3362 | Effective Programming Techniques |
CSCI-3197, CSCI-3297, CSCI-3397 | Special Topics in Design |
D. Capstone: One of the following options:
- Senior Software Project: CSCI-4385 Senior Software Project I and CSCI-4386 Senior Software Project II.
- Senior Thesis: CSCI-3398 Thesis Reading, CSCI-4398 Thesis I, and CSCI-4399 Thesis II, plus additional requirements listed in the section "Senior Thesis" below.
E. Electives: 3 additional upper-division computer science hours, or COMM-3325 Special Topics in Communication Media: Computational Propaganda and the Assault on Democracy.
II. Mathematics requirement:
Six hours from the following:
A. Any MATH course except MATH-1301 Pre-Calculus, MATH-1305 Mathematics for Business and Economics, MATH-3194 Junior Writing Workshop, or MATH-3195 Junior Technology Workshop.
B. CSCI-2324 Numerical Calculus
C. PHIL-3340 Symbolic Logic II
D. PHIL-3343 Nonclassical Logics
III. University requirements:
Completion of all other required elements of the Pathways curriculum and at least 120 hours.
Senior Thesis
Requirements:
I. Overall grade point average of 3.0 or better at the time the thesis option is selected.
II. Grade point average in computer science of 3.0 or better at the time the thesis option is selected.
III. Successful completion of CSCI-3398 Thesis Reading, CSCI-4398 Thesis I, and CSCI-4399 Thesis II. Normally taken in consecutive semesters beginning in the Spring semester of the junior year.
IV. Selection of a faculty committee consisting of a thesis chair chosen from the computer science faculty and two additional faculty members during the semester in which CSCI-3398 is taken.
V. A public formal presentation and defense of the thesis during the semester in which CSCI-4399 is taken.
Requirements
To be eligible for the distinction of graduation with Honors in Computer Science the requirements are:
- Completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
- Completion of the requirements for the Senior Thesis described above.
- Grade point average of at least 3.33 or better in all courses prior to the semester of graduation.
- Grade point average of 3.33 or better in all computer science courses prior to the semester of graduation.
- A written request for honors consideration, submitted to the department chair in the semester prior to the semester of graduation.
The decision of whether or not to confer the honors designation will be made by the departmental faculty and will be determined by departmental vote. The criteria include quality of the written thesis, quality of the oral presentation, and contribution to the field.
When a thesis receives the honors designation, this designation is so noted on the student’s transcript and announced at graduation.
Students who successfully complete CSCI-4399 with a grade of C or better, but fail to achieve honors status or fail to meet the deadline for submitting a thesis for departmental honors will be considered to have met the capstone requirement for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science provided that they submit a completed thesis by the end of the semester.
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