Program Overview

Introduction to the Computer Science Program

The Computer Science program at Binghamton University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in computer science, preparing them for a wide range of career opportunities in the field.

Credit Requirements

To receive the BS degree in computer science, students must earn a minimum of 126 credit hours, including transfer credits, with an average of at least C (2.0 GPA), and a minimum of a C average in the major program. The credit requirements are broken down into several areas:

• A minimum of 60 credits must be in liberal arts and sciences courses
• A minimum of 40 credits must be earned in Watson School courses

Area Requirements

The program has several area requirements, including:

Communications

• One course that meets the Binghamton University general education composition requirement (4 credits)

Humanities/Social Science Electives

• 20 credits of humanities and social science electives

Science

• 12 or 14 credits of science courses
• The total of the science and free elective credits should be 25 credits

Lab Science Elective or Calculus III

• One science elective: chosen from courses that meet the general education laboratory science requirement (L)
• MATH 323 (Calculus III) can also be used to satisfy this requirement

Mathematics

• 20 credits of mathematics courses

Free Electives

• 11 or 13 credits of free electives
• At least four credits must be in liberal arts and science
• At most one free elective in liberal arts and science may be taken pass/fail instead of a letter grade
• At most 2 credits of activity/wellness may be used as free elective credit

Computer Science

• 57 credits of computer science courses
• Four Computer Science electives chosen from A, B, C, and D below
  • At least one must be chosen from A and at least one from B
  • At most one can be taken from E

General Education Requirements

Students must fulfill the general education requirements for computer science. Students normally complete these requirements within the 126-credit program described above.

Supplemental Information

The following information supplements that provided in the University Academic Guide. It applies to students who matriculated Fall 2016 or after.

• All required Computer Science courses, except CS 101, are offered every semester
• The minimum grade in a required Computer Science course must be at least a C- to be allowed to take any Computer Science course, for which it is a prerequisite

Prerequisites for Computer Science Courses

The MATH and CS pre-requisites must have a grade of at least C-. The prerequisites for each computer science course are as follows:

• CS 101: None
• CS 110: MATH 225
• CS 120: CS 110, MATH 225
• CS 140: CS 110, MATH 225
• CS 220: CS 120, 140
• CS 240: CS 120, 140, MATH 226
• CS 301: CS 101, Gen Ed C course, CS 220/CS 240
• CS 320: CS 220
• CS 350: CS 220, 240, 301
• CS 373: CS 140, MATH 314/330
• CS 375: CS 240, MATH 227, 314/330, CS 301
• CS 402: CS 220, 240
• CS 424: CS 350
• CS 426: CS 350
• CS 428: CS 350
• CS 432: CS 375
• CS 433: CS 375
• CS 435: CS 375, MATH 304, 327/448
• CS 436: CS 375, MATH 327/448
• CS 440: CS 240, 350
• CS 441: CS 140, 375
• CS 442: CS 140, 375
• CS 443: CS 320, 350
• CS 444: CS 320/CS 350/CS 375
• CS 445: CS 350/375
• CS 451: CS 350
• CS 455: CS 375
• CS 457: CS 350
• CS 458: CS 350, 375
• CS 459: CS 375, MATH 327/448
• CS 460: CS 375
• CS 465:CS 375
• CS 471: CS 373, 375
• CS 472: CS 373, 375
• CS 476: CS 140, 320, 350