Program Overview

Computer Science Bachelor of Science Degree

Overview

Specialize in AI, robotics, cybersecurity, graphics, and more with RIT’s flexible and powerful computer science degree.

Careers and Co-op

Typical Job Titles

• Associate Software Engineer
• Automation Engineer
• Developer
• Full Stack Developer
• Programmer/Analyst
• QA Test Engineer
• Senior Software Engineer
• Software Developer
• Software Engineer
• Technology Analyst

Industries

• Defense
• Electronic and Computer Hardware
• Health Care
• Internet and Software
• Research
• Financial Services

Curriculum

First Year

• CSCI-141: Computer Science I (General Education)
• CSCI-142: Computer Science II (General Education)
• MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
• MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
• MATH-190: Discrete Mathematics for Computing (General Education)
• YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
• General Education – Ethical Perspective
• General Education – Artistic Perspective
• General Education – Global Perspective
• General Education – Social Perspective
• General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)

Second Year

• CSCI-099: Undergraduate Cooperative Education Seminar
• CSCI-243: The Mechanics of Programming
• CSCI-488: Undergraduate Summer Co-op
• Choose one of the following:
  • CSCI-261: Analysis of Algorithms
  • CSCI-264: Honors Analysis of Algorithms
• Choose one of the following:
  • CSCI-262: Introduction to Computer Science Theory
  • CSCI-263: Honors Introduction to Computer Science Theory
• MATH-241: Linear Algebra (General Education)
• MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
• SWEN-261: Introduction to Software Engineering
• General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective: Lab Science I
• General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective
• General Education – Elective: Lab Science II
• General Education – Elective

Third Year

• CSCI-250: Concepts of Computer Systems
• CSCI-320: Principles of Data Management
• CSCI-331: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (spring)
• Open Elective
• General Education – Immersion 1 (WI)

Fourth Year

• CSCI-251: Concepts of Parallel and Distributed Systems
• CSCI-344: Programming Language Concepts
• CSCI-472: Historical and Current Perspectives in Computer Science (WI-PR)
• Open Electives
• CS Electives
• General Education – Immersion 2

Fifth Year

• CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (fall)
• CS Elective
• General Education – Immersion 3
• General Education – Elective
• Open Electives

Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees

Computer Science, BS/MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year:
  • CSCI-141: Computer Science I (General Education)
  • CSCI-142: Computer Science II (General Education)
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • MATH-190: Discrete Mathematics for Computing (General Education)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
• Second Year:
  • CSCI-099: Undergraduate Cooperative Education Seminar
  • CSCI-243: The Mechanics of Programming
  • CSCI-488: CS Undergraduate Summer Co-op (summer)
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-261: Analysis of Algorithms
    • CSCI-264: Honors Analysis of Algorithms
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-262: Introduction to Computer Science Theory
    • CSCI-263: Honors Introduction to Computer Science Theory
  • MATH-241: Linear Algebra (General Education)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
  • SWEN-261: Introduction to Software Engineering
  • General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective: Lab Science I
  • General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective
  • General Education – Elective: Lab Science II
  • General Education – Elective
• Third Year:
  • CSCI-250: Concepts of Computer Systems
  • CSCI-320: Principles of Data Management
  • CSCI-331: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (spring)
  • Open Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 1 (WI)
• Fourth Year:
  • CSCI-251: Concepts of Parallel and Distributed Systems
  • CSCI-344: Programming Language Concepts
  • CSCI-472: Historical and Current Perspectives in Computer Science (WI-PR)
  • Open Electives
  • CS Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 2
• Fifth Year:
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (fall)
  • CS Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Electives
• Sixth Year:
  • CSCI-610: Fundamentals of Computer Graphics
  • CSCI-631: Foundations of Computer Vision
  • CSCI-664: Computational Complexity
  • CSCI-799: Computer Science Graduate Independent Study
  • CSCI-790: Computer Science MS Thesis

Computer Science, BS degree/Cybersecurity, MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year:
  • CSCI-141: Computer Science I (General Education)
  • CSCI-142: Computer Science II (General Education)
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • MATH-190: Discrete Mathematics for Computing (General Education)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
• Second Year:
  • CSCI-099: Undergraduate Cooperative Education Seminar
  • CSCI-243: The Mechanics of Programming
  • CSCI-488: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (summer)
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-261: Analysis of Algorithms
    • CSCI-264: Honors Analysis of Algorithms
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-262: Introduction to Computer Science Theory
    • CSCI-263: Honors Introduction to Computer Science Theory
  • MATH-241: Linear Algebra (General Education)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
  • SWEN-261: Introduction to Software Engineering
  • General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective: Lab Science I
  • General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective
  • General Education – Elective: Lab Science II
  • General Education – Elective
• Third Year:
  • CSCI-250: Concepts of Computer Systems
  • CSCI-320: Principles of Data Management
  • CSCI-331: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (spring)
  • Open Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 1 (WI)
• Fourth Year:
  • CSCI-251: Concepts of Parallel and Distributed Systems
  • CSCI-344: Programming Language Concepts
  • CSCI-472: Historical and Current Perspectives in Computer Science (WI-PR)
  • CSEC-600: Open Elective: Introduction to Computing Security
  • Open Elective
  • Open Elective/CSEC Graduate Elective
  • CS Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 2
• Fifth Year:
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (fall)
  • CS Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Electives/CSEC Graduate Elective
• Sixth Year:
  • CSEC-604: Cryptography and Authentication
  • CSEC-742: Computer System Security
  • CSEC Graduate Elective
  • CSEC Research Electives
  • Choose one of the following culminating experiences:
    • CSEC-790: MS Thesis
    • CSEC Research Elective, plus one (1) additional CSEC Graduate Elective

Computer Science, BS degree/Software Engineering, MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year:
  • CSCI-141: Computer Science I
  • CSCI-142: Computer Science II
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • MATH-190: Discrete Mathematics for Computing (General Education – Elective)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
• Second Year:
  • CSCI-099: Undergraduate Co-operative Education Seminar
  • CSCI-243: The Mechanics of Programming
  • CSCI-488: CS Undergraduate Summer Co-op (summer)
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-262: Introduction to Computer Science Theory
    • CSCI-263: Honors Introduction to Computer Science Theory
  • MATH-241: Linear Algebra (General Education – Elective)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education – Elective)
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CSCI-261: Analysis of Algorithms
    • CSCI-264: Honors Analysis of Algorithms
  • SWEN-261: Introduction to Software Engineering
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – Natural Science Perspective: Lab Science I
  • General Education – Elective: Lab Science II
  • General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective
• Third Year:
  • CSCI-250: Concepts of Computer Systems
  • CSCI-320: Principles of Data Management
  • CSCI-331: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (spring)
  • General Education – Immersion 1 (WI)
  • Open Elective
• Fourth Year:
  • CSCI-251: Concepts of Parallel and Distributed Systems
  • CSCI-344: Programming Language Concepts
  • CSCI-472: Historical & Current Perspectives in Computer Science (WI-PR)
  • SWEN-732: Collaborative Software Development
  • SWEN-746: Model-Driven Development
  • General Education – Immersion 2
  • Computer Science Elective
  • Open Electives
• Fifth Year:
  • CSCI-499: Computer Science Undergraduate Co-op (fall)
  • SWEN-640: Research Methods
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Electives
• Sixth Year:
  • SWEN-755: Software Architecture
  • SWEN-777: Software Quality Assurance
  • SWEN-780: Graduate Capstone
  • CSCI Graduate Cluster Elective
  • CSCI Graduate Elective
  • Choose one of the following SWEN Graduate Electives:
    • SWEN-614: Engineering Cloud Software Systems
    • SWEN-711: Engineering Self-Adaptive Software Systems With Reinforcement Learning

Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is STEM designated when studying on campus and full time.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies and/or history
• 4 years of mathematics is required and must include algebra, geometry, algebra 2/trigonometry, and pre-calculus. Calculus ispreferred.
• 2-3 years of science is required and must include chemistryor physics; both arepreferred.
• Computing electives are preferred.

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

• A minimum of precalculus is required. Calculus ispreferred.
• Chemistry or physics is required.
• Computing courses are preferred.

Accreditation

The BS degree in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the General Criteria and the Computer Science Program Criteria.