Major in Computer Science, Computing Systems Concentration

Program Overview

The Computing Systems concentration within the Computer Science major at Colorado State University equips students with the skills to design, optimize, and assess complex computing systems for data-intensive applications. The program emphasizes scalability, data analysis, diverse computing architectures, and machine learning, preparing students for careers in system design, data science, and machine learning. With a strong foundation in computer science principles and specialized knowledge in computing systems, graduates are well-positioned for graduate studies or professional employment in the field.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Computing Systems concentration within the Computer Science major at Colorado State University focuses on the design, assessment, and optimization of complex computing systems. This program equips students with the skills to tackle demanding systems problems at scale, encompassing areas like distributed and parallel algorithms, big data, systems software, networking, compiler design, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. The program emphasizes the importance of data as a valuable resource and prepares students to analyze and extract insights from large datasets. Students learn to design scalable systems, leverage diverse computing architectures, and program accelerators/coprocessors for tasks like deep learning.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Design scalable systems for computational and data-intensive problems.
• Design distributed and parallel algorithms to analyze large datasets.
• Leverage diverse computing architectures in support of problem solutions.
• Program accelerators/coprocessors (e.g., for deep learning).
• Confidently pursue graduate studies or professional employment in computer systems and computer science.

Outline:

The program is structured across four years, with a detailed course schedule outlined for each semester. The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in computer science principles and specialized knowledge in computing systems.

Freshman Year:

• Semester 1:
• CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
• One course from Group A, B, or C (see options in Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Department Approved Science (see list on Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Electives
• Semester 2:
• CS 201/PHIL 201: Ethical Computing Systems (GT-AH3)
• Remaining course(s) from Group A, B, or C (see options in Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Department Approved Science with Lab (see list on Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Electives

Sophomore Year:

• Semester 3:
• CS 165: CS2--Data Structures
• CS 220: Discrete Structures and their Applications
• One course from the following:
• STAT 301: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods
• STAT 302A: Statistics Supplement: General Applications
• STAT 307: Introduction to Biostatistics
• STAT 315: Intro to Theory and Practice of Statistics
• Historical Perspectives
• Electives
• Semester 4:
• Select one group from the following:
• Group A: CS 214: Software Development or CT 301: C++ Fundamentals
• Group B: CS 253: Software Development with C++
• Select one course from the following:
• CS 250: Computer Systems Foundations
• CS 270: Computer Organization
• Select one course from the following:
• DSCI 369: Linear Algebra for Data Science
• MATH 369: Linear Algebra I
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Junior Year:

• Semester 5:
• CS 320: Algorithms--Theory and Practice
• CS 370: Operating Systems
• Advanced Writing
• Technical Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Elective
• Semester 6:
• CS 314: Software Engineering
• Two CS courses numbered 300- or above, excluding 380-399 and 480-499
• Technical Elective (see list on Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Elective

Senior Year:

• Semester 7:
• Systems Course (see list on the Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Systems Elective (see list on the Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Electives
• Semester 8:
• Systems Courses (see list on the Concentration Requirements Tab)
• Electives

Technical Electives:

Students must select a minimum of 6 credits in Technical Electives, with at least 3 credits being upper-division.

Careers:

The Computing Systems concentration opens career paths that include:

• Cloud applications designer
• Systems designer
• Data scientist
• Big data analyst
• Compiler designer
• Database specialist
• Supercomputing applications specialist

Other:

• The program assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus.
Students who are not prepared will need to fulfill pre-calculus requirements in the first semester.
• All students must maintain a C (2.000) or better in CO 150 and in all CS, DSCI, MATH, STAT, and departmental Technical Elective courses required for graduation.
• The program total credits required for graduation is 120, with at least 42 credits being upper-division (300- to 400-level).