Program Overview

Overview

The major in Computer Science for BA students consists of a core of 17 credits of Computer Science courses, 7 credits of Mathematics courses, and 9 credits of elective Computer Science courses or approved courses from another department.

Curriculum Requirements for B.A. in Computer Science

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • Core Computer Science Courses
    • CSC 120 | Computer Programming I | 4
    • CSC 220 | Computer Programming II | 4
    • CSC 314 | Computer Organization and Architecture | 3
    • CSC 322 | System Programming | 3
    • CSC 317 | Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis | 3
    • or CSC 431 | Introduction to Software Engineering
  • Core Mathematics Courses
    • MTH 161 | Calculus I (or equivalent - MTH 140 and MTH 141, MTH 151, or MTH 171) | 4
    • MTH 309 | Discrete Mathematics I | 3
    • or MTH 230 | Introduction to Abstract Mathematics
  • Electives Requirement
    • Select 9 approved credit hours of the following:
      • Any CSC 2XX, CSC 3XX, CSC 4XX, CSC 5XX
      • At most one of the following if taken before CSC 120:
        • CSC 115 | Python Programming for Everyone
        • or CSC 119 | Computers and Society
        • or BTE 120 | Introduction to Business Technology and Programming
        • or BTE 320 | Python Programming: Fundamentals and Algorithms
        • or BTE 420 | Python Programming for Fintech
        • or ECE 118 | Introduction to Programming
        • or MSC 203 | Foundations of Computational Marine Science
      • At most one of the following:
        • CSC 116 | Cybersecurity: An Introduction to Security in Cyberspace
        • or CSC 113 | Data Science for the World
        • or BTE 535 | Cybersecurity
        • or GEG 310 | Geographic Information Systems I
        • or JMM 341 | Web Design
        • or MSC 321 | Scientific Computing in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
        • or BIL 552 | Bioinformatics Tools
        • BIL 552 | Bioinformatics Tools
        • BTE 360 | Systems Analysis and Design
        • BTE 465 | Web Application Development
        • BTE 524 | Mobile Apps Development
        • BTE 565 | Mobile to Cloud: Developing Distributed Applications
        • CIM 423 | Building Virtual Worlds
        • CIM 433 | Augmented Reality
        • CIM 453 | Dynamic Data
        • ECE 368 | Internet Computing I
        • ECE 414 | Computer Organization and Design
        • ECE 481 | Senior Project I
        • ECE 482 | Senior Project II
        • ECE 514 | Computer Architecture
        • ECE 548 | Machine Learning
        • ECE 553 | Neural Networks
        • ECE 470 | Network Client-Server Programming
        • ECE 572 | Object-Oriented and Distributed Database Management Systems
        • ECE 574 | Agent Technology
        • ECE 576 | Internet and Intranet Security
        • ECE 577 | Data Mining
        • ECE 579 | Mobile Computing
        • ECE 596 | Special Topics in Computer Engineering
        • GEG 410 | Geographic Information Systems II
        • MUE 503 | Audio Software Development I
        • MUE 504 | Audio Software Development II
        • MSC 321 | Scientific Computing in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
        • MTH 320 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis
        • MTH 505 | Theory of Numbers
        • MTH 520 | Numerical Linear Algebra
        • MTH 521 | Numerical Methods in Differential Equations
        • MTH 524 | Introduction to Probability
        • MTH 525 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
        • MTH 542 | Statistical Analysis
  • General Education Requirements
    • Written Communication Skills
      • WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3
      • WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3
      • or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture
    • Quantitative Skills
      • MTH 161 | Calculus I (fulfilled through the major) |
      • or MTH 140 | Calculus Concepts with Foundations A
      • or MTH 151 | Calculus I for Engineers
      • or MTH 171 | Calculus I
    • Areas of Knowledge
      • Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9
      • People and Society Cognate | 9
      • STEM Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)
  • Additional Requirements for the B.A.
    • Language Requirement | 3
    • Natural Sciences Course | 3
    • Minor Requirement (must be non-STEM) | 15
    • Electives | 42
    • Total Credit Hours | 120

Suggested Plan of Study

• Plan of Study Grid Year One
  • Fall
    • CSC 120 | Computer Programming I | 4
    • MTH 161 | Calculus I | 4
    • WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3
    • Language Course | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 17
  • Spring
    • CSC 220 | Computer Programming II | 4
    • MTH 309 | Discrete Mathematics I | 3
    • WRS 106 or ENG 106 | First-Year Writing II or Writing About Literature and Culture | 3
    • Language Course | 3
    • Minor Course | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 16
• Year Two
  • Fall
    • CSC 314 | Computer Organization and Architecture | 3
    • Natural Science Course | 3
    • Language Course | 3
    • Minor Course | 3
    • People and Society Cognate Course | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 15
  • Spring
    • CSC 322 | System Programming | 3
    • Minor Course | 3
    • Arts and Humanities Cognate Course | 3
    • People and Society Cognate Course | 3
    • Writing Intensive Course | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 15
• Year Three
  • Fall
    • CSC 317 | Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis | 3
    • Minor Course | 3
    • Arts and Humanities Cognate Course | 3
    • People and Society Cognate Course | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 15
  • Spring
    • CSC 431 | Introduction to Software Engineering | 3
    • Writing Intensive Course | 3
    • Minor Course | 3
    • Arts and Humanities Cognate Course | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 15
• Year Four
  • Fall
    • Computer Science Elective | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 15
  • Spring
    • Computer Science Elective | 3
    • Writing Intensive Course | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Elective | 3
    • Total Credit Hours | 12
  • Total Credit Hours | 120

Mission

The Department's mission is to educate and perform scholarly activities in the discipline of Computer Science, in order to meet national and international demand for trained computer scientists who are capable of building the robust computation structures upon which society is becoming increasingly dependent.

Goals

• Students will acquire understanding and capability for the structure and developmental processes of software systems, from the translation of domain problems to forms amenable to software solution, through the production of efficient and robust computer programs, to the supporting systems and hardware components.
• Students will acquire these abilities through a combination of classroom instruction, laboratory work, independent project work, and group project work.
• Graduates will be prepared to work in industries that are directly involved in the development of fundamental computing resources (e.g., Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Intel, etc.), and in industries that rely on computation in support of their core businesses (e.g., banking, transport, manufacturing, medical, etc.).
• Faculty and students will engage in activities that support and achieve the development of new techniques and software that can contribute to the science, and where appropriate contribute to the teaching objectives.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students must be able to translate domain problems to forms amenable to software solution.
• Students must be able to produce efficient and robust computer programs.
• Students must be able to build and deploy a completed, integrated, and documented (Advanced Writing and Communication Skills) software solution to a domain problem.
• Students must have understanding and competence in the mathematical foundations of Computer Science.