Program Overview

Foundations of Computer Science, Graduate Certificate

The certificate in the Foundations of Computer Science is intended for students seeking to upskill from an engineering, math, or other non-computing background to be ready for future coursework through a CSE graduate degree program or additional certificates to stack into a CSE graduate program. This foundational certificate provides training in programming, algorithms, systems, and software design to prepare you to dive into more technical certificates and skill sets.

Program Description

CSE offers a series of stackable certificate programs that can lead to a M.S. degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering & Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or Artificial Intelligence. We have partnered with industry to develop stackable certificates featuring cutting-edge skills in the areas of high demand by employers. You can work at your own pace towards your degree, building skills as you need them to maximize your career success.

Admission Terms and Application Deadlines

Before an applicants file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Oakland University Graduate School by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

• February 15 (early) April 15 (regular) and July 15 (late) for fall semester
• October 1 (early) and November 15 (regular) for winter semester
• March 1 (regular) for summer semester

Application Requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:

1. Graduate Application Requirements
2. Additional department application requirements

• Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree in any engineering or computer science or related disciplines with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants from outside the above fields may apply and the completion of pre-requisite courses can be requested.
• Completion of a bachelors degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association, or completion of an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelors degree from a college or university recognized and approved by the Ministry of Education or Commission responsible for higher education in the country where the degree is earned.

Admission Review and Assessment

Admission to graduate school at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Oakland University Graduate School, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Certificate Requirements

To fulfill the certificate requirements, a student must:

• Complete at least 12 credits of graduate-level work as described below under Course requirements,
• Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in courses applied toward the certificate,
• Satisfy all requirements concerning academic progress.

Course Requirements (12 Credits)

a. Required Courses (8 Credits)

• Required courses:
  • CSI 5500 - Operating Systems I (4 credits)
  • CSI 5610 - Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms (4 credits)

b. Elective Course (4 Credits)

• Choose one of the following courses:
  • CSI 5220 - Object Oriented Analysis and Design (4 credits)
  • CSI 5390 - Software Engineering (4 credits)

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a students successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester. Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid.

Good Academic Standing

All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0. Good academic standing is a requirement for:

• Holding a Graduate Assistantship
• Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
• Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
• Going on a leave of absence
• Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards, which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University. Department requirements: The minimum satisfactory grade for graduate work is B. Credit for completion of a course in the Master of Science program will be given for grades of B- or above but no more than two grades may be B-. Graduate credit will not be awarded for grades below B-. To repeat a course, a student must have the permission of the graduate committee of the school. All grades received as a graduate student are used in computing the GPA, except that, if a course has been repeated, the most recent grade is used in the calculation of the GPA. A graduate student is placed on academic probation if the students overall GPA drops below 3.0 or if the student receives more than one grade below B, including the original grade(s) of any repeated course(s). A graduate student receiving a grade less than B while on probation is subject to dismissal. A graduate student receiving more than two grades below B is subject to dismissal whether or not the student was put on probation previously.

Related Program Information

The earned credits of this certificate can be applied towards any of the master programs offered by the CSE department including Computer Science, Software Engineering & Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or Artificial Intelligence. In all programs, the minimum GPA requirement is an average of at least 3.0. If a students GPA is less than 3.0 after having attempted 16 credits, the student will be recommended for dismissal from the program. Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Plan of Study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Oakland University Graduate School. Masters and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework. Note: Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.