Below you will find advice specific to first year students, including help with course selection and information on AP credit.
You never know until you try. If you are at all interested in Computer Science, take a class and talk to the department faculty. Even if you decide CS is not for you, computer science introductory courses (CS 110 and CS 120) count toward the Common Course of Study as Engineering or Computer Science (INEC) and Computational Reasoning (RC) credits for non-majors.
The Department of Computer Science offers two majors and one minor. The Bachelor of Science degree is a requirement-heavy curriculum for individuals interested in focusing on core computer science fields; the Bachelor of Arts degree takes a broader approach to computer science, replacing requirements with course work in other disciplines of interest.
The Computer Science minor is for students that would like to complement their primary area of study with computer science.
Below are courses you should be taking in your first and second semester for a normal schedule based on the degree program you wish to follow.
All students pursuing a BS CS curriculum should complete the two initial CS courses (CS 110 and CS 120) in their first year.
It is typically advised that first-year students take Discrete Structures (MATH 182) during the first spring semester. If a math dual degree is also being considered, there are replacement options for MATH 182, which are detailed on the Department Policies page.
Students arriving with introductory course credit (see questions below) will have an advanced curriculum. Specifically, if a student begins with the CS 120 course, then they will be taking the Data Structures and Algorithms (CS 150) course their second semester.
All students pursuing an AB CS curriculum are recommended to complete the two initial CS courses (CS 110 and CS 120) in their first year.
It is also suggested that AB CS students take Discrete Structures (MATH 182) during the first spring semester.
Students pursuing a Minor in Computer Science are suggested to complete the initial CS course (CS 110) in their first year.
Currently, the department grants credit for CS 110 to students who earn a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Computer Science A exam, although that credit does not count toward Common Course of Study requirements. Students with this credit may enroll in CS 120, the second course in the computer science curriculum, in their first semester.
If you have enough experience to skip the introductory computer science course, but do not have AP credit, you can start in the second CS course (CS 120) with instructor approval. This is a decision to be considered carefully; please talk with your computer science faculty adviser and the instructor for CS 120 when considering this option. You will be required to take an upper-level elective in your third or fourth year as a replacement for the introductory course you did not take.
This is a very rare situation, and you will be required to get approval from the department. For this option, talk with your computer science faculty adviser and/or contact the Department Head for details about the process.
Contact the Department Head, who will help you navigate the process of determining your place in the department curriculum.