Dec 04, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2019-2020 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2019-2020 Previous Edition

Computer Science, Information Technology Concentration, B.A.


The Concentration in Information Technology emphasizes usability, security, and reliability of IT infrastructures, as well as writing and communications skills.  This concentration prepares students for a wide variety of jobs or graduate studies.

The B.A. in Computer Science program requires a compact set of a computer science core, as well as a second concentration in a non-computer science discipline, satisfied by a second major, a minor, or a set of coordinated courses developed through consultation with an advisor.  Graduates from the B.A. program are thus expected to have knowledge and skill in computer science plus a complementary discipline to which computing applies.  The emphasis in this program is less theoretical/mathematical, and more on the applied side of computing.

Admission Requirements


Freshmen

Minimum GPA:  2.5

Other requirements: Admission is competitive for computer science programs and, if admissible, freshmen must present a minimum SAT-Math score of 530 or ACT-Math subscore of 22.  

Transfers

Minimum GPA:  2.5

Pre-Major/Prerequisite Courses:  A grade of C or above is required in any previously attempted Computer Science course.  Students must be able to transfer credits for the equivalent of College Algebra.

Other requirements:  Transfer students must present an overall GPA of at least 2.5 with no grade less than C in Computer Science courses.  For internal transfer students, participation in a Change of Major Workshop offered by the CCI Advising Center is required before becoming eligible to declare the Computer Science major. 

Transferable Credit Hours: 24

Degree Requirements


General Education Courses (37-41 credit hours)


For details on required courses, refer to the General Education Program .  Students majoring in Computer Science should plan on taking the following courses that meet both general education and major requirements:

Major Courses (36 credit hours)


Advanced Statistics Course (3 credit hours)


Elective Outside Concentration Courses (15 credit hours)


Students should select 15 elective credit hours in consultation with their advisor.  These courses should be related to one another to form an “outside concentration.”  These courses cannot be IT-related and cannot satisfy any other degree requirement.  They must show some depth in a subject area; a minimum of 6 credit hours should be at the 3000-level or above.  An officially declared minor or second major will also satisfy this requirement. 

Additional Degree Requirements


Concentration Courses (39 credit hours)


Concentration Writing Courses (6 credit hours)


Select 6 credit hours of writing intensive (W) courses .

Concentration Technical Elective Courses (6 credit hours)


Select two elective courses from 3000- or 4000-level courses offered by the College of Computing and Informatics, excluding the courses listed above.

Unrestricted Elective Courses


As needed to complete the credit hours required for graduation.

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours


Cooperative Education Program


By participating in the Cooperative Education program, students in a Computer Science degree program may pursue their education along with alternating semesters of full-time work experiences so that they may be better prepared to enter their chosen professional career. Interested students should contact the University Career Center for more information.

Experiential Learning and Service Opportunities


Students are encouraged to participate in professional work experiences in support of their academic and career development through the cooperative education, 49ership, internship, and service programs offered to them. The College of Computing and Informatics works with the University Career Center to expand experiential learning offerings to enable more students to graduate with career-related experience.  For more information about experiential learning opportunities, please see the University Career Center section within the Office of Undergraduate Education  in this Catalog.

Grade Requirements


  • The GPA requirement for all Computer Science undergraduate degree programs is 2.0 or above in each of the following three categories:  (1) all courses applied to the degree, (2) all courses in the major, and (3) all upper-division courses in the major. 
     
  • Students have a limit of 2 attempts per course in the major (plus 1 more by petition). This applies to all courses listed under the Major Courses and Concentration Courses categories of B.S. and B.A. in Computer Science degree programs. The third attempt at a course can only be approved by petition. In addition, a Withdrawal does not count as an attempt, as that effort is already restricted via the Withdrawal limit.
     
  • Students are required to achieve a grade of C or above in all Core Courses within the major, as listed above.

Honors Program


For details about the College of Computing and Informatics Honors Program, visit the program page .