CS Four Year Plan

Four-Year Plan

Here is a suggested plan to complete the computer science major in four years. With some work, the major can be fit into 3 years if you are declaring your major late.

Year	Fall Semester		Spring Semester
Year	MA & CS courses	Other courses	MA & CS courses	Other courses
Freshman	CS151 CS142 (if needed) MA106	CC101P language 101	CS248 MA107	CC102P language 102
Freshman	16 credits		16 credits
Sophomore	CS351 SE361	GHS1 language 203 science core	CS252 CS321	GHS2 language 204 fine arts core
Sophomore	17 credits		15 credits
Junior	CS485 CS490 CS431 or CS441 or CS451 MA315	humanities core	CS473 CS431 or CS441 or CS451	social science core PE101 PE102 free elective
Junior	14 credits		14 credits
Senior	CS491 CS/SE Elective	free electives	electives
Senior	4+ credits		To total 120 credits or more

Notes

CS142 is designed for students who cannot program yet. If you've had C++, Java, or Visual Basic up through if statements, loops, arrays, and functions, you don't need CS142, although you can take it for review if you wish.
We strongly recommend taking foreign language (FL101,102,203,204) to satisfy the LAS language requirement as soon as possible to avoid losing any vocabulary you may remember from high school.
If you took the placement test in a foreign language, you may only need 3, or even 2 semesters of foreign language.
The English/Global and Historical Studies sequence CC10[1-2]P,CC20[1-8]P should be taken your first four semesters, but this is not required.
Some courses could be taken earlier or later than specified (For example, CS252 could be taken as early as the spring, Freshman year).
If you need to take MA102 before CS151 and MA106, many courses would be pushed back a semester or year. Compensate by taking more core courses in your first semester (say, social science or science core). Note that CS142 requires MA101, but not MA102, so you may be able to take CS142, if you need it, during your first semester.
You have some options with upper-division courses. The sample schedule includes all three of CS431, CS441, and CS451. You only need two of these courses. Also, you only need either CS473 or both of CS490 and CS491.
We strongly recommend you take EPICS (CS282,3). You can take this course as early as the spring semester, Freshman year. The earlier, the better.
Other common electives to include might be CS433 Databases, CS435 Networks, some software engineering courses, research or independent study, or more topics courses.

As you can see, there is plenty of room to pick up a second major or minor in another department. Some popular choices include a math major or minor, or a minor in the College of Business Administration. A double major with a foreign language is also easy to fit in.

If you plan for it, you can also fit in a semester of study abroad. It may be difficult to take CS courses at other institutions and have them count effectively in our program, so plan to take primarily electives and core courses.

If you have been invited, you can also do the honor's program with the CS major. For details, see the Honor's Program Web Page. CS490 is the departmental honors course.