Computer Science
Computer Science Major
The computer science undergraduate programs, based on recommendations of the Association for Computing Machinery, consist of a core of courses required for majors and a large selection of service courses and advanced courses. A grade of 'C' or better is required in all Computer Science courses. In the core, students are offered an opportunity to study concepts, applications, and implementation techniques that provide a broad practical base for both further study and a career in computing. Through a variety of service courses, every student in the university is provided an opportunity to develop computer literacy or competency. Through advanced undergraduate and graduate courses, students are offered an opportunity for in-depth study of such topics as artificial intelligence, programming languages, mobile applications, computer networks, security, information assurance, office automation, bioinformatics, software development, data mining, and data base management systems. Students are encouraged to choose elective courses from related areas including business, economics, engineering, mathematics, operations research, and statistics.
After completing part of their studies, students will find many opportunities to work part time as a research assistant to a scientist on campus, or as an intern with a local business, applying what they have learned in the classroom. Cooperative education opportunities starting in the junior year are available.
The B.A. concentrates on web development. Students receive an applied grounding in application design, web development, and deployment.
The B.S. program provides the widest exposure to computing with emphasis on high level languages, software development and advanced mathematical concepts.
Top students are encouraged to inquire about the 4+1 program providing a fast track through graduate school resulting in combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.
Computer Science Minor
A minor in Computer Science requires at least 17 semester hours of select computer science courses. A grade of 'C' or better is required in all courses applied toward the computer science minor.
Major Requirements
Major: Computer Science
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| UNIV 189 | Skills For Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take UNIV 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions | 3 |
| or ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| MATH 165 | Calculus I | 4 |
| Science & Technology (S): | 10 | |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list | ||
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Wellness (W): Select from current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): Select from current general education list | ||
| Total Credits | 41 | |
College Requirements
Bachelor of Science Degree - An additional 6 credits in Humanities and Social Sciences*
* Humanities and Social Sciences may be fulfilled by any course having the following prefix: ADHM, ANTH, ARCH, ART, CJ, CLAS, COMM, ECON, ENGL, FREN, GEOG, GERM, HDFS, HIST, LA, LANG, MUSC, PHIL, POLS, PSYC, RELS, SOC, SPAN, THEA, WGS, or any course from the approved list of general education courses in humanities and social sciences (general education categories A and B). These credits must come from outside the department of the student’s major.
Major Requirements
A Grade of 'C' or better is required for all CSCI courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Science and Mathmatics College Requirements | 6 | |
| B.S. Computer Science Core Requirements | ||
| CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 161 | Computer Science II | 4 |
| CSCI 213 | Modern Software Development | 3 |
| CSCI 222 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| CSCI 313 | Software Development for Games | 3 |
| CSCI 336 | Theoretical Computer Science II | 3 |
| CSCI 366 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 372 | Comparative Programming Languages | 3 |
| CSCI 374 | Computer Organization and Architechure | 3 |
| CSCI 415 | Networking and Parallel Computation | 3 |
| CSCI 445 | Software Projects Capstone * | 3 |
| CSCI 467 | Algorithm Analysis | 3 |
| CSCI 474 | Operating Systems Concepts | 3 |
| CSCI 489 | Social Implications of Computers * | 3 |
| Computer Science Electives: Select 3 courses form the categories listed below. No more than 2 courses may come from any single category | 9 | |
Software Engineering: | ||
| Principles of Software Engineering | ||
| Object-Oriented Systems | ||
| Human-Computer Interaction | ||
Large Systems: | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Microcomputer Graphics | ||
| Foundations of Computer Networks | ||
Systems Modeling: | ||
| Simulation Models | ||
| Linear Programming and Network Flows | ||
| Operations Research | ||
Emerging Areas: | ||
| Topics on Personal Computers | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Foundations of the Digital Enterprise | ||
| Computer Forensics | ||
| Introduction to Data Mining | ||
| Mathematics and Statistics: | ||
| MATH 166 | Calculus II | 4 |
| STAT 367 | Probability | 3 |
| STAT 368 | Statistics | 3 |
| Science: | ||
| One Year Lab Science Sequence: Select one of the following sequences: | 8-10 | |
| Human Biology and Human Biology Laboratory and Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory ** | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory and General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory ** | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I and Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II ** | ||
| Physical Geology and Physical Geology Lab and The Earth Through Time and The Earth Through Time Lab *** | ||
| College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory and College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory ** | ||
| University Physics I and University Physics I Laboratory and University Physics II and University Physics II Laboratory ** | ||
| Additional Science Course: Select one additional science course that satisfies general education requirements | 3 | |
| B.S. Degree Requirements: Potential of 11 credits to reach 122 | 11 | |
| Total Credits | 122-124 | |
| * | CSCI 445 Software Projects Capstone & CSCI 489 Social Implications of Computers form the department capstone. CSCI 445 is typically taken during the last spring semester and CSCI 489 is typically taken during the last fall semester prior to degree completion. |
| ** | Fulfills Gen Ed Req. |
| *** | Fulfills Gen Ed & Global Perspective Req. |
Major Requirements
Major: Computer Science
Degree Type: B.A.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| UNIV 189 | Skills For Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take UNIV 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions | 3 |
| or ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I | 4 |
| or MATH 165 | Calculus I | |
| Science & Technology (S): | ||
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages | 3-4 |
| or CSCI 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list | 7 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Wellness (W): Select from current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): Select from current general education list | ||
| Total Credits | 41-42 | |
College Requirements
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree - An additional 12 credits of Humanities and Social Sciences* and proficiency at the second year level in a modern foreign language.
* Humanities and Social Sciences may be fulfilled by any course having the following prefix: ADHM, ANTH, ARCH, ART, CJ, CLAS, COMM, ECON, ENGL, FREN, GEOG, GERM, HDFS, HIST, LA, LANG, MUSC, PHIL, POLS, PSYC, RELS, SOC, SPAN, THEA, WGS, or any course from the approved list of general education courses in humanities and social sciences (general education categories A and B). These credits must come from outside the department of the student’s major.
Major Requirements
A Grade of 'C' or better is required for all CSCI courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Science and Mathematics College Requirements | 12 | |
| B.A. Computer Science Core Requirements | ||
| CSCI 159 | Computer Science Problem Solving | 3 |
| CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 161 | Computer Science II | 4 |
| CSCI 213 | Modern Software Development | 3 |
| CSCI 222 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| CSCI 313 | Software Development for Games | 3 |
| CSCI 366 | Database Systems | 3 |
| CSCI 371 | Web Scripting Languages | 3 |
| CSCI 445 | Software Projects Capstone * | 3 |
| CSCI 488 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| CSCI 489 | Social Implications of Computers * | 3 |
| Related Courses | ||
| COMM 260 | Introduction to Web Design | 3 |
| COMM 261 | Introduction to Web Development | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis | 2 |
| Other Courses: Select these seven credits from the following areas: | 7 | |
Science (not CSCI) | ||
| B.A. Degree Requirements: Potential of 16 credits to reach 122 | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 122 | |
| * | CSCI 445 Software Projects Capstone & CSCI 489 Social Implications of Computers form the department capstone. CSCI 445 is typically taken during the last spring semester and CSCI 489 is typically taken during the last fall semester prior to degree completion. |
Minor Requirements
Computer Science Minor
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 17
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CSCI 213 | Modern Software Development | 3 |
| Choose one of the following two sequences: | 7-8 | |
| Computer Science I and Computer Science II | ||
| Computing Fundamentals I and Computer Science II | ||
| Additional Electives: At least 3 credits must be CSCI 300-400 level. | 7 | |
| Total Credits | 17-18 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- A grade of 'C' or better is required in all courses applied to the computer science minor.
