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.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
College Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree – An additional 12 credits Humanities and Social Sciences and proficiency at the second year level in a modern foreign language. * | 12 | |
| Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree – An additional 6 credits in Humanities or Social Sciences * | 6 | |
| * | 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 prefix courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| B.S. Computer Science Core Requirements | ||
| CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 161 | Computer Science II | 4 |
| CSCI 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| CSCI 213 | Modern Software Development | 3 |
| CSCI 222 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| CSCI 313 | Software Development for Games | 3 |
| CSCI 336 | Theoretical Computer Science | 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 2 | 3 |
| CSCI 467 | Algorithm Analysis | 3 |
| CSCI 474 | Operating Systems Concepts | 3 |
| CSCI 489 | Social Implications of Computers 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions (May satisfy general education category C) | 3 |
| or ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | |
| MATH 165 | Calculus I (May satisfy general education category R) | 4 |
| MATH 166 | Calculus II | 4 |
| STAT 367 | Probability | 3 |
| STAT 368 | Statistics | 3 |
| Computer Science Electives: Select 3 courses from the list below. | 9 | |
| Note: Students seeking recognition of cyber-security skills should follow the cyber-security section below. | ||
| Topics on Personal Computers | ||
| Web Scripting Languages | ||
| Principles of Software Engineering | ||
| Simulation Models | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Computational Techniques for Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Cloud Computing | ||
| Linear Programming and Network Flows | ||
| Operations Research | ||
| Microcomputer Graphics | ||
| Foundations of Computer Networks | ||
| Mobile and Wireless Networks | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Foundations of the Digital Enterprise | ||
| Computer Forensics | ||
| Object-Oriented Systems | ||
| Introduction to Data Mining | ||
| Human-Computer Interaction | ||
| Seminar (Cyber-Security Focus) | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Computer Crime, Forensics, and Investigation | ||
| Managing Information Technology Security | ||
| Total Credits | 71 | |
Cyber-security
Cyber-security is optional - students interested in pursuing recognition of their achievement in cyber-security core concepts should take the B.S. Core Requirements as indicated above, as well as the additional courses listed here. This sequence satisfies the Computer Science elective courses required for the B.S. degree.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CSCI 491 | Seminar (Cyber-Security Focus) | 3 |
| MIS 415 | Managing Information Technology Security | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Foundations of the Digital Enterprise | ||
| Topics on Personal Computers (Cyber-Security Focus) | ||
| Special Topics (Cyber-Security Focus) | ||
| Computer Crime, Forensics, and Investigation | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| 1 | CSCI 189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take CSCI 189. |
| 2 | Together, CSCI 445 Software Projects Capstone (typically taken during the last spring semester prior to degree completion) & CSCI 489 Social Implications of Computers (typically taken during the last fall semester prior to degree completion), form the department capstone. |
Major Requirements
Major: Computer Science
Degree Type: B.A.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
College Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree – An additional 12 credits Humanities and Social Sciences and proficiency at the second year level in a modern foreign language. * | 12 | |
| Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree – An additional 6 credits in Humanities or Social Sciences * | 6 | |
| * | 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 prefix courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. Computer Science Core Requirements | ||
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| CSCI 159 | Computer Science Problem Solving | 3 |
| CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 161 | Computer Science II | 4 |
| CSCI 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| 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 2 | 3 |
| CSCI 488 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| CSCI 489 | Social Implications of Computers 2 | 3 |
| Related Courses | ||
| COMM 260 | Introduction to Web Design | 3 |
| COMM 261 | Introduction to Web Development | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions (May satisfy general education category C) | 3 |
| or ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | |
| MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I (May satisfy general education category R) | 4 |
| or MATH 165 | Calculus I | |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis | 2 |
| Other Courses: Select these seven credits from the following areas: | 7 | |
Science (cannot be courses with the CSCI prefix) | ||
| Total Credits | 64 | |
| 1 | CSCI 189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take CSCI 189. |
| 2 | 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: Select 7-8 credits (at least 3 credits must be CSCI 300-400 level). | 7-8 | |
| Total Credits | 17-19 | |
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.
B.S. Calculus Ready 4- year plan
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CSCI 160 | 4 | CSCI 161 | 4 |
| CSCI 189 | 1 | MATH 166 | 4 |
| MATH 165 | 4 | Lab Science II | 4-5 |
| Lab Science I | 4-5 | General Ed (HUM/FA) | 3 |
| ENGL 110 or 120 | 3-4 | ||
| 16-18 | 15-16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CSCI 213 | 3 | CSCI 313 | 3 |
| CSCI 222 | 3 | CSCI 336 | 3 |
| COMM 110 | 3 | General Ed (SOC/BehSci) | 3 |
| General Ed SOC/BehSci | 3 | Add'l Gen Ed I | 3 |
| Science elective | 3 | Wellness | 2-3 |
| 15 | 14-15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CSCI 372 | 3 | CSCI 467 | 3 |
| STAT 367 | 3 | STAT 368 | 3 |
| CSCI 366 | 3 | CSCI 374 | 3 |
| General Ed (HUM/FA) | 3 | Add'l Gen Ed II | 3 |
| CSCI Elective I | 3 | ENGL 321 or 324 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CSCI 489 | 3 | CSCI 415 | 3 |
| CSCI 474 | 3 | CSCI 445 | 3 |
| CSCI elective II | 3 | CSCI Elective III | 3 |
| Additional Elective | 3 | Additional Elective | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits: 114-118 | |||
B.S. Student needs preparatory MATH course(s)
| Freshman | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Credits |
| CSCI 122 | 3 |
| or | |
| CSCI 159 | 3 |
| CSCI 189 | 1 |
| ENGL 110 | 4 |
| or | |
| ENGL 120 | 3 |
| Lab Science I | |
| Pre-Calculus course *per placement | |
| 14 | |
| Total Credits: 14 | |
