2011-2012 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Requirements for a Computer Science Major
Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Computer Science

Requirements for a Computer Science Major

1. University degree requirements

As identified in the General Academic Regulations section of the catalog.

2. Computer Science Major

All computer science majors must complete the following 41-44 credits of required computer science classes and nine hours of CS electives with a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Required Computer Science Courses:

CIS 162 - Computer Science I Credits: 4
CIS 163 - Computer Science II Credits: 4
CIS 251 - Computer Organization Credits: 3
CIS 263 - Data Structures and Algorithms Credits: 3
CIS 290 - CIS Internship Preparation Credits: 1
CIS 343 - Structure of Programming Languages Credits: 3
CIS 350 - Introduction to Software Engineering Credits: 3
CIS 353 - Database Credits: 3
CIS 451 - Computer Architecture Credits: 4
CIS 452 - Operating Systems Concepts Credits: 4
CIS 457 - Data Communications Credits: 4
CIS 467 - Computer Science Project Credits: 3 (capstone course.)
CIS 490 - Internship Credits: 2 to 5

Computer Science Elective Courses

All computer science majors must select three electives (at least nine hours) from the following:

CIS 361 - System Programming Credits: 3
CIS 365 - Artificial Intelligence Credits: 3
CIS 367 - Computer Graphics Credits: 3
CIS 368 - Usability Design & Evaluation Credits: 3
CIS 371 - Web Application Programming Credits: 3
CIS 375 - Wireless Networking Systems Credits: 3
CIS 380 - Special Topics in Computer Information Systems Credits: 1 to 4
CIS 458 - System Security Credits: 3
CIS 461 - Compiler Design and Construction Credits: 3
CIS 465 - Automata and Theory of Computation Credits: 3
CIS 480 - Special Topics in Computer Information Systems Credits: 1 to 4

3. Cognate Courses

Completion of MTH 201, MTH 202, and either STA 215 or 312 satisfy the B.S. degree cognate requirement for computer science majors. Students completing a B.A. degree must complete a third-semester proficiency in a foreign language.

Computer science majors must complete all 24 credit hours of the following cognate courses, plus a minimum of 12 credit hours from one of the following four science groups:

COM 201 - Speech Credits: 3
MTH 201 - Calculus I Credits: 5
MTH 202 - Calculus II Credits: 4
MTH 225 - Discrete Structures: Computer Science Credits: 3
MTH 325 - Discrete Structures: Computer Science 2 Credits: 3
STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics Credits: 3 OR STA 312 - Probability and Statistics (3 credits)
WRT 350 - Business Communication Credits: 3

12 Hours of Science

Select one 3-course science group from the following 4 groups:

BIO 120 - General Biology I (4 credits)
BIO 121 - General Biology II (4 credits)
and a General Education Physical Science Course

CHM 115 - Principles of Chemistry I (5 credits)
CHM 116 - Principles of Chemistry II (5 credits)
and a General Education Life Science Course

PHY 220 - General Physics I (5 credits)
PHY 221 - General Physics II (5 credits)
and a General Education Life Science Course

PHY 230 - Principles of Physics I (5 credits)
PHY 231 - Principles of Physics II (5 credits)
and a General Education Life Science Course

Secondary Admission

Admission to major standing in computer science or information systems is competitive and requires a secondary application. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Overall GPA of 2.5 or above in all Grand Valley State University coursework.
Completion of each course in the technical core with a grade of C or above (C- is not sufficient).
GPA of 2.5 or above in the technical core.

Technical core GPA is calculated on no more than one repeat per course. Achievement of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the major. The school will also consider internship availability and the applicant's suitability for internships before granting admission. Transfer students must complete at least six hours of CIS coursework before applying, but should consult with a CIS advisor before scheduling their first semester.

The technical core includes CIS 162 and 163; MTH 225; STA 215, 312, or 318; COM 201 or WRT 350. Completing the core courses requires programming, analytical reasoning, and communication skills. These skills are important to excel in the computing field.

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Computer Science

These options assume the students will complete the technical core and general education courses with the help of their advisor and apply for Secondary Admission at the end of the winter semester of their first year. The following course sequence also assumes a strong mathematics background for the entering student. If mathematics deficiencies exist, completing the mathematics prerequisites should be the student's top priority.

First Year: