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Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree is for students interested in learning the principles, applications and technologies of computing and computers. The practical side of computing can be seen in virtually all disciplines. Nearly everyone is a computer user.

Receiving a BS in Computer Science enables you to go beyond being a user and to learn to develop technological solutions to problems that range from every day tasks to complex problems such as a self-driving car. Computer Science, in its essence, can be thought of as problem solving. Computing professionals must be adept at modeling and analyzing problems and then design and develop solutions. Computer science has a wide range of specialties including artificial intelligence, computer architecture, computer graphics, computer networks, computer vision, databases, data mining, data streaming, deep learning, distributed computing, game design and development, hardware systems, human computer interaction, information security, parallel computing, quantum computing, software engineering, web design and development, and many others. This degree prepares students to enter challenging computing careers in the workplace or to embark on postgraduate programs in Computer Science.

Academic Advising

Students should contact the department office (info@cs.iusb.edu or (574) 520-5521) before their first semester to schedule a meeting with a computer science advisor to develop a plan for their academic course of study.

Students with substantial prior computer programming experience can take the course placement exams to assess their computer programming skills.

Advising holds are placed on all Computer Science students by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences prior to advance registration and are reset following advising appointments. To determine who your assigned advisor is and how to contact them, see the advising webpage under information for current students at cs.iusb.edu or contact the department at info@cs.iusb.edu or (574) 520-5521.

Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

Degree Map >>

Students receiving the B.S. in Computer Science must complete 120 total credit hours including:

• IU South Bend Campuswide General Education Curriculum (33 cr.) | 12 credits are satisfied by courses from the Major

• CSCI-C 250 Discrete Structures
  Fulfills Fundamental Literacies: Critical Thinking requirement
• Mathematics courses
  Fulfills Fundamental Literacies: Quantitative Reasoning requirement
• Computer Science courses
  Fulfills Extended Literacies: Computer Literacy requirement
• INFO-I 202 Social Informatics
  Fulfills Tagged Course: Information Literacy requirement

• Major Requirements (85-91 cr.)
• Free Electives (balance of credits needed to equal 120 credit requirement)

• Minimum of 30 credit hours at the 300– or 400–level
• All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted.

Major Requirements (85-91 cr.)

Societal Issues in Computing (3 cr.)

• INFO-I 202 Social Informatics

World Languages (0-6 cr.)

• Successful completion of a second-semester language class, or formal training, as evidenced by secondary or university diplomas, in a language other than English. The Department of World Language Studies (W.L.S.) offers a placement examination to determine into which semester a student should enroll and/or to qualify students for credit by examination.
• Students who have completed at least three years (six semesters) of high school courses in a single world language and have received a grade of C or better would be able to waive this requirement. Consult with your CS Faculty Advisor.

Physical and Life Sciences (10 cr.)

Select two options from the following:

Biology Option 1

• BIOL-L 101 Introduction to Biological Sciences 1 (5 cr.)

Biology Option 2

• BIOL-L 102 Introduction to Biological Sciences 2 (5 cr.)

Chemistry Option 1

• CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I
• CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry I (2 cr.)

Chemistry Option 2

• CHEM-C 106 Principles of Chemistry II
• CHEM-C 126 Experimental Chemistry II (2 cr.)

Physics Option 1

• PHYS-P 201 General Physics 1 (5 cr.)
  Credit not given for both PHYS-P 201 and PHYS-P 221

Physics Option 2

• PHYS-P 202 General Physics 2 (5 cr.)
  Credit not given for both PHYS-P 202 and PHYS-P 222

Physics Option 3

• PHYS-P 221 Physics 1 (5 cr.)
  Credit not given for both PHYS-P 201 and PHYS-P 221

Physics Option 4

• PHYS-P 222 Physics 2 (5 cr.)
  Credit not given for both PHYS-P 202 and PHYS-P 222

Mathematics (14 cr.)

Note | A grade of C or higher in each course is required.

• MATH-M 215 Calculus I (5 cr.)
• MATH-M 260 Combinatorial Counting and Probability
• MATH-M 261 Statistical Inferences
• MATH-M 301 Linear Algebra and Applications

Computer Science (58 cr.)

Note | A grade of C- or higher in each course is required unless specified otherwise. At least 29 of the 58 credit hours must be taken at IU South Bend.

• CSCI-B 100 Problem Solving Using Computers (4 cr.)
  A grade of C or better is required. Placement exam is available.
  
• CSCI-B 401 Fundamentals of Computing Theory
• CSCI-C 101 Computer Programming I (4 cr.)
  Test out is available
• CSCI-C 151 Multiuser Operating Systems (2 cr.)
  Test out is available
• CSCI-C 201 Computer Programming II (4 cr.)
  Test out is available
• CSCI-C 243 Introduction to Data Structures (4 cr.)
• CSCI-C 250 Discrete Structures
• CSCI-C 308 System Analysis and Design (4 cr.)
• CSCI-C 311 Programming Languages
• CSCI-C 335 Computer Structures (4 cr.)
• CSCI-C 421 Digital Design (4 cr.)
• CSCI-C 435 Operating Systems 1 (4 cr.)
• CSCI-C 455 Analysis of Algorithms I
• CSCI-C 486 Senior Capstone Project

• Three additional computer science courses (at least 9 cr.) at or above the level of CSCI-C 243 Introduction to Data Structures. Select from the following (for additional courses, department approval is required.)

• CSCI-B 424 Parallel and Distributed Programming
• CSCI-B 438 Fundamentals of Computer Networks
• CSCI-B 451 Security in Computing
• CSCI-C 442 Database Systems
• CSCI-C 463 Artificial Intelligence I
• CSCI-C 481 Interactive Computer Graphics
• CSCI-C 490 Seminar in Computer Science (1-3 cr.)
  Choose topics such as Applied Deep Learning, Web Programming, Game Programming, Software Engineering, Design Patterns in Java, Applied Data Mining, Security for Networked Systems, and Applied Cloud Computing
• CSCI-Y 398 Internship in Professional Practice
• MATH-M 471 Numerical Analysis 1