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How to Minor in Computer Science

The following provides an overview of information for students interested in minoring in CS; these changes to the curriculum are applicable to students who declare a CS minor after 6/1/2009.

Required Courses

A minor in computer science consists of 13-14 credits of coursework. These credits include the following required courses – note that MATH 125 is a prerequisite course to CSCI 127; however, MATH 125 does not count towards the computer science minor.

  • CSCI 127 (3 credits, 3 hours) Introduction to Computer Science
  • CSCI 133 (3 credits, 3 hours) Programming for Everyone.
  • CSCI 232 (3 credits, 3 hours) Relational Databases and SQL Programming    

Plus, a one-credit minor capstone course:

  • CSCI 233 (1 credit, 2 hours) Programming Projects Seminar for Minors

In addition, students will be required to take at least one 3-credit elective selected from computer science offerings numbered 135 or above. Although you may take any computer science course numbered 135 or above, courses that require only one or more of the above courses as prerequisites include:

  • CSCI 135 (3 credits , 3 hours) Software Design and Analysis and
    CSCI 136 (1 credit, 2 hours) Co-requisite lab for CSCI 135
  • CSCI 150 (3 credits, 3 hours) Discrete Math
  • CSCI 267 (3 credits, 3 hours) Microprocessors and Embedded Systems
  • CSCI 160 (3 credits, 3 hours) Computer Architecture I (Logic and Design)

Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing a computer science minor, students will:

  1. understand the relationship between computer architectures and software systems,
  2. be able to implement the solution to a computing problem in a high-level programming language with a program of non-trivial size,
  3. be able to manipulate and query data using a relational database system, and
  4. acquire some more advanced knowledge in an elective area.

Possible Course Sequence

It is important to realize that the minor in computer science cannot be completed in one or two semesters. Below are a few suggestions on how the minor can be completed, but please see the abbreviated list of courses and prerequisites.

Semester

Reasonable pace

No Math 125 yet

Fastest (not recommended!)

1

CSCI 127

CSCI 133 and MATH 125

CSCI 127 and 133

2

CSCI 133

CSCI 127

CSCI 232* and Elective

3

CSCI 232*

CSCI 232*

CSCI 233

4

Elective

CSCI 233 and Elective

 

5

CSCI 233

 

 

 * Note: CSCI 232 is generally offered in the spring semester only.

Courses and Prerequisites Appropriate for Minors

For descriptions, please see the department's website for details:

CSCI 127: Introduction to Computer Science. Fulfills the GER 2/E requirement. Prerequisite or co-requisite: Math 121, 125 or 150. 3 hours, 3 credits. This course does not count toward the CS major or minor.

 CSCI 133: Programming for Everyone. Fulfills the GER 2/E requirement. Prerequisite: None. 3 hours, 3 credits. This course does not count toward the CS major.

 CSC1 135: Software Design and Analysis I. Prerequisite: CSCI 127 or equivalent. 3 hours, 3 credits.

 CSCI 136: Supervised C++ Programming Lab. Co-requisite: CSCI 135. 2 hours, 1 credit.

 CSCI 150: Discrete Structures. Prerequisite: MATH 125 or MATH 150 or MATH 155. 3 hours, 3 credits.

 CSCI 160: Computer Architecture I. Prerequisites: CSCI 127 and 150. 3 hours, 3 credits.

 CSCI 232: Relational Databases and SQL Programming, with Lab. Fulfills the GER 3/B requirement.  Prerequisite: CSCI 127 or 132.  3 hours, 3 credits. This class is generally offered in the spring semester.

 CSCI 233: Programming Projects Seminar for Minors. Prerequisites: CSCI 133 and 232 and a declared CS minor. 2 hours, 1 credit.

 CSCI 267: Microprocessors and Embedded Systems. Fulfills the GER 3/B requirement. Prerequisite: CSCI 133 or 260. 3 hours, 3 credits.