Sample Programs For B.S. Computer Science Students

The information in this document is intended to be a summary of the official department policies as stated in the online university catalog. In cases of disagreement, it is the catalog and not this document that is to be regarded as official.

Sample 4-year Program For B.S. Computer Science Students¹

Sample 2-year Program For B.S. Computer Science Transfer Students Without Java^7,8

Sample 2-year Program For B.S. Computer Science Transfer Students with Java^7,8

Notes

1. The 4-year plan assumes readiness for calculus. Students may deviate from this plan, but should be aware that not every course is offered every semester. The CS department web site gives information about when each course is offered. Students who deviate should make sure that they will have satisfied the prerequisite for each of their courses.
   Students entering the major directly from high school should consider taking Science 2 in their first semester and delaying a general education course, even though this will increase the total units needed to complete the degree.
2. Requires a placement exam -- see the Schedule of Classes for test dates and further explanation.
3. Has a programming language prerequisite. CS 46A will satisfy the programming language prerequisite for CS 46B. CS 46B will satisfy the programming language prerequisite for CS 146 and CS 151. CS 49C will satisfy the programming language prerequisite for CS 152.
4. Not every Additional Science course qualifies for Area R. Students who use a nonqualifying course to satisfy Area R may require more than 121 units to graduate, unless CS 120A is used as the Additional Science course. See Note 5 in the BSCS program requirements for information about CS 120A, about what courses may count as Additional Science, and about which of these courses satisfy Area R.
5. For students entering the CS major Spring 2006 or later, and for all students using the requirements stated in the 2006-2008 catalog, at least 6 units of electives must be taken from among CS 116A, CS 122, CS 123A, CS 130, CS 153, CS 155, CS 156, CS 157A, CS 157B, CS 158A, CS 158B, CS 159, CS 161, CS 166, CS 174, and CS 180I.
   All majors should be aware that all "deep courses" (see Note 6) except CS 153 and CS 161 require an elective as prerequisite, so that this elective should be taken before the deep course. To allow flexibility in the choice of a deep course, majors may also want to consider taking CS 154 or CS 160 before their last semester, since these courses are prerequisites for CS 153 and CS 161, respectively.

6. A deep course is one of CS 116B, 123B, 153, 157B, 158B, or 161.

7. The 2-year plan assumes completion of the LDTP program for Computer Science. Specifically, it assumes completion of equivalents of Math 30, 31, and 42; CS 46A, 46B, and 47; and Phys 50 and 51. It also assumes completion of all core General Education except for Area E, and that the Writing Skills Test has been passed. Students without the assumed background in Math and CS courses should check the LDTP question in the BSCS FAQ on the CS department web site for advice on how to modify the plan.
   Any student may deviate from the plan, but should first check the warnings of Note 1.

8. "With Java" means having knowledge of the Java-specific portions of CS 46A and CS 46B. Such knowledge of Java can be obtained by completing CS 49J or most Java-based equivalents of CS 46B. However students who took CS 46B equivalents should see an advisor to make sure. Knowledge of Java is a prerequisite for CS 146 and CS 151. Students who took an equivalent of CS 46B in some other language should check with the advisor to see whether they have thereby met the language prerequisite for CS 152.

Last Modified: May 2007