This document gives the degree requirements for a Bachelor of
Science degree in Computer Science.
The Bachelor of Science program is accredited by ABET
(Accreditation Board in Engineering and Technology).
As of Fall 2010, the Computer Science Department
instituted changes which completed the requirements for ABET accreditation.
Earlier changes towards accreditation were made in the
Fall 2008 curriculum.
In addition to the degree requirements below, the interested reader
is encouraged to consult these links:
The additional 7 or 8 credits must be
fulfilled as a combination of
Math (MAT) courses, level 200 or above
Science courses (not Computer Science), any level
You must take
one laboratory science course intended for science majors;
the current list of such courses includes:
BIO110 — General Biology (3)
CHE103 & CRL103 — General Chemistry I (3) & Lab (1)
ESS101 — Introduction to Geology (3)
PHY130 — General Physics I (4)
PHY170 — Physics I (4)
Please note that all science credits taken to satisfy
the Additional Math and Science Requirements are
in addition to
the
6-credit general education science requirement.
† this course also counts towards general education credits
In addition to the Core Curriculum a student must take
18 credits of Computer Science (CSC) electives
consisting of 300-level or 400-level courses
according to these stipulations:
A minumum of 6 credits of 400-level courses is required.
The courses taken to statisfy the
Advanced Requirements
are in addition
to the course taken to satisfy the Large Scale Systems requirement.
The internship course,
CSC400,
can apply 3 credits towards the Advanced Requirements.
Computer Security Certificate
This certificate is described in the Information Security Center section.
It is intended for students who wish to focus on the computer/network security aspects
of Computer Science. To satisfy the certificate, the following elective courses must be taken:
In order for an undergraduate student to receive
recognition of completion of the Computer Security Certificate,
he or she must complete each of the Certificate courses
with a minimum grade of C– and obtain an overall GPA of 2.0 in all
courses taken for the certificate (counting CSC301 and CSC402,
which are required for the major).
A student who wishes to pursue this certificate needs to obtain an
Application for Undergraduate Certificate in Computer Security and
submit it to the chairperson of the Computer Science Department.
The additional 7 or 8 credits must be
fulfilled as a combination of
Math (MAT) courses, level 200 or above
Science courses (not Computer Science), any level
You must take
one laboratory science course intended for science majors;
the current list of such courses includes:
BIO110 — General Biology (3)
CHE103 & CRL103 — General Chemistry I (3) & Lab (1)
ESS101 — Introduction to Geology (3)
PHY130 — General Physics I (4)
PHY170 — Physics I (4)
Please note that all science credits taken to satisfy
the Additional Math and Science Requirements are
in addition to
the
6-credit general education science requirement.
† this course also counts towards general education credits
Advanced Requirements - 12 credits
In addition to completing the Core Curriculum a student must take
12 credits of Computer Science (CSC) electives selected from 300 or 400 level courses.
Computer Security Certificate
This certificate is described in the Information Security Center section.
It is intended for students who wish to focus on the computer/network security aspects
of Computer Science. To satisfy the certificate, the following elective courses must be taken:
In order for an undergraduate student to receive
recognition of completion of the Computer Security Certificate,
he or she must complete each of the Certificate courses
with a minimum grade of C– and obtain an overall GPA of 2.0 in all
courses taken for the certificate (counting CSC301 and CSC402,
which are required for the major).
A student who wishes to pursue this certificate needs to obtain an
Application for Undergraduate Certificate in Computer Security and
submit it to the chairperson of the Computer Science Department.
† these courses also count towards general education credits
Additional Requirements – 27 credits
In addition to completing the Core Curriculum (requirements in computer
science, communication skills and mathematics),
the student must complete 27 credits consisting of:
15 credits of approved computer science electives
12 additional credits of approved electives in computer science, business, mathematics, and criminal justice, or courses taken to complete a minor or computer security certificate.
Note: neither the Computer Science minor nor the Information Technology minor can be used to satisfy this additional 12 credit requirement.
The Approved Electives are these:
Computer Science Electives:
Any CSC major course at or above the 300 level (note that CSC 350 is not a major elective).
Business Electives:
ACC 201, ACC 202, ECO 340, ECO 348, MGT 200, MIS 300, MIS 451, MKT 200.
Mathematics Electives:
Any MAT major elective course at or above the 200 level.
Criminal Justice:
CRJ 380.
Area of Emphasis Suggestions:
The following examples are given to guide students in the selection of courses to fulfill these additional requirements.
Computer Science Emphasis: The Computer Science Emphasis is
intended for those students who intend to enter the computer
industry or go on to graduate studies in Computer Science.
15 credits of approved electives in computer science
(recommended: CSC 331 341, 345)
12 additional credits selected from approved electives
in computer science or mathematics
Computer and Information Science Emphasis:
The Computer and Information Science Emphasis is
intended for those students who intend apply their
knowledge of computer science in the world of business and industry.
15 credits of approved electives in computer science
(recommended: CSC 317, 321)
12 additional credits selected from approved electives
in computer science, business, or mathematics
Computer Applications Emphasis: The Computer Applications
Emphasis is intended for those students who wish to apply their
knowledge of computer science to some other field of interest via
the completion of a minor in that field.
15 credits of approved electives in computer science,
12 additional credits selected from courses which have been
taken as part of the completion of a minor.
Note: neither the Computer Science minor nor the
Information Technology minor can be used to satisfy
this additional 12 credit requirement.
Computer Security Emphasis: This emphasis means that a student will,
in addition to other requirements, complete the Undergraduate Computer
Security Certificate described in the Information Security Center
website.
It is intended for those students who wish to focus on the
computer/network
security aspects of Computer Science.
15 credits which satisfy the Computer Security Certificate,
consisting of these electives:
12 credits of approved electives
in computer science not in the above list
Note that the Software Engineering (CSC402) course is also
required for the Computer Security Certificate, but this is one of
the core courses which all Computer Science majors must take.
In order for an undergraduate student to receive recognition for
completion of the Computer Security Certificate he or she must
complete each of the Certificate courses with a minimum grade of
C– and obtain an overall GPA of 2.0 in all courses taken for the
certificate.
A student who wishes to pursue this certificate should obtain an
Application for Undergraduate Certificate in Computer Security and
submit this to the chairperson of the Computer Science Department.
Special Entrance Requirements
Students who enter WCU as first-year computer science majors must meet the
following high school criteria:
Rank in the top two-fifths of graduating class.
Pass Algebra I, Algebra II/Trigonometry, Geometry, and a senior year math course.
Earn a Math SAT original score of 530 (or recentered score of 550) or better.
Earn a Combined SAT original score of 950 (or recentered score of 1020) or better.
Advanced Placement Credit
The following guidelines will be used to determine college credit when evaluating Advanced Placement Scores in Computer Science
Examination
A. P. Score
Policy
Computer Science AB
1, 2
no credit
3, 4, 5
3 credits for CSC 141
Computer Science A
1, 2
no credit
3, 4, 5
3 credits for CSC 141
Transfer and Continuation Requirements
Students who seek to transfer to the Computer Science major from another college or from another major within WCU must first satisfy all these conditions:
have received a grade of C- or better for both CSC141 and CSC142
have received a grade of C- or better in at least two of the following three courses: MAT121, MAT151, MAT161
have a GPA of at least 2.5 over all CSC major courses taken, and a GPA of at least 2.0 over all required MAT courses taken.
All Computer Science majors at WCU must satisfy the same
requirements as stated above before being permitted to take
any 300 or higher level Computer Science major course.
Exceptions to this transfer and continuation policy can be
made on a case by case basis by the department chairperson.
Graduation Requirements
In order to graduate, a Computer Science major must earn a grade of C- or
better in each course taken to fulfill the requirements listed above.
Furthermore, the overall GPA must be ast least 2.5 in CSC courses
and at least 2.0 in MAT courses taken as requirements.
This policy does not apply to courses taken as free electives.
