Skip to main content

Comparing Degrees

The Department of Computer Sciences offers several undergraduate degrees. For many students, they are choosing between a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Bachelor of Science and Arts. The Bachelor of Science generally requires more science hours while the Bachelor of Arts offers a broader-based education with more required humanities/liberal arts courses. The Bachelor of Science and Arts is a new degree that will be available to all students in Fall 2014 which incorporates a minor or certificate and broader choices in the humanities and liberal arts courses. See the chart below for a comparison.

See the Undergraduate Catalog

  Bachelor of Science
in CS		 Bachelor of Arts
in CS		 Bachelor of Science
and Arts in CS
Computer Science 44 hours; 6 required, 8 electives 38 hours; 6 required, 6 electives 32 hours; 6 required, 4 electives
Math 4-5 courses; full calculus sequence (either 2 or 3 courses), M 340L (or equiv), and SSC 321 (or equiv) 3-4 courses; full calculus sequence (either 2 or 3 courses), and M 340L (or equiv) and SSC 321 (or equiv). Catalog requirements vary here. Check with your academic advisor to determine which catalog you should follow. 3 courses; one semester of calculus, M 340L (or equiv), and SSC 321 (or equiv)
Additional Science

1. A science sequence (2 courses) chosen from majors level CH, BIO or PHY (PHY must be calculus based and labs are required).

2. Three additional hours chosen a different field of study than the sequence. Can be CH, BIO, PHY or GEO 303, GEO 401 or 3hrs of Upper Div Math

 6 hours of science in one area (not Math or CS) 6 hours of science in one area (not Math or CS)
Foreign Language Three Options (choose one):
  1. 2 semesters in a single foreign language
  2. 1 semester in a foreign language and 1 course in the same language area, from approved cultural course list
  3. 2 courses from approved cultural course list
 4th semester proficiency in a language Not specifically required, but you may choose to use a language or culture course as one of your options in the Language, Arts & Culture category
Additional component   An additional social science course & a CEHET course

18-hour university-approved certificate or 15-18 hour minor in a single area

12 hours selected from at least two of the following four areas: Fine Arts, Humanities, Social & Behavioral Science, Foreign Language & Culture
Total Hours 120 hours 120 hours 120 hours