Computer Science Dept. Policy for Undergraduates

Computer Science Curriculum for Students Entering UMass Lowell In or After September 2011 and Taking Calculus I

Version 4.2, updated April 3, 2013

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This is one possible course sequence for students entering UMass Lowell in or after September 2011 and taking 92.131 Calculus I.  A possible sequence for students taking 92.128 Calculus IA and 92.129 Calculus IB is shown in an alternate grid.  Students pursing or considering the Co-Op Option should consult the CS Co-Op grid for a possible sequence that includes the courses and experiences required for that option.  All students should refer to the definitions and notes on specific course categories and sequences below the grid.

Note:  Students may substitute 92.128 Calculus IA and 92.129 Calculus IB (totaling 8 credits)
for 92.131 Calculus I (4 credits).  However, only 4 of those 8 credits may be applied to the CS major. 
Therefore, students who take Calculus IA and IB instead of Calculus I graduate with 124 credits.

Definitions and Notes

Computer Science Electives

• CS students must complete two courses (6 credits) of computer science electives.
• These may be any non-required courses offered by the CS Department that are not taken to fill other slots.  (That is, courses cannot be “double counted.”)
• Specific courses may be recommended for different CS Tracks.

GenEd Courses

• CS students must complete six courses (18 credits) that satisfy the University General Education Requirements.
• Three of these must be approved Arts and Humanities (AH) courses and three must be approved Social Sciences (SS) courses.
• 42.220 Oral & Written Communication for Computer Science is required and counts as one of the three required AH GenEds.
• One of these courses (either AH or SS) must satisfy the CS Ethics Requirement.
• One (again either AH or SS) must satisfy the University Diversity Requirement.
• Specific courses may be recommended for different CS Tracks.
• See the University General Education Program website for more detailed information.

Natural Science Electives

• CS students must complete 12 credits of natural science courses.
• These are courses offered by one of the four natural science departments in the College of Sciences:
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Physics and Applied Physics
• Courses that fulfill this requirement must be classified as required or elective courses for the majors in those departments (with some exceptions).
• This requirement may also be satisfied by completing three 3-credit courses that do not include labs plus one 4-credit course that does include a lab (totaling 13 credits rather than 12), but the Computer Science faculty recommends that students take three 4-credit courses that do include labs as laid out in the course grid.
• An additional constraint is that the total number of credits applied to this requirement plus the number of credits earned in Math (92.xxx) courses must total at least 30.
• Specific courses may be recommended for different CS Tracks.
• See the CS Dept. Policy on Natural Science Electives for more detailed information.

Technical Electives

• CS students must complete 6 credits of technical electives.
• These are courses offered by the College of Sciences (this is our college) or the College of Engineering.
• Courses that fulfill this requirement must be classified as required or elective courses for the majors in those departments.
• In general, 90.xxx courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
• Specific courses may be recommended for different CS Tracks.

General (Free) Electives

• CS students must complete 12 credits of almost any course offered by the University.
• Courses taken to fulfill this requirement must not be below the level of any required course.
• Specific courses may be recommended for different CS Tracks.
• See the CS Dept. Policy on General Electives for more detailed information.

Slots

• Courses listed in “slots” may generally be taken in any order, within the confines of specified course prerequisites.
• Some CS Tracks may put constraints on the ordering of these electives.
• Faculty advisors recommend that two-course sequences (such as Chemistry I and II) be taken in successive semesters rather than taking part 1 and then waiting one or more semesters to take part 2.

Please direct questions to the CS Undergraduate Coordinator at:  ugcoord@cs.uml.edu