Computer Science B.S.C.S.

University Admissions

Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:

• Freshman: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/requirements-deadlines.aspx
• Transfer: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/transfer/admission-information/index.aspx
• International: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/international/admission-information/index.aspx

For Admission information specfic to the College of Engineering, see the information at College of Engineering .

Computer Science Minimum Requirements for Progression into the Upper Division

Computer Science students who have fully met the below requirements and are in good academic standing, may progress into the upper level of the major. Prior to progression into the upper level, a student may take no more than two Departmental courses.  The department may have continuation requirements, which specify minimum performance standards in core major courses which must be met before further registration in the department is granted.

1. Completion of:
   • ENC 1101  - Composition I and ENC 1102  - Composition II 
   • Calculus I (MAC 2311  or MAC 2281 ) and Calculus II (MAC 2313  or MAC 2282 )
   • Calculus-based Physics I with Lab (PHY 2048  and PHY 2048L )
   • 
     
     All students must complete the equivalent of USF Composition I & II, Engineering Calculus I & II, and Calculus-based General Physics I (with lab) with minimum grades of C in each course (grades of C- are insufficient). The minimum overall grade average in these five courses required for progression to the upper level is between 3.0 and 3.5 for any given year. The minimum acceptable grade average will be posted on the Department’s website one year prior to the fall semester that the revised grade average is applicable. The computed grade average is based on the best attempts in these courses. These requirements must be met with a maximum of two attempts allowed for each course.
2. Completion of COP 2510  with a minimum grade of B (grade of B- is insufficient) or another introductory programming course covering a modern programming language, with an emphasis on programming concepts and design methodology with a minimum grade of B (grade of B- is insufficient).
3. A minimum overall GPA of 2.0
4. A minimum USF GPA of 2.0

Minimum Continuation Requirements for the Computer Science Major

Students meeting the above requirements may progress to either of the Computer Science or Computer Engineering degree tracks; however, continuation in the major will be allowed only for students who complete CDA 3103  and COP 3514  with minimum grades of B, based on best attempts in each course (grades of B- are insufficient). These requirements must be met with a maximum of two attempts allowed for each course.

Departmental Policies

In addition to the College’s graduation requirements, the Department has the following policies:

1. Mandatory academic advising and/or mentoring of students.
2. Exit interview and/or survey as a graduation requirement.

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites

Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete an A.A. degree at a Florida College System institution. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university.

If a student wishes to transfer without an A.A. degree and has fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the student must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.

Transfer students are also required to comply with the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.

Students should complete the following prerequisite courses at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted.

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

Students qualify for direct entry to the Department if they have completed the following courses at a Florida College System institution or University in the Florida State University System (SUS) and meet all other admissions requirements of the University and College.

• COP XXXX* - 3 credit hours
• MAC X311 or MAC X281 Calculus I - 4 credit hours
• MAC X312 or MAC X282 Calculus II - 4 credit hours
• (PHY X048 and PHY X048L or PHY X048C General Physics I with Lab - 4 credit hours
• (PHY X049 and PHY X049L or PHY X049C General Physics I with Lab - 4 credit hours
  
• XXX XXXX** - 6 credit hours

*Introductory Programming in C, C++, Java, or equivalent language. Choose programming language required by the university to which the student wishes to transfer.

**Science courses for Science majors.

Major Requirements (96 Credit Hours)

GPA Requirements

Students must have and maintain a minimum 2.0 semester GPA, 2.0 Math and Science GPA, 2.0 Engineering GPA, 2.0 Specialization GPA, 2.0 USF GPA, and 2.0 overall GPA.

Grading Requirements

Unless otherwise stated, the minimum acceptable grade in all BSCS required math, science, and engineering courses is a C or higher (C- is insufficient). The minimum acceptable grade in specialization courses is a C-, except as stated in the major progression and continuation requirements.

Residency Requirements

Transfer students must complete a minimum number of approved specialization courses in the major at USF. The minimum number of USF specialization credit hours required is established by the respective academic department. In no case will this be less than 18 hours. Basic engineering courses are not considered specialization courses. The University residency requirement must also be met.

A dual degree student must meet the requirements of each major and have a minimum of 18 approved specialization hours taken in the degree granting department beyond those specialization hours required for the first degree.

Research Opportunities

Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914  course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of Undergraduate Research is able to assist with further inquiries.

Internship Opportunities

The College of Engineering and USF’s Career Services Cooperative Education (Co-Op) program provides services for students interested in experiential educational experiences. A wide variety of industries and government agencies offer internships and cooperative education employment opportunities for engineering students. Participants gain valuable expertise in practical applications and other aspects of operations and development in a professional engineering environment. Students normally apply for participation in this program during their first year in the College of Engineering and pursue actual internships during their sophomore, junior and senior years. See the Department Undergraduate Advisor for more information on earning academic credit for internships.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways

Students majoring in Computer Science have the option to pursue one of the following Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways:

• B.S.C.S. in Computer Science and M.S.C.S. in Computer Science

For more information, see the Graduate Catalog.

Accreditation Information

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Advising Information

Department Undergraduate Advisor: http://www.usf.edu/engineering/cse/undergraduate/contacts.aspx

4 Year Plan of Study - Computer Science B.S.C.S.

NOTES:

• SCIV - Civics Literacy  needs to be completed prior to graduation. For more information, see https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/students/civics-literacy.aspx or talk with your academic advisor.
• Items that are critical are marked with a ✳️ and are included in the plan for a student to stay on track.

Potential Entry Level Job Titles:

• Software Developer
• Software Tester
• Software Engineer
• Device Application Developer
• Cloud Software Developer

Potential Entry Level Salary Range:

$55,000 - $85,000

2 Year Plan of Study - Computer Science B.S.C.S.

NOTES:

• SCIV - Civics Literacy  needs to be completed prior to graduation. For more information, see https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/students/civics-literacy.aspx or talk with your academic advisor.
• Items that are critical are marked with a ✳️ and are included in the plan for a student to stay on track.