BS in Computer Science
Degree Program Description
Computer Science emphasizes the study of algorithms, programming methodology, software systems, computational theories and algorithms, computer organization, networking, computer graphics, cyber-security, machine learning, artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and database. In the two-semester capstone design courses, students complete design projects that serve as a culminating academic experience. Internships with companies for real-world experience and undergraduate research opportunities with faculty are abundant and encouraged. Students who complete the BS in Computer Science can work for government agencies, academic institutions, or private industry creating and applying new technologies to solve complex problems, or attend graduate schools.
Major Program Requirements
The Bachelor of Science with a major in Computer Science emphasizes the study of software systems, computational theories and algorithms, computer organization, networking, and programming methodology. Students who complete the BS in Computer Science can work for government agencies, academic institutions, or private industry creating and applying new technologies to solve complex problems.
The BS degree requires the completion of the three-semester calculus sequence plus discrete math and statistics. A student who selects an appropriate additional math course as a technical elective and has at least 9 credits in math with appropriate grades at MU can earn a math minor.
The BS degree requires the completion of 126 credits. Computer Science students must pass all CS core courses that are prerequisites for other CS core courses that the student takes with a C or better grade. All other CS core courses must be passed with a C- grade or better. To graduate, a student must earn an overall GPA of 2.0 or better and a 2.0 GPA or better in all CS or IT courses.
The Engineering Leadership, Engagement & Career Development Academy, W1025 Lafferre Hall, can assist students in searching for employment opportunities upon graduation and for internship/co-op positions.
Course requirements listed here apply to students beginning as regular college freshmen in Fall 2019 or after. A student who started college before Fall 2019 and who has been continuously enrolled as a full-time student may be pursuing the previous program and should contact the department for information on these degree requirements.
In addition to the major core requirements, students must complete all University graduation requirements including University general education, as well as all degree and college or school requirements.
Students are also required to complete one 3-hour cultural awareness course which is selected from an approved cultural awareness course list, created and maintained by the College of Engineering or which meets the Arts and Science (A&S) diversity intensive (DI) requirement.
Major Core Requirements
| All core CS Courses that are a pre-requisite need to have a C or better to pass (Otherwise the other core courses need a C- to pass) | ||
| Computer Science Core Courses | 42 | |
| CMP_SC 1000 | Introduction to Computer Science ** | 1 |
| or ENGINR 1000 | Introduction to Engineering | |
| ENGINR 1050 | Foundations of Engineering ** | 2 |
| CMP_SC 1050 | Algorithm Design and Programming I | 4 |
| CMP_SC 2050 | Algorithm Design and Programming II | 4 |
| CMP_SC 2270 | Introduction to Logic Systems | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3050 | Advanced Algorithm Design | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3280 | Computer Organization and Assembly Language | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3330 | Object Oriented Programming | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3380 | Database Applications and Information Systems | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4050 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4320 | Software Engineering I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4520 | Operating Systems I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4850 | Computer Networks I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4970W | Senior Capstone Design I - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4980 | Senior Capstone Design II | 3 |
| **ENGINR 1000/ENGINR 1050/CMP_SC 1000 Waiver: Students with 60 or more credits have completed the ENGINR 1000/ENGINR 1050/CMP_SC 1000 Requirement** | ||
| Computer Science Electives | 24 | |
| At least 18 credit hours of computer science electives must be numbered above 4000; one of the 4000-level courses must be CMP_SC 4410 or CMP_SC 4450. A maximum of 6 hours of 3000/4000-level IT courses (excluding INFOTC 4400 and INFOTC 4500) can be taken as CS electives but are counted as lower level (below 4000) CMP_SC courses. INFOTC 4400, INFOTC 4500, ECE 3220, and ECE 4220 are counted as CS 4000 level courses. Students may also take up to six hours of problems or research courses, and up to three hours of CMP_SC 3940 internship credit. | ||
| All CS electives, and general education need a D- to pass | ||
| CMP_SC 2010 | Intellectual Property for Engineers | 3 |
| CMP_SC 2830 | Web Application Development I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3085 | Problems in Computer Science | 1-6 |
| CMP_SC 3530 | UNIX Operating System | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3940 | Internship in Computer Science | 1-3 |
| CMP_SC 4001 | Topics in Computer Science | 1-99 |
| CMP_SC 4060 | String Algorithms | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4070 | Numerical Methods for Science and Engineering | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4080 | Parallel Programming for High Performance Computing | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4270 | Computer Architecture | 4 |
| CMP_SC 4280 | ||
| CMP_SC 4330 | Object Oriented Design I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4350 | Big Data Analytics | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4380 | Database Management Systems I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4405 | iOS App Development I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4410 | Theory of Computation I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4430 | Compilers I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4440 | Malware Analysis and Defense | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4450 | Principles of Programming Languages | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4460 | Introduction to Cryptography | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4530 | Cloud Computing | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4540 | Neural Models and Machine Learning | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4610 | Computer Graphics I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4620 | Physically Based Modeling and Animation | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4630 | Game Development | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4650 | Digital Image Processing | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4670 | Digital Image Compression | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4720 | Introduction to Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4730 | Building Intelligent Robots | 4 |
| CMP_SC 4740 | Interdisciplinary Introduction to NLP | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4750 | Artificial Intelligence I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4770 | Introduction to Computational Intelligence | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4830 | Web Application Development II | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4910 | Digital Forensics | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4990 | Undergraduate Research in Computer Science | 0-6 |
| CMP_SC 4995 | Undergraduate Research in Computer Science - Honors | 1-6 |
| INFOTC 4400 | C#/.NET Development | 3 |
| INFOTC 4410 | Android App Development I | 3 |
| INFOTC 4420 | Android App Development II | 3 |
| INFOTC 4500 | Team-Based Mobile Device Application Development | 3 |
| ECE 3220 | Software Design in C and C++ | 3 |
| ECE 4220 | Real Time Embedded Computing | 3 |
| Any CMP_SC 4000 Level and Above Course | ||
| Math Courses | 19 | |
| MATH 1500 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 1700 | Calculus II | 5 |
| MATH 2300 | Calculus III | 3 |
| MATH 2320 | Discrete Mathematical Structures | 3 |
| STAT 4710 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics | 3 |
| or MATH 4315 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics | |
| Technical Electives | 6 | |
| Technical electives can be 2000 level and above CS or IT courses, 4000 level Math courses, any 4000+ level statistics course, 2000 level and above Engineering courses, IS_LT 4099, MANGMT 3000, MRKTNG 3000, FINANC 3000, and other courses that meet the prior approval of the student’s CS advisor. All technical electives taken outside the CS Department must meet the prior approval of the student’s CS advisor. | ||
| Science Courses | minimum 7 | |
| One of the following 2-semester sequences has to be taken (at least one of the courses must include a lab). Labs listed separately are not considered a 2nd science course (for example, Bio 1010 and 1020 count as one science course). | ||
| Physics sequence: | ||
| (credit not given for both PHYSCS 1210 and PHYSCS 2750, or PHYSCS 1220 and PHYSCS 2760) | ||
| PHYSCS 1210 & PHYSCS 1220 | College Physics I and College Physics II | 8-10 |
| or PHYSCS 2750 & PHYSCS 2760 | University Physics I and University Physics II | |
| Chemistry sequence: | ||
| CHEM 1320 | 4 | |
| CHEM 1330 | 4 | |
| Biology sequence: | ||
| BIO_SC 1010 & BIO_SC 1020 | General Principles and Concepts of Biology and General Biology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIO_SC 1030 | General Principles and Concepts of Biology with Laboratory | 5 |
| BIO_SC 1200 | General Botany with Laboratory | 5 |
| BIO_SC 1500 | Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory | 5 |
| BIO_SC 3210 | Plant Systematics | 4 |
| BIO_SC 3260 | Invertebrate Zoology | 4 |
| BIO_SC 3650 | General Ecology | 5 |
| BIO_SC 3700 | Human Physiology | 5 |
| BIO_SC 3710 & BIO_SC 3715 | Introductory Entomology and Insect Diversity | 5 |
| BIO_SC 3750 & BIO_SC 3760 | General Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIO_SC 2200 & BIO_SC 3780 | General Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | 6 |
| BIO_SC 4400 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| BIO_SC 4590 | Computational Neuroscience | 4 |
| BIO_SC 4640 | Behavioral Biology | 4 |
| BIO_SC 4990 | Vertebrate Histology and Microscopic Anatomy | 5 |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| BIO_SC 2100 | Infectious Diseases | 3 |
| BIO_SC 2150 | Genetic Diseases | 3 |
| BIO_SC 3050 | Genetics and Society | 3 |
| BIOCHM 2110 | The Living World: Molecular Scale | 3 |
| BIOCHM 2112 | Biotechnology in Society | 3 |
| ANTHRO 2051 & ANTHRO 2052 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Biological Anthropology Laboratory | 5 |
| or ANTHRO 2050 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology with Laboratory | |
| Or any other 4-5 credit biological science course with a laboratory | ||
| Geology sequence: | ||
| GEOL 1100 | Introduction to the Earth with Laboratory | 4 |
| or GEOL 1200 | Environmental Geology with Laboratory | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| GEOL 2150 | The Age of the Dinosaurs | 3 |
| GEOL 2300 | Earth Systems and Global Change | 3 |
| GEOL 2350 | Earth and Life Through Time | 3 |
| GEOL 2400 | Surficial Earth Processes and Products with Laboratory | 4 |
| GEOL 2450 | 3 | |
| GEOL 2600 | Mineral and Energy Resources of the Earth | 3 |
| General Requirements | ||
| 1. ENGLSH 1000 - Exposition and Argumentation - 3 hours "C" range grade is required | ||
| 2. Complete at least 9 hours in each of the following categories. One course in one of the categories must be numbered 2000 or higher. A list of MU courses that count for social sciences, behavioral sciences, and humanities can be found at: http://generaleducation.missouri.edu/courses/. | ||
(1) Humanities/Fine Arts - Must include COMMUN 1200 Public Speaking and courses from at least two different departments | ||
(2) Social/Behavioral Sciences - Must include courses from at least two different departments and fulfill the Missouri Constitutional Requirement. | ||
| 3. Complete enough elective hours to bring the total credit hours that count towards the degree to 126. The electives may not include remedial courses (i.e., MATH 1100, MATH 1160). | ||
| 4. Two courses must be designated “Writing Intensive.” A C-range grade in ENGLSH 1000 is a prerequisite for all WI courses. A C-range grade is required in the WI courses. The required course CMP_SC 4970 (Senior Capstone Design I) is writing intensive and counts as one of these courses. For more information on WI guidelines and courses, visit https://cwp.missouri.edu/. | ||
Accelerated BS to MS in Computer Science
The accelerated option will allow students to earn a bachelors and masters degree within five years. Eligible students who have completed at least 90 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The academic requirements of the accelerated MS program will require a total of 30 graduate credit hours, to graduate. Accepted undergraduate students can take up to 15 hours of graduate level courses that will count toward both the undergraduate and the graduate degrees. The shared-credit graduate-level courses should be elective courses. Once the student has completed 126 credit hours, (includes 12-15 credit hours of dual enrollment), the corresponding bachelor’s degree will be conferred and they will become graduate students in our MS program to complete the remaining 18 hours of graduate credit. A minimum of 15 credit hours must be from courses at the 8000 level or above and no more than 9 credit hours can be from a combination of research and/or problems courses. The student's graduate course GPA must be 3.0 or greater.
Total credits required for graduation must be at least 144 total credit hours:
- Total undergraduate credit hours: 126
- Total dual enrollment credit hours: 12-15
- Total graduate credit hours: 30
Thesis/Non-Thesis Option
During the program, students will conduct an independent study that will result in a thesis or project report, under the guidance of their graduate advisor. In their last semester in the program, they must defend their thesis or project in front of an examination committee composed of their graduate advisor and at least two other faculty members.
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 1000 or ENGINR 1000 | 1 | CMP_SC 2050* | 4 |
| CMP_SC 1050* | 4 | CMP_SC 2270 | 3 |
| MATH 1500 | 5 | MATH 1700 | 5 |
| COMMUN 1200 | 3 | Constitutional Elec Soc/Beh Science | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | ENGINR 1050 | 2 |
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 3050 | 3 | General Elective Humanities | 3 |
| CMP SC 2000 Level or Higher/IT 3000 Level or Higher | 3 | CMP_SC 3330 | 3 |
| MATH 2300 | 3 | Science Sequence II | 4-5 |
| Science Sequence I | 4-5 | Soc/Beh Science Elective | 3 |
| General Elective (Humanities)* | 3 | MATH 4315 or STAT 4710 | 3 |
| 16-17 | 16-17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 3280 | 3 | CMP_SC 4050 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3380* | 3 | CMP_SC 4320* | 3 |
| Tech Elective | 3 | CMP SC Elective 4000 level | 3 |
| MATH 2320 | 3 | CMP SC Elective 4000 level | 3 |
| Tech Elective | 3 | CMP SC Elective 4000 Level | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 4520 | 3 | CMP_SC 4850 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4970W* | 3 | CMP_SC 4980 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4410 or 4450 | 3 | CMP SC Elective 4000-level | 3 |
| CMP_SC 2000 Level or Higher/IT 3000 Level or Higher or Internship ** | 3 | CMP SC elective 4000-level | 3 |
| General Elective (Soc/Beh) | 3 | General Education (if needed) | 2-4 |
| 15 | 14-16 | ||
| Total Credits: 124-128 | |||
- *
Indicates Required 6 Semester Course Sequence for Capstone.
- **
Internships can count for credit in the CS Program. You must get approval prior.
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
-
If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
-
If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.