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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Computer Science B.S.

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: Jodie Novak, Ph.D., Chair of Mathematical Sciences

Location: Ross Hall 2239

Telephone: 970-351-2820

Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/mathematical-sciences/

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

The B.S. in Computer Science focuses on the design of computers, computational processes for problem-solving, and information transfer and transformation, with an emphasis on improving software and system quality, security, performance, and usability. The program supports the evolution of the computing and informatics disciplines, and the integration of computer and information sciences with other disciplines in the sciences.

Computer Science professionals design, analyze and improve the quality of computer software and systems for a variety of applications, including artificial intelligence, computer vision, cybersecurity, graphics, information management, multimedia, networking, and human-computer interaction.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the required major credits.

Any additional LAC coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

SCI 291 is recommended to fulfill part of the Written Communication requirement, and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements. Then only 3 more credits of currently approved Written Communication courses will be needed.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

MATH 131, STAT 150 or STAT 250 is recommended to fulfill the Mathematics requirement, and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 61 credits

Required Computer Science Courses — 36 credits

CS 130Fundamentals of Computer Science

3

CS 160Structured Programming

3

CS 200Object-Oriented Analysis, Design, and Programming

3

CS 209Computer and Data EthicsLAA3

3

CS 216Database Concepts

3

CS 225Computer Organization and Architecture

3

CS 301Algorithms and Data Structures

3

CS 302Programming Languages

3

CS 350Software Engineering I

3

CS 440Operating Systems

3

CS 442Networking

3

CS 490Computer Science Capstone

3

Required Mathematics and Statistics Courses — 13 credits

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

MATH 221Elementary Linear Algebra

3

MATH 228Discrete Mathematics

3

STAT 150Introduction to Statistical AnalysisLAX1

3

or

STAT 250Statistics for Life SciencesLAX1

3

Major Electives — 9 credits

Take 9 credits from the following:

BACS 385Fundamentals of Project Management

3

CS 325Introduction to Human Computer Interaction

3

CS 330Mobile Computing

3

CS 395Special Topics in Computer Science

1- 3

CS 401Theory of Computation

3

CS 432Fundamentals of Cybersecurity

3

CS 454Data Mining and Machine Learning

3

CS 456Neural Networks and Deep Learning

3

CS 497Senior Project

1- 8

CS 312Systems Programming

3

Scientific Writing Requirement — 3 credits

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

3. University-Wide Credits — 28-34 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program that will typically be 28-34 credits.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university-wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance.

Year 1 – 29 credits

Fall Semester

CS 130Fundamentals of Computer Science

3

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

MATH 102Success in the Mathematical Sciences

1

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

LAC Arts and HumanitiesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4

3

Total Credit Hours:14

LAC Arts and Humanities: Choose U.S. Multicultural Studies (MS) or International Studies (IS) course.

Spring Semester

CS 160Structured Programming

3

MATH 228Discrete Mathematics

3

SCI 291Scientific WritingLAW2

3

LAC Social and Behavioral SciencesLAB1LAB2LAB3

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

LAC Social and Behavioral Sciences: Choose U.S. Multicultural Studies (MS) or International Studies (IS) course.

Year 2 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

CS 200Object-Oriented Analysis, Design, and Programming

3

CS 216Database Concepts

3

STAT 150Introduction to Statistical AnalysisLAX1

3

LAC Arts and HumanitiesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

STAT 250 can substitute for STAT 150

Spring Semester

CS 209Computer and Data EthicsLAA3

3

CS 225Computer Organization and Architecture

3

MATH 221Elementary Linear Algebra

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

CS 301Algorithms and Data Structures

3

Major Elective

3

LAC Social and Behavioral SciencesLAB1LAB2LAB3

3

LAC Natural and Physical Sciences with LabLAS1LASL

4

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

CS 440Operating Systems

3

or

CS 442Networking

3

CS 302Programming Languages

3

or

Major Elective

3

LAC Natural and Physical Sciences without LabLAS1

3

LAC HistoryLAH1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 4 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

CS 350Software Engineering I

3

Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

CS 440Operating Systems

3

or

CS 442Networking

3

CS 302Programming Languages

3

or

Major Elective

3

CS 490Computer Science Capstone

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

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