Computer Science, B.S.
The Department of Computer Science at 抖阴pro offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The B.S. is designed for students who want a greater technical depth of study. It can be paired with other science, mathematics and engineering programs at SLU.
SLU's accelerated master's program allows undergraduate computer science majors to earn both a bachelor鈥檚 degree and a master鈥檚 degree in five years. Students combine a B.A. or B.S. in computer science with a master's degree in computer science, software engineering, artificial intelligence or bioinformatics and computational biology.
Computer science is an exciting, rapidly developing field with vast influence on modern society. Computer science encompasses a broad range of theories and applications. Due to the emphasis on problem-solving skills, computer science is an excellent major for students going into many fields, including technology, business, medicine and law.
Program Highlights
- A choice of engaging introductory courses allows students to better connect the application of computer science to their interests.
- Courses are taught in computer labs to allow for hands-on learning; small class sizes allow for rich student-faculty interactions.
- A curriculum that allows students to see the impact and application of computing throughout society.
Curriculum Overview
Students completing the Bachelor of Science curriculum in computer science obtain a technically rigorous and comprehensive degree modeled upon recommendations of the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission. The Bachelor of Science degree also requires听11 credits of science/engineering, including one sequence of two lab courses.
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
SLU's location in the Midtown area of St. Louis provides students access to a robust technology community with operations for many Fortune 500 companies and a vibrant start-up culture. This environment provides outstanding opportunities for summer internships, part-time work during the academic year and jobs after graduation.
Our campus is within walking distance of the听, a 200-acre (and growing) innovation hub and technology district. Cortex houses听SLU's Research Innovation Group,听which works on technology transfer and commercial partnerships. Cortex is also home to the weekly听Venture Cafe听(every Thursday from 3-8 p.m.), which is a great place for students to connect with members of the tech community in a friendly and informal setting. Also in downtown St. Louis is the听T-REX Technology Entrepreneur Center, a coworking space and technology incubator.
Our faculty integrate students into their research programs in a variety of ways. Some of our undergraduate students have participated in research experience for undergraduates (REUs), capstone projects and independent research that has resulted in scholarly publications with their faculty mentors. Many students have had opportunities to travel to conferences and present their work.
Careers
Careers related to computer science are routinely found on various "best jobs" lists because of their outstanding combination of excellent pay, satisfying work-life balance and personal reward in seeing the great impact of computing throughout society. As a sample of such listings:听
- 听The top 100 included software developer (#3),听IT manager (#4), information security analyst (#7),听data scientist (#8), web developer (#21),听computer systems analyst (#61), and computer network architect (#77).
- named enterprise architect听as #1, and many other technology positions appear within the top 25: full stack engineer (#2),听data scientist (#3),听devops engineer (#4),听machine learning engineer (#6),听data engineer (#8),听software engineer (#8),听java developer听(#9), back end engineer (#11),听cloud engineer (#12) information security engineer (#15),听back end engineer (#16), automation engineer (#21), and听UX designer (#24).
Admission Requirements
抖阴pro also accepts the Common Application.
Freshman
All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant鈥檚 file.
To be considered for admission to any 抖阴pro undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test.听
Transfer
Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.
Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must听submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).
In reviewing a transfer applicant鈥檚 file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student鈥檚 academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student鈥檚 ability to meet the academic rigors of 抖阴pro. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.
International Applicants
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Proof of financial support must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at 抖阴pro
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken post-secondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
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| Tuition | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Tuition | $54,760 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are two principal ways to help finance a 抖阴pro education:
- Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
- Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
抖阴pro makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.
- Graduates will be able to analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Graduates will be able to design, implement, evaluate and test a software system that meets a given set of computing requirements.
- Graduates will be able to apply computer science theory, knowledge of computer systems and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.
- Graduates will be able to communicate effectively to both professional and general audiences in both oral and written forms.
- Graduates will be able to recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
- Graduates will be able to function effectively as members of a team in developing computing technology and solving technical problems.
Computer science students must complete a minimum total of 76 credits听for the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Undergraduate Core | 32-35 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Select a CSCI 10xx: Introduction to Computer Science | 3 | |
| 颁厂颁滨听1300 | Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming | 4 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2100 | Data Structures | 4 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2300 | Object-Oriented Software Design | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2500 | Computer Organization and Systems | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2510 | Principles of Computing Systems | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听3100 | Algorithms | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听3200 | Programming Languages | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听3300 | Software Engineering | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听4961 | Capstone Project I | 2 |
| 颁厂颁滨听4962 | Capstone Project II | 2 |
| Select a Systems Elective Course | 3 | |
| Two additional 3000 or 4000 level CSCI elective courses | 6 | |
| Required Mathematics Courses | ||
| 惭础罢贬听1510 | Calculus I | 4 |
| 惭础罢贬听1520 | Calculus II | 4 |
| 惭础罢贬听1660 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| 厂罢础罢听3850 | Foundation of Statistics | 3 |
| Additional MATH or STAT courses at the 2000 level or above | 6 | |
| Required Computer Ethics | ||
| 笔贬滨尝听3050齿 | Computer Ethics | 3 |
| Required Science/Engineering Courses | ||
| Select 8 credit sequence in a single lab science. | 8 | |
| An additional 3 credits of any science/engineering course, excluding courses in the CSCI subject code. | 3 | |
| General Electives | 24-27 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Non-Course Requirements
All Science and Engineering B.A. and B.S. students must complete an exit interview/survey near the end of their bachelor's program.听
Continuation Standards
After declaring a computer science major, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 in computer science courses by the conclusion of their second year as a major and maintain such a GPA at the conclusion of each semester thereafter. Furthermore, students should require at most two attempts to successfully complete any computer science courses required for the major (where an unsuccessful attempt is considered a "D" or "F" for courses numbered 2100 and lower, and an "F" in higher-level courses).
Students are also expected to make adequate progress in the major, typically by enrolling in at least one computer science course per semester until completing their coursework (with exceptions made for premed scholars during their first year, and all students if studying abroad or facing other such extenuating circumstances).
Program Notes
At most three credit hours of internship with industry courses can be applied to the degree.
听Introduction to Computer Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
CSCI听1010 | Introduction to Computer Science: Principles | |
CSCI听1020 | Introduction to Computer Science: Bioinformatics | |
CSCI听1025 | Introduction to Computer Science: Cybersecurity | |
CSCI听1030 | Introduction to Computer Science: Game Design | |
CSCI听1040 | Introduction to Computer Science: Mobile Computing | |
CSCI听1050 | Introduction to Computer Science: Multimedia | |
CSCI听1060 | Introduction to Computer Science: Scientific Programming | |
CSCI听1070 | Introduction to Computer Science: Taming Big Data | |
CSCI听1080 | Introduction to Computer Science: World Wide Web | |
CSCI听1090 | Introduction to Computer Science: Special Topics | |
| With permission, a computing-intensive course from another discipline may be substituted. Examples of such courses include: | ||
BME听2000 | Biomedical Engineering Computing | |
CVNG听1500 | Civil Engineering Computing | |
厂罢础罢听3850 | Foundation of Statistics | |
Systems Electives Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
CSCI听4500 | Advanced Operating Systems | |
CSCI听4530 | Computer Security | |
CSCI听4550 | Computer Networks | |
CSCI听4610 | Concurrent and Parallel Programming | |
CSCI听4620 | Distributed Computing |
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment听unless otherwise noted. 听
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CSCI 10xx | Introduction to Computer Science | 3 |
| 惭础罢贬听1510 | Calculus I | 4 |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 9 | |
| 听 | Credits | 16 |
| Spring | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听1300 | Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming | 4 |
| 惭础罢贬听1520 | Calculus II | 4 |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 3 | |
| PHIL听2050 | Ethics | 3 |
| 听 | Credits | 14 |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听2100 | Data Structures | 4 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2500 | Computer Organization and Systems | 3 |
| 惭础罢贬听1660 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| Science I with lab | 4 | |
| 笔贬滨尝听3050齿 | Computer Ethics | 3 |
| 听 | Credits | 17 |
| Spring | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听2300 | Object-Oriented Software Design | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听2510 | Principles of Computing Systems | 3 |
| MATH听3850 | Foundation of Statistics | 3 |
| Science II with lab 鈥� | 4 | |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 2 | |
| 听 | Credits | 15 |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听3100 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Systems Elective Course | 3 | |
| Additional Mathematics/Statistics (2000+) | 3 | |
| Science or Engineering | 3-4 | |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 3 | |
| 听 | Credits | 15-16 |
| Spring | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听3200 | Programming Languages | 3 |
| 颁厂颁滨听3300 | Software Engineering | 3 |
| Additional Mathematics/Statistics (2000+) | 3 | |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 6 | |
| 听 | Credits | 15 |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听4961 | Capstone Project I | 2 |
| CSCI 3000+ | Elective | 3 |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 9 | |
| 听 | Credits | 14 |
| Spring | ||
| 颁厂颁滨听4962 | Capstone Project II | 2 |
| CSCI 3000+ | Elective | 3 |
| University Core and/or General Electives | 9 | |
| 听 | Credits | 14 |
| 听 | Total Credits | 120-121 |
- 鈥�
听Must be in same discipline as Science I to form sequence.
Introduction to Computer Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
CSCI听1010 | Introduction to Computer Science: Principles | |
CSCI听1020 | Introduction to Computer Science: Bioinformatics | |
CSCI听1025 | Introduction to Computer Science: Cybersecurity | |
CSCI听1030 | Introduction to Computer Science: Game Design | |
CSCI听1040 | Introduction to Computer Science: Mobile Computing | |
CSCI听1050 | Introduction to Computer Science: Multimedia | |
CSCI听1060 | Introduction to Computer Science: Scientific Programming | |
CSCI听1070 | Introduction to Computer Science: Taming Big Data | |
CSCI听1080 | Introduction to Computer Science: World Wide Web | |
CSCI听1090 | Introduction to Computer Science: Special Topics | |
| With permission, a computing-intensive course from another discipline may be substituted. Examples of such courses include: | ||
BME听2000 | Biomedical Engineering Computing | |
CVNG听1500 | Civil Engineering Computing | |
厂罢础罢听3850 | Foundation of Statistics | |
Systems Elective Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
CSCI听4500 | Advanced Operating Systems | |
CSCI听4530 | Computer Security | |
CSCI听4550 | Computer Networks | |
CSCI听4610 | Concurrent and Parallel Programming | |
CSCI听4620 | Distributed Computing |
Students can complete a B.S. in computer science听at SLU鈥檚 campus in Madrid; they may also transfer freely between the Madrid and St. Louis campuses.
2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution.听