Department of Computer Science
Undergraduate Degree(s):
Minor(s):
Graduate Degree(s):
The Department of Computer Science (Computer Science – Computer Science Department Site) prepares students for careers in the computing industries and advanced study. The curriculum ensures that students are exposed to the most current knowledge, theories, and principles in software development, embedded systems, hardware architectures, and network theory and applications. The curriculum provides for an understanding of the applications of theories and concepts by involving the students in research and applications development projects. The curriculum is designed to enhance the problem solving and creative thinking capabilities of students so that they have a set of skills that will increase their employment opportunities and provides the foundation for graduate study and research. The educational objectives of the Computer Science Program are as follows:
- To prepare students to be capable of identifying and analyzing requirements for computing systems.
- To produce graduates who are capable of designing and implementing solutions for rapidly changing computing problems and information system environments.
- To prepare graduates with good communication skills and who are able to effectively work in teams.
- To produce graduates who are capable of gauging the impact of computing on society, and possess knowledge of the ethical, social and professional implications and responsibilities of their work.
- To prepare students to engage in life-long learning, to adapt to innovation and change, and to successfully pursue professional work and graduate studies.
The Department of Computer Science offers programs that lead to the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree and the Master of Science in Computer Science degree. Students majoring in other disciplines are encouraged to pursue a minor in Computer Science, since virtually all employers are critically dependent upon computers. Significant opportunities for employment and graduate study are also available for students in other information technology enabled fields and organizations for students with a minor in Computer Science.
These programs are designed to prepare graduates for productive work in highly complex computing environments in business, industry, and government. In recent years, many graduates of the program have obtained positions in business applications, software development, computational science and applied mathematics, and have gone to graduate school. Students majoring in computer science should set their goals to become expert software developers and to have developed the following abilities:
- To apply knowledge of computing, mathematics, science, and business appropriate to the discipline, including the ability to analyze and evaluate performance tradeoffs of algorithms, data structures, and hardware solutions.
- To analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution.
- To design, implement and evaluate computing systems, processes, components, or programs to meet desired needs.
- To function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal.
- To understand the professional, ethical, legal, security, social issues and responsibilities of the profession.
- To communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- To analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations and society.
- To recognize the need for, and an ability to engage in, continuing professional development.
- To use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practices.
- To apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the risks and tradeoffs involved in design choices.
- To apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity.
Realizing that students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science may have different career goals, the Department of Computer Science offers two concentrations to the Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.
Concentration 1: The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with General CS Concentration is designed for students who plan to focus on software development have a broad fundamental education to allow them to address many areas of computing applications when they graduate. They may work in cooperation with professionals trained in areas other than computer science and may need to have knowledge in several subject areas. Students who major in Computer Science and prefer to follow this concentration will have elective courses that can be in computer science or any other academic discipline. The curriculum of this Concentration Is designed to provide the students with in-depth computer science knowledge but broadens it with additional knowledge from another field of their choice. This improves their competitiveness in the job market especially for jobs requiring interactions and communications with others of different educational backgrounds.
Concentration 2: The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Computer Networks Concentration is designed for students who plan to work in the rapidly growing field of computer networks. The curriculum of this Concentration is designed to provide the students with the same breadth of computer science knowledge as the other concentration but with more depth in the area of computer networks. Once they graduate, students pursuing this concentration will be ready to apply for leading industry certificates such as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certificate which improves their competitiveness in today’s challenging job market where networking is an essential ingredient of almost every business.
The requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science are summarized at the end of this section along with the sequence in which major courses must be taken for each track. Students must earn grades of "C" or better in all courses specific to their major in computer science.
Each student must be admitted by the Department as a major, before attempting to meet all of the requirements for the degree. The admissions procedures are under continual review by the Departmental Curriculum and Admissions Committee. Interested students are asked to contact the Department Office during their freshman year in order to gain admission as majors. Students are responsible for completing ASSET requirements and prerequisites administered through the Student Academic Enhancement Services prior to admission to the department. The Department offices and facilities are housed on the third floor of New Technology Building with the Department Office located in Room 314. The Department website is Computer Science – Computer Science Department Site.
Students transferring to the University are cautioned that computer science credits transferred from other colleges and universities must be evaluated by the Department before being used to fulfill requirements for the major in Computer Science. These credits may or may not be acceptable. If these credits are judged to be unacceptable by the Department, students may be able to use them to fulfill some elective requirements.
Students pursuing the B.S. in computer science for the General CS Concentration should seek detailed advisement from their designated advisors when selecting the elective courses required for this concentration.
In order for students to pursue either majors or minors in the Department, they must petition for admission to the Department by completing the appropriate form which is available through the Department Office. The petition must be returned to the Department Office and must be reviewed by the Departmental Curriculum and Admissions Committee. Students must have completed the courses listed below or their equivalents:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1301 | Freshman English I | 3 |
| MATH 2312 | Precalculus Math | 3 |
| CS 120 | Introduction to Programming Using C++ | 3 |
| CS 124 | Fund Machine Computation | 3 |
Each student applying for major or minor status must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 or better and must have earned grades of “C” or better (grades of “C-“are unacceptable) in the above courses.
The petition must be returned to the Department Office by the appropriate deadlines given below to be considered by the Departmental Curriculum and Admissions Committee:
October 15 during Fall
March 15 during Spring
June 15 during Summer
The number of students admitted to major and minor status on an ongoing basis is dependent upon the availability of resources on a year-to-year basis, on performance in the four courses targeted above, and on overall GPA’s earned. Preference will be given to students earning the highest overall GPAs above the required minimum of 2.50. Each student will be notified of the decision of the Departmental Curriculum Admissions Committee with regard to his/her status approximately one month after the above deadlines.
Once students have been admitted to the Department as major or minor status, they are each expected to maintain an overall GPA of 2.25 or better, or they could be dismissed from the Department if more than thirty (30) semester credit hours are still required for graduation. If individual GPA’s fall below 2.25 and students are within thirty (30) semester credit hours of graduation, they must contact the Department Advisor for a plan of action.
Upon admission to the Department, students are each assigned an official advisor. They are expected to keep the Department Office informed of changes in address and/or telephone numbers up to the time of graduation.
In summary, an interested student must first gain admission to the University; must meet his/her ASSET responsibility; and finally, must apply for admission to the Department once prerequisites and ASSET requirements have been met. Acceptance to major standing is not automatic, but subject to the decision of a Departmental Curriculum and Admissions Committee. Each student is provided with extensive advisement once admitted to the Department before further progression toward the completion of degree requirements is undertaken. Questions may be directed to the Department Office at (713)-313-7991 or to cs@tsu.edu.
Accelerated 4+1 Bachelor and Master’s in Computer Science
The 4+ 1 academic program is open to students in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology seeking a B.S. degree in Computer Science with General CS Concentration. Admission to this graduate programs is not automatic. The principal eligibility factors are the student’s cumulative GPA and the Computer Science courses GPA. The five-year program includes 143 academic hours of coursework. Students entering the Master’s program through the 4+1 are not required to complete the GRE.
Designed for the dedicated and driven TSU student, the accelerated 4+1 program combines graduate course work with advanced undergraduate course work, enabling students to earn both a bachelor and master degree within five years. It provides top undergraduate students the flexibility to begin taking classes toward their master’s degree during their senior year of undergraduate studies. It also allows students to share nine credit hours between their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
The accelerated 4+1 programs in Computer Science (CS) is available for students currently admitted in the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science program. Students entering the 4+1 accelerated program will be admitted to the Master’s of Science in Computer Science thesis program or the Master of Computer Science non-thesis program. Due to the research required for the thesis based program, it may take more than one year of graduate work to complete the Master’s degree.
The integration between the two programs occurs when students select their CS elective courses. The courses elected to double count (CS5XX) will apply toward the 31-hour master’s degree (in addition to applying toward the 121-hour bachelor’s degree). Once the bachelor’s degree is completed, students will need an additional 22 credit hours to earn the master’s degree.
Students interested in this program must meet the following eligibility requirements to be considered for admission:
- Have at least 90 credits completed.
- Have a cumulative TSU GPA of 3.0.
- Have grades posted for all 300 level required courses.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for computer science courses.
- Have two semesters left in undergraduate program at time of admission to the master’s program (senior year course work).
Students earning a B.S. degree can use up to nine credits of course work which must be CS 5XX courses.
Students in the 4+1 accelerated program must follow all course requirements pertaining to both programs. Satisfactory progress in the program is achieved if the student maintains a 3.00 GPA in overall graduate course work in the student’s master’s program. The student may drop out of the 4+1 accelerated program and return to a regular B.S. program at any point of time. Students opting to not continue with the 4+1 accelerated program will no longer be able to double count the nine hours towards their graduate degree. Those nine hours will only count for undergraduate credit for their B.S. degree.
Students who are dismissed, or voluntarily withdraw, from the 4+1 accelerated program and return to undergraduate status, are eligible to apply for admission to the stand-alone master’s program in Computer Science.