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UMA Undergraduate Guide 2019-2020
 Academic Departments and Programs Computer Science Getting Started
Getting Started
Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting starting with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements. How to Explore the MajorStudents interested in Computer Science are welcome to take introductory CS courses to align their schedules for applying to the major. Exploring other major options while taking CS predictor courses is also recommended. Suggested General Education CoursesAll Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at www.umass.edu/gened. Recommended GenEd options: College Writing, Social World/Diversity courses; CHEM 111 or GEOLOGY 101 (or GEOLOGY 103 or 105, along with GEOLOGY 131); PHYSICS 151. Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses
How to Declare/Change into the MajorFor current students, this major is restricted, which means students must apply through an on-campus process. The major may have criteria for admission/acceptance (e.g., specific courses, GPA). All interested students are invited to attend frequently held career development events, seminars and tech talks, as well as student-run events organized by our active student groups. All interested students must attend a mandatory orientation scheduled before the application deadline each semester, and are invited to visit the CS Undergraduate Advising Center (ACE) in CS 144 for advising (no appointment needed). Visit the website at the address below to find out when events are scheduled and hours for ACE. In recent semesters, students meeting the following criteria have been admitted:
**NOTE: For transfers, two higher-level courses taken at UMass/Amherst may be substituted for the above-listed predictor courses. The major generally will not accept courses that have been taken more than twice. Current students can apply to change/declare a CS major (https://www.cics.umass.edu/ugrad-education/major-change-cs). Students must be enrolled in at least COMPSCI 187 and MATH 131 to be eligible to apply. Application deadlines are October 1 for spring registration and March 1 for fall registration. Most students not admitted upon application are offered a contract and designated as an "Applicant On Contract." Contracts may extend over one or more semesters and students who fulfill their contracts are admitted. Unsuccessful applicants are permitted one consecutive reapplication at the discretion of the Undergraduate Program Committee. Transfer StudentsTransfers should contact csapply@cs.umass.edu to begin the process of applying to the major following the same guidelines regarding predictor courses mentioned above. Specific questions may be sent to the Undergraduate Program Director (upd@cs.umass.edu). Summary of Requirements for the B.S. Major:Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more. Minimum total # of credits required: 77. Summary of Requirements for the B.A. Major:Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more. Minimum total # of credits required is 61. Is there a minor? If so, what are the requirements? For further information, contact: |