Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

The mission of the Computer Science program is to support the development of comprehensive computer science education and research programs that will prepare students to acquire relevant marketable skills to solve complex problems in computing, demonstrate professional responsibilities and ethics, and work collaboratively in a diverse environment and gain appropriate knowledge for working as computing professionals and/or for graduate studies. The program fosters to increase campus, community, and experiential awareness of computing and promotes faculty and student research in the fields of computing.

The Educational Objectives of the BSCS program are:

• • Graduates will acquire relevant marketable skills to be able to analyze and solve complex problems in the field of computing.
  • Graduates will demonstrate professional responsibilities and ethics and work collaboratively in a diverse environment.
  • Graduates will gain appropriate knowledge for working as computing professionals and/or for graduate studies.

Graduates of the program will have the ability to:

• Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
• Design, implement and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program's discipline.
• Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
• Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
• Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program's discipline.
• Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

Degree Plan of Study

Admission to the BSCS program is based on the general university admissions requirements.

Additional requirements for graduation:

• 30 CSCI upper division courses required for this degree must be completed at A&M-SA to satisfy residency requirements
• Must complete at least 40 hours of major + major electives at A&M-SA.
• Must receive a grade of “C” or better in all MATH, CSCI, and CISA core and their associated prerequisites for a satisfactory passing grade.
• A minimum average GPA of 2.25 must be maintained in all CISA and CSCI core and elective courses to remain in the program. This applies to transfer courses also.
• Academic credits transferred as substitution courses must be completed within the previous five years of admission to A&M-SA.

Approved upper-division CISA courses that can be used as electives for majors and minors are: CISA 3309, CISA 4323, CISA 4324, and CISA 4332.

Students completing the BS Computer Science program with the appropriate Cyber Security electives are eligible for the NSA/DHS Cyber Defense Education Certificate.