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Computer Science

The Computer Science degree provides a solid background for employment in the computing field. Demand for the major has required SJSU to close this major early for most terms. Apply during the priority filing period (November for fall, August for spring) to be certain your application will be considered.

Graduates will be prepared for entry-level professional positions such as programmer, system analyst, or software engineer in government, business, and industry. This program also prepares students for graduate study in computer science and such related fields as management science and operations research.

The department operates a Unix and NT network of Sun Workstations and PCs and also supports computer labs used as classrooms for a "hands-on" approach to learning. The Unix network is accessible from off-campus by modem, from the department microcomputers, and from almost all computer terminals on campus. Department drop-in labs contain approximately 85 personal computers, some with graphics subsystems. These computers are networked together via two high speed networks. Miscellaneous other computers are available for special projects.

BS - Computer Science

Lower Division Course Requirements: Please note the comments concerning the additional course in Science below.

Support for the Major:

MATH 030 Calculus I
MATH 031 Calculus II
MATH 032 Calculus III
MATH 042 Discrete Mathematics
MATH 129A Linear Algebra I
All equivalent courses in linear algebra can be used to satisfy the MATH 129A requirement, however, transferring students who have done this may need to complete an extra upper division Computer Science elective course to attain the total of 36 units of upper division mathematics and computer science courses required for the BS degree, since upper division credit is not given for a linear algebra course completed at a community college.

Physics Requirement:

PHYS 050 General Physics/Mechanics
   OR
PHYS 070 Mechanics
PHYS 051 General Physics/Electricity and Magnetism
   OR
PHYS 071 Electricity and Magnetism
Computer Science majors must complete one additional course of three (3) units or more in science. This course may be upper-division or lower-division. Any course equivalent to BIOL 1 or BIOL 2 or BIOL 3 or CHEM 1A or PHYS 052 may be used to satisfy this science requirement. Please refer to the transfer articulation course list (any course articulated to the specific courses listed above is acceptable). Many students prefer to satisfy this additional course requirement after transferring to SJSU by taking CS 120A, Laboratory Electronics for Scientists I, which not only satisfies the additional science course requirement, but also counts as an elective upper division Computer Science course for the major. Students need to fulfill their upper division GE requirements at SJSU, and there are several courses that will fulfill the "additional science requirement" as well as an upper division GE requirement. These courses include GEOL 105, 107, 111, 112, METR 112, or 113.

Requirements for the Major:

CS 046A Introduction to Programming
CS 046B Introduction to Data Structures
CS 047 Introduction to Computer Systems
CS 049C Programming in C
   OR
CS 049J Programming in Java
Students whose 46A and 46B equivalencies do not use the Java language will likely need to take CS 49J at SJSU. Students whose 46A and 46B equivalents use Java may need to take CS 49C at SJSU.

Elective Computer Science Course:

CS 072 Unix and Unix Utilities
Please note that the Support for the Major and Requirements in the Major sections must include at least 36 units of upper division mathematics and computer science coursework, excluding CS 100W and CS 110L. Therefore if you choose to take all of your lower division course work at the community college, including courses articulated to Math 032 and Math 129A (for content credit only), then you must take an upper division CS elective at SJSU rather than CS 072.

All students must satisfy the following prerequisite (or equivalent) prior to registering for the WST and 100W courses at SJSU {Academic Senate policy S05-8}:

ENGL 001B Composition 2
A "C" or better is required in English 1B (a "C-" is not acceptable).
or
Second Semester English Composition Equivalent Course
A course articulated to SJSU's English 1B is recommended, however any course approved for the IGETC second semester composition area would be accepted to meet this requirement (a grade of "C" or better is required).