Graduation Requirements
Preparation
High school students are encouraged to take four years of English, four years of mathematics including trigonometry, one year of biological science, and one year of physical science. Courses in calculus, physics, and computer programming are recommended. Experience in clear, concise, and careful writing is valuable for success in all courses.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of thirty-two (32) lower-division units including courses in Computer Science, mathematics, and science may be applied toward the preparation for the major requirements. Of the thirty-two (32) units, twelve (12) units must appropriately match the description for CS 111, CS 211, and CS 231; twelve (12) units must appropriately match the description for MATH 160*, MATH 162, and MATH 264; and eight (8) units must be biology, chemistry, or physics courses that are counted toward a science major and at least one must also fulfill a lower-division Area B requirement other than B4*
*Three (3) units of the above-transferred courses will count toward the lower-division General Education requirements in Area B4. If suitably chosen, three (3) additional units will count in either area B1 or B2. Students are encouraged to consult their faculty advisor to learn about courses that fulfill the General Education requirements.
Special Conditions for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
All courses counted toward the major, including Preparation for the Major courses, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. No more than a total of three (3) units of either CS 498 or CS 499 may be applied to the major. A minimum of fifteen (15) upper-division units counted toward the major must be completed at Cal State San Marcos.
Computer Science
Preparation for the Major (38 Units)
Lower-Division (12 Units)
- CS 111 - Computer Science I Units: 4
- CS 211 - Computer Science II Units: 4
- CS 231 - Assembly Language and Digital Circuits Units: 4
Non-Computer Science Supporting Courses (26 Units)
- MATH 160 - Calculus with Applications, I Units: 5
- MATH 162 - Calculus with Applications, II Units: 4
- MATH 242 - Introduction to Statistics Units: 3
- MATH 264 - Introduction to Linear Algebra Units: 3
- MATH 270 - Basic Discrete Mathematics Units: 3
- Eight (8) units of coursework in biology, chemistry, or physics that are counted toward a science major.
Note:
*Six (6) lower-division General Education units in area B (Math and Science) are automatically satisfied by courses taken in Preparation for the Major.
Major Requirements (39 Units)
Upper-Division (30)
- CS 310 - Social Issues and Professional Practices in Computing Units: 3
- CS 311 - Data Structures and Algorithms Units: 3
- CS 331 - Computer Architecture Units: 3
- CS 351 - Programming Languages Units: 3
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- CS 370 - Introduction to Software Engineering Units: 3
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or
- SE 370 - Introduction to Software Engineering Units: 3
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- CS 433 - Operating Systems Units: 3
- CS 436 - Introduction to Networking Units: 3
- CS 443 - Fundamentals of Database Systems Units: 3
- CS 471 - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Units: 3
- CS 490 - Capstone Project Units: 3
Minimum Total (120 Units)
Students must take a sufficient number of elective units to bring the total number of units to a minimum of 120