Computer Science BA

Major: Computer Science
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science (BACS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 187.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 11.0701
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-3021; 15-1111; 15-1131; 15-1132; 11-1199

About the Program

The College of Computing & Informatics' Bachelor of Science/Arts in Computer Science offers extensive exposure and hands-on practice in the core areas of the field, including programming paradigms and languages, algorithms, systems, networking, and software engineering. Students also focus their upper level studies with specializations in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, security, graphics and vision, and game programming/development. The program's flexibility allows students to easily sample from areas in which they would like to apply their computing knowledge. This hands-on curriculum combined with co-op provides real-world experience that culminates in a full-year team capstone project involving in-depth study and application of computing and informatics.

The programs of study in computer science are designed with the versatility to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing profession and to allow strong preparation for graduate education in the field. In addition to the courses in the major, the programs emphasize foundation courses in the sciences and in applied mathematics. The programs also provide sufficient flexibility with electives to permit a student to pursue a minor in a technical or non-technical field. Computer Science graduates are in demand in any discipline where computing expertise is needed, from the computing industry to science and technical applications to the arts.

Students should contact their advisor at the College of Computing & Informatics for a current list of computer science concentration and elective courses.

Concentrations

• Algorithms and Theory
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Computer Graphics, Vision, and Interaction
• Computer Security and Privacy
• Computer Systems & Architecture
• Game Programming and Development
• Programming Languages and Systems
• Software Engineering

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please visit the BS/BA in Computer Science webpage on the College of Computing & Informatics website.

Degree Requirements 

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Computer Science program emphasizes foundation courses in the humanities and the social sciences, leading to careers involving applications in those areas.

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Program Electives

Independent study courses and special topics courses must be approved by the department prior to enrollment to satisfy a program elective requirement.

• Computer Science electives: any CS or SE course (300-499) or any of the following courses: DSCI 351, DSCI 471, INFO 310, INFO 323, ECE 302, ECEC 412, ECEC 413, GMAP 377, GMAP 378, MATH 300, MATH 301, MATH 305, MATH 475.
• Science electives: any CHEM (100-499 [except CHEM 111, CHEM 112, CHEM 113, CHEM 114, CHEM 151]), BIO (100-499 [except BIO 161, BIO 162, BIO 163; can take only one of BIO 100, BIO 107; can take only one of BIO 101, BIO 109]), PHYS (100-499 [except PHYS 050, PHYS 100, PHYS 105,PHYS 151, PHYS 160, PHYS 305, PHYS 324, PHYS 405; cannot take both PHYS 131 & PHYS 181]); ENVS (100-499), ENSS (100-499), PHEV (100-499)
• Social Studies electives: any AFAS (100-499), ANTH (100-499), GST (100-499), HIST (100-499), JWST (100-499), PSCI (100-499), PSY (100-499), SOC (100-499), WGST (100-499)
• Arts & Humanities electives: any ARCH (100-499), ARTH (100-499), CMGT (100-499), CJS (100-499), COM (100-499), CULA (100-499), DANC (100-499), EDEX (100-499), EDUC (100-499), ENGL (100-499) [except ENGL 101, ENGL 102, ENGL 103, ENGL 111,ENGL 112,ENGL 113]), ESTM (100-499), FASH (100-499), FMST (100-499), FMTV (100-499), GST (100-499), INTR (100-499), LING (100-499), MUSC (100-499), PHIL (100-499), PHTO (100-499), THTR (100-499), VSCM (100-499), VSST (100-499), WRIT (100-499), Foreign Language (any undergraduate course 101-499 in ARBC, CHIN, FREN, GER, HBRW, ITAL, JAPN, KOR, SPAN, including independent studies and special topics) and GMAP 260, ANIM 140, ANIM 141, ANIM 211, ANIM 212
• Business electives: any ACCT (100-499), BLAW (100-499), BUSN (100-499), ECON (100-499), ENTP (100-499), FIN (100-499), HRMT (100-499), INTB (100-499), MGMT (100-499), MIS (100-499), MKTG (100-499), OPM (100-499), OPR (100-499), ORGB (100-499), STAT (100-499), TAX (100-499)

Computer Science Concentrations

Students must complete two of the following Computer Science concentrations for a total of 18.0 credits. The concentrations may overlap by one course. Students should check with the College for any additional Special Topics courses being offered that may be appropriate for one of the concentrations. The student may propose a custom-designed concentration with departmental approval; courses proposed must be of level 300 and above.

* CORE COURSE

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, one co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

5 year, 3 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Co-op/Career Opportunities

Co-Op Options

Two co-op options are available for this program:

• five-year/three co-op
• four-year/one co-op

Career Opportunities

The demand for computing skills is tremendous and growing with highly paid jobs. Most professionals in the field focus on the design and development of software and software-based applications. Typical jobs include software engineer, programmer, web designer, multimedia or software developer, systems analyst or consultant, manager of technical staff, client-server architect, network designer, and database specialist. Most positions require at least a bachelor’s degree. Relevant work experience, such as that provided by co-operative education, is also very important, as cited by the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Job titles of recent computer science graduates include:

• Web Developer
• Software Systems Engineer
• Software Developer
• Network Engineer
• Application Analyst

Additional Information

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.

3675 Market Street

The College of Computing & Informatics is located at 3675 Market. Occupying three floors in the modern uCity Square building, CCI's home offers state-of-the-art technology in our classrooms, research labs, offices, meeting areas and collaboration spaces. 3675 Market offers Class A laboratory, office, coworking, and convening spaces. Located at the intersection of Market Street and 37th Street, 3675 Market acts as a physical nexus, bridging academic campuses and medical centers to the east and south, the commercial corridors along Market Street and Chestnut Street, and the residential communities to the north and west.

The uCity Square building offers:

• Speculative lab/office space
• World-class facilities operated by CIC
• Café/restaurant on-site
• Quorum, a two-story, 15K SF convening space and conference center
• Adjacent to future public square
• Access to Science Center’s nationally renowned business acceleration and technology commercialization programs

Drexel University Libraries

The Drexel University Libraries is a one-stop resource for all members of the Drexel community, providing access to millions of print and online books, journals, databases and other media, as well as hundreds of online course and research guides, workshops, and tutorials. Expert librarians offer a variety of consultation services virtually or in person, including help with course-related projects, strategies for finding and evaluating authoritative information, and approaches to utilizing, organizing, and presenting scholarship.

Students in the College of Computing & Informatics also have access to the W. W. Hagerty Library where they can take advantage of the Libraries’ various learning environments, including group study rooms, collaborative and silent study areas, and 24/7 study space in the Dragons’ Learning Den. The Libraries also offers a wellness room, printing and scanning services, and laptops, portable power chargers, and other equipment you can borrow for use in the Library.

CCI Commons

Located on the 10th floor of 3675 Market Street, the CCI Commons is an open lab and collaborative work environment for students. It features desktop computers, a wireless/laptop area, free black and white printing, and more collaborative space for its students. Students have access to 3675 Market's fully equipped conference room with 42” displays and videoconferencing capabilities. The CCI Commons provides technical support to students, faculty, and professional staff. In addition, the staff provides audio-visual support for all presentation classrooms within 3675 Market. Use of the CCI Commons is reserved for all students taking CCI courses.

The computers for general use are Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OSX machines with appropriate applications which include the Microsoft Office suite, various database management systems, modeling tools, and statistical analysis software. Library-related resources may be accessed at the CCI Commons and through the W.W. Hagerty Library. The College is a member of the "Azure Dev Tools for Teaching” platform that allows students free access to a wide array of Microsoft software titles and operating systems.

The CCI Commons, student labs, and classrooms have access to networked databases, print and file resources within the College, and the Internet via the University’s network. Email accounts, Internet and BannerWeb access are available through the Office of Information Resources and Technology.

Computer Support for Teaching

The CCI server room houses a multitude of servers to support faculty research, staff operations, and student learning. Services provided include a Linux compute cluster which is open to all faculty, staff, and students, multiple virtualization environments to meet different needs of faculty, staff, and students, and other single-purpose servers to support various operations throughout the college. The compute cluster provides a common environment for students to develop software, which makes testing easier for the TAs and faculty. Our virtualization environments allow college members the flexibility of a cloud environment with local support and direct cost recovery options. For those who need dedicated hardware, we also support dedicated research systems.

Classrooms are outfitted with laser projectors, 4K displays, class capture hardware, and the Wolfvision Cynap. The Cynap controls the AV distribution throughout the room and can display up to 4 streams simultaneously. These include the local PC, a laptop connected directly to the podium, or up to 4 streaming devices. Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices can all connect wirelessly to the presentation system, allowing collaboration and freedom to roam the classroom for better interactivity. Wireless networking and outlets are also available for students throughout the classrooms. Laptops are available for checkout from the CCI Commons desk.

Additionally, CCI is hosting and supporting multiple Virtual Computing Lab environments for students to use that mimics the physical computer labs in CCI. This technology allows both online and face to face students to have the same experience when using computing facilities.

CCI Virtual Environments

CCI hosts a variety of virtual environments, which support all levels of research, academics, and administration at CCI. These include OpenStack, Proxmox VE, VMWare, and Xen architectures, backed by storage in CEPH. Multiple environments allow CCI IT to provide researchers with the level of control appropriate for the project at hand and make efficient use of project funding. External cloud vendors such as AWS and Google Cloud Platform are also used when appropriate.

CCI continues to invest in these virtual environments, and explores emerging environments, to continue to best support CCI research and teaching. CPU cores, storage, and memory are added at every opportunity to these flexible, scalable environments. The current capacity of the system includes:

• 1760 CPU Cores
• 6 TB of Memory
• Over 556 TB of HDD-backed storage
• 122 TB of high-performance SSD-backed storage
• 12 GPUs with room for expansion through funded research for high-performance computing needs

CCI Learning Center

The CCI Learning Center (CLC), located in 3675 Market Street's CCI Commons student computer lab, provides consulting and other learning resources for students taking courses offered by the Computer Science Department. The CLC is staffed by graduate and undergraduate computer science students from the College of Computing & Informatics.

The CLC and CCI Commons serve as a central hub for small group work, student meetings, and TA assistance. 

Research Laboratories

The College houses multiple research labs, led by CCI faculty, in 3675 Market Street including: the Metadata Research Center (MRC), Interactive Systems for Healthcare (IS4H) Research, Economics and Computation (EconCS), The TeX-Base Lab, SPiking And Recurrent SoftwarE (SPARSE) Coding, Human-System Evaluation and Analysis Lab (H-SEAL), Applied Symbolic Computation Laboratory (ASYM), Security and Privacy Analytics Lab (SePAL), Software Engineering and Analytics Research (SOAR), Software Engineering Research Group (SERG), Social Computing Research Group, Vision and Cognition Laboratory (VisCog). For more information on these laboratories, please visit the College’s research web page.

Program Level Outcomes

The College of Computing & Informatics works continually to improve its degree programs. As part of this effort, the Computer Science degree is evaluated relative to the following Objectives and Outcomes.

Computer Science Program Educational Objectives

Drexel Computer Science alumni will:

• Be valued employees in a wide variety of occupations in industry, government and academia, in particular as computer scientists and software engineers
• Succeed in graduate and professional studies, such as engineering, science, law, medicine, and business
• Pursue life-long learning and professional development to remain current in an ever-changing technological world
• Provide leadership in their profession, in their communities, and society
• Function as responsible members of society with an awareness of the social and ethical ramifications of their work

Computer Science Student Outcomes (for Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts)

The Drexel Computer Science program enables students to attain by the time of graduation:

• An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline
• An ability to analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution
• An ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desired needs
• An ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal
• An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society
• Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in continuing professional development
• An ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice
• An ability 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 tradeoffs involved in design choices
• An ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity