Computer Science BS / Computer Science MS
Major: Computer Science
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 225.5
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 11.0701
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-3021
About the Program
The College of Computing & Informatics offers an accelerated degree program designed to allow students to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree along with cooperative educational experience in fewer years than would be typical if pursuing the degrees separately.
Admission Requirements
The guidelines for applying to the Computer Science BS/MS Accelerated Degree program are as follows:
- University regulations require application after the completion of 90.0 credits but before the completion of 120.0 credits.
- Applicants must have an overall cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.5 or higher.
- Letters of recommendation from two Computer Science faculty are required.
- Students must submit a plan of study. Consult your advisor and course schedules for guidance.
- Applicants must have completed the following courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50
Degree Requirements
| The courses below should be taken at Drexel. Seek guidance from your advisor regarding additional coursework if any courses below have been taken outside of Drexel. | ||
| CS 171 | Computer Programming I | 3.0 |
| or CS 175 | Advanced Computer Programming I | |
| CS 172 | Computer Programming II | 3.0 |
| or CS 176 | Advanced Computer Programming II | |
| CS 260 | Data Structures | 3.0 |
| CS 265 | Advanced Programming Tools and Techniques | 3.0 |
| CS 270 | Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science | 3.0 |
| CS 281 | Systems Architecture | 4.0 |
| MATH 221 | Discrete Mathematics | 3.0 |
Requirements
The requirements of the Computer Science BS/MS program follow the requirements of both the BS in Computer Science and the MS in Computer Science. Students must complete all the requirements of the BS in Computer Science except that they may replace 6 credits of free electives (still maintaining the 180.0 credit minimum for the BS degree) with graduate coursework. In addition, students must complete 45.0 credits of graduate courses to satisfy the requirements of the MS in Computer Science. Please refer to the linked program pages for the details of these requirements.
| Undergraduate Degree Requirements | ||
| Computer Science Requirements | ||
| CS 164 | Introduction to Computer Science | 3.0 |
| CS 171 | Computer Programming I | 3.0 |
| or CS 175 | Advanced Computer Programming I | |
| CS 172 | Computer Programming II | 3.0 |
| or CS 176 | Advanced Computer Programming II | |
| CS 260 | Data Structures | 3.0 |
| CS 265 | Advanced Programming Tools and Techniques | 3.0 |
| CS 270 | Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science | 3.0 |
| CS 277 | Algorithms and Analysis | 3.0 |
| CS 281 | Systems Architecture | 4.0 |
| CS 283 | Systems Programming | 3.0 |
| CS 360 | Programming Language Concepts | 3.0 |
| SE 181 | Introduction to Software Engineering and Development | 3.0 |
| SE 310 | Software Architecture I | 3.0 |
| Computer Science track courses (see below) | 18.0 | |
| Computer Science electives (see below) | 6.0 | |
| Computing & Informatics Requirements | ||
| CI 101 | Computing and Informatics Design I | 2.0 |
| CI 102 | Computing and Informatics Design II | 2.0 |
| CI 103 | Computing and Informatics Design III | 2.0 |
| CI 491 [WI] | Senior Project I | 3.0 |
| CI 492 [WI] | Senior Project II | 3.0 |
| CI 493 [WI] | Senior Project III | 3.0 |
| Mathematics Requirements | ||
| MATH 121 | Calculus I | 4.0 |
| MATH 122 | Calculus II | 4.0 |
| MATH 123 | Calculus III | 4.0 |
| MATH 200 | Multivariate Calculus | 4.0 |
| MATH 201 | Linear Algebra | 4.0 |
| MATH 221 | Discrete Mathematics | 3.0 |
| MATH 311 | Probability and Statistics I | 4.0 |
| Science Requirements | 19.0 | |
| Select one of the following lab science sequences: | ||
| Cells and Biomolecules and Cells and Biomolecules Lab and Genetics and Evolution and Genetics and Evolution Lab and Physiology and Ecology and Anatomy and Ecology Lab | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II and General Chemistry III | ||
| Fundamentals of Physics I and Fundamentals of Physics II and Fundamentals of Physics III | ||
| Science electives (see below) | ||
| Arts & Humanities Requirements | ||
| COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| PHIL 311 | Ethics and Information Technology | 3.0 |
| Writing & Communications electives (see below) | 6.0 | |
| Arts & Humanities, Business, or Social Studies electives (see below) * | 18.0 | |
| Universtiy Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development | 1.0 |
| UNIV CI101 | The Drexel Experience | 2.0 |
| or CI 120 | CCI Transfer Student Seminar | |
| Free electives | 15.5 | |
| Graduate Degree Requirements | ||
| Core Requirements | ||
| Students must take 1 course from each pair | ||
| CS 500 | Fundamentals of Databases | 3.0 |
| or CS 510 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | |
| CS 521 | Data Structures and Algorithms I | 3.0 |
| or CS 525 | Theory of Computation | |
| CS 530 | Developing User Interfaces | 3.0 |
| or CS 540 | High Performance Computing | |
| CS 536 | Computer Graphics | 3.0 |
| or CS 583 | Introduction to Computer Vision | |
| CS 543 | Operating Systems | 3.0 |
| or CS 544 | Computer Networks | |
| CS 550 | Programming Languages | 3.0 |
| or SE 575 | Software Design | |
| Major Electives | 15.0 | |
| Student must take an additional 5 CS-related courses from the following categories | ||
| From the courses listed below, excluding any courses taken to fulfill a core requirement and spanning at least 2 categories | ||
| Theory | ||
| Data Structures and Algorithms I (Core Candidate) | ||
| Data Structures and Algorithms II | ||
| Theory of Computation (Core Candidate) | ||
| Algorithmic Game Theory | ||
| Algorithmic Game Theory | ||
| Approximation Algorithms | ||
| Computational Geometry | ||
| Intelligent Systems | ||
| Fundamentals of Databases (Core Candidate) | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (Core Candidate) | ||
| Robot Laboratory | ||
| Advanced Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Game Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Knowledge-based Agents | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Deep Learning | ||
| Data Analysis at Scale | ||
| Responsible Data Analysis | ||
| Programming Systems | ||
| Programming Languages (Core Candidate) | ||
| Program Generation and Optimization | ||
| Reverse Software Engineering | ||
| Parallel Programming | ||
| Software Design (Core Candidate) | ||
| Software Reliability and Testing | ||
| Software Architecture | ||
| Security Engineering | ||
| Computer Systems | ||
| Operating Systems (Core Candidate) | ||
| Computer Networks (Core Candidate) | ||
| Advanced Operating Systems | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Distributed Systems Software | ||
| Vision and Graphics | ||
| Computer Graphics (Core Candidate) | ||
| Interactive Computer Graphics | ||
| Game Engine Programming | ||
| Introduction to Computer Vision (Core Candidate) | ||
| Advanced Computer Vision | ||
| Advanced Computer Graphics | ||
| Applications | ||
| Developing User Interfaces (Core Candidate) | ||
| High Performance Computing (Core Candidate) | ||
| Applied Symbolic Computation | ||
| Privacy | ||
| Cognitive Systems | ||
| Computer Algebra I | ||
| Computer Algebra II | ||
| From MSSE Core Courses | ||
| Software Design | ||
| Software Reliability and Testing | ||
| Requirements Engineering and Management | ||
| Software Project Management | ||
| From the following MSDS Core Courses | ||
| Data Acquisition and Pre-Processing | ||
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | ||
| Additional Graduate-Level Courses | 12.0 | |
| Four (4) additional graduate level courses are required, which could be: | ||
| Up to 6 credits for the thesis option | ||
| Up to 2 CS Independent Studies | ||
| Additional appropriate graduate level Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science or Artificial Intelligence courses, consulting with your advisor | ||
| Total Credits | 225.5 | |
| * | At least 3.0 credits must be taken from a Business category course (see below) and at least 3.0 credits must be taken from a Social Studies category (see below) |
When completing undergraduate CS electives and graduate CS courses, students should take care to avoid equivalent courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Please consult with your advisor for courses that should not be taken at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
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 course numbered 300 or higher
- Science electives: any CHEM (except CHEM 111, CHEM 112, CHEM 113, CHEM 114, CHEM 151), BIO (except BIO 161, BIO 162, BIO 163; can take only one of BIO 100 or BIO 107; can take only one of BIO 101 or BIO 109), PHYS (except PHYS 050, PHYS 100, PHYS 151, PHYS 160, PHYS 305, PHYS 324, PHYS 405; cannot take both PHYS 131 & PHYS 181), ENVS, ENSS, PHEV
- Writing & Communications electives: any WRIT, COM, ENGL courses officially certified as Writing Intensive (WI), SCRP 270 [WI] , and SCRP 275 [WI]
- Business electives: any ACCT, BLAW, BUSN, ECON, ENTP, FIN, HRMT, INTB, MGMT, MIS, MKTG, OPM, OPR, ORGB, STAT, TAX
- Social Studies electives: any AFAS, ANTH, GST, HIST, JWST, PSCI, PSY, SOC, WGST
- Arts & Humanities electives: any ARCH, ARTH, CMGT, CJS, COM, CULA, DANC, EDEX, EDUC, ENGL (except ENGL 101, ENGL 102, ENGL 103, ENGL 105, ENGL 111, ENGL 112, ENGL 113), ESTM, FASH, FMST, FMVD, GST, INTR, LING, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, THTR, VSCM, VSST, WRIT, Foreign Language courses as defined by the College of Arts and Sciences, and GMAP 260, ANIM 140, ANIM 141, ANIM 211, ANIM 212
Computer Science Tracks
Students must complete two of the following Computer Science tracks for a total of 18.0 credits. The tracks 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 tracks. The student may propose a Student Defined Track with departmental approval.
| Algorithms and Data Structures | ||
| CS 440 | Theory of Computation | 3.0 |
| CS 457 | Data Structures and Algorithms I | 4.0 |
| CS 458 | Data Structures and Algorithms II | 3.0 |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Evolutionary Computing | ||
| Game AI Development | ||
| Advanced Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Computer and Network Security | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Algorithmic Number Theory and Cryptography | ||
| Software Security | ||
| Computer Networks: Theory, Applications and Programming | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Computer Architecture | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Processor Architecture & Analysis | ||
| Software Defined Radio Laboratory | ||
| High Performance Computing | ||
| Introduction to Parallel Computer Architecture | ||
| Design with Embedded Processors | ||
| Computer Graphics and Vision | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Advanced Rendering Techniques | ||
| Interactive Computer Graphics | ||
| Computational Photography | ||
| Computing Systems | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Computing in the Small | ||
| Processor Architecture & Analysis | ||
| Concurrent Programming | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Web Development | ||
| Software Defined Radio Laboratory | ||
| Compiler Implementation | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Computer Networks: Theory, Applications and Programming | ||
| Game Development and Design | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Serious Game Development | ||
or CS 342 | Experimental Game Development | |
| Computer Game Design and Development | ||
| Game AI Development | ||
| Game Development: Workshop I | ||
| Game Development: Workshop II | ||
| Graphics and Interaction | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Graphical User Interfaces | ||
| Serious Game Development | ||
or CS 342 | Experimental Game Development | |
| Computer Game Design and Development | ||
| Game AI Development | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Advanced Rendering Techniques | ||
| Interactive Computer Graphics | ||
| Computational Photography | ||
| Game Development: Workshop I | ||
| Game Development: Workshop II | ||
| Human-Centered Design Process & Methods | ||
| Human-Computer Interaction | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Graphical User Interfaces | ||
| Computer Game Design and Development | ||
| Interactive Computer Graphics | ||
| Human-Centered Design Process & Methods | ||
| Intelligent Systems | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Evolutionary Computing | ||
| Game AI Development | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Advanced Rendering Techniques | ||
| Interactive Computer Graphics | ||
| Computational Photography | ||
| Advanced Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Numeric and Symbolic Computation | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Applied Symbolic Computation | ||
| Algorithmic Number Theory and Cryptography | ||
| Numerical Analysis I | ||
| Numerical Analysis II | ||
| Introduction to Optimization Theory | ||
| Programming Languages | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Concurrent Programming | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Compiler Implementation | ||
| Software Verification and Validation | ||
| Software and Security | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Algorithmic Number Theory and Cryptography | ||
| Software Security | ||
| Computer Networks: Theory, Applications and Programming | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Software Architecture II | ||
| Software Verification and Validation | ||
| Software Evolution | ||
| Software Engineering | ||
| SE 311 | Software Architecture II | 3.0 |
| SE 320 | Software Verification and Validation | 3.0 |
| SE 410 | Software Evolution | 3.0 |
| Systems and High-Performance Computing | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Computing in the Small | ||
| Processor Architecture & Analysis | ||
| Concurrent Programming | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Web Development | ||
| Software Defined Radio Laboratory | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Compiler Implementation | ||
| Database Systems | ||
| Computer Networks: Theory, Applications and Programming | ||
| High Performance Computing | ||
| Design with Embedded Processors | ||
| Introduction to Parallel Computer Architecture | ||
| Theory and Computation | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9.0 | |
| Applied Symbolic Computation | ||
| Algorithmic Number Theory and Cryptography | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Compiler Implementation | ||
| Data Structures and Algorithms I | ||
| Data Structures and Algorithms II | ||
| Numerical Analysis I | ||
| Numerical Analysis II | ||
| Introduction to Optimization Theory | ||
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
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| CI 101 | 2.0 | CI 102 | 2.0 | CI 103 | 2.0 | VACATION | |
| CS 164 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | CS 172 or 176 | 3.0 | ||
| MATH 121 | 4.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | CS 171 or 175 | 3.0 | MATH 123 | 4.0 | ||
| UNIV CI101 | 1.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | UNIV CI101 | 1.0 | ||
| (UG) Lab Science course | 4.5 | MATH 122 | 4.0 | (UG) Lab Science course | 4.5 | ||
| (UG) Lab Science course | 4.5 | ||||||
| 17.5 | 18.5 | 17.5 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| CS 265 | 3.0 | CS 260 | 3.0 | CS 277 | 3.0 | CS 283 | 3.0 |
| CS 270 | 3.0 | MATH 200 | 4.0 | CS 281 | 4.0 | CS 360 | 3.0 |
| MATH 201 | 4.0 | MATH 221 | 3.0 | COM 230 | 3.0 | (UG) Writing & Communications elective | 3.0 |
| SE 181 | 3.0 | (UG) Science elective | 3.0 | SE 310 | 3.0 | (UG) Arts & Humanities electives | 5.0 |
| (UG) Social Studies elective | 4.0 | (UG) Writing & Communications elective | 3.0 | (UG) Science elective | 3.0 | ||
| 17 | 16 | 16 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| MATH 311 | 4.0 | (UG) Arts & Humanities elective | 4.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| PHIL 311 | 3.0 | (UG) Computer Science electives | 12.0 | ||||
| (UG) Computer Science electives | 9.0 | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| CS 491 | 3.0 | CI 492 | 3.0 | CI 493 | 3.0 | (GR) MS Core courses | 6.0 |
| (UG) Business elective | 4.0 | (UG) Free electives | 7.0 | (UG) Free elective | 3.0 | (GR) MS Major elective | 3.0 |
| (UG) Science elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free elective / (GR) MS Core course | 3.0 | (UG) Computer Science | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Free elective / (GR) MS Core Course | 3.0 | (UG) Arts & Humanities elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Student awarded BS Degree | |||||||
| Classified as Graduate status | |||||||
| 13 | 13 | 12 | 9 | ||||
| Fifth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| (GR) MS Core course | 3.0 | (GR) MS Core course | 3.0 | (GR) MS Major elective | 3.0 | ||
| (GR) MS Major electives | 6.0 | (GR) MS Major elective | 3.0 | (GR) MS electives | 6.0 | ||
| (GR) MS Elective | 3.0 | (GR) MS elective | 3.0 | ||||
| 12 | 9 | 9 | |||||
| Total Credits 225.5 | |||||||
