Undergraduate Degree Plan

The degree requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) degree are summarized below, correct as of September 2007. These requirements summarize the description in the 2006-2008 UTEP Undergraduate Catalog, available here .

This information is also available in checklist form: 2008 Computer Science Degree Plan, reformatted version. (PDF).

Download Suggested 4 Year Plans of Study

The program is divided into two levels: lower-division and upper-division computer science. The lower-division level consists mainly of general education and introductory computer science courses. The upper-division level consists of advanced math and computer science courses. Students must complete all courses in the lower-division track with a grade of 'C' or better before becoming an upper-division computer science student.

Lower-Division CS-Required Courses

Other General Education Courses

Upper-Division CS-Required Courses

Quantitative and Laboratory Science

Students must complete a two-semester sequence in physics, biology, chemistry or geology.

 Acceptable sequences are:

• BIOL 1305, 1107, 1306, and 1108.

• PHYS 2420 and 2421.

• CHEM 1305, 1105, 1306, 1106.

• GEOL 1313, 1103, 1314, and 1104.

Note that the offering department may require that the lab section be taken in the same semester as the course. See the Geology, Biology or Chemistry department for details.

Core Curriculum Electives

All UTEP students, including those in the Computer Science department, are required to complete 42 credit hours of general education courses before receiving a degree. 27 of these hours are covered by specific CS requirements. The remaining 15 hours are listed in the degree plan as Core Curriculum Electives. Students are required to take 3 credit hours in 5 areas:

• Humanities. Any one of the following courses may be counted toward this requirement: ENGL 2311, ENGL 2312, ENGL 2313, ENGL 2314, ENGL 2318, HIST 2301, HIST 2302, PHIL 1301, PHIL 2306.
• Visual and Performing Arts. Any of the following courses: ART 1300, ARTH 1305, ARTH 1306, MUSL 1324, MUSL 1327, THEA 1313, THEA 1390, or MUSL 1221 and MUSL 1222.
• Social and Behavioral Sciences. Any of the following courses: ANTH 1301, ANTH 1302, ECON 1301, ECON 2303, ECON 2304, GEOG 1310, LING/ANTH/ENGL 2320, PSYC 1301, SOCI 1301.
• Communications. Either COMM 1301 or COMM 1302.
• Institutionally Designated Option. Either UNIV 1301 or UNIV 2350. UNIV 1301 is restricted to incoming freshman students.

All UTEP core requirements must be passed with a grade of C or better in order to be counted toward a degree. Furthermore, all freshmen level courses (course numbers begin with a 1) must be completed before the student has completed 90 credit hours of work.

Free Electives

Any college-level (numbered 1000 or higher) class that is not a remedial class, physical education class (sports, weight training, dance, etc.) or performing arts class (band, choir, piano, etc.) may be applied toward the degree as a Free Elective credit. Courses that may be counted toward the free elective requirements are college-level courses offered by the colleges of Liberal Arts, Business, Science, or Engineering.

Some common examples of free elective courses are language courses (Spanish, French, German, etc.), sophomore level psychology courses (abnormal psychology, life-cycle development, psychology of personality), freshman or higher level science courses (astronomy, biology, chemistry), and advanced mathematics courses (differential equations, introduction to higher mathematics). These examples are not meant to be an exclusive list, but rather are provided as examples of courses that are acceptable free electives. If in doubt, contact your advisor before signing up for a course you intend to count toward your free elective credits.

All computer science students are required to take 6 hours of free elective courses.

Technical Electives

Technical electives are intended to give students depth and/or breadth of knowledge in computer science topics of interest to the student. Technical electives may be selected from any of the following upper-division computer science courses:

1. CS 3370 - Computer Graphics
2. CS 3335 - Systems Programming
3. CS 4316 - Computer Networks
4. CS 4320 - Artificial Intelligence
5. CS 4342 - Database Management
6. CS 4352 - Compilers and Interpreters
7. CS 4365 - Topics in Soft Computing
8. CS 4371 - Computer Science Problems
9. CS 4390 - Special Topics in Computer Science

Students may not count more than six (6) credit hours of special topics and or computer science problems courses in any combination as technical elective credits. For example a student may take up to two CS 4390 courses and no CS 4371 courses, or up to two CS 4371 courses and no CS 4390 courses, or one CS 4371 and one CS 4390 course.