DECLARING THE MAJOR

WHAT DO THE COURSE NUMBERS MEAN?

WHAT ARE YOU GETTING INTO? Usually, the Computer Science (CSCI) major requires five to six relatively heavy-load semesters. However, some entry-level full-time students without a strong math background will need eight semesters to complete the CSCI requirements since the major requires a healthy dose of mathematics, both from within our own courses and courses offered by the Mathematics Department.

VERY FIRST PREREQUISITES MATH 125 (pre-calculus) is a pre- or co-requisite for all of our courses from CSCI 127 through CSCI 150. Also CSCI 127 is a prerequisite to our first Majors' course (CSCI 135). If you are considering a Computer Science Major then MATH 125 and CSCI 127 should be at the very top of the list of courses that you should take (or place out of) as early as possible in your academic career.

HOW TO GET STARTED We have three introductory computer science courses - CSCI 120, CSCI 127 and CSCI 135. If you want to learn something about computers and are majoring in the liberal arts, the course designed for you is CSCI 120. (Note that CSCI 120 is not intended for potential Computer Science Majors.) If you want a more rigorous introduction to computer science which includes the basics of computer programming, or if you want to major in CSCI but have no previous computer programming experience, take CSCI 127 since some programming experience (in any computer language) is a prerequisite for CSCI 135 - our first Majors' course. (Note that neither CSCI 120 nor 127 can be used toward the Computer Science major, but both count towards the GER.) If you intend to major in Computer Science and have a decent math background and some prior programming experience, you may start with CSCI 135 with the permission of the Chair of the Computer Science Department. (But talk to a CSCI 135 instructor first! See BUT I THINK I ALREADY KNOW THAT STUFF! below.)

DO WE REALLY MEAN IT WHEN WE PUT PREREQUISITES ON COURSES? All course prerequisites are carefully determined to help you do well in the Computer Science Major. If you take a course without the proper background, you will probably not be prepared to do the work and it is likely that you will not do well in the course. Course prerequisites are part of Hunter's interactive registration computer system and will "block" you from being able to register for a particular course if the prerequisites are not met.

BUT, I THINK I ALREADY KNOW THAT STUFF! Generally, course prerequisites can only be waived by the Chair of the Computer Science Department. However, if you feel that you meet a prerequisite but are still being blocked from registration, the first thing you should do is approach the instructor of the course that you want to take. He or she will be able to help guide you from that point. This is especially true if you believe you should be placed into CSCI 135 (without CSCI 127).

For students with extensive computer programming experience and/or a very strong background in discrete mathematics, the Department also gives Test-out exams that will permit you to be placed past CSCI 135 or CSCI 150. If you can pass the Test-out Exam with a grade of B or better, we will award you Credit by Exam for that course and permit you to take more advanced courses as if you had completed the course successfully. If you feel you are sufficiently expert in the course material covered in either CSCI 135 or CSCI 150, come to the Department Office and ask for a copy of the Test-out Guidelines and an application form. Tests are scheduled at the mutual convenience of both the student and the proctor.

DECLARING THE MAJOR: Before you can declare Computer Science as your courses you must take CSCI 135 and receive a grade of C or better.  Since CSCI 135 has a MATH prerequisite of either pre-calculus (MATH 125) or Calculus 1 (MATH 150), and a CSCI prerequisite of CSCI 127, you must take or place out of these courses as soon as possible.

WHAT DO THE COURSE NUMBERS MEAN? The course numbers are there for your guidance. Prerequisite, GER courses, and the first Majors' courses are on the 100-level. The core courses required for the major include two streams: the 135-235-335 (programming, data structures and algorithms) sequence, and the 145-245-345 (architecture and logic) sequence. You must take these courses in numerical order. Core courses also include CSCI 265 and CSCI 340. 300-level courses are appropriate for upper-level majors, and 400-level courses are for those who have special interest in their content or who have exhausted the 300-level electives. Courses numbered 493.xx are Honors seminars and are more difficult and demanding than other electives.

HOW WELL DO I HAVE TO DO IN MY MAJOR COURSES? Each of the required and elective courses which count toward the major (including MATH/STAT courses) must be completed with a grade of C or better. In addition, you will be expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in all courses required for the major. Please note that, for Computer Science majors, "D" is not considered a passing grade in any Computer Science or Math course.

WHAT COURSES DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE A MAJOR?
42 Credits in Computer Science:
CSCI 135 Software Analysis and Design 1
CSCI 145 Computer Architecture 1
CSCI 150 Discrete Structures
CSCI 235 Software Analysis and Design 2
CSCI 245 Computer Architecture 2
CSCI 265 Computer Theory 1
CSCI 335 Software Analysis and Design 3
CSCI 340 Operating Systems
CSCI 345 Computer Architecture 3
5 CSCI 300- and 400-level electives

14 Credits in Mathematics:
MATH 150 Calculus 1
MATH 155 Calculus 2
MATH 160 Matrix Algebra (effective Fall 1997)
STAT 213 Applied Statistics

Of course you must also complete all the distribution requirements and general education requirements (GER) as set forth by Hunter. While no student may use any Major credits toward the Distribution requirements, in most circumstances up to half your minor credits may be used where applicable.

WHAT IS A TOPICS COURSE? From time to time we offer subjects that are not part of our regular CSCI curriculum. We usually offer these courses as a "Topics" course. If, over time, there is continued interest in a Topics course, it will eventually become a regular course offering. A Topics course is numbered 395.xx.

WHAT IS INDEPENDENT STUDY AND SUPERVISED RESEARCH? It is possible to pursue up to 3 credits of Independent Study (CSCI 391, 392 or 393) in an area not covered in any course offered by the Department. Independent study must be approved, sponsored and supervised by a faculty member of the Computer Science Department. It is also possible to pursue up to 9 credits of Supervised Research (CSCI 496, 497, 498) if you are working closely with a faculty member on an original research project. Since an "original research project" is a project that seeks to discover, or develop something that has never been discovered or developed before, Supervised Research is usually very rewarding for the student, but is also potentially very demanding. Supervised Research requires approval from both the faculty member supervisor and the Department Chair. For either Independent Study or Supervised Research, a project or course of study must be fully specified and clearly defined before registration.

CAN I TAKE MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER SCIENCE/MATH COURSE AT A TIME? If you have no prior programming experience and/or your Math background is not substantial, we strongly suggest that you start slowly: programming courses require a great deal of time and a lot of effort. The three 100-level courses are the foundations on which virtually all of our other courses are built, so the material in these courses should be understood thoroughly before you go on to a higher level. It is important to remember that the prerequisites listed for each course are the foundations for that course: your class schedule MUST NOT be put together based solely on the fact that classes are offered on the same days!

The sample tracks are to be used as a guide in planning your curriculum. What courses you can actually take will be affected primarily by what courses you may have already taken and by what courses are being offered in a given semester, both within your major and across departments; in any case, remember the importance of completing prerequisites first!

(1) 2.7 Grade Point Average over all your courses at Hunter
(2) 3.5 Grade Point Average in your Computer Science and Math courses at Hunter
(3)You receive a grade of A in a Computer Science Honors seminar course (CSCI 493.xx)

WHAT IF I HAVE COMPUTER SCIENCE CREDITS FROM ANOTHER COLLEGE? If you are coming to Hunter from one of the CUNY two-year colleges most of your Computer Science credits will have been evaluated automatically, through Admissions. (If you are transferring from one of the four-year CUNY colleges or from a college outside CUNY, you will have to bring both a copy of your Hunter transcript AND course descriptions from the other college to the Computer Science Department office, HN 1008.) Be aware that many courses which have titles similar to those in this department are not, in actuality, equivalent to our courses and may not be eligible for use toward the Computer Science major at Hunter College.

WHAT PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES SHOULD I LEARN? The Department teaches the programming sequence (135, 235 and 335) in C++. Assembly language is taught in CSCI 145. LISP is taught in most sections of CSCI 350 (Artificial Intelligence), PROLOG in some Honors seminars, and SQL in CSCI 435 (Databases).

WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? The Faculty Advising Schedule is posted in the glass case outside of HN 1008. The times listed are "walk-in" hours and require no appointment; however we strongly suggest that you come with a copy of your most recent Hunter transcript in order to facilitate the advising process.

SUGGESTED MINORS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS: The Computer Science Department does not mandate a specific minor. However, those listed below are minors which combine with computer science in very practical ways.