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The Computer Science Engineering major prepares students to do further work in hardware, software, theory, or electronics, either in industry or in postgraduate study.

The primary differences between the Computer Science Engineering and the Computer Science majors are the extent of course work covering hardware and the flexibility of the curriculum. The Computer Science Engineering major develops a solid understanding of the entire machine, including hands-on experience with its hardware components. The Computer Science major has some course work on hardware, at the digital-design level, on simulators. The Computer Science Engineering major has fewer free electives. The CS major's more generous electives make it easier to complete a minor or double major.

A key theme of the Computer Science Engineering curriculum is the hardware/software interaction, a theme reflected in the courses required and the orientation of the courses themselves.

The Computer Science & Engineering major provides students with a solid background in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and electronic circuits and systems, all supporting the computer hardware and computer software courses that constitute the focus of the curriculum.

Computer Science & Engineering Undergraduate Program

The Computer Science and Engineering (BS) program is accredited by (a) the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s), and Similarly Named Engineering Programs and by (b) the Computing Accreditation Commission, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Computer Science and Similarly Named Computing Programs.

Students are encouraged to adhere carefully to all prerequisite requirements. The department is authorized to drop students from a course for which stated prerequisites have not been completed.

Major Advisors

A. Abrahamson, J. Clifford, K. Gage, P. Kumari

For information on how to speak to an advisor, see CS Undergraduate Advising.

Before declaring a major in Computer Science & Engineering, students must complete specific course requirements and meet GPA minimums. For a full list of requirements to declare the major, see CS Advising.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. The minimum number of units required for the Computer Science & Engineering Bachelor of Science is 144.

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Chosen from ECS courses numbered 120 to 189 inclusive; one approved course of 3-5 units from ECS 192 or ECS 199; EEC 171, EEC 180; one course may be taken from the following restricted elective list: ECN 122; LIN 127, LIN 177; MAT 135A, MAT 135B; PSC 120; STA 131A, STA 131B. No course can count as both a required course and a computer science and engineering elective.