Computer Science, B.S.C.S.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

Admission requirements and processes for freshman, transfer students, and former students seeking readmission are managed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have a cumulative 2.75 GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter the College of Engineering and Computing.  In addition, transfer applicants for the Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering majors must also have completed a four semester-hour calculus course equivalent to MATH 141 with a grade of “C” or better.  

Current University of South Carolina students who wish to enter the College of Engineering and Computing, and former students seeking readmission, must have an institutional GPA of 2.50 or better on at least 15 hours earned at USC.   In addition, such applicants for the Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering majors must also have completed a four semester-hour calculus course equivalent to MATH 141 with a grade of “C” or better.  

Degree Requirements (125-128 hours)

See College of Engineering and Computing for progression requirements and special academic opportunities.

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core 35-44
2. College Requirements 0
3. Program Requirements 60
4. Major Requirements 30-33

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (35-44 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (8 hours) 

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

Select all of one of the following:

Either

or

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

Score two or better on foreign language placement test; or complete the 109 and 110 courses in FREN, GERM, LATN or SPAN; or complete the 121 course in another foreign language.

​GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (1 hour)

  • CSCE 390 - must be passed with a grade of C or higher
1

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours for this program must add up to a minimum of 35 hours.

2. College Requirements (0 hours)

No college-required courses for this program.

3. Program Requirements (60 hours)

Supporting Courses (60 hours)

Foundational Courses (16 hours)

Course Title Credits
MATH 241Vector Calculus3
MATH 344Applied Linear Algebra3
MATH 344LApplied Linear Algebra Lab1
MATH 374Discrete Structures (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
STAT 509Statistics for Engineers3
ENGL 462Technical Writing3
or ENGL 463 Business Writing
Total Credit Hours16

Laboratory Science Elective (4 hours)

Course Title Credits
Select one of the following:4
Human Origins: An Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Introduction to Astronomy
Biological Principles I
and Biological Principles I Laboratory
General Biology
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Lab
Principles of Chemistry I
Introduction to the Environment
and Introduction to the Environment Lab
Natural History of South Carolina
Landform Geography
Weather and Climate
Introduction to the Earth
Environment of the Earth
Observing the Earth
Coastal Environments of the Southeastern U.S.
and Coastal Environments of the Southeastern U.S. (Laboratory)
Rocks and Minerals
The Ocean Environment
The Living Ocean
Oceans and Society
and Oceans and Society Laboratory
Coastal Environments of the Southeastern US
and Coastal Environments of the Southeastern U.S. (Laboratory)
Essentials of Physics I
and Essentials of Physics I Lab
Total Credit Hours4

Liberal Arts Electives (9 hours)

Select 9 hours of the following:

AERO 401, AERO 402
AFAM 201-AFAM 580
ANTH 101-ANTH 499
ARMY 401, ARMY 402
ARTE 101, ARTE 260
ARTH 105-ARTH 366
ARTS 103-ARTS 261
CHIN 103-CHIN 550
CLAS 220-CLAS 598
CPLT 150-CPLT 597
CRJU 101-CRJU 494
DANC 101-DANC 381
ECON 123-ECON 499
ENGL 270-ENGL 499
FAMS 180-FAMS 597
FREN 109-FREN 615
GEOG 103-GEOG 595
GERM 109-GERM 615
HIST 101-HIST 692
ITAL 101-ITAL 615
JAPA 121-JAPA 500
LASP 201-LASP 451
LATN 109-LATN 615
LING 101- LING 600, but only one of LING 300, LING 301, and LING 600 can be used
MART 110-MART 341
MUSC 110-MUSC 140
NAVY 401, NAVY 402
PHIL 101-PHIL 109, PHIL 112-PHIL 598
POLI 101-POLI 499
PORT 121-PORT 615
PSYC 101-PSYC 499
RELG 101-RELG 552
RUSS 121-RUSS 616
SOCY 101-SOCY 499
SOST 101-SOST 500
SPAN 109-SPAN 615
THEA 170-THEA 565
WGST 112-WGST 555

Lower Division Computing (22 hours)

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher:

Course Title Credits
CSCE 145Algorithmic Design I4
CSCE 146Algorithmic Design II4
CSCE 190Computing in the Modern World1
CSCE 211Digital Logic Design3
CSCE 212Introduction to Computer Architecture3
CSCE 215UNIX/Linux Fundamentals1
CSCE 240Advanced Programming Techniques3
CSCE 247Software Engineering3
Total Credit Hours22

Application Area (9 hours)

An application area consists of three 3-credit courses that display a distinct curricular pattern that is different from computer science. The courses must all have either the same department designator or be part of a defined minor. An application area course may not have the CSCE designator nor be cross listed with a CSCE course. Students may petition the department for approval of other sets of application area courses.

4. Major Requirements (30-33 hours)

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Major Courses (21 hours)

Course Title Credits
CSCE 311Operating Systems3
CSCE 330Programming Language Structures3
CSCE 350Data Structures and Algorithms3
CSCE 355Foundations of Computation3
CSCE 416Introduction to Computer Networks3
CSCE 490Capstone Computing Project I3
CSCE 492Capstone Computing Project II3
Total Credit Hours21

Major Electives (9 hours)

Students must complete 9 hours of Major Electives below.  Students may choose to complete a 12-hour concentration in Artificial Intelligence or Cybersecurity in  place of the Major Electives

Course Title Credits
Select from the following: 9
CSCE 317 or any CSCE course 500 or higher
Select any approved CSCE courses, 500 and higher
Total Credit Hours9

Concentrations (12 hours)

Students may choose to complete a 12-hour concentration below in place of the 9 hours of Major Electives.

Artificial Intelligence Concentration (12 hours)

Course Title Credits
CSCE 580Artificial Intelligence3
Select three courses from the following:9
Algorithms in Bioinformatics
Visualization Tools
Robotics
Text Processing
Bayesian Networks and Decision Graphs
Machine Learning Systems
Big Data Analytics
Total Credit Hours12

Cybersecurity Concentration (12 hours)

Course Title Credits
CSCE 201Introduction to Computer Security3
CSCE 522Information Security Principles3
CSCE 548Building Secure Software3
Select one course from the following:3
Database System Design
Introduction to Cryptography
Total Credit Hours12

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Computer Science, B.S.C.S.