4PLUS Computer Science Program

This 4PLUS program requires the completion of 33 credits beyond foundation courses, including 15 credits of core requirements. The core courses represent the general body of knowledge and skills that all students in the program are expected to master.

Core Requirements 

• CS 520 Algorithm Analysis
• CS 524 Principles of Software Engineering
• CS 528 Artificial Intelligence
• CS 564 Operating Systems

One of the following courses:

• CS 561 Computer Architecture
• CS 571 Programming Languages: Their Design and Compilation 

Elective Requirements 

Students must complete 18 credits of elective work, which may include a 6-credit thesis (CS 580), 6-credit fieldwork project (CS 585) or a 6-credit software engineering project (CS 595). All elective courses must be chosen from CS or CSIT prefixed coursework. Students may use their electives to get a concentration in data science or cybersecurity. Students who do not wish to pursue one of these concentrations will completed 18 credits of elective coursework. 

Concentrations: Data Science 

• CS 522 Data Mining
• CS 527 Data Science
• CS 543 Machine Learning
• CS 565 Advanced DBMS 

Cybersecurity

• CSIT 555 Information Systems Security
• CSIT 548 Telecommunications & Networking
• CSIT 534 Network and Internet Security
• CSIT 532 Computer Forensics 

One of the following courses:

• CYBR 556 Ethical Hacking
• CSIT 537 Applied Encryption & Cryptology

This 4PLUS program is designed to allow students to attend graduate-level courses during their undergraduate studies, enabling them to combine and accelerate the process of receiving both a baccalaureate and master’s degree in computer science. To do so, they must attend a minimum of two academic semesters (fall and spring) as full-time students. 

Students that must complete the foundation courses by beginning of the fifth year. This may be achieved in several ways: 

1. Students who are pursuing the B.S. in computer science meet the requirement.
2. Students in other majors who have taken CS 219, CS 226 and Math 207 meet the requirement.
3. Students in other majors who meet the requirements by taking CSIT 512, CS 519, CS 508 and Math 505 during the junior or senior year.
4. Some combination of 2 and 3. 

Students accepted into the program are permitted to take graduate courses during their junior and senior years, which can be applied toward completing foundation courses or fulfilling program requirements for the M.S. in computer science. A graduate course may, but is not required to, fulfill both undergraduate and graduate requirements in the 4PLUS program. Up to 9 credits of graduate coursework, excluding foundation courses, can be applied to both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree in computer science.

For double-numbered or cross-listed courses (e.g., CS 428/528), students in the 4PLUS program must take the graduate-level course for the MSCS. A minimum grade of B is required to waive the corresponding MSCS degree requirement. 

Depending on their preparation and completion of requirements, students interested in the 4PLUS program will have the option to follow several possible course sequences. Table 1 provides some example sequences. 

Table 1: Program plan for students pursuing the 4PLUS degree BA or BS (any major) and MS in Computer Science

These courses may be preferred by students not majoring or minoring in computer science due to the less demanding prerequisites. 

The program plans in Table 1 are examples of some of the possible plan options students may follow to fulfill the 4PLUS program requirements. All options must ensure that the M.S. in computer science foundation (or equivalent) requirements are completed by the beginning of the fifth year. The different program options are further described below: 

Student A. This option is suitable for students in the B.S. in computer science who have met the undergraduate foundation courses by their junior year. Students following this option can take up to four graduate courses during their junior and senior years, three of which can be used for both degrees.

Student B: This option is suitable for students in the B.S. in computer science who have met the undergraduate foundation courses by their junior year and are interested in the data science concentration. Students following this option can take up to four graduate courses during their junior and senior years, three of which can be used for both degrees. 

Student C: This option is suitable for students in the B.S. in computer science who have met the undergraduate foundation courses by their junior year and are interested in the cybersecurity concentration. Students following this option can take up to four graduate courses during their junior and senior years, three of which can be used for both degrees. 

Student D: This option is suitable for students in the B..S in computer science program who are admitted to the 4PLUS program by their senior year. Students following this option can take up to two graduate courses during their senior year. 

Student E: This option is suitable for students in majors other than the B.S. in computer science who are admitted to the 4PLUS program by their junior year. Students following this option can complete the foundation courses during the undergraduate study.