College of Natural Sciences
www.cs.uni.edu/
Staff:
E. Wallingford, Head. J. Drake, P. East, M. Fienup, P. Gray, J. McCormick, K. O'Kane, A. Poleksic, B. Schafer.
The Department of Computer Science offers the following undergraduate and graduate programs, and program certificates. Specific requirements for these programs are listed within this Department of Computer Science section in the following order:
Undergraduate Majors (B.S.)
Bioinformatics
Computer Science
Networking and System Administration
Undergraduate Majors (B.A.)
Minors
Bioinformatics
Computer Information Systems
Graduate Majors (M.A.)
Program Certificates
Certificate in Computer Applications
Certificate in Software Testing
Notes:
- Undergraduate students who have been admitted to the university provisionally because of non-satisfaction of the high school mathematics requirements may not enroll in any computer science credit course before this requirement has been met.
- All courses counting toward a major or minor in computer science must be passed with a grade of C- or better.
- Prerequisite computer science courses must be passed with a grade of C before taking a subsequent course.
- All computer science majors must complete a project course (marked with asterisk in the degree statements). The course used to meet this requirement is to be taken in the area of specialization, i.e., an area in which at least three courses are taken.
- All courses in a prerequisite chain to a course are considered regressive to it - students may not take them for credit after passing the later course. Additionally, 810:030, 810:035, 810:036 are regressive to 810:052 and any course having it as prerequisite.
Bachelor of Science Degree Programs
Bioinformatics Major
The B.S. Bioinformatics major requires a minimum of 126 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 126 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
7 hours |
|
13 hours |
|
| Biology: 840:052; 840:127; 840:140 | 11 hours |
Chemistry and Biochemistry: 860:070 or both 860:044 and 860:048; 860:063 or 860:120 |
8-12 hours |
Research: 1 hour related to Bioinformatics in either 800:194, 810:180, 840:190, or 860:180 |
1 hour |
Electives: (18 hours split between two emphases with at least 6 hours taken from each emphasis): Mathematics Emphasis: 800:061, 800:152, 800:154, 800:164. Computer Science Emphasis: 810:052, 810:114, 810:115, 810:143*, 810:172. Biology Emphasis: 840:100, 840:119, 840:121, 840:128, 840:129, 840:144, 840:152, 840:153. |
18 hours |
Total |
58-62 hours |
*Requires additional prerequisite of 810:041.
Computer Science Major
The B.S. Computer Science major requires a minimum of 126 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 126 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:041; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080 |
17 hours |
Research: 810:180 (topic pre-approved by department) |
1 hour |
Applied Activity Option: one hour from: 48C:091/48C:191 or 48C:093/48C:193 or 490:050 |
1 hour |
Electives:
|
|
Mathematics: (4 courses from the following):
|
13 hours |
Computer Science: Eight courses including: a specialization of three courses from the Foundations area; a specialization of three courses from one other area; one course from each of the remaining two areas; one of the specializations must include a projects course (marked with an asterisk*).
Foundations: 810:153; 810:154; 810:155*; 810:161#; 810:162*; 810:181; 810:188. Information Science: 810:112*; 810:114; 810:115; 810:116*; 810:118. Software Engineering: 810:172; 810:173*; 810:174*#; 810:175*. Systems: 810:140; 810:141; 810:142; 810:143; 810:145*; 810:147. |
24 hours |
Electives: two additional courses selected from some of the computer science area courses and 100-level courses meeting the mathematics requirement |
6 hours |
Total |
61 hours |
*One course marked with an asterisk must be completed.
#800:060, 800:061, and 810:174 are 4-hour courses. 810:161 is a 4-hour course if taken with lab.
Networking and System Administration Major
The B.S. Networking and System Administration major requires a minimum of 126 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 126 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Industrial Technology: 330:037; 330:039; 330:041; 330:103; 330:104; 330:152; 330:156 |
21 hours |
8 hours |
|
Computer Science: 810:041; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080; 810:140; 810:141; 810:143; |
30 hours |
| Physics: 880:130; 880:131 | 8 hours |
Electives: two courses from the following: Computer Science: 810:112; 810:114; 810:115; 810:116; 810:118; 810:142; 810:145; 810:153; |
6 hours |
Total |
73 hours |
#810:161 is a 4-hour course if taken with lab.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs
Computer Information Systems Major
The B.A. Computer Information Systems major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:041; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080 |
17 hours |
Business core: |
|
6 hours |
|
Marketing: 130:101 |
3 hours |
Management: 150:153 |
3 hours |
3 hours |
|
Electives: |
|
Mathematics: (two courses from the following): 800:060#; 800:061#; 800:072 or 800:092; 800:076; 800:143; 800:152; 800:164; 800:169; 800:176; |
6 hours |
Computer Science: Six courses including three courses from either the Software Engineering* or Information Science* area and one course from each of the remaining three areas.
Foundations: 810:153; 810:154; 810:155; 810:161#; 810:162; 810:181; 810:188. Information Science: 810:112*; 810:114; 810:115; 810:116*; 810:118. Software Engineering: 810:172; 810:173*; 810:174*#; 810:175*. Systems: 810:140; 810:141; 810:142; 810:143; 810:145; 810:147. |
18 hours |
Electives: two additional courses selected from the above computer science courses and 100- level mathematics courses, or 810:034 |
6 hours |
Total |
62 hours |
*A project course (marked with asterisk) must be taken as one of three in an area of specialization.
#800:060, 800:061, and 810:174 are 4-hour courses. 810:161 is a 4-hour course if taken with lab.
Computer Science Major
The B.A. Computer Science major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:041; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080 |
17 hours |
Electives: |
|
Mathematics: (two courses from the following): 800:060#; 800:061#; 800:072 or 800:092; 800:076; 800:143; 800:152; 800:164; 800:169; 800:176; |
6 hours |
Select one of the following core areas as a specialty: Six courses* including three courses from selected specialty and one from each of the other three areas. Foundations: 810:153; 810:154; 810:155*; 810:161#; 810:162*; 810:181; 810:188. Information Science: 810:112*; 810:114; 810:115; 810:116*; 810:118. Software Engineering: 810:172; 810:173*; 810:174*#; 810:175*. Systems: 810:140; 810:141; 810:142; 810:143; 810:145*; 810:147. |
18 hours |
Electives: one additional course selected from the above computer science courses and 100- level mathematics courses |
3 hours |
Total |
44 hours |
*A project course (marked with asterisk) must be taken as one of three in an area of specialization.
#800:060, 800:061, and 810:174 are 4-hour courses. 810:161 is a 4-hour course if taken with lab.
Minor
Bioinformatics Minor
The Bioinformatics minor is a multidisciplinary program designed to provide basic proficiency in computational biology and bioinformatics. Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:036 or 810:051 or equivalent; 810:080; 810:165; 810:166 |
12-13 hours |
Electives: Mathematics: 800:064; 800:072; 800:152; 800:154; 800:164; 800:174. Biology: 840:052; 840:119; 840:127; 840:140; 840:153. Chemistry and Biochemistry: 860:044; 860:048; 860:063; 860:070; 860:120 |
9 hours |
Total |
21- 22 hours |
Computer Information Systems Minor
Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:034; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080 |
17 hours |
Electives: |
3 hours |
Total |
20 hours |
Computer Science Minor
Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:041; 810:051; 810:052; 810:053; 810:080 |
17 hours |
9 hours |
|
Total |
26 hours |
Master of Science Degree Programs
Major in Computer Science
This M.S. program is designed to foster preparation for applied professional careers in the computing sciences. The program emphasizes concentration in a professional sub-discipline, while at the same time providing enough breadth and theory to enable the graduate to adapt to developments in the discipline as a whole. Areas of concentration currently available include agent assisted interfaces, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, collaborative information systems, computer science education, computer systems, distributed computing, electronic commerce, human-computer interfaces, information storage and retrieval, network administration, parallel environments and algorithms, real-time systems, recommender systems, and software engineering.
This major is available on a thesis and non-thesis option. A minimum of 33 semester hours is required for completion of the M.S. program. Students who select the thesis option will be required to complete at least 6-9 hours of 810:299 thesis research. Students who select the non-thesis option must complete a 6-hour software development project. A minimum of eighteen (18) hours of 200-level (or above) course work is required. For both the thesis and non-thesis options, students must pass an oral defense of their final project.
The Graduate Record Examination (General Test) is required for admission to the program.
Courses in the student's areas of concentration provide in-depth knowledge of a professional sub-discipline. These 15 hours consist of 9 hours within computer science (excluding both computer science education and research project credits) and 6 cognate hours from outside computer science. These hours must be approved by the Graduate Committee. However, students who have a bachelor=s degree in an area outside of Computer Science may take all 15 hours of their concentration-area hours within Computer Science.
Bachelor's-level experience in computer science is suggested for program admission, but students from related disciplines who show outstanding promise are also encouraged to apply. Students without a bachelor's degree in computer science may be required to complete up to 14 hours of course work in the discipline before gaining full admission to the program.
Required: |
|
| Computer Science: 810:240; 810:270; 810:280 | 9 hours |
Concentration area: Research/Project: |
|
Electives |
9 hours |
Total |
33 hours |
Students in this program are exempt from general limitations on the number of hours of research credit. M.S. Computer Science programs of study may include 6 hours or more of 810:299 research credit. However, the number of hours greater than 6 hours must be in addition to the minimum 33 hours required for the degree.
Program Certificates
The University of Northern Iowa makes available, in addition to traditional programs, the opportunity for students to earn program certificates. Program certificates provide an alternative to programs leading to a degree, a major, or a minor; they certify that an individual has completed a program approved by the university. For information on the following certificates, contact the Department of Computer Science or the Office of the Registrar, which serves as the centralized registry.
Certificate in Computer Applications
Required: |
|
9 hours |
|
Electives: Computer Science: 810:030; 810:088. Other courses pre-approved by the Computer Science Department. |
3 hours |
Total |
12 hours |
Certificate in Software Testing
The Certificate in Software Testing prepares students for employment as testers of software that is created for their major field of study. Their major field of study gives students domain knowledge and the certificate program teaches them the computer skills needed for testing.
Required: |
|
Computer Science: 810:024; 810:030; 810:071; 810:080; 810:175 |
15 hours |
Total |
15 hours |