Mar 29, 2024  
Rensselaer Catalog 2019-2020 
    
Rensselaer Catalog 2019-2020 [Archived Catalog]

Computer Science


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All computer science students are assigned a faculty adviser to assist them with their interests and career goals throughout their academic career. As shown below in the 128-credit-hour B.S. curriculum leading to the B.S. degree in computer science, flexibility is one of the hallmarks of the Rensselaer computer science program. With this flexibility, students explore related areas and pursue minors and/or dual or double majors in the following fields: mathematics; electrical and computer systems engineering; information technology and web science; games and simulation arts and sciences; business and management; economics; physics; psychology; electronic media, arts, and communication; and most other disciplines.

First Year


Fall


  • HASS Core Elective  Credit Hours: 4

Spring


  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4

Second Year


Fall


  • Mathematics Option I Credit Hours: 4
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring


  • Mathematics Option II Credit Hours: 4
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4

Third Year


The Arch Summer Semester*


*For students who have applied for and been granted an exception, The Arch Summer courses would be taken during the fall or spring semester. For listing of the exception process go to: http://info.rpi.edu/arch/students/#ExceptionProcess.

  • Computer Science Option/Capstone or Free Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 5 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4

Fall OR Spring


  • Science Option Credit Hours: 4
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4

Fourth Year


Fall


  • Computer Science Option/Capstone Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring


  • CS Option/Capstone Credit Hours 4
  • Free Elective or Computer Science Option/Capstone Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4

Options


Science


A 4-credit course chosen from the following: astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, and physics. The P/NC option cannot be used for this course. The course ERTH 1030 cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.

Computer Science


Four additional computing courses of 3 or 4 credits at the 4000 or 6000 level, i.e., courses in the series CSCI 4XXX and CSCI 6XXX. Reading and independent study courses cannot be used for these courses. Further, the P/NC option cannot be used for these courses. Note that of the required 16 credits, any missing credits due to 3-credit courses may be made up as free elective credits.

Mathematics


Two additional courses in mathematics. Mathematics Option I must be one of the following courses: MATH 2010, MATH 4030, MATH 4040/4140 Intermediate Logic, MATH 4100, or MATP 4600. Mathematics Option II must be any course in MATH/MATP at the 2000 level or above (excluding MATH 2800). Independent study courses cannot be used to satisfy this option. The P/NC option cannot be used for these courses. Note that although some courses are cross listed as both MATH and CSCI, if a course is used to fulfill the Mathematics Option requirement, it cannot also be used as a Computer Science Option/Capstone course.

Capstone


A culminating experience selected from one of the two categories below (note that the P/NC option cannot be used for any of the courses below):

  1. The research-focused capstone consists of a 4-credit Undergraduate Research Project (URP) supervised by a CSCI (or CSCI-affiliated) faculty member. Students must register for these credits (i.e., CSCI 4941) in one of their final two undergraduate semesters (not including co-op). Further, the student is required to have either taken a 4000-level course or an earlier 4000-level URP with the faculty supervisor. For the URP, the student must either (a) complete a formal written research project report or paper or (b) write and present a conference-quality presentation/poster approved by the faculty supervisor. If students meet the above requirements, they are also encouraged to consider participating in the Honors Research Thesis Program for Undergraduates.
    Students must address the following information in their URP proposal:
    1. ​Description of the research project.
    2. Relevance and significance of the research.
    3. Milestones and timelines of the research, with contigency plans if milestones are not met.
    4. Description of the project deliverables (e.g., a written document, program developed, etc.).
  2. The coursework concentration capstone consists of three 4000- or 6000-level CSCI (or CSCI cross listed) courses in one of the following topic areas: (a) Theory and Algorithms; (b) Systems and Software; (c) Artificial Intelligence and Data; and (d) Vision, Graphics, Robotics, and Games. All 4000- and 6000-level CSCI catalog courses that are not part of the required undergraduate core are assigned to one or more topic areas. Similarly, all 4000- and 6000-level special topics courses are assigned to one or more topic areas when the given course is listed. Note that the courses taken also count as Computer Science Option courses.

Transfer Credit Policy


To ensure computer science majors take a majority of their named required courses at RPI, the following items describe the transfer credit policy:

  • All computer science majors must take five of their eight named required CSCI courses at RPI. Regardless, the total required CSCI credits earned at RPI must be 32.
  • If more than three named required CSCI courses are transferred in or the total required CSCI credits earned is less than 32, the difference in credits must be made up by taking additional CSCI credits.  These additional CSCI credits must be at the 2000-level or higher and consist of a combination of CSCI courses, CSCI independent study credits, and/or CSCI mentoring credits.
  • Transfer students and students participating in a Study Abroad program can seek approval for exceptions via the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) or at Student Orientation (SO).
  • If a course transfers in as a non-CSCI course, it might still count as a named required CSCI course (e.g., ECSE 2660 CANOS counts as CSCI 2500 Computer Organization).

Footnotes


  1. Students with sufficient background in computer science may skip CSCI 1100 and replace it with 4 credits of other CSCI course(s) at the 2000 level or above.
  2. If no prior experience in MATH 1010, taking BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1015 in the fall semester of the first year is recommended; otherwise, taking PHYS 1100 in the fall semester of the first year is recommended.
  3. Students may not receive credit for both CSCI 2200 and MATH 2800.
  4. Dual majors may replace CSCI 2500 with ECSE 2660; students should take only one of these courses.
  5. Pending availability of instructors.
  6. CSCI 4430 is only offered in fall semesters; CSCI 4210 is only offered in spring and summer semesters.

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