Department of Computer Science

The College of Letters and Science offers a bachelor of arts degree in computer science with a choice of emphasis in computational biology, computational geography, or computational economics.

Students may satisfy some of the requirements for the computer science degree through the College Board Advanced Placement Tests. With a score of 3, 4, or 5 on Computer Science Examination AB, equivalent credit will be granted for the university course Computer Science 5NM. For additional information concerning the programs in computer science, see the entry of the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering, which describes departmental facilities, faculty, advising services, courses offered, career opportunities, and graduate study.

Undergraduate Program

Students who declare the computer science pre-major or major are responsible for satisfying major requirements in effect at the time of their declaration. When students have completed the required pre-major courses, they must petition to change from pre-major to major status. Computer science majors and pre-majors have priority when registering in all Computer Science courses.

Students who are admitted to UCSB in a different major (or undeclared) and who are planning to enter the pre-computer science program must complete at least 16 units of pre-major coursework at UCSB, including 8 units in computer science, with at least a 3.0 grade-point average for all pre-major courses completed at the University of California. Students who have completed the entire computer science pre-major with at least a 2.75 University of California grade-point average will be admitted to full major standing upon petition whether or not they have been officially declared pre-majors.

Students applying for major status in the B.A. program will not be considered for a change of major/change of college unless they can demonstrate that they will be able to complete all of the degree requirements for the proposed program without exceeding 200 units.

Please note: Pre-major status does not guarantee admission to major status. To be admitted to the major, the student must complete the pre-major courses with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75.

Courses required in preparation for the major and in the lower- and upper-division major, both within the Department of Computer Science and in other departments, must all be completed on a letter-grade basis.

Bachelor of Arts—Computer Science— Emphasis in Computational Biology

Preparation for the major. Mathematics 3A-B-C, 5A-B; Computer Science 16, 24, 32, 40; PSTAT 120A. Students with no previous programming background should take CMPSC 8 before taking CMPSC 16. CMPSC 8 is not included in the list of preparation for the major courses but may be counted as a free elective.

Upon completion of the pre-major requirements with a satisfactory grade-point average, the pre-major student should submit a change of major petition, available in the office of the Department of Computer Science to advance to the full major; at that time, students must declare an emphasis.

Lower-division major. Chemistry 1A-AL-B-BL-C-CL; and MCDB 1A-AL; MCDB 1B; EEMB 2; and either MCDB 1BL or EEMB 2L; and Engineering 101. The lower-division major requirements are excluded from the pre-major grade-point average requirement and need not be completed prior to advancement to the full major.

Upper-division major. Computer Science 123, 130A-B, 138, 165B, 174A, 167; PSTAT 120B; and MCDB 101A-B. Students must choose 8 units of upper-division biology electives. Recommended: 8 additional units of upper-division Computer science or biology electives . A list of these electives is available from the Computer Science office, and on the web at www.cs.ucsb.edu/undergraduate/requirements/ba/cpbio.

Bachelor of Arts—Computer Science—Emphasis in Computational Economics

Preparation for the major. Students must complete the courses listed in both Sections I and II. The courses in Section I must be completed with a minimum University of California grade-point average of 2.75 before the student will be admitted to full major status.

I. (Pre-major): Mathematics 3A-B-C, 5A-B; Computer Science 16, 24, 32, 40; PSTAT 120A. Students with no previous programming background are encouraged to take Computer Science 8 before taking Computer Science 16. Computer Science 8 will not apply to the major or pre-major.

II. One science sequence from Chemistry 1A-AL-B-BL-C-CL or Physics 1-2-3-3L or Physics 6A-AL-B-BL-C-CL; Economics 1 and 2; Economics 100A-B; one course from Philosophy 4, 6, 100A or Engineering 101. The courses listed in Section II need not be completed prior to advancement to the full major, and the grades will not be included in the pre-major grade-point average calculation, although they will apply to the overall major grade-point average.

Upon completion of the pre-major requirements with a satisfactory grade-point average, the pre-major student should submit a change of major petition, available in the office of the Department of Computer Science to advance to the full major; at that time, students must declare an emphasis.

Upper-division major. Forty-eight upper-division units are required, to be distributed as follows: Computer Science 111, 123, 130A-B, 165A or 165B, 174A and 4 units of Computer Science elective; PSTAT 120B; 16 units from Economics 101, 116A-B-C, 134A-B, 140A-B, 171, 180, 181, 184. Additional coursework in upper-division computer science and economics is recommended.

Bachelor of Arts—Computer Science— Emphasis in Computational Geography

Preparation for the major. Mathematics 3A-B-C, 5A-B; Computer Science 16, 24, 32, 40; PSTAT 120A. Students with no previous programming background should take CMPSC 8 before taking CMPSC 16. CMPSC 8 is not included in the list of preparation for the major courses but may be counted as a free elective.

Upon completion of the pre-major requirements with a satisfactory grade-point average, the pre-major students should submit a change of major petition, available in the office of the Department of Computer Science to advance to the full major; at that time, students must declare an emphasis.

Lower-division major. Science sequence: Chemistry 1A-AL-B-BL-C-CL or Physics 1-2-3-3L or Physics 6A-AL-B-BL-C-CL; Geography 3A, 3B, 5, and 12. Philosophy 4 or 6 or 100A or Engineering 101. The lower-division major requirements are excluded from the pre-major grade-point average requirement and need not be completed prior to advancement to the full major.

Upper-division major. Computer Science 111, 123, 130A-B, 165A or B, 174A, 185, and Computer Science/Electrical Engineering 181B. Students must choose 16 units of upper-division geography electives. Recommended: 8 additional units of upper-division computer science or geography electives. A list of these electives is available from the Computer Science office, and on the web at www.cs.ucsb.edu/undergraduate/requirements/ba/cpgeo.

Bachelor of Science—Computer Science

The College of Engineering offers a bachelor of science degree in computer science. For information about this major, refer to the Computer Science section in the College of Engineering.