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Undergraduate FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do I contact the Computer Science Department?
  2. How do I fulfil the science laboratory requirement?
  3. I am a new freshman, should I register for CS105 or CS115?
  4. I received AP credit in high school, can I skip CS115 and take CS284 instead?
  5. What mailing lists should I be on?
  6. How do I get an account on CS machines, and why would I want to?
  7. Why don't I get an account on CS machines as soon as I enter Stevens?
  8. What undergraduate majors does Stevens Computer Science offer?
  9. What is a Study Plan?
  10. Does Stevens take part in the ACM Programming Contest?
  11. How can I find out more about research?
  12. Who's in charge?

How do I contact the Computer Science Department?

Telephone:
(201) 216-5328 (Sherry Dorso)
(201) 216-5578 (Dawn Garcia)
FAX:
201-216-8249
Postal address:
Dept of Computer Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030.
Ask a question about:
Undergraduate advising *
Masters or graduate certificate programs *
Ph.D. program *
Administrative questions *
Questions for the Dept Chair *

* Remove the spaces around "@" when sending email.

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How do I fulfil the science laboratory requirement?

For satisfying the undergraduate science laboratory requirement, you have several options. See the study plan for your major. It is not possible to register for PEP 221 in Term I because it requires both freshman science courses PEP 111 and 112 as prerequisites.  However the Physics Dept is allowing PEP 112 as a co-requisite for PEP 222, so you can take that as your science lab in Term II. Another option is to take the biology lab (CH 282) in Term II, while taking physics (PEP 111) in Term I and biology (CH 281) in Term II. Finally you may also take CH 117 in Term I, along with CH 115.

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I am a new freshman, should I register for CS105 or CS115?

You should not take CS115 unless you have adequate preparation.  This preparation typically takes the form of at least a year of programming in high school.  If you do not have this background and choose to take CS115 anyway, you may find it to be a challenging experience.  By the time you realize you are inadequately prepared for the course, it may be too late to switch to CS105.  If you have any question about your level of preparation, take CS105.  The CS115 instructor should also run a placement examination at the start of the term.  If s/he determines based on this exam that you are inadequately prepared, you are strongly advised to switch to CS105.

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I received AP credit in high school, can I skip CS115 and take CS284 instead?

You are advised not to skip CS115, and beginning with Fall 2007 this will no longer be possible.  Although AP tests cover more than the material covered in CS115, it only tests knowledge and does not test skills.  Psychological research shows that skills can only be developed through prolonged practice.  The CS core programming "spine" (CS105 -> CS115 -> CS284 -> CS385 -> CS392) is designed to develop programming skills that you will use in subsequent courses and in your career.  It is very unlikely that high school has prepared you adequately to jump into the middle of this sequence.

If you have received AP credit, you may be able to take CS181/182, the Honors introductory computer science sequence that is an alternative to CS115/284/385.  Enrollment in the Honors program is by invitation only.  You should speak to Larry Russ, Dean of Undergraduate Academics, if you have not been enrolled in CS181 but feel you should have been.

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What mailing lists should I be on?

All undergraduates should be on these mailing lists:

  • cs-undergrads for announcements specific to CS, CyS and IS undergraduates.
  • cs-announce for general announcements from the CS Department (many people outside CS subscribe to this mailing list).
  • cs-seminars is for the announcement of research seminars.

In addition, acm-team is provided for students who are involved in or want to be involved in the ACM Programming Contest.

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How do I get an account on CS machines, and why would I want to?

First of all, the "why": The department provides a laboratory of Unix machines for assignment work, and certain courses require that you use Unix, in particular, the systems courses (CS 392 Systems Programming, CS 492 Operating Systems, CS 521 TCP/IP Networks, CS 549 Distributed Systems, etc).  Other courses may require you to submit your assignments via submission scripts on the Unix machines.  You should at least know enough Unix to be able to protect your files (so others don't copy your assignments), and to make sure your mail is forwarded to wherever you read it.  Of course you should really know much more beyond this.

In general, any modern IT professional should at a minimum be familiar with Unix as well as Windows (and ideally should also be conversant in other operating systems such as Mac OS/X, which actually has a Unix kernel).  If you have not done so already, you should consider installing a Unix OS such as Linux alongside Windows on your own computer, making it "dual-bootable" (you can choose at start-up whether you want to run Unix or Windows), or buy a Mac OS/X box.

The procedures for getting an account are explained in the FAQ for the Computer Science lab.

If you have a CS computer account but read mail on pipeline (or anywhere else), please make sure to add a .forward file in your home directory, so that any mail sent to your CS account is forwarded to where you read your email.  This .forward file should be world-readable (not writable) and should contain a single line with the email address where you usually check your email.  If you check your email on your CS account, you should not have a .forward file (SMTP does not like mail loops).

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Why don't I get an account on CS machines as soon as I enter Stevens?

You must be physically present when your account is created, to enter your password.  The system will not allow you enter a password that it does not consider secure enough.

Theoretically it should be possible to synchronize CS IT passwords with Stevens IT passwords so this physical presence is not necessary.  Unfortunately the initial passwords assigned by Stevens IT are not considered sufficiently secure by CS IT.

In future years we hope to solve the problem by including "creation of a CS IT computer account" as part of freshman orientation

It is also possible have a CScomputer account created without being physically present, using cryptographic techniques (ssh keys).  See the CS Lab FAQ for more information.

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What undergraduate majors does Stevens Computer Science offer?

The Computer Science Department offers four majors:

  • Computer Science offers the flexibility for students to "drill down" to specific subject areas, such as graphics, computer games, software engineering, networks, financial computing, and enterprise computing.
  • Cybersecurity focuses on the technical and managerial aspects of securing the nation's IT infrastructure.  In addition to a strong Computer Science background, it provides in-depth studies in cryptography, privacy and building secure systems.
  • Information Systems emphasizes the organizational issues of managing information, covering management skills as well as IT skills.  Both information management and project management are strong themes of the program.
  • Service Oriented Computing focuses on applications of IT, rather than the traditional hardware/software emphasis of the computer science and cybersecurity majors. Like IS, it includes a focus on requirements acquisition and human computer interaction. SOC has less of a business orientation than IS, and includes a specific application area as part of the major.

All programs share a strong technical "spine" and a two-semester senior project course that emphasizes client interaction and project management. 

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What is a study plan?

You are required to fill out a Study Plan in your second semester at Stevens.  Without a signed and filed Study Plan, you might accidentally take a course that doesn't satisfy a requirement you think it meets.  Without a signed and filed Study Plan you may take a course that is not valid toward your degree and you may delay your graduation.  You cannot file an application for candidacy without a Study Plan.  You cannot register for courses on the web without a signed and filed Study Plan.  For junior and seniors without a study plan, a Registration Hold will be placed on your account if you have not filed a study plan.  If you did file it, but there is no record of it, it is your responsibility to see to it that the problem is fixed, perhaps by re-filing a Study Plan. 

Consult the Undergraduate Advising web page and the Advising FAQ for more information about filling in the Study Plan.

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Does Stevens take part in the ACM Programming Contest?

Yes.  Paul DeMarco in particular organized Stevens programming teams in 2002-4.  They came joint third in 2002 and fourth in 2004 in the ACM Greater New York Regional Programming Contest, which was very well indeed.  The Regional Contest is typically held in late October or early November.  Preparation involves weekly meetings at least during the Fall term, and even better over the summer, perhaps virtual meetings, where people do example problems and discuss them.  There is software that you can use to administer practice sessions.  The department will pick up the tab and provide assistance for attending the Contest, e.g., a faculty member may rent a van and drive the team to the contest.  Our system administrators will be happy to provide any assistance.   Contact Steve Gabarro if you are interested and want to participate.

You can find out more details about the ACM Regional Programming Contest here.  The top two teams in the Regional Contest go on to a National Contest.  The winners of that contest go on to an International Contest.

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How can I find out more about research?

Stevens Computer Science is home to world-class research in Cybersecurity, Graphics/Vision/Visualization, Programming Languages, Software Engineering, Theoretical Computer Science, and Networks.  There are concrete things you can do to get involved in this research:

  • Attend the Computer Science research seminars, where researchers come to describe their latest results.  Talks are generally on Mondays 2-3pm in Room 110 of the Babbio building.  They are announced on cs-announce, and you can also see a list of the talks at the CS Seminar web page.
  • Take a course with a faculty member whose research you are interested in, and talk to them.
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Who's in charge?

Hal Raveche is President of Stevens Institute of Technology.

George Korfiatis is Provost of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Michael Bruno is Dean of the School of Engineering and Science.

Daniel Duchamp is the Director of the Computer Science Department. 

Susanne Wetzel is the Director of the Cybersecurity undergraduate major.  Ruth Schwartz is the Director of the Information Systems undergraduate major. Dominic Duggan is the Director of the Service Oriented Computing undergraduate major.

Brian Moriarty and Brett Wynkoop are the System Administrators for CS IT.

Sherry Dorso and Dawn Garcia are the Administrative Assistants in the Computer Science Department.

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Advising Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Where can I find out about academic policies and procedures?
  2. Who is my advisor?
  3. What is a Study Plan?
  4. Where can I get a Study Plan form?
  5. Which years catalog should I follow?
  6. Who should fill out a Study Plan, and get it signed and filed?
  7. Why do I need a signed and filed Study Plan?
  8. Doesn't the SIS degree audit system on the Web serve the same purpose as the study plan?
  9. What if I have a signed and filed Study Plan and deviate from it?
  10. How do I number semesters on the Study Plan?
  11. What about AP courses and transfer courses?
  12. How do I know which CS/CyS/IS courses will be offered which semesters?
  13. Can I take a WebCt course?
  14. What if I dont know which Humanities courses to take?
  15. How do I find the Humanities requirements?
  16. (CS) Which management courses are okay for the management elective?
  17. What science lab courses do I have to take?
  18. (CS and CyS) Do I have to take CH 282, the Biology Lab?
  19. The CS Honors courses CS 181 and CS 182 are equivalent to which regular CS courses?
  20. What courses can I take as CS electives?
  21. Can any graduate courses be used in place of a CS undergraduate course?
  22. Can I take both an undergraduate course and an equivalent graduate course?
  23. Can I use my BS courses towards a graduate certificate?
  24. Should I take a 500-level equivalent of a 400-level course?
  25. What if I am working on both a BS and an MS?
  26. Which courses should I take for minors in the Computer Science Department?
  27. Can I take 600-level or higher courses?
  28. (CS) What electives do I have?
  29. (CS) Is there a difference between an application area and a concentration area?
  30. (CS) Do I have to have a concentration area?
  31. (CS) Do I have to do an application area?
  32. (CS) What constitutes a concentration area?
  33. (CS) What constitutes an application area?
  34. (CS) Can I take some but not all the courses of an application area?
  35. (CS) What if I choose not to do an application area?
  36. (CS) Is there a conflict between an application area and a minor?
  37. (CS) Can a course count towards both a concentration and a minor?
  38. What can I take as a science or mathematics elective?
  39. Can I take both CS 551 and CS 540?
  40. (CS) In Fall 2005, CS 383 was replaced by CS 390 B.  How does this affect my Study Plan?
  41. (CS) Should I take CS 392 Systems Programming?
  42. What changed with the courses being offered in Fall 2007?

Where can I find out about academic policies and procedures?

Here is the FAQ about Undergraduate Policies and Procedures.

Who is my advisor?

Your undergraduate advisor is different from the faculty mentor assigned to you when you entered Stevens.  The following table tells you how to determine who your Faculty Advisor is.  Follow the hyperlink to find out each person's office hours. If you are unable to meet with your advisor during their regularly scheduled office hours, please contact them for an appointment.

Last Three Digits of Student ID Faculty Advisor Email
xyz ≤ 199 Schwartz Ruth.Schwartz @ stevens.edu
200 ≤ xyz ≤ 399 Bernstein lbernste@stevens.edu
400 ≤ xyz ≤ 599 Compagnoni* abc @ cs.stevens.edu
600 ≤ xyz ≤ 799 Klappholz davidk6 @ gmail.com
800 ≤ xyz ≤ 999 Gabarro sgabarro @ cs.stevens.edu

Prof. Compagnoni is on a leave of absence due to illness. Please see Prof. Schwartz if you are one of her advisees.

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What is a Study Plan?

A Study Plan is a form that contains the list of the courses you will take to fulfill the requirements of Stevens Institute of Technology for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Cybersecurity or Information Systems.

A collection of Study Plan forms is available at the registrar's web-page.  Make sure you use the study plan for your major that applies to the year you entered Stevens. The requirements for graduation are determined by the catalog at the year of entry. Therefore, different students may have different requirements. You can not necessarily trust the advice of your friends. 

A recommended Study Plan for Computer Science students is provided on the link bar. It is not mandatory to follow this study plan, but it is a well-balanced program. It is a good idea to start with this recommendation and deviate from it as your individual interests dictate.

You may modify your Study Plan at will with the approval of your advisor who will make sure that your modified course plan satisfies degree requirements.

You must submit a Study Plan during your 2nd semester at Stevens.  After your 2nd semester, you must have an approved Study Plan to register for courses.  There is no commitment on your part to taking particular courses until you register for them, but it is a good idea to have a plan in mind.

You must specify, on the Study Plan, when you will take the core-required courses and you may show electives as TBD (To Be Determined). A better approach is to use the recommended Study Plan and deviate from it if necessary. This approach makes discussions with your advisor easier and avoids misunderstandings.

Please review your transcript, the catalog and your updated study plan each semester as you register for courses and whenever you change you mind about the courses you plan to take. This will make sure that your study plan is aligned with the requirements for a CS degree.

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Where can I get a Study Plan form?

Computer Science:

  1. Entered 2002 through 2004.
  2. Entered 2005.
  3. Entered 2006.
  4. Entered 2007.

Information Systems:

  1. Entered 2005.
  2. Entered 2006.
  3. Entered 2007.

Cybersecurity:

  1. Entered 2006.
  2. Entered 2007.

A collection of older study plan forms is available at the registrar's web-page.  Make sure you use the study plan for your major that applies to the year you entered Stevens. The requirements for graduation are determined by the catalog at the year of entry. Therefore, different students may have different requirements. You can not necessarily trust the advice of your friends.  

It is not mandatory to follow these study plans, but they are well-balanced programs. It is a good idea to start with this recommendation and deviate from it as your individual interests dictate.

Blank Study Plan forms may also be obtained at the registrar's office.

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Which year's catalog should I follow?

You should follow the catalog of the semester and year you entered Stevens, independent of expected graduation date. For example if you entered Stevens in the Fall of 2003, you should follow the 2003-2004 academic catalog.

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Who should fill out a Study Plan, and get it signed and filed?

Every sophomore, junior, and senior must have a Study Plan signed by his or her advisor and filed in the registrar's office.

Your Study Plan must be approved and signed by your assigned advisor.

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Why do I need a signed and filed Study Plan?

You cannot register for courses on the web without a signed and filed Study Plan.  You can't graduate unless you have a signed/filed Study Plan that lists the courses you actually took.  Without a signed and filed Study Plan you might accidentally take a course that doesn't satisfy a requirement you think it meets.  Without a signed and filed Study Plan you may take a course that is not valid toward your CS degree and you may delay your graduation.  If you are not certain about which electives you will take, you can enter TBD (i.e. to be determined). although, it is better to use the recommended SP in the link bar.

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Doesn't the SIS degree audit system on the Web serve the same purpose as the study plan?

The SIS program does not accommodate all the complexities of the requirements for the BS degree in CS. It is a rough check but not an official approval.  The only way to know the courses you must take is your most current signed and filed Study Plan.

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What if I have a signed and filed Study Plan and deviate from it?

If you deviate from a filed Study Plan, you should file an updated Study Plan.  If not, you are risking taking courses which may not count towards your Computer Science degree.

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How do I number semesters on the Study Plan?

Semesters should be numbered using the last 2 digits of the year followed by the Semester letter.

For example for the academic year 2002-2003, use
02F for the fall semester of 2002,
03S for the spring semester of 2003,
03A for the first summer session of 2003, and
03B for the second summer session of 2003.

This numbering scheme is recommended by the registrar's office and required in the Application for Candidacy Form according to the registrar's office.  The form does not require a particular scheme you use for numbering semesters. If another scheme is better for you then use it.

Listing the semester you plan to take each course helps you determine that you can graduate in your desired number of semesters.

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What about AP courses and transfer courses?

If you have transfer (TR) or advanced placement (AP) credit for a course, list the semester as 'TR' or 'AP.'

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How do I know which CS/CyS/IS courses will be offered which semesters?

The department course catalog lists when a course is usually offered: undergraduate courses and graduate courses.

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Can I take a WebCt course?

Yes, but it is preferable that you take the regular course.  WebCT courses are geared towards distance learning and should only be taken if it is impossible for a student to be present on campus. Though the quality of the WebCt courses shuold be very high and the same material is covered as in a regular course, they cannot replace the face-to-face interaction with faculty.

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What if I don't know which Humanities courses to take?

You may show humanities electives as TBD (To Be Determined). A better approach is to use the recommended Study Plan and deviate from it whenever you conclude that you want to.

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How do I find the Humanities requirements?

Before Fall 2007:CS majors must take nine humanities (HUM) courses.

Fall 2007 and later:CS majors must take eight humanities (HUM) courses.

CyS and IS must take eight humanities (HUM) courses. 

  • One of the humanities courses must be HSS 371 if you entered Stevens in the Fall of 2004 or later. 
  • If you entered Stevens before the Fall 2004, one of your humanities courses must be HPL 339, HPL 455, HSS 371, or HHS 429, although you are strongly encouraged to take HSS 371.

Read the information in the Humanities Department's section of the catalog regarding the general HUM requirement and the information in the CS Department's section of the catalog regarding the additional HUM requirements for CS, CyS and IS students.  The general HUM requirements are:

  • Two 100-level courses from Group A (Literature/Philosophy).
  • Two 100-level courses from Group B (History/Social Science).
  • Four courses at the 300/400 level that must include HSS 371 (Computers and Society).
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(CS) Which management courses are okay for the management elective?

Before Fall 2006: CS majors must take at least one of the following management courses: MGT 111, MGT 243, or BT 121. 

For 2006-7 academic year: The choices are: MGT 111, MGT 243, or BT 421.  

From Fall 2007 on: There is a single MGT elective, MGT 111. If you are interested in the material in BT 421, take CS 347 and/or CS 540 instead. MGT 243 can be taken as a Humanities elective.

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What science lab courses do I have to take?

  • CS majors:
    • Before Fall 2007: See here and here, for example.
    • Fall 2007 and later: See here.
  • CyS majors:
    • Before Fall 2007: See here and here, for example.
    • Fall 2007 and later: See here.
  • IS majors:
    • Before Fall 2007: See here, for example.
    • Fall 2007 and later: See here.
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(CS and CyS) Do I have to take CH 282, the Biology Lab?

CS majors who entered Stevens on or after Fall 2002 must take Ch 282, unless you choose to take the Physics lab option.

CS majors who entered Stevens before Fall 2002 do not have to take Ch 282, since at that time the lab was part of CH 281.

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The CS Honors courses CS 181 and CS 182 are equivalent to which regular CS courses?

  • If you entered Stevens on or after Fall 2003:
    • CS 181 + CS 182 = CS 115 + CS284/ 384 + CS385.
    • If you took CS 181 and CS 182, then you must take an additional 3-credit CS elective so you can graduate with the same number of credits as the rest of your class.
  • If you entered Stevens before Fall 2003:
    • CS 181 + CS 182 = CS 115 + CS284/ 384.
    • If you took CS 181 and CS 182, you do not need to take any additional CS electives.
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What courses can I take as CS electives?

For CS, you can rely on the recommended CS Study Plan in the link bar. 

You can take as a CS/CyS/IS elective course any 300-level or 400-level CS course not required for the BS in CS/CyS/IS nor equivalent to a course required for the BS in CS/CyS/IS, nor equivalent to a 500-level or 600-level course that you have taken or are planning to take.

You can take as a CS elective course any 500-level CS course that you have the prerequisites for except for:

  • CS550 because undergraduates take equivalent versions.
  • [Fall 2006 on] CS571 because this course is not accepted in the undergraduate CS/CyS/IS degree program (Java is taught in the freshman year).
  • Any course that is required for your study plan (which depends on the year in which you entered Stevens).
  • Any 500-level course that is equivalent to some undergraduate course that you've taken or are planning to take.

You can take as a CS elective any 600-level or 700-level CS course if your Grade Point Average (GPA) is at least 3.0. You must fill-out a special permission form (signed by the instructor, your advisor and the Dean of Graduate Studies) in order to take 600-level and 700-level courses.

You can not take any course that does not have a CS number as a CS elective.  There are only three exceptions: CpE 358, CpE 390 and CpE 493.  To emphasize this point, no other CPE courses, no EE courses, no physics courses, etc., are accepted as CS electives. There are no exceptions.

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Can any graduate courses be used in place of a CS undergraduate course?

You can replace a 300-level or 400-level required CS course with an equivalent 500-level graduate course from this list:

CS284 = CS580 Data Structures and Algorithms I
CS385 = CS590 Data Structures and Algorithms II
CS437 = CS537 Computer Graphics
CS442 = CS561 Database Systems
CS460 = CS551 Software Engineering and Practice I *
CS461 = CS552 Software Engineering and Practice II *
CS488 = CS514 Computer Architecture
CS492 = CS520 Operating Systems
CS494 = CS516 Compilers Design
CS496 = CS510 Programming Languages
MA134 = MA502 Discrete Mathematics

Please note that there are no other approved equivalences.

* The 500-level courses have replaced the 400-level courses in the Catalog.

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Can I take both an undergraduate course and an equivalent graduate course?

You are strongly discouraged from taking both an undergraduate course and its equivalent graduate course.

  • You will not get credit towards a degree (BS or MS) for taking an undergraduate course and its equivalent graduate course because you cannot get credit for the same material twice toward a degree.
  • You can not use a course toward one degree (say a BS) and an equivalent course toward another degree (say an MS).

For example, if you take CS 488 and CS 514 which are equivalent Computer Architecture courses, you will not get credit for one of these two courses towards your Bachelor or your Master's degree.

There is only one exception to this "double-dipping". You may use the same course towards an undergraduate degree and a graduate certificate at the same time. Check the catalog for graduate certificate programs.

If, for instance, you are planning to get a graduate certificate in Computer Graphics, then if you take CS 437 and CS 537 which are equivalent Computer Graphics courses, you will not get credit for one of these two courses towards you Bachelor or your Master's degree, but you will get credit for CS 437 towards your Bachelor and for CS537 towards your graduate Computer Graphics Certificate. Keep in mind that, if you are planning to get a graduate certificate, you are better off educationally if you take only the graduate course and apply towards both your Bachelor's degree and your graduate certificate.

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Can I use my BS courses towards a graduate certificate?

Yes, this is the only time where "double-dipping" is allowed. You may use a course for both an undergraduate degree and graduate certificate.

You may not use a course for both an undergraduate degree and a Master's degree.

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Should I take a 500-level equivalent of a 400-level course?

While you can take a 500-level course in place of its 300-level or 400-level equivalent, undergraduates are strongly encouraged to take the 300-level or 400-level versions of these courses.Please substitute a 500-level equivalent only when scheduling makes it necessary.

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What if I am working on both a BS and an MS?

If you're working toward both a BS and an MS, then three of the four required core courses for the MS (operating systems, architecture and theory of programming languages) are equivalent to three courses required for the BS. You can't get credit for taking this material a second time, so you may take any three graduate CS electives in their place. 

You may have taken the core MS course CS 600 Analysis of Algorithms, as an elective towards the BS. If you have, then you simply take any graduate CS elective in its place.

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Which courses should I take for minors in the Computer Science Department?

The allowable minors in the Computer Science Department are available here.

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Can I take 600-level or higher courses?

You can take a 600-level course as a CS elective or as part of an Application Area only if you have a 3.0 GPA or higher. You will need a permission form, which you can also obtain from the Graduate School office. All signatures are required. 

Please follow this procedure:

  • Bring the special form to the Computer Science Department for the administrative assistants there to initialize that you have the appropriate GPA.
  • Have the course instructor sign the form.
  • Then ask your advisor to sign.

We must emphasize, there is no way to get permission to take a 600-level course if your GPA is lower than 3.0, even if the course is listed on your signed/filed Study Plan as part of an Application Area.

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(CS) What electives do I have?

Before Fall 2006: You have 2 CS electives, 6 general electives, and one free elective.  Of the 6 general electives, one must be a science/math elective and one must be a management elective, from a prescribed list of management courses.  The remaining 4 electives may be in an approved Application Area.  If they are not, they must be CS courses.

2006-7 academic year: You have 2 CS electives and 6 general electives.  Of the 6 general electives, one must be a science/math elective and one must be a management elective, from a prescribed list of management courses (see above).  The remaining 4 electives may be in an approved Application Area.  If they are not, three of them must be CS courses, and the fourth is a free elective.

Fall 2007 on: You have two science/math electives, 2 technical electives, 2 free electives, and one "software development" elective taken from a list of approved software development courses:

You may use your two technical electives and your two free electives for an approved application area, if you wish. Otherwise the technical electives should be computer science courses.

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(CS) Is there a difference between an application area and a concentration area?

Yes. An application area focuses on a field outside Computer Science and allows for a broader education. A concentration area focuses on a specific topic within Computer Science and allows the student to acquire a specialization within Computer Science.  Concentration areas are purely advisory.

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(CS) Do I have to have a concentration area?

No. You may choose to take either an Application Area, or CS electives.  A concentration area is just advice in your choice of CS electives.  Your concentration area may simultaneously earn you a graduate certificate, subject to the requirements of the computer science department.

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(CS) Do I have to do an application area?

No. You may choose to take either an Application Area, or take CS electives and a free elective.

Your application area may simultaneously earn you a graduate certificate, subject to the requirements in other department(s).

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(CS) What constitutes a concentration area?

You may choose one of the Concentration Areas listed in the catalog.  A Concentration Area is no more than a suggestion for a useful collection of CS electives.  It does not show up on your transcript.

For many concentration areas, there is a graduate certificate program with the same or almost the same content.  You may follow a graduate certificate program if you have the necessary GPA and the prerequisites. A graduate certificate does appear on your transcript.

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(CS) What constitutes an application area?

You may choose one of the Application Areas listed in the catalog; if you do, then you must take all the courses listed as part of that Application Area without substitutions.

You may propose an Application Area of your own choosing, but the CS department must approve it. You may not use 600-level courses for your AA if your GPA is lower than 3.0, even if the course is listed on your signed/filed Study Plan as part of an Application Area.

You may follow a graduate certificate program if you have the necessary GPA and the prerequisites.

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(CS) Can I take some but not all the courses of an application area?

No. If you choose to do an Application Area you must take all the courses of that Application Area without any modifications. You can not mix and match courses in an Application Area. It's either all or nothing.

If you find one of the courses in the Application Area interesting, you can take it as a free elective.

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(CS) What if I choose not to do an application area?

Pre-fall 2007: Unless you choose to take one of the Application Areas listed in the catalog or propose one and the department approves it, all four CS Electives must have CS numbers. These four courses can be either a Concentration Area, or any four CS electives.

Fall 2007 and later: Unless you choose to take one of the Application Areas listed in the catalog or propose one and the department approves it, your two technical electives must be computer science courses offered by the computer science department. You also have two free electives.

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(CS) Is there a conflict between an application area and a minor?

No. You can take a minor and an application area in the same field of study.

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(CS) Can a course count towards both a concentration and a minor?

Yes. This is one of the very few cases where double counting is allowed, because a concentration area is purely advisory. 

The other place where double counting is allowed, is in a graduate certificate program.  If a concentration area has an analogous graduate certificate program, then by taking the program you can obtain recognition on your transcript of your concentration.  A concentration area per se does not appear on your transcript.

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What can I take as a science or mathematics elective?

You can take any (3 or more credit) physics, chemistry, or biology course, except those science courses required for the undergraduate majors offered by the computer science department. Courses in other fields, e.g. engineering, do not count as science or mathematics electives.

You may show science/math electives as TBD (To Be Determined). A better approach is to use the recommended Study Plan and deviate from it whenever you conclude that you want to. This approach makes discussions with your advisor easier and avoids misunderstandings.

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Can I take both CS 551 and CS 540?

Yes. The two courses emphasize different material, and thus complement each other. They are not equivalent.

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(CS) In Fall 2005, CS 383 was replaced by CS 390 B.  How does this affect my Study Plan?

Due to scheduling conflicts, just for Fall 2005, CS 383 Computer Organization and Programming, was replaced by CS 390 B Microprocessor Systems. If you took CS 390 B (and only section B, which was specifically designed for CS majors) in the Fall of 2005, then:

  • it will replace CS 383 in your study plan
  • it will be a pre-requisite equivalent to CS 383 for courses like CS 488 Computer Architecture, CS 492,Operating Systems and CS 392 Systems Programming, which list CS 383 as a pre-requisite.
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(CS) Should I take CS 392 Systems Programming?

Yes.  Stevens Computer Science is somewhat unique in requiring an operating systems course (CS 492) in Junior year.  The reason for doing this is to enable the flexibility of the program, allowing you to specialize in your Senior year.  CS 392 provides useful preparation for the OS course, especially for Juniors taking this course, and is a prerequisite for CS 492.  You should consider CS 392 as the culmination of a "spine" (CS 115 -> CS 284 -> CS 385 ->   CS 392) that develops the basic software development skills that you will require in subsequent courses.

Beginning in Fall 2007, CS 392 is required for all majors offered by the computer science department.

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What changed with the courses being offered Fall 2007?

Computer Science: See here and here.

Cybersecurity: See here and here.

Information Systems: See here.

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