What courses are required for the computer science major?

Listed below are all courses required for the computer science major. The entries on the list include the course identification (department and number), course name, and a recent textbook used for the course.

• CS 100 Introduction to Programming & Problem Solving
• Computing Concepts with C++ Essentials by Cay Horstman

• CS 231 Algorithm & Program Design
• C++ an Introduction to Computing by Joel Adams, Sanford Leestma, and Larry Nyhoff

• CS 232 Computer Organization and Assembler Language
• Computer Organization and Design by David Patterson and John Hennessy

• CS 233 Data Structures
• Java Structures by Duane Bailey
• Java in a Nutshell by David Flannagan

• CS 304 Programming Language Concepts
• Essentials of Programming Languages by D. Friedman, M. Wand, and C. Haynes
• The Scheme Programming Language by R. Kent Dybvig

• CS 332 Operating Systems
• Operating Systems by William Stallings

• CS 333 File Structures
• File Structures by Michael J. Fulk and Bill Zoellick

• CS 414, CS 415 Software Engineering I, II
• Software Engineering by Roger S. Pressman
• The Art of Technical Documentation by Katherine Haramundanis

• CS 497 & CS 498 Senior Project/Thesis I, II

• EC 130 Logic Design
• Contemporary Logic Design

• EC 332 Computer Architecture II
• Computer Organization and Design by David Patterson and John Hennessy

• MA 111, MA 112, MA 113 Calculus I, II, III
• Calculus from Graphical, Numerical, and Symbolic View by Osterbee and Zorn

• MA 201 Differential Equations I
• Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems by Edwards and Penny

• MA 215, MA 315 Discrete and Combinatorial Algebra I, II
• Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics by Ralph Grimaldi

• MA 311 Probability
• Probability: an Introduction with Statistical Applications by John Kinney

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What elective courses are offered in the department?

• Analysis of Algorithms
• Artificial Intelligence
• Compilers and Language Translation
• Computer Graphics
• Advanced Computer Graphics
• Computer Networks
• Database Systems
• Systems Programming
• Theory of Computation
• Topics in Computer Science (at least one is offered every year)
• Directed Independent Studies
• Undergraduate Research in Computer Science

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How does the computer science curriculum change?

From 1970 to 1987 the computer science major placed equal emphasis on computer science and electrical engineering. In 1988 a new major curriculum became effective. This new curriculum significantly increased the number of required computer science courses. The current major still includes an electrical engineering component and also has a substantial mathematics component.

While extensive changes are infrequent, there has been a steady evolution of the curriculum. Languages, operating systems, and hardware used in some courses have changed as frequently as every three years. Upper level elective offerings have changed in response to faculty and student interests.

Faculty members have consulted the ACM curriculum recommendations as well as the CSAB accreditation requirements when determining major requirements and department course offerings.

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Is the computer science curriculum accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation Commission of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board?

No. At present, the faculty have not seen a need for accreditation. However, one member of the faculty has been a program evaluator for CSAB for quite some time and the department pays very close attention to the CSAB standards when designing its major curriculum. Our position regarding CSAB accreditation is frequently reviewed. In fact, accreditation is being seriously discussed by the faculty this year.

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What is unusual or unique about the Rose-Hulman Computer Science curriculum?

The curriculum requires students to master both theory and practice. The curriculum has a significant software engineering component.

The curriculum also includes a capstone experience. Most students complete a group software development project for an external client. Qualified students may complete a senior thesis.

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What are some of the important non-academic components of the Rose-Hulman computer science experience?

We make every effort to incorporate exercises requiring writing and speaking in our computer science courses. Many assignments are given to a team of students with the whole team responsible for the assignment. Ethical issues and concerns are an integral part of many courses.

We try to get our students to appreciate the diversity of intellectual and problem solving activities. We expect our students to succeed even though their computing and work environments will continually and rapidly change after they graduate. We attempt to prepare our students for an unknown future. And we probably make a few mistakes.

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Prepared by Frank Young - young@cs.rose-hulman.edu  05-Oct-1999

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