FAQS

The Computer Science Department offers two degree programs: the Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and the Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science with a Concentration in Bioinformatics.

The computer science major requires a minimum of five semesters; most entry-level full-time students need eight semesters to complete the CSCI and MATH requirements. Unless you own or have access to an internet-accessing computer outside of school, you will be spending a lot of time on campus. The major also requires substantial mathematics, both within our own courses and from the Mathematics Department. Most successful computer science students are comfortable with math.

Most students who want to major in computer science should start by taking CSCI 12700. This is the beginning of the undergraduate sequence in computer science, including the basics of programming. Students with some prior background in computer science may have CSCI 12700 waived as a prerequisite for a particular class. If you think you fall into this category, see the class instructor or department chair for permission.

Students who do not plan to major in computer science can still find many introductory level courses to help get them started:

• A computer science minor is a great way to learn something about the field, including how to write serious programs that will be of use in your major field.
• A good introductory course for students who are majoring in science or non-computer-science bioinformatics is CSCI 13200.
• If you want to learn something about computers and are majoring in the liberal arts, the course designed for you is CSCI 12100. The course has no prerequisites

Note: CSCI 12000, 12100, 12700, 13200 and 13300 cannot be used toward the computer science major, but CSCI 12700 is a prerequisite for CSCI 13500.

Matriculated students must declare a major before completing 60 credits, while transfer students entering with 60 or more credits must do so by the census date of their first semester, as listed in the Academic Calendar. To declare, submit the online Major, Minor, Certificate Declaration and Change Form using your Net ID and password. Since departmental approval may be required, it is recommended to submit the form early, well before the Major/Minor Declaration Deadline on the Academic Calendar. Changes made after the deadline take effect the following semester. Students receiving federal or state financial aid must declare their major and minor by 60 credits to avoid holds on their academic record or registration. Students interested in declaring a CSCI major with a concentration in bioinformatics (quBI) should speak with Professor Saad Mneimneh.

Saad Mneimneh, Assistant Professor
Office: Hunter North 1090-L
Email: saad@hunter.cuny.edu
Phone: 212-772-5209

Course Guidance

• Prerequisite Courses: Found at the 100 level.

Core Courses Required for the Major

Two Streams:

1. Programming, Data Structures, and Algorithms:
   • Sequence: 13500 → 23500 → 33500
2. Architecture and Logic Design:
   • Sequence: 16000 → 26000 → 36000

Note: You MUST take these courses in numerical order!

Advanced Courses

• 300-Level Courses: Suitable for upper-level majors.
• 400-Level Courses: Designed for those with a special interest in the content or who have exhausted the 300-level electives.

Special Courses

• 395.xx: Rotating Topics courses, different every semester.
• 493xx: Honors Seminar courses, different every semester.

There are many options for completing your computer science degree based on your interests and background, with the courses you take influencing your previous coursework and the offerings each semester.

The computer science department has expanded offerings in AI and machine learning for upper division students. The courses range from introductory data science to core courses in machine learning and artificial intelligence to senior-level special topics courses in natural language processing and deep learning.

In addition to the following credits, you must complete the General Education Requirements as set forth in the Hunter College Undergraduate Catalog.

Computer Science Major

Required Courses (30-42 Credits in Computer Science)

• CSCI 13500: Software Analysis and Design 1
• CSCI 15000: Discrete Structures
• CSCI 16000: Computer Architecture 1
• CSCI 23500: Software Analysis and Design 2
• CSCI 26000: Computer Architecture 2
• CSCI 26500: Computer Theory 1
• CSCI 33500: Software Analysis and Design 3
• CSCI 34000: Operating Systems
• CSCI 49900: Capstone Course in Computer Science
• A minimum of 12 additional academic credits chosen from CSCI elective courses numbered above 23500

Required Mathematics Courses (0-13 Credits)

• MATH 15000: Calculus 1
• MATH 15500: Calculus 2
• MATH 16000: Matrix Algebra
• STAT 21300: Applied Statistics

Python:

• Course: CSCI 12700

C++:

• Courses: CSCI 13500, CSCI 23500, and CSCI 33500

SQL:

• Courses: CSCI 23200 and CSCI 43500

Other Programming Languages:

• Offered in a variety of industry-aligned electives available each semester.

It is possible to pursue up to three credits of Independent Study (CSCI 39100, 39200 or 39300) in an area not covered in any course offered by the department. This option is available only to declared computer science majors who have successfully completed at least 18 CSCI credits. Each Independent Study course takes the form of a project which must be fully specified and clearly defined before registration, and must be sponsored and supervised by a member of the department who will be the one to submit a final grade for the student. No student may do for Independent Study credit a project whose goal is to learn a new language! Please speak to a CSCI advisor for more information.

Each of the required and elective courses which count toward the major (including MATH/STAT courses) must be completed with a grade of C or better. The Department of Computer Science does not award final grades of CR (credit) in any CSCI courses to be used toward the major, from CSCI 13500 through the 400-level courses. In addition, you will be expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses required for the major. Please note that, for computer science majors, “D” is not considered a passing grade in any computer science or math/stat course.

If you are coming to Hunter from one of the other CUNY colleges, many of your computer science credits will have been evaluated automatically through Admissions. If you are transferring from a college outside of CUNY, you will have to bring both a copy of your Hunter transcript and course descriptions from the other college to be evaluated by a full-time faculty member in the Computer Science Department. Faculty advising hours are posted outside HN 1008.

Note: Many courses which have titles similar to those in this department are not, in actuality, equivalent to our courses and may not be eligible for use toward the computer science major at Hunter College. If you wish to check how many of your other CUNY credits will transfer with Hunter equivalents, you can follow the instructions at this link.

The Department will permit you to test out of CSCI 12700, CSCI 13500 and/or CSCI 15000. If you can pass the Test-out Exam with a grade of B or better, we will award you Credit by Exam for that course and permit you to take more advanced courses as if you had completed the course successfully. If you feel you are sufficiently expert in the course material covered in CSCI 12700, CSCI 13500 or CSCI 15000, come to the Department Office and ask for a copy of the Test-out Guidelines and an application form. Tests are scheduled at the mutual convenience of both the student and the proctor. Please note that if you have already taken these courses at Hunter and failed them, you will not be allowed to take the test-out exam.

Yes, if you meet all of the following criteria:

1. 2.7 Grade Point Average over all your courses at Hunter
2. 3.5 Grade Point Average in your computer science and math courses at Hunter
3. A grade of A in a computer science honors seminar course (CSCI 493.xx)

If you have no prior programming experience and/or your math background is not substantial, we strongly suggest that you start slowly: programming courses require a great deal of time and a lot of effort. The three 100-level courses are the foundations on which virtually all of our other courses are built, so the material in these courses should be understood thoroughly before you go on to a higher level. It is important to remember that the prerequisites listed for each course are the foundations for that course. Your class schedule MUST NOT be put together based solely on the fact that classes are offered on the same days!

A student may need to retake a course to improve a grade of D or higher, or to address an F grade, which could affect their GPA and progress in their academic program.

The Computer Science Department allows students to “test-out” of CSCI 127, CSCI 135 and/or CSCI 150. If you can pass the “Test-out Exam” with a grade of 80% or better, we will award you course credit (listed on your transcript as “Credit by Exam”) and permit you to take more advanced computer science courses as if you had successfully completed the course itself.

The CSCI department offers internship credit for students who are working in an unpaid internship. To receive internship credit, you must be working in a technical role related to computer science and have successfully completed CSCI 23500.

Note: These credits count only as general Hunter credits and do not apply toward the CSCI major.

In order to apply for internship credit, please fill out the Fall 2024 Internship Request Form.