Admission requirements

Students who are intending to graduate with an undergraduate degree in computer science must be admitted to Portland State University and file the Application to the Computer Science Program with the Department of Computer Science after completing the lower-division requirements. Students with questions should contact the Computer Science Department. No more than 8 upper-division computer science credits (including any approved upper-division transfer credits) taken prior to admission to the program will be counted toward the student’s departmental requirement of 52 upper-division computer science credits (CS 300, CS 305, CS 320, CS 333, CS 350, CS 486, CS 469, CS 470 and 24 credits of upper-division computer science electives). Students also must be in admitted status during the term they intend to graduate.

CS Admission Requirements

Applies to students pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science wishing to enroll in upper-division CS courses for

 Fall 2019 and Winter 2020

Terms of Admission & Deadlines

• Fall and winter terms of admission only. Fall admission is preferred.

• Application deadline for fall is April 15, for winter October 15.

• Application is a fillable pdf on CS website: https://www.pdx.edu/computer-science/undergraduate-programs.

• A detailed four year course plan is included in the “Computer Science Blue Sheet”, also available from the above website.

Minimum Eligibility for Consideration

• All shaded/required courses on the blue sheet /course plan must be completed by the end of Spring term for Fall Admission and by the end of Fall term for Winter Admission. Students may be conditionally admitted if some of these courses are in progress at the time of application.

• Each shaded CS course on the blue sheet /course plan must be completed with a grade of C or above. The Cumulative All Attempts GPA in shaded/required CS courses must be at least 2.0.  Each shaded non-CS course on the blue sheet /course plan must be completed with a grade of C- or above.

• Successful completion of the Programming Proficiency Demonstration.

• Complete Freshman Inquiry; or Wr 121 and Comm 220 (for students transferring 30 or more credits to PSU) prior to admission.

Admission

• Admission is competitive and enrollment is limited by resources.  Students eligible for admission with an All Attempts CS GPA of 3.0 or higher are guaranteed admission. Based on the number of remaining slots, students will be selected from the pool of admission-eligible students that have not achieved an All Attempts CS GPA of 3.0 by the CS Undergraduate Committee.

Repeated Classes

• If a required CS class is repeated, all attempts are counted in the cumulative grade calculation that will be used for admission purposes (All Attempts CS GPA).

Required classes

• All required/shaded courses indicated on the blue sheet /course plan must be completed by the end of Spring term for Fall Admission and by the end of Fall term for Winter Admission.

• Students may be conditionally admitted if some of these courses are in progress at the time of application.

• If courses in progress are not completed with a C or higher, admission will be revoked and students withdrawn from upper division CS courses.

Additional testing/bridge classes

• Proficiency testing is required of students who did not complete and pass CS 202 at PSU.

• No bridge class required.

Pass/No Pass

• All required classes must be taken for a grade (not P/NP) unless they are only offered as P/NP.

• No GPA penalty for a Pass or No Pass (but the course must be taken again for a grade unless it is only offered as P/NP).

Additional Information (exceptions, preferences, etc.)

• No preference given to PSU students versus students who completed required/shaded courses elsewhere.

Continuation Criteria

• Admitted CS undergraduate students who are not making acceptable progress towards their degree requirements will be dropped from the program and required to reapply for admission. Acceptable progress is defined as completion of at least 8 credits of coursework with acceptable grades (C or better for required CS courses, C- or better for required non-CS courses), satisfying departmental requirements, over the preceding academic year. Readmission will be determined by the CS Appeals Committee.

Prerequisite Policy

• Before enrolling in any Computer Science course, students should read the course description and ensure that they have completed all prerequisites with a grade of C or better for undergraduate courses, or a grade of B or better for graduate courses. Students who have not met this requirement or who do not meet applicable admission requirements may be administratively dropped from the course. 

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