Admission Requirements

Students who are intending to graduate with an undergraduate degree in Computer Science must be admitted to Portland State University and complete an opt-in for the Computer Science major after satisfying the lower-division requirements described below. Students with questions should contact the Computer Science Department. No more than 8 upper-division CS course 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 upper-division CS courses. Students also must be in admitted status during the term they intend to graduate.

Computer Science Admission Requirements

Applies to students pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science wishing to enroll in upper-division CS courses for the 2023-24 academic year.

Computer Science Department website: www.pdx.edu/computer-science

Terms of Admission & Deadlines

• Completing an opt-in for admission to the Computer Science major requires a copy of the student’s DARS report, showing that they have passed all of the courses that are required for admission.
• Although there are no formal deadlines, students are strongly encouraged to complete the opt-in as soon as possible in the term after they have satisfied the admission requirements, so as to avoid delays in being able to register for upper-division CS courses for the following term.
• The opt-in form is available from the Computer Science Department website at www.pdx.edu/computer-science/undergraduate-admission.
• A detailed four-year course plan/sample schedule is provided by the “Computer Science Blue Sheet”, which is available at www.pdx.edu/computer-science/bachelor.

Requirements for Admission to the Computer Science Major

1. Completion of each of the following core CS courses with a C or better.

• CS 161 Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving (4) (This requirement will be waived for students who have completed CS 162 prior to Fall 2022)
• CS 162 Intro to Computer Science (4)
• CS 163 Data Structures (4)
• CS 205 System Programming and Architecture (4)
• CS 250 Discrete Structures I (4)
• CS 251 Discrete Structures II (4) 

2. Completion of each of the following non-CS courses with a grade of C- or better.

• MTH 251 Calculus I
• MTH 252 Calculus II or MTH 261 Linear Algebra
• Three Approved Laboratory Science courses

Prior to admission, PSU students are expected to complete the Freshman and Sophomore Inquiry series. Similarly, transfer students are expected to complete the Maseeh College lower division general education requirements. Completing the general education requirements prior to admission will allow students to focus on CS major courses and likely result in a shorter time to graduation.

Appeals

• Students denied admission to the Computer Science program may submit a written appeal which will then be reviewed by the department’s Appeals Committee. All decisions are final.

Priority Registration

• Most applicants will have completed 90 credits by the time they complete the opt-in. This gives them registration priority over students that have completed less than 90 credits. Students who complete the opt-in with less than 90 credits may find classes are full by the time they are able to register. The Computer Science Department is unable to provide overrides to allow earlier registration. 

Pass/No Pass

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

• There is no GPA penalty for a Pass or No Pass (but the student may be required to retake the class for a letter grade).

Additional Information (exceptions, preferences, etc.)

• No preference is given to PSU students versus students who completed required 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 eight 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 Undergraduate Committee.

Prerequisite Policy

• In order to enroll in most upper-division or graduate CS courses, students must be admitted to the Computer Science program or have the instructor’s permission. Before enrolling in any CS course, students should read the course descriptions and ensure that they have completed all prerequisites with a C or better for undergraduate courses, or a 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.

• A limited set of upper division CS courses, designated “dual use courses”, may be taken prior to admission, subject to completion of the associated prerequisites. Students should not take a total of more than 8 credits of upper division CS courses, including any dual use courses, before they have been admitted to the CS major. To avoid a gap in available courses that could delay progress to graduation, students should not generally take dual use courses before they have completed the admission requirements. Students are strongly encouraged to consult the CS Department website, or to meet with an advisor, for further details.

Laptop Requirement

• Students registering for upper-division (300- or above) CS courses, must have access to a laptop with wireless Internet access meeting a set of minimum requirements. These minimum requirements can be found on the computer science website at www.pdx.edu/computer-science/laptop. Chromebooks, iPads, and similar devices do not meet the requirements to run many applications that may be used in various CS courses.

Department Communication