Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Computer Science (CS) at the University of Alaska Anchorage teaches students the fundamental principles of computer science and topical issues in computing so they may pursue advanced degrees or enter the workplace as productive, competent software development or information technology professionals. The program seeks to further the profession of computer science through professional activities and public service within the local community and beyond. Faculty engage in and disseminate research to advance the development of computer science and provide innovative technological solutions to address the needs of modern society.

Admission Requirements

• Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.

Special Considerations

• Students who intend to enroll in this degree of study are strongly encouraged to complete the following content in high school with a grade of C or better: Trigonometry (1/2 year), Physics (1 year), Algebra (2 years), Chemistry (1 year), and English (3 years). Insufficient preparation may increase the number of semesters required to complete the degree.
• A student who is unable to earn a minimum grade of C in any course offered by the College of Engineering may retake that course up to two additional times. A student who fails to earn a minimum grade of C on the second attempt will be required to meet with an academic advisor and a member of the College of Engineering professional advising staff to develop a plan for improvement of academic performance before continuing in the program. Failure to earn a minimum grade of C on the third attempt will result in removal from the program. Re-admittance requires a letter of appeal from the student with an explanation of any mitigating factors and how these factors have been addressed. Re-admittance is subject to approval by the department chair of the program.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
• Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
  • For 3 credits of Quantitative Skills GER, choose MATH A221 or MATH A251 or MATH A251F.
  • For 3 credits of Humanities GER, choose PHIL A305.
• All computer science majors must take a standardized test of knowledge of computer science approved by the CS faculty for the purpose of evaluating program effectiveness. There is no minimum score required for graduation. This test will normally be taken during the senior year.
• Complete the following major requirements with a minimum grade of C in all CSCE, MATH and STAT courses:

A minimum of 120 credits is required for the degree, of which 39 credits must be upper-division.

Honors in Computer Science

The Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science recognizes distinguished achievement by conferring programmatic honors in Computer Science. In order to receive honors in Computer Science, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Meet the requirements for Graduation with Honors;
• Meet the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science;
• Earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major requirements;

• Show active participation in a computer science related organization such as a UAA club or community group. Membership in a national professional organization such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is encouraged but insufficient to meet this requirement. To apply for honors, students must submit a written reflection to the computer science and engineering department chair by the graduation application deadline that explains how participation enhanced the student’s learning experience in computer science.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science will be able to:

• Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
• Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program's discipline.
• Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts, including technical and non-technical audiences for business, end-user, client, and computing contexts.
• Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
• Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program's discipline.
• Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

Sample Plan

The academic plan below is one pathway through the degree/certificate. It includes all requirements, taking into account recommendations from program faculty. Each student’s plan may vary according to their initial course placement, intended course load, additional majors and/or minors, and their placement into required prerequisite courses. Any change in the plan below can have an unforeseen impact on the rest of the plan. Therefore, it is very important to meet with your academic advisor to verify your personal academic plan.

Please review the following terms, definitions, and resources associated with the sample academic plan below.

• Each course in the far left column links to a pop-up bubble with a course description, prerequisite requirements, and associations with university requirements. For example, if a course fulfills a general education requirement, you will see that in the pop-up bubble.
• GER: indicates a General Education Requirement. GERs that also count toward degree/certificate requirements appear as a specific course in the plan. For these courses, "GER" is not indicated explicitly in the table, but if you click on the course, you will see the course's GER status in the pop-up bubble.
• Program Elective: indicates a specific course selection determined by program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Elective: indicates an open selection of 100-400 level university courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate.
• Upper Division Program Elective: indicates a specific 300-400 level course selection determined by the program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Upper Division Elective: indicates an open selection of 300-400 level courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate. These courses must be upper division in order to meet General University Requirements for the particular degree/certificate type.