This major is designed for students who have a general interest in computers and programming. It is suitable for those who want to work as a programmer or systems analyst, or for someone with an interest in going to graduate school in computer science. It is preparation for all non-specialized fields of computing.

Computer Science Major Requirements (54-60 credits)

CISC 1115 or 1170

CISC 2210, 3115, 3130, 3140, 3142, 3305 or 3310, 3320

CISC 3220 or 3230

CISC 4900 or 5001

CISC 2820W or PHIL 3318W

MATH 1201 and 1206; or 3.20 and 4.20 and 1211

MATH 2501 or 3501

Three additional courses in CIS numbered between 3000 and 4899.

The department chair, with the approval of the chair of the department’s undergraduate curriculum committee, may allow substitutions for one or more of these requirements consistent with the educational goals of the program. For titles and prerequisites of these CIS courses, see Section IV of this brochure. For descriptions, see the Brooklyn College Bulletin.

Important Note: To enroll in a CIS course, a student must have passed all prerequisite courses in the CIS department with a grade of C or higher. This is different from the policy of many other departments. This requirement does not apply to Math prerequisite courses, which must be passed with a D- or better.

Mathematics 1201 (3 credits) and 1206 (4 credits) are courses in calculus; Mathematics 2501 (3 credits) and 3501 (3 credits) are courses in probability and statistics. Transfer students who receive credit for Mathematics 3.20 and 4.20 are required to take Mathematics 1211 and either 2501 or 3501 to satisfy the mathematics requirement for the B.S. degree in Computer and Information Science. Students may be required to take Mathematics 1011 (precalculus) before taking Mathematics 1201.

Prerequisite Flowchart for the BS in Computer Science

Possible Schedules for the CS Major

Students wishing to major in CIS are encouraged to see a department counselor as early as possible. Note that the sample schedules in this section are appropriate for non-transfer students. Transfer students should consult with an advisor to plan their schedule at Brooklyn College.

The following suggestions are offered to help a student arrange the required courses into a feasible schedule. Many other arrangements are possible, and each student should consider the prerequisites for the individual courses before planning his or her schedule. Students should also take General Education (Pathways) courses as appropriate. Students may also take other advanced elective courses that are not required for the major.

It is important to move speedily through the CISC 1115, 3115, 3130 sequence, as completing that set of courses allows a student to take most other courses in the department.

In the schedules below, elective means any course in CIS numbered from 3000 to 4899.

Four Year Schedule

Semester 1: CISC 1115, and MATH 1011 or 1201
Semester 2: CISC 2210, CISC 3115, and MATH 1201 or 1206
Semester 3: CISC 2820W, CISC 3130
Semester 4: CISC 3305 or 3310, and MATH 1206 or 2501
Semester 5: CISC 3142, and either CISC 3220 or CISC 3230
Semester 6: CISC 3150, CISC 3320, and MATH 2501 (if necessary)
Semester 7: CISC 4900 or 5001, and one elective
Semester 8: one or more electives, possibly CISC 4905 or 5002

For students who decide to major in CIS in their second year, we recommend the following schedule of required courses:

Three Year Schedule

Semester 3: CISC 1115, MATH 1011 or 1201
Semester 4: CISC 2210, CISC 3115, MATH 1201 or 1206
Semester 5: CISC 2820W, CISC 3130, CISC 3305 or 3310, MATH 1206 or 2501
Semester 6: CISC 3220 or 3230; CISC 3320 or 3150, MATH 2501 if needed
Semester 7: CISC 3142, CISC 3320 or 3150, and one elective
Semester 8: CISC 4900 or 5001, and one elective

Although not recommended, the following schedule is feasible for students who take CISC 1115 in their fourth semester. Since this program is very difficult to handle, it is critical that the student see a counselor before undertaking this schedule and every semester thereafter.

Two-And-One-Half Year Schedule

Semester 4: CISC 1115, CISC 2820W, and MATH 1011 or 1201, CISC 3800
Semester 5: CISC 2210, CISC 3115, MATH 1201 or 1206, CISC 3800
Semester 6: CISC 3130, CISC 3310, MATH 1206 or 2501
Semester 7: CISC 3142, CISC 3220 or 3230, CISC 3320 or 3150, MATH 2501 if needed
Semester 8: CISC 3320 or 3150, CISC 4900 or 5001, one or more electives

Note: MATH 1011 or placement in MATH 1201 by the Dept. of Mathematics, is a prerequisite for CISC 2210.

Freshmen and sophomores are also encouraged to complete Pathways requirements and to start the Math requirements for the CS major.

Students who are required to take a foreign language should satisfy that requirement as quickly as possible.