Computer and Information Science Track (BS CIS)
At-a-Glance

Note: This program is currently being revised. Please check back periodically for updates.

Admission to major: 2.00 grade-point average, plus a grade of C or better in MTH 181 or an average grade of C+ (2.3) or better in MTH 151-153, plus a grade of C+ or better in CIS 260.

Concentration areas: Many specialization areas are possible through the selection of a concentration area (see below).

Advising: Each student is assigned an adviser by the department after declaring the major; phone: (216) 687-4760.

Student organizations: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Northeast Ohio Software Association (NEOSA)

Additional information: Each student is required to choose a concentration area in any field related to Computer and Information Science and take at least 16 semester hours in this area. Some typical choices are:

• Business: accounting, finance, marketing, management and labor relations, or operations management and business statistics
• Engineering: most commonly electrical engineering
• Technology: most commonly electronic technology
• Mathematics
• Natural Science: biology, chemistry, or physics

A concentration within the CIS Department may be selected with written permission of the student’s CIS adviser.

By choosing a concentration area, the student may prepare for a career using computers in that area.

Note:

The CIS track is distinguished from the CSC track by its greater flexibility and higher elective content. The CIS Department also offers an Information Systems major in the B.B.A. degree.

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Major-Field Requirements

The following list provides a relatively complete guide to the academic requirements for a program of study in the Computer and Information Science (CIS) track of the Computer and Information Science major. Each student's specific program requires the approval of the department adviser.

1. General Education Requirements. Students should see an adviser in the Business College Office (BU 219) before choosing electives to satisfy General Education Requirements in the following areas: Mathematics or Logic, Arts/Humanities, Nonwestern Culture and Civilization, Western Culture and Civilization, Social Science, Natural Science, Human Diversity and the African-American Experience, and Writing Across the Curriculum.
2. Eighteen semester hours of mathematics chosen from one of two sequences as follows:
   1. (Recommended for all students) MTH 181-182 (Analytical Geometry and Calculus), MTH 220 (Introduction to Discrete Mathematics), MTH 284 (Matrices for Engineers), and MTH 323 (Statistics with Probability)
   2. (Not available for engineering, science, or quantitative business concentrations) MTH 151-MTH 156 (Mathematical Concepts), MTH 220 (Introduction to Discrete Mathematics), OMS 201 and OMS 202 (Business Statistics)
3. An eight-semester-hour approved sequence in a Natural Science with Laboratory. Recommended sequences are PHY 243 and PHY 244 for students with calculus, and PHY 221 and 222 for others.
4. Twenty-two semester hours of a Computer and Information Science core program: CIS 260 (Introduction to Programming), CIS 265 (Data Structures and Algorithms), CIS 335 (Language Processors), CIS 340 (C/C++ For Systems Programming), CIS 345 (Operating System Principles), and CIS 368 (Object Oriented Design and Programming).
5. A minimum of 16 semester hours of Computer and Information Science electives.
6. Each student must select an area of specialization in any field related to Computer and Information Science. At least 16 semester hours must be in this area, with at least 9 semester hours at the 300 level or higher. The area of specialization must be carefully related to the student's program and approved by the student's adviser. Sample programs of study showing a concentration in the various areas of business, engineering, technology, science, or mathematics are available from the department. Other programs, including concentrations within the CIS Department, that are tailored to the individual student's needs must be individually approved.
7. At least 46 semester hours must be earned in courses at the 300 level or above.
8. A total of 128 credit hours.

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Recommended Program:

[Note: Students should consult with a college adviser before choosing General Education electives. This is particularly important for CIS majors completing the CSC track. In order not to exceed the 128 hours required for graduation, a student in the CSC track must take at least one GenEd course that covers two requirements. For example, ART 252 (Introduction to Early Western Art) applies to both the Arts and Humanities requirement and the Western Culture and Civilization requirement.]

[Note: courses marked with a W satisfy the Writing-Across-the-Curriculum requirement.]

[Note: Students should consult with a CIS Department faculty adviser before choosing concentration or CIS electives.]

Suggested Program of Study for the CIS Major using the CIS track

First Semester	Credits
African-American Experience 1	3
ENG 101 English I	4
MTH 181 Calculus and Analytical Geometry I	4
CIS 260 Introduction to Programming	4
Freshman Orientation	1
Total	16
Second Semester	Credits
Arts and Humanities1	3
ENG 102 English II	4
MTH 182 Calculus and Analytical Geometry	4
CIS 265 Data Structures and Algorithms	4
Total	14
Third Semester	Credits
MTH 220 Discrete Mathematics	4
MTH 284 Matrices for Engineers	2
PHY 243 University Physics I (W)2	5
CIS 335 Language Processors	4
CIS 340 C/C++ for Systems Programming	2
Total	17
Fourth Semester	Credits
PHY 244 University Physics II (W)	5
CIS 345 Operating Systems Principles	4
CIS 368 O-O Design and Programming	4
Concentration Elective3	3
Total	17
Fifth Semester	Credits
African-Am. Exp. or Human Diversity 1	3
Arts and Humanities 1	3
Western Culture and Civilization1	3
CIS Elective3	4
Concentration Elective3	4
Total	17
Sixth Semester	Credits
Social Science Elective 1	3
MTH 323 Statistics	4
CIS Elective3	4
Concentration Elective3	3
Concentration Elective3	3
Total	17
Seventh Semester	Credits
Nonwestern Culture and Civilization1	3
Social Science Elective 1	3
CIS Elective 3	4
Concentration Elective3	3
Writing Elective 1	3
Total	16
Eighth Semester	Credits
Arts and Humanities1	3
Social Science Elective 1	3
CIS Elective 3	4
Open Elective(s)	5
Total	15

¹ Students should consult with a college adviser before choosing General Education electives. This is particularly important for CIS majors completing the CSC track. In order not to exceed the 128 hours required for graduation, a student in the CSC track must take at least one GenEd course that covers two requirements. For example, ART 252 (Introduction to Early Western Art) applies to both the Arts and Humanities requirement and the Western Culture and Civilization requirement.

²Courses marked with a W satisfy the Writing-Across-the-Curriculum requirement.

³Students should consult with a CIS faculty adviser before choosing concentration or CIS electives.

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Additional Major-Field Requirements

1. In order to declare CIS as the major, the student must have completed one semester of calculus (MTH 181) with a grade of C (2.00) or better, or one semester of math concepts (MTH 151-153) with a grade of C+ (2.30) or better; and CIS 260 (Introduction to Programming) with a grade of C+ (2.30) or better. The student must also have an overall grade-point average of 2.00 or better.
2. All Computer and Information Science courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better.
3. Any Computer and Information Science course taken without prior satisfactory completion of all catalog prerequisite courses will not be counted toward fulfillment of graduation requirements.

Students who intend to major in CIS should see an adviser in the CIS Department as soon as possible (no later than the end of the freshman year), even if they have not yet completed MTH 181 and CIS 260.

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