Projected Major-Level Course Offerings
Fall 2006 through Fall 2010
updated: 16 October 2006


CSC Majors and Minors: Please see the important Notes at the bottom of this page.

The following table shows those major-level courses (CSC 200A and above) planned for each semester for the next three years.

The list is accurate as of the "updated" date at the top of this page, but is subject to change based on such factors as student needs and the availability of faculty, classrooms, and laboratory facilities.   Any changes will be posted on this site as soon as they are known.

Required Courses
Option Courses
CSC Electives
Fall 2006 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 280,
CSC 498, CSC 500,
PHS 205		 CSC 230, CSC 263,
CSC 271, CSC 311 		CSC 340
Spring 2007 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 300,
CSC 295,
CSC 498, CSC 500		 CSC 312A,
CSC 315A,
CSC 330A, CSC 390
 CSC 273
Summer 2007 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 260		 . .
Fall 2007 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 280,
CSC 498, CSC 500,
PHS 205		 CSC 245A,
CSC 263,
CSC 311 		CSC 325
Spring 2008 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 295,
CSC 300,
CSC 498, CSC 500		 CSC 312A,
CSC 315A,
CSC 445
 CSC 273
Summer 2008 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 260		 . .
Fall 2008 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 280,
CSC 498, CSC 500,
PHS 205		 CSC 230,
CSC 271,
CSC 301,
CSC 311,
CSC475		 CSC 340
Spring 2009 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 295,
CSC 300,
CSC 498, CSC 500		 CSC 263,
CSC 312A,
CSC 315A,
CSC 330A		 CSC 273
Summer 2009 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 260		 . .
Fall 2009 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 280,
CSC 498, CSC 500,
PHS 205		 CSC 245A,
CSC 301,
CSC 311,
CSC 390		 CSC 325
Spring 2010 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 295,
CSC 300,
CSC 498, CSC 500		 CSC 263,
CSC 312A,
CSC 315A,
CSC 445		 CSC 273
Summer 2010 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 260		 . .
Fall 2010 CSC 200A, CSC 201J,
CSC 202J, CSC 215,
CSC 260, CSC 280,
CSC 498, CSC 500,
PHS 205		 CSC 230,
CSC 271,
CSC 311,
CSC 475		 CSC 340



Keys:    
  Boldface indicates courses required in the major.
CO LOR S indicate option sequences:
      two courses shown in the same color form an option sequence.
Options:  
  Computation Theory: CSC 290 & CSC 415
  Computer Networking: CSC 315A & CSC 475
  Computer Systems: 2 from CSC 271
CSC 315A, CSC 390
  Embedded Systems: CSC 230 & CSC 330A
  Information Systems: CSC 263 & CSC 320
  Object Oriented Methods: CSC 311 & CSC 312A
  Parallel Computing: CSC 245A & CSC 445
Notes:

    (0)   A number of curriculum changes affecting many courses in the Computer and Information Studies Major were implemented in September 2003. The total number of courses needed to fulfill the major requirements did not change. One additional required course (CSC 215) was added, and there is one less CSC elective. This change applies only to students who declared the CSC major on or after September 1, 2003.
     Significant changes in the Support Course requirements for the CIS major became effective as of September 2004:
  • MAT 214 Discrete Structures was renumbered MAT 214A and changed from a 3-credit course to a 4-credit course.
  • PHL 325 Symbolic Logic is no longer a required Support Course.
  • CIS majors must complete a two-semester laboratory science sequence that is selected from the list below.   Other laboratory science sequences not in the following list will not satisfy the laboratory science sequence requirement for CIS majors.
    • BIO 131 & BIO 132
    • CHE 130 & CHE 131
    • CHE 130 & CHE 212
    • PHS 211A & PHS 212A
    • PHS 221 & PHS 222
    • GLS 100 & GLS 201
  • In addition to the two-semester science sequence just described, CIS majors must take an additional science course, selected from the following list:
       BIO 131, CHE 130, CHE 212, GGR 101P, GLS 100, GLS 201, PHS 211A, PHS 221

    (1)   The main significance of the changes in CSC courses is that four-credit courses now have scheduled and required laboratory sessions (two or three three hours per week, depending on the course) in addition to three hours of lecture per week. The objectives and conduct of the lab sessions will vary from one course to another: for example, while the CSC 201J lab sessions focus primarily on the Java IDE, Java syntax, and the implementation of simple application programs and simple classes, the labs for CSC 300 (Software Engineering I) focus on UML design, modeling and CASE tools, and group projects.
      The following table lists the CSC curriculum changes and summarizes their effects. Full details of these changes have been incorporated into the course documents available elsewhere in this departmental web site.
      Note: Courses required in the Computer and Information Studies major are indicated by bold typeface.   The symbol § in the "Lab" column indicates those courses which have required laboratory sessions.

Courses before September 2003 Courses as of September 2003
Course Credits Course Credits Lab Programming Load Typically Offered Language(s)
CSC 200 3 CSC 200A 3   minimal Spring & Fall  
CSC 201 4 CSC 201J 4 § heavy Spring & Fall Java
CSC 202 4 CSC 202J 4 § heavy Spring & Fall Java
    CSC 215 4   minimal Spring & Fall  
CSC 221 3 CSC 221 3   moderate sporadic Visual Basic
CSC 230 3 CSC 230 3   moderate Fall, even years  
CSC 245 3 CSC 245A 4 § moderate Fall, odd years Fortran
CSC 260 4 CSC 260 4 § heavy Spring & Fall Java
CSC 405 3 CSC 263 4 § moderate Fall SQL (Oracle)
CSC 265 3 CSC 266 4 § moderate Spring modeling tools
    CSC 267 1-6   variable Spring & Fall  
CSC 271 4 CSC 271 4 § moderate Fall, even years SPARC assembly,Linux,Perl
CSC 273 4 CSC 273 4 § heavy Spring C
CSC 280 3 CSC 280 3   minimal Fall  
CSC 290 3 CSC 290 3   minimal sporadic  
CSC 295 3 CSC 295 3   minimal Spring  
CSC 311 4 CSC 311 4 § heavy Fall Visual C++
CSC 312 3 CSC 312A 4 § moderate Spring Visual Basic
CSC 315 3 CSC 315A 4 § minimal Spring  
CSC 320 4 CSC 320 4 § heavy Spring, even years Java
CSC 325 4 CSC 325 4 § heavy Fall, odd years  
CSC 330 3 CSC 330A 4 § moderate Spring, odd years  
CSC 340 3 CSC 340 3   moderate Fall, even years  
CSC 390 4 CSC 390 4 § heavy Fall, odd years  
CSC 415 3 CSC 415 3   minimal sporadic  
CSC 445 4 CSC 445 4 § moderate Spring, even years  
CSC 498 1 CSC 498 1   minimal Spring & Fall  
CSC 500 3 CSC 500 3   heavy Spring & Fall  
CSC 501 3 CSC 501 3   heavy Spring & Fall  


    (2)   The specific courses that you must take to complete the major in Computer and Information Studies are determined by the flowsheet in effect on the date on which you were accepted into the major. Changes in requirements after that date do not affect your requirements, except for those cases where a required course is no longer offered under its original number. In such cases, please use the preceding table to determine the appropriate substitute (e.g., if you were required to take CSC 265, you would take CSC 266 instead; if you elected to complete the Information Systems Option, you would take CSC 263 instead of CSC 405)--- there should always be a clear substitution.

     (2A)   Students who are matriculated in the CSC major may, at their discretion, request to switch their graduation requirements to those on a flowsheet with a more recent effective date than the one in effect when they were accepted into the major.   (For example, a student admitted to the CSC major in September 2003 may request to graduate under the flowsheet in effect in September 2004.) A student wishing to switch to a more recent flowsheet should discuss the advisability of such a change with his or her academic advisor, and must then make this request in writing to the advisor, stating the effective date of the more recent flowsheet desired. Once such a switch has been made, it cannot be reversed.

    (3)   CSC 215, Survey of Computer Science II, is a requirement for all CSC majors admitted to the program in September 2003 or thereafter. This additional required course decreases the number of CSC major electives from three to two. Students who were admitted to the CSC major prior to Fall 2003 are not required to take CSC 215, but may choose to take it as one of their three CSC major electives. It is recommended that CSC215 be taken as soon as possible after the prerequisite course CSC200A.

    (4)   A typical course load for students in their first semester as CSC majors consists of CSC 200A, CSC 201J, a Mathematics support course, and two additional courses that address College Core requirements (the left-hand column on the printed flow sheet).

    (5)   A typical course load for students in their second semester as CSC majors consists of CSC 202J, CSC 215, a Mathematics support course, and two additional courses that address College Core requirements.

    (6)   Transfer students who are admitted to the CSC major and bring more than 10 transfer credits with them should consult with the Department Chairperson during orientation, or with their Computer Science faculty advisor---typically assigned by the end of the fifth week as a CSC major---in order to minimize scheduling bottlenecks and to ensure appropriate progress in the major.

    (7)   Sophomore CSC Majors should take both CSC 260 and CSC 295 in the same semester, usually the Fall semester. If you can fit only one of these into your schedule, CSC 260 should take precedence, since it is a prerequisite for a larger selection of advanced courses than is CSC 295.   It is also the prerequisite for both of the courses mentioned in Note (8) below.   Note that CSC 260 involves a large amount of programming, while CSC 295 is mainly a lecture/discussion course with a limited amount of laboratory work; the workload for both courses in the same semester should be manageable.

    (8)   Sophomore CSC Majors should take CSC 266 in the Spring semester (assuming that CSC 260 has been completed in the Fall). CSC 280 (a theory/discussion course with no programming) is now normally taken in the Fall of the Junior year.

    (9)   During the same semester in which CSC 260 is taken, a CSC major should consult with his or her advisor about the selection of an Option sequence. The Option should be selected no later than the fifth semester in the major. Most option sequences involve at least one course which is offered only in alternate years. If the selection is delayed beyond the fifth semester, it may not be possible to complete the preferred option, or it may have to be completed during the Senior year, which means that the topic area of the Option could not be incorporated into the required Directed Study project.

    (10)   Effective as of January 2003, the Embedded Systems Option now consists of CSC 230 (Real-Time Computer Interfaces) and CSC 330A (Microcomputing Systems). CSC 230 replaces CSC 315 (Data Communications) which was previously required in this Option. Students who completed the original option sequence prior to this change will be "grandfathered" and do not have to take CSC 230.

    (11)   Any course listed as part of an Option may be used as a CSC major elective, provided that the course is not also being used to satisfy an Options requirement. (For example, if you choose the Information Systems option and take CSC 263 and CSC 320, you may not list either of them a second time on your flow sheet as a major elective. However, any of the other option courses such as CSC 311, CSC 312A, CSC 245A, etc., may be used as major electives.)

    (12)   All CSC Majors must take a course involving a second programming language, different from the Java language currently used in the CSC 201J-202J sequence. The current choices are CSC 245A (which uses Fortran), CSC 273 (the C language), CSC 311 (C++), and CSC 312A (Visual Basic).       Note that if CSC 311 or CSC 312A is taken as part of the Object-Oriented Methods Option, it may not also be used as the "second language" course. Similarly, if CSC 245A is taken as part of the Parallel Computing Option, it may not also be applied to the "second language" requirement.
    Special note: Students who took CSC 325 during Spring 2001, Spring 2002, or Fall 2002, are permitted to use CSC 325 as the "second language" course, provided they do not also have credit for the Java version of CSC201 or CSC201J. Be sure to request that the Department Chairperson send an appropriate "permission" memo to the Registrar's Office to make this use official.

    (13)   Certain courses in the CSC curriculum have very heavy programming components (see the list below). Attempting to complete two or more of these courses in the same semester can present serious problems with time management. It is preferable to distribute these courses over several semesters. If time pressures or course availability dictate otherwise, students should consult with their academic advisors as to the most appropriate combinations. Note that, aside from the required CSC 201J/202J/260 sequence, most CSC Majors take no more than two or three of the remaining heavy-programming courses. If CSC 260 is taken during the first semester of the sophomore year, the other heavy programming courses can be spread across the remaining five semesters of the typical four-year program, so that no two of them need be taken in the same semester.

The following courses have very heavy programming components (required courses are in bold typeface):
    CSC 201J, CSC 202J, CSC 260, CSC 273,
    CSC 311, CSC 320, CSC 325, CSC 390, CSC 500

Courses with moderate programming components:
    CSC 221, CSC 230, CSC 245A, CSC 263, CSC 266, CSC 271,
    CSC 312A, CSC 330A, CSC 340, CSC 445

Courses that are predominantly theoretical (minimal programming, or the programming component is logically simple):
    CSC 200A, CSC 215, CSC 280, CSC 290, CSC 295,
    CSC 315A, CSC 415 CSC 498

    (14)   The maximum number of credits in a student's major field that can be counted toward graduation is 55. This limit applies to all departments and all majors. (See page 8 in the 2004-2006 College Catalog.) The current CSC flowsheet requires a minimum of 49 credits in CSC courses; most students end up taking 51 or 52 credits. This means that most CSC majors can take only one CSC course beyond those specified on the flowsheet. If additional CSC credits beyond the 55 credit limit are taken, the courses and credits will appear on the student's transcript, but any credits above 55 will not count toward the 127 credits required for graduation.

    (15)   Because of the restriction stated in item (14), Computer and Information Studies majors who transfer courses into Salem State College from other institutions need to be careful about computer science courses that do not count for major credit (such as the equivalents of CSC 100 or CSC 190). These courses would also count toward the 55-credit limit, so transferring in two or more non-major CSC courses will result in some of those credits eventually being discarded due to the 55-credit limit.

    (16)   CSC 498 and CSC500 should be thought of as a course sequence: in CSC 498 the student describes in formal detail what will be implemented as the Directed Study project in CSC 500. CSC 498 is a 1-credit course during which a student chooses a topic area for the required CSC 500 project and develops a formal proposal which describes in detail the objectives of the project, the tools to be used, and any benchmarks that must be achieved during the implementation of the project. Any faculty member teaching courses in the CSC major may be approached to serve as the supervisor for the CSC 498/CSC 500 sequence. Students should speak with potential advisors early in the semester prior to the semester in which they plan to be registered in CSC 498. Ideally, a student should begin thinking about potential projects during the junior year (after completing CSC 260), and speak with faculty during that time period. CSC 498 must be completed (that is, the project proposal must be complete, approved, and presented to the Department) with a passing grade before registration for CSC 500 will be permitted. Obviously, CSC 498 and CSC 500 may not be taken during the same semester.
     CSC 498 and CSC 500 are available on a Directed Study basis every Fall and Spring semester. Arrangements may sometimes be made to take one or both of these courses during the Summer, but only with careful planning and the consent of the faculty member involved. CSC 498 and CSC 500 do not meet at formally scheduled times. Arrangements are made between the student and the faculty supervisor on a case-by-case basis.
     It is the student's responsibility to complete and file, in a timely fashion, the paperwork necessary to register for CSC 498 and CSC 500.

    (17)   Computer Literacy:   CSC Majors and Minors, like all other matriculated students, must satisfy the College's Computer Literacy competency-based skills core requirement. As of September 2003, the required course CSC 200A, Survey of Computer Science I, will satisfy this requirement.   However, a CSC major or minor who completed the course CSC 200 before September 2003 may not use that course to satisfy the Computer Literacy requirement. Such students also may not (re-)take the course CSC 200A for credit, and therefore must satisfy the Computer Literacy requirement by taking one of the other courses approved for Computer Literacy credit (see page 11 in the 2004-2006 Undergraduate Catalog) or by passing the written and laboratory portions of the Computer Literacy Exemption Examination, currently administered by the Learning Center (Library, fourth floor). If the Exemption Examination is used to satisfy the Computer Literacy requirement, it must be passed before the end of the sophomore year (i.e., within the first 54 credits of study).



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