A Computer Science minor provides students from other majors with a way to demonstrate that they have a basic level of competency in computing. As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous, affecting everything from medical breakthroughs to the appliances in our kitchens, it is critical for the general student population to gain computing skills. Training in computer science gives students skills they can use in the workplace and enables students to develop computational solutions in various fields of study.
The minor provides students with 13 hours (four courses) of training. This foundation is complemented by six additional hours (two courses) of electives in computer science that will deepen the student’s knowledge in an area of computing most appropriate for their area of interest. For example, there are options for students wishing to emphasize web development, programming languages, computer systems, machine learning, algorithms, and a variety of other fields. In addition, in select instances, students wishing to gain experience in a more specialized area, such as graphics, computer security, or databases, may talk to an advisor about taking upper-level computer science classes to fulfill the two electives. In this way, the minor gives students a strong background in computing as well as the flexibility to shape the program to fit their needs and goals.
For more information, please contact the Undergraduate Advisor, Lynnette Nelson, or the Faculty Advisor, Professor Daniel Zappala.
Requirements
Complete the following (19 credit hours):
- CS 142 (3 credit hours)
- CS 235 (3 credit hours)
- CS 236 (3 credit hours)
- CS 240 (4 credit hours)
- Two additional computer science courses, from a selected list (6 credit hours)
For details, please see the BYU Catalog page for the Computer Science minor.
Non-computer science courses will NOT be counted towards the CS Minor.
Recommendations
- Students wishing to learn web programming should include CS 260.
- Students wishing to emphasize computer systems should include CS 224.
- Students wishing to learn more about algorithms should take CS 312.
- Students wishing to learn more about programming languages should take CS 330.
- Students wishing to emphasize computer science theory should include CS 252.
- Students wishing to take particular upper-division courses may be allowed to use 300- or 400-level CS courses (from the approved list in the catalog) for one or both of the two additional computer science courses. This option requires proper preparation and prior approval of course instructors and the Undergraduate Coordinator.