Nov 11, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Computer Science Major, BS in Computer Science


Students may choose from a wide spectrum of courses covering various aspects of computer science, computer engineering, and related fields. Students must meet the design, depth, and breadth requirements in the department in their selection of these courses. Students are encouraged to discuss an appropriate program with their advisors.

Progression Policies and Requirements

The department requires at least a C in every computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and mathematics course used for the undergraduate degrees.

Progression of departmental undergraduate students to the upper-division programs of the department is competitive and is based on the space available in the department. Factors considered in the decision include overall grade point average, grades earned in courses required in the lower-division curricula of the department and Tickle College of Engineering, and seriousness of purpose and interest in departmental programs as exemplified by regular and orderly progress through the prescribed curriculum without abuse of withdrawal and course repeat privileges.

Campus


Knoxville

uTrack Requirements


Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students.

Credit Hours 14-15


Term 1 Milestone Notes


Term 2


Credit Hours 15


Term 2 Milestone Notes


Term 4


  • Global Citizenship - United States (GCUS) Elective 3 Credit Hours *
  • 2 Social Sciences  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

Term 5


Term 6


Credit Hours 15


Term 6 Milestone Notes


  • No milestones

Term 7


  • 3 Computer Science Upper-Division Electives 6 Credit Hours
  • 2 Expanded Perspectives  Elective 3 Credit Hours * (Students are encouraged to choose courses that meet EI also.)
  • 2 Engaged Inquiries (EI)  Elective 3 Credit Hours *

Credit Hours 14


Term 7 Milestone Notes


  • No milestones

Term 8


  • 3 Computer Science Upper-Division Electives 9 Credit Hours
  • 2 Expanded Perspectives  Elective 3 Credit Hours * (Students are encouraged to choose courses that meet EI also.)

Credit Hours 15


Term 8 Milestone Notes


  • No milestones

Total Credit Hours 121-123


Footnotes


  1. Beginning students who have had high school computer science and/or who have had significant programming experience (e.g. summer institute study, special research projects, home laboratory) should apply during the summer to the head of the department for permission to take a proficiency examination for COSC 101 - Introduction to Programming , Introduction to Computer Science. If a satisfactory grade is made on the examination, credit will be allowed for COSC 101  allowing students to take COSC 102  their first term as a freshman. The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science also gives credit in COSC 101  to students who receive a score of 3 or better on the Computer Science Advanced Placement A Examination. For students who lack this experience, they should take COSC 101 their first term, pushing back courses indicated with this footnote by one semester.
  2. Chosen from Volunteer Core  list. Students should try to select courses that satisfy approved areas and Engaged Inquiries  category. Students must have a minimum of 9 credit hours in at least two subject areas for Engaged Inquiries .
  3. Acceptable electives include any 3XX or 4XX COSC or ECE course not already used for completion of degree requirements. Up to three COSC 5XX or ECE 5XX courses may count as upper-division elections. COSC 422  does not count as an acceptable elective.

* Meets Volunteer Core Requirements .

Computer Science Major – Honors Concentration


In addition to satisfying the requirements for the electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science major, candidates for the honors concentration must also complete the following requirements.

* While most students fulfill this requirement with 100- and 200-level courses, students may substitute upper level courses on approval of the Honors faculty.

Computer Science Major – Five-Year BS/MS Program


The department offers a Five-Year BS-MS program for qualified students. The primary component of the program is that qualified students may take up to 9 hours of approved graduate courses for their senior undergraduate electives and have them count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Tennessee. This program is designed for students attending the University of Tennessee for their Master of Science degree because other universities may not accept these courses for graduate credit since they were used to satisfy requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree. Significant components of the program are: 

  • Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.4 to be admitted to the program. Conditional admission may be granted after completing 64 hours of required coursework while full admission is granted after completing 96 hours of required coursework with a minimum overall GPA of 3.4.
  • Students must at least have conditional admission before taking graduate courses for both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. All courses taken for graduate credit must be approved by the departmental chair of the program. Students admitted to the program must request permission from the Graduate School to take approved courses for graduate credit. 
  • Students admitted to the program must also follow the normal procedure for admission to the Graduate School. Admission of students into this program must be approved by the department and the Graduate School.
  • Students will not be eligible for graduate assistantships until they are enrolled as graduate-level students in the Graduate School.