Northern Illinois University

Computer Science

Minor in Computer Science

Contents

Declaring the Minor

The total number of students accepted as minors into the Department of Computer Science is limited by available resources. To be eligible for declaration, you must have:

  • Completed or be placed beyond MATH 110, MATH 206, MATH 210, MATH 211, or MATH 229
  • Completed or be currently enrolled in CSCI 240.
  • Completed or be currently enrolled in at least one required Computer Science class at NIU.
  • Attended a pre-major/minor meeting. Sign up for the meeting at the Department of Computer Science during the second week of the semester in which you’re enrolled in CSCI 240.
  • Earned least 30 semester hours of credit with a minimum 2.50 cumulative gradepoint average.

Applications for the minor should be submitted during the 3rd through 6th weeks of the fall or spring semester or 2nd through 4th weeks of summer term. Students enrolled at NIU may petition for declaration in the term in which they are completing the final requirements for admission to the minor. Normally, students will be informed about the status of their petitions to declare after final grades are posted for the semester in which they apply. See “Declaring the Major” at left for further information.

Recommended Program for Minors

The following requirements follow the 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog; requirements for prior catalogs differ. Please see "Choosing a Catalog Year" at left for guidelines on choosing a catalog. If you are on a prior catalog, you may switch to a newer catalog if you feel it would benefit you. Make an appointment with the Undergraduate Advisor if you would like to discuss the issue.

We recommend that Computer Science minors take only a single computer science course per semester if at all possible. Under those circumstances, the following is the ideal course sequencing:

  • Completion of or placement through Math 110 (the prerequisite for all CSCI classes)
  • CSCI 240
  • CSCI 241
  • Choice of CSCI 330 or 360
  • Final two semesters: A 290-or-above CSCI elective, and a 400-level CSCI elective. Choose from the following, keeping in mind that your choices of prior computer science courses may mean that you don't have the required prerequisites for every course on the list:
    • CSCI 290 (not predictably available)
    • CSCI 330 or 360 (whichever was not chosen above)
    • CSCI 340 (previously numbered CSCI 440)
    • CSCI 350
    • CSCI 462 (available only in spring terms)
    • CSCI 463
    • CSCI 465
    • CSCI 466
    • CSCI 467
    • CSCI 470
    • CSCI 473
    • CSCI 475
    • CSCI 476 (not predictably available)
    • CSCI 490

CSCI 240 is the only firm prerequisite for CSCI 241, CSCI 330, and CSCI 360, so these latter three classes could be taken in a different order if necessary, or two courses could be taken together in the same semester. In either case, this should be done only after consultation with the Computer Science advisor.