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CS Graduation Requirements

What's required?

Graduation requirements consists of:

• The Computer Science Departmental Requirements
• The College Requirements 
• The University Requirements

Departmental Requirements

A minimum of 120 credit hours are required for completion of the B.S. degree in Computer Science. The curriculum reflects the requirements of the Accreditation Agency (ABET/CAC) and the Tennessee Board of Regents requirements.

 College Requirements

• No student will be allowed to take any departmental courses, major courses, engineering courses, mathematics, and/or science courses without having successfully completed the proper prerequisites for those courses.

• All “D” grades earned in mathematics, science, departmental, or major courses must be repeated the very next time the courses are offered until a minimum grade of “C” is earned. However, students may graduate with a maximum of two “D” grades in these courses.

 
University Requirements

• A minimum of 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative average of “C” (2.00 quality point average).

• A minimum of 42 semester hours must be earned at the 3000 and 4000 level of courses.

• A minimum of 24 semester hours in a major with a minimum of 21 hours at the 3000 and 4000 level.

• Nine semester hours in courses designated as Communication. Of these 9 hours, six semester hours must be in English composition ( ENGL 1010 and 1020 ). Students must earn at least a “C” in each of these courses; if they earn less than a “C” in either course, they must enroll in that course the following semester and repeat it until they raise their grade to at least a “C.” An additional requirement for Communication is a three semester hour in Speech (COMM 2200).

• Nine semester hours in humanities, including at least three semester hours in sophomore literature, from the approved General Education list. The remaining six hours may include one other sophomore literature course and one other approved course from other humanities disciplines. Courses in the other disciplines include ART 1010, MUSC 1010, PHIL 1030, THTR 1020, RELS 2010, HIST 1210, or HIST 1220.

• Six semester hours of introductory-level social behavioral science (AFAS 2010, ANTH 2010, ECON 2010, ECON 2020, GEOG 1010, GEOG 1020, POLI 2010, POLI 1010, PSYC 2010, SOCI 2010, or WMST 2000).

• Six semester hours of a survey of American history (HIST 2010 and 2020). One semester of Tennessee history (HIST 2030) may be substituted for three of these hours.

• Eight semester hours in natural sciences with accompanying laboratories (BIOL 1010/1011 and 1020, BIOL 1110 and 1120, CHEM 1030 and 1040, CHEM 1110 and 1120, PHYS 2010 and 2020, PHYS 2030 and 2040, ASTR 1010 and 1020, plus the appropriate laboratory components which must be taken with all of these classes during the same semester. Students may not take a sequence of BIOL 1010/BIOL 1110; BIOL 1020/BIOL 1120; CHEM 1030/CHEM 1110; CHEM 1040/CHEM 1120.

• Three semester hours in mathematics from the approved list of General Education courses.

• A Senior Project or Senior Seminar.

• At least one academic year in residence and at least 30 semester hours of credit earned in residence with a minimum quality point average of “C” (2.00) are required. Upon matriculation at the University, transfer hours must be approved in writing in advance by the department head and the dean of the school or college in which the student is earning the degree. Additionally, the student must earn the last 30 hours needed for graduation in residence at TSU. Six( 6) of these hours may be taken at another institution with prior written permission from the departmental advisor.

• A degree seeking student may not register concurrently at Tennessee State University and at another institution and receive transfer credit for work taken at the other institution unless permission is granted in advance by the Dean of the school. This applies to correspondence, extension, electronically delivered, or evening courses as well as to regular courses in residence. In no instance can a student receive credit for more than 21 hours in a given semester.

• All students must be admitted to the upper division or professional component of their major. This is normally done in the second semester of the sophomore year, or when approximately 60 hours of degree level credits have been accumulated. Students who change their majors must meet upper division admission requirements in effect for the new major at the time they seek admission to the upper division or professional component for the new major, as opposed to requirements in effect when they entered the University. Upper division admission requirements are specified by each department.

• Students electing to change their major will be required to meet all general education and major requirements listed in the catalog effective at the time they officially change their major.

• All students are required to take the Rising Junior Exam, Senior Exit Exam and any required program major field test exams prior to graduation.

• It is the student’s responsibility to satisfy all degree requirements specified in his/her selected major, minor, or concentration. The University does not assume any responsibility for fees or charges based on a student’s claim of inadequate advisement. Students are responsible for reading and following the applicable catalog.

• Students must be degree seeking. Non-degree seeking and special students do not qualify.