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2021-2022

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Computer Science (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Computer Science

Program description

The Department of Computer Science offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a rigorous, highly concentrated curriculum of computer science courses. It includes advanced study in several important areas of computer science and provides a strong foundation in this discipline. Every course is taught by full-time faculty members who also serve as advisers to both undergraduate and graduate students.


The master’s degree emphasizes continuing self-development of individuals currently engaged in science-, technology- and engineering-related fields. It prepares persons who have completed undergraduate majors in these fields for entry into careers in areas that use computing technology. Both the theoretical and applied aspects of computer science are emphasized in this program. The program offers courses in a wide range of areas in computer science, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and cloud computing, data mining, bioinformatics, and medical informatics.

Career opportunities

Computer science (CS) spans the range from theory through programming to cutting-edge development of computing solutions. Computer science offers a foundation that permits graduates to adapt to new technologies and new ideas. The work of computer scientists falls into three categories: a) designing and building software; b) developing effective ways to solve computing problems, such as storing information in databases, sending data over networks or providing new approaches to security problems; and c) devising new and better ways of using computers and addressing particular challenges in areas such as robotics, computer vision, or digital forensics.   

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Computer programmer
  • Cybersecurity engineer
  • Data engineer or architect
  • Project manager
  • Sales engineer
  • Scrum master
  • Software engineer or developer
  • Software quality assurance and test engineer
  • Web or mobile app developer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • College Professor
  • Computer Architecture Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Lead Software Engineer
  • Machine Learning Engineer/Scientist
  • Project Leader
  • Research & Development Engineer
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Review requirements of Engineering Admission Agreement
Completion of associate degree (A.S. in Engineering or A.S. in Science)
Minimum GPA of 3.0
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Earn a minimum grade of "B" in all your math, science and engineering classes

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 201 or higher
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 3.0+ cumulative GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Computer Science with concentration in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Software Engineering

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Computer Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Register for SDV 100/101.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or College of Engineering-related events.
  • Browse careers related to Computer Science through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Explore the accelerated BS to MS in Computer Science program.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the bachelor's degree: cybersecurity, data science, and software engineering.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Register for SDV 100/101.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or College of Engineering-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Computer Science through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Explore the accelerated BS to MS in Computer Science program.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the bachelor's degree: cybersecurity, data science, and software engineering.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Computer Science)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV SDV 100 or SDV 101 UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
CSC 200 Introduction to Computer Science CMSC 210 4 General education
CST CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
MTH 167 MTH 167 Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry (Students taking the two semester sequence of precalculus must take both MTH 161 and 162 for a total of 6 credits) MATH 151 5 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
CSC 201 Computer Science I (earn minimum grade of "B") CMSC 255 4 Major
MTH 263 MTH 263 Calculus I (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 200 4 Major (Ancillary)
Humanities/Fine Arts #1 Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art II OR PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy I OR PHI 111 Logic I OR PHI 220 Ethics OR REL 100 Introduction to the Study of Religion OR REL 231 Religions of the World I VCU equivalent 3 General education
CSC 202 CSC 202 Computer Science II (earn minimum grade of "B") CMSC 256 4 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts #2 (Select 1): CST 151 Film Appreciation I OR ENG 241 Survey of American Literature I OR ENG 242 Survey of American Literature II OR ENG 243 Survey of English Literature I OR ENG 244 Survey of English Literature II OR ENG 251 Survey of World Literature I OR ENG 252 Survey of World Literature II VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 264 MTH 264 Calculus II (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 201 4 Major (Ancillary)
Science #1 BIO 101 General Biology I OR CHM 111 College Chemistry I OR PHY 231 General University Physics I (students must select a two-semester sequence) BIOL/Z 151 or CHEM/Z 101 or PHYS 207 4 Major (Ancillary)
Social/Behavioral Science #1 ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics (completing ECO 201-202 will fulfill the ECON 205 requirement) ECON 211 3 Major (Ancillary)
Computer Science elective CSC 205 Computer Organization CMSC 311 4 Major
History Select 1: HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II OR HIS 111 History of World Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR HIS 122 United States History II HIST 3 General education
Science #2 Select 1: BIO 102 General Biology II OR CHM 112 College Chemistry II OR PHY 232 General University Physics II (take second class in the two-semester sequence) BIOL/Z 152 or CHEM/Z 102 or PHYS 208 4 Major (Ancillary)
Social/Behavioral Science #2 ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics (completing ECO 201-202 will fulfill the ECON 205 requirement) ECON 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
Northern Virginia Credits transferred to VCU 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
CMSC 257 Computer Systems 4 Major
CMSC 302 Introduction to Discrete Structures 3 Major
CMSC 303 Introduction to the Theory of Computation 3 Major
CMSC 312 Introduction to Operating Systems 3 Major
CMSC 355 Fundamentals of Software Engineering 3 Major
CMSC 401 Algorithm Analysis with Advanced Data Structures 3 Major
CMSC 403 Programming Languages 3 Major
CMSC 440 Data Communication and Networking 3 Major
CMSC 451 Senior Project I 3 Major
CMSC 452 Senior Project II 3 Major
CMSC 508 Database Theory 3 Major
CMSC CMSC upper-level electives (300- or 400-level) 9 Major
STAT 212 Concepts of Statistics 3 Major (Ancillary)
MATH Select 2 upper-level MATH course (300-level) 6 Major (Ancillary)
BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS course that counts toward major in that science 3 Major (Ancillary)
BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS course that counts toward major in that science 3 Major (Ancillary)
Credits completed at VCU 58
Bachelor's degree total 120