The computer science (CS+) major is based in the Department of Mathematics, in collaboration with the Paul H. Chook Department of Information Systems and Statistics.
Students who participate in the CS+ program will be prepared to do programming in multiple widely used programming languages, and will develop the intellectual and attitudinal wherewithal to solve challenging practical and theoretical problems. That will include technical understanding of the theoretical foundations of computer science, as well as practical topics such as computer architecture and operating systems. The students will engage with the most exciting and promising modern topics, such as machine learning, penetration testing, and blockchain technologies.
Computer expertise is becoming desirable and even indispensable in a wide variety of areas. Expert programming abilities can prove extremely useful in an increasing number of professions, such as marketing, finance, and science. For that reason, the Computer Science Major is offered with the following concentrations:
Computer Science – General
Applied Linguistics
Biology
Cybersecurity – NEW
Environmental Science
Financial Mathematics
Philosophy – NEW
Physics
Psychology
Requirements for the Major
NOTE: CIS courses completed for this major do not count toward the 90 liberal arts credit minimum for the BS degree.
*** Students must also meet the following requirement to gain admission to the program ***
· In Options 1,2, and 4, the combined calculus GPA must be at least 3.5 out of 4.0.
· MTH 3300 (or CIS 2300) and MTH 3150 with a minimum grade of B in each course.
Students need the equivalent of two semesters of calculus, which may be satisfied by one of the following four options:
Option 1:
MTH 2600 Calculus I with Trigonometry Refresher or MTH 2610 Calculus I or Calculus AP Exam (AB) with a score of 4 or 5 (transfers to Baruch as MTH 2610)
4 credits
MTH 3010 Calculus II
4 credits
Option 2:
MTH 2205 Precalculus and Elements of Calculus 1B or MTH 2206 Applied Calculus or MTH 2207 Elements of Calculus I and Matrix Algebra
4 credits
MTH 3006 Elements of Calculus II
4 credits
Option 3:
Calculus AP Exam (BC) with a score of 4 or 5 (transfers to Baruch as MTH 3010)
8 credits
Option 4:
MTH 2630 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
5 credits
Students who fail to obtain sufficiently high grades to enter the program may be able to use MTH 3300 or MTH 3150 as part of a computer science (CS) minor. Contact the Department of Mathematics for more information.
The CS minor applies to the College Option liberal arts minor degree requirement. There is no GPA stipulation attached to College Option courses, but to graduate with the minor on the final transcript, a student must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the three courses that make up his or her liberal arts minor.
Students in all concentrations must complete the following courses:
MTH 3150
Discrete Math: An Invitation to Computer Science
4 credits
MTH 3300
or
CIS 2300
Algorithms, Computers, and Programming I
Programming and Computational Thinking
3 credits
MTH 3210
A First Course in Linear Algebra
3 credits
MTH 4300**
Algorithms, Computers and Programming II**
3 credits
MTH 4320
Data Structures and Algorithms (formerly Fundamental Algorithms)
4 credits
MTH 4350
Computer Architecture
4 credits
MTH 4355
Operating Systems
4 credits
MTH 4360
Complexity and Computational Models
4 credits
* Students with credit for CIS 3100 should take MTH 4299, Pointer-Based Data Structures (1 credit) instead.
Students must take one to four courses from this list, depending on their concentration:
CIS 3400
Database management systems
3 credits
CIS 3500
Computer Networking
3 credits
CIS 3630
Principles of Web Design
3 credits
CIS 4160
Web Application Development
3 credits
CIS 4560
Ethical Hacking
3 credits
MTH 4135
Computational Methods in Probability
3 credits
MTH 4140
Graph Theory
4 credits
MTH 4150
Combinatorics
4 credits
MTH 4250
Cryptography
4 credits
MTH 4322
Computer Science Internship Seminar
3 credits
MTH 4325
Programming Languages
4 credits
MTH 4330
Introduction to Machine Learning
4 credits
MTH 4333
Advanced Topics in Machine Learning
4 credits
MTH 4335
Introduction to Natural Language Processing
4 credits
MTH 4370
Software Design
4 credits
MTH 4375
Applied Data Privacy
4 credits
MTH 4380
Computer and Network Security
4 credits
MTH 4395
Special Topics in Computer Science
3 credits
Students must select one of the following concentrations:
COMPUTER SCIENCE – GENERAL
Concentration Requirements: 12-16 credits
Students must complete four courses from the computer science electives list.
APPLIED LINGUISTICS
This concentration focuses on Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). The faculty mentor is Professor Brooke Schreiber.
Concentration Requirements: 12-14 credits
· Computer Science Elective Courses: Two courses from the computer science electives list
· Linguistics Elective Courses: Two courses from below
ENG/COM 3700
Or
ENG/COM 3750
Introduction to Linguistics: The Study of Language
The Structure and History of English
3 credits
ENG 3960
Topics in Language
3 credits
BIOLOGY
This concentration focuses on bioinformatics. The biology faculty mentors are Dr. Zachary Calamari and Dr. Rebecca Spokony.
Concentration Requirements: 13-15 credits
· Computer Science Elective Courses: Two courses from the computer science electives list
· Biology Required Courses: Two courses from below
BIO/ENV 2100
Biostatistics
3 credits
BIO 4280
Bioinformatics
4 credits
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The environmental science faculty mentor is Dr. Stephen Gosnell.
Concentration Requirements: 20-22 credits
· Prerequisite ENV Courses: ENV 1003 and ENV 1004 (these courses apply to the Pathways science requirements)
· Computer Science Elective Courses: Two courses from the computer science electives list *
· Environmental Studies Elective Courses: Two courses from below
* Students in this concentration are encouraged to take MTH 4330 Machine Learning
ENV 3016
Environmental Modeling
4 credits
ENV 4900
Topics in Environmental Science
4 credits
FINANCIAL MATHEMATICS
This concentration is focused on computational finance. The mathematical finance faculty mentor is Dr. Douglas Howard.
Concentration Requirements: 15-16 credits
· Computer Science Elective Courses: One course from the computer science electives list *
· Financial Mathematics Elective Courses: Three courses from below
* Students in this concentration are encouraged to take MTH 4330 Machine Learning
MTH 4115
Numerical Methods for Differential Equations in Finance
Note: Students may use MTH 4100 or MTH 3150 as a
prerequisite for this course
4 credits
MTH 4120
Introduction to Probability
4 credits
MTH 4500
Introductory Financial Mathematics
4 credits
PHYSICS
This concentration is focused on computational physics. The physics faculty mentors are Dr. Adrian Dumitru and Dr. Stefan Bathe.
Concentration Requirements: 14-16 credits
· Computer Science Elective Courses: Two courses from the computer science electives list
· Physics Elective Courses: Two courses from below
PHY 3004
Physics on the Computer with Python
4 credits
PHY 4004
Statistical Physics with Applications to Mathematical Finance
4 credits
PSYCHOLOGY
This concentration includes computational work in one of Baruch’s psychology laboratories. The psychology mentors are Dr. Tatiana Emmanouil and Dr. Jennifer Mangels.
Concentration Requirements: 13-14 credits
· Prerequisite Course: PSY 1001 General Psychology (This course may be applied to the Pathways Flexible Core)
· Computer Science Elective Courses: One course from the computer science electives list
· Psychology Elective Courses: Three courses from below
PSY 3001
Research Methods in Psychology
4 credits
PSY 5030
Research Practicum in Psychology
3 credits
One of the following courses:
PSY 3056
Social Psychology
3 credits
PSY 3067
The Psychology of Motivation and Learning
3 credits
PSY 3081
Cognitive Psychology
3 credits
PSY/BIO 3082
Mind, Brain, and Behavior
3 credits
CYBERSECURITY
The cybersecurity mentor is Dr. Trevor Moores.
Concentration Requirements: 13 credits
Cybersecurity Elective Courses: Four courses
CIS 3500
Computer Networking
3 credits
CIS 3550
Cybersecurity
3 credits
CIS 4560
Ethical Hacking
3 credits
MTH 4250
Cryptography
4 credits
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy mentors are Dr. Elizabeth Edenberg and Dr. Dan Li.
Concentration Requirements: 12-13 credits
· Computer Science Elective Courses: One course from the computer science electives list
Three courses from below
PHI 3270
Technology, Ethics, & Society
Note: students who completed PHI 3270 as Computer Ethics prior to the Spring of 2025 can count this towards the concentration
3 credits
PHI 3040
Artificial Intelligence and Computer Minds
3 credits
PHI 3280
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
3 credits
Students are expected to complete the major requirements in place at the time they are officially accepted into their programs. Please review the College Bulletin for the relevant academic year.
