Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Computer Science and Cybersecurity, BS Major in


This program is designed to cover all required knowledge units defined by the National Security Agency (NSA) - National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). Graduates of the BS in computer science and cybersecurity program will:

  • Advance in graduate studies or be successful practitioners in applied fields of computer science and cybersecurity.
  • Apply communication and organizational skills in the context of ethical issues affecting the discipline or society.
  • Think critically and creatively to solve local or global problems and become lifelong learners and contributors to society.
  • Apply knowledge and skills to solve problems effectively and efficiently and to contribute to the technical advancement of computer science and cybersecurity.

Program Requirements


Candidates for graduation must fulfill the following requirements as well as the general BS degree requirements.

1. The Successful Completion of at Least 124 Semester Hours


The successful completion of at least 124 semester hours and a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in work completed at Hofstra.

2. Liberal Arts


A minimum of 60 semester hours must be in liberal arts courses.  

3. Residence Requirements


There are two requirements that must ordinarily be completed in residence at Hofstra: 15 semester hours in the major field of specialization and the last 30 semester hours. The 15 semester hours need not be included within the last 30 hours.

4. Writing and Composition


WSC 001  and 002 , or placement examination (see University Degree Requirements).  If this requirement is fulfilled by passing the placement examination, the 6 s.h. in the humanities or social sciences should be taken with adviser’s approval.

WSC 001 - Composition   

and

WSC 002 - Composition  

or placement examination1, see University Degree Requirements .

5. Humanities Distribution


3 semester hours in appreciation and analysis—literature (LT) distribution courses.

6. Social Sciences Distribution


3 semester hours in history and philosophy (HP) and 3 semester hours in behavioral social sciences (BH) distribution courses.

7. Cross-Cultural Distribution


3 semester hours in cross-cultural (CC) distribution courses.

8. Humanities and/or Social Science


Additional 6 semester hours, not limited to distribution courses.

9. Minimum Requirements in the Major


Includes computer science requirements, mathematics requirements, and natural sciences requirements.

The senior design topic must be in cybersecurity.

Computer Science Requirements


Natural Science Requirements


One two-semester sequence of science courses with laboratories (PHYS 11A & 11B and 12A & 12B, or CHEM 3A & 3B and 4A & 4B, or BIO 11 and 12), and at least one additional 3 semester hours course for science majors.

10. A Grade of C- or Better


A grade of C- or better in all courses required for the major.

11. An Overall Average of C or Better


An overall average of C or better in required in CSC 14, 15, 16, and 24 for continuation in the major.  In addition, a student may not take any of these four courses more than twice.

Suggested Four-Year Sequence (124 s.h.)


First Year


  1st. Sem. 2nd. Sem
MATH 071 MATH 072   4 4
CSC 014 ,015 ,016 ,024   8 7
Distribution - 3
WSC 001 002   3 3
Total 15 17

 

Second Year


  1st. Sem. 2nd.Sem.
CSC 015S 017  , 184   3 3
CSC 110 , 110A   3 1
CSC 111 , 112   3 3
CSC 163 , 175   - 4
Science I (PHYS 011A  011B , 012A , 012B  or CHEM 003A , 003B , 004A , 004B  or BIOL 113 , 112 ) 4-5 4-5
Distribution 3 -
Total 16-17 15-16

 

Third Year


  1st. Sem. 2nd. Sem.
CSC 120 , 161   3 3
CSC 123 , CSC 190   3 3
CSC 170 , 183   3 3
CSC 155   3 -
Science/Distribution 3 6
Total 15 15

 

Fourth Year


  1st. Sem. 2nd. Sem.
CSC 197A , 197B   1 1
CSC 198F , 198S   0.5 0.5
CSC 115 , 188   3 3
CSC 185   3 -
Distribution 3 3
Free electives 6 7
Total 16.5 14.5

 

Footnotes


If this requirement is fulfilled by passing the placement examination, 6 semester hours in the humanities or social sciences should be taken with adviser’s approval.

2 Students taking BIO 11 and BIO 12 as part of their Natural Science requirements will have to take BIO 12 and CHEM 3A as prerequisites to BIO 11. The sequence of three courses BIO 12, CHEM 3A and BIO 11 will then fulfill the Natural Science requirements.