Advising

Contacts / Computer Science Advising

You can contact the Computer Science Department for general information or you can contact an undergraduate advisor during their office hours, in person or by phone for more specific information. The current CS advisors are:

Paul Farrell
MSB 258
330-672-9060
farrell@cs.kent.edu

Dale Haverstock
MSB 251
330-672-9102
dhaverst@cs.kent.edu

Michael Rothstein
MSB 268
330-672-9065
rothstei@cs.kent.edu

Arden Ruttan
MSB 270
330-672-9066
ruttan@cs.kent.edu

Gwenn Volkert
MSB 216
330-672-9037
volkert@cs.kent.edu

Please contact our undergraduate advisors at: ugradinfo@cs.kent.edu.

For information about University graduation requirements look at the College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Advising page.

Schedule an Advising Appointment

Office Hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Becoming a CS Major

In order to become a Computer Science Major you need to work with the Department of Computer Science (241 MSB) and the College of Arts & Sciences (105 Bowman):

1. Go to the College of Arts & Sciences (105 Bowman) and inform them you want to officially declare your major. The College will give you a Request for Change of Program Form and a copy of the Computer Science Major Requirements sheet. This will list the course requirements that you need to fulfill for the Bachelors Degree in Computer Science.
2. Go to the Department of Computer Science (241 MSB) with the form and the sheet. You will need to see the undergraduate advisor who will answer your general questions.
3. When you meet with the undergraduate advisor they will answer your questions and then assign you a faculty advisor. You will be given their name, office number, phone number, and office hours.
4. You will then meet with your faculty advisor by stopping by during their office hours or by e-mailing/calling and arranging an appointment. Your faculty advisor will go over the Major Requirements sheet with you and make sure that you understand it.
5. Your faculty advisor will then sign the Request for Change of Program Form.
6. After meeting with your faculty advisor and getting their signature on the Request for Change of Program Form, you will need to return the form to the College of Arts & Sciences (105 Bowman)

You should meet with the undergraduate advisor or your faculty advisor every semester to make sure that you are on track and to deal with any questions or problems that you may have.

Choosing Your First CS Course

The Department of Computer Science offers three different introductory courses that have the word "computer" in the title. Choosing the correct one based only on the title can be a bit confusing. The courses are also undergoing some title and content changes, thus adding to the confusion. However, each of the courses is intended for a specific audience.

CS 10001 Computer Literacy

• CS 10001 is for non-computer science majors.
• CS 10001 is a general introduction to using computers. Various computer software applications (for example, MS Word, Excel etc) are covered along with many of the issues, terms, and concepts for a general computer user.
• The course involves homework, lab assignments using the computer, and exams. MS Windows machines are currently used with Internet, word processing, and spreadsheets. No computer programs are written.
• Computer science majors cannot receive credit for CS 10001.

CS 10051 Introduction to Computer Science

• CS 10051 is an overview of computer science. The course starts with algorithms and shows how hardware, software, programming languages, and applications are realizations of algorithms.
• CS 10051 is a 4 credit hour course and includes a formal lab.
• This class is also excellent for the student who wants a broad overview of computer science (not just computers). This includes students who will be making decisions involving computers in their professions (which may soon include almost everyone in this country).

Course substitutions for students on an old catalog

Every student must fulfill the degree requirements specified in the Undergraduate Catalog to graduate. The Requirements Sheet, available from the College of Arts & Sciences, summarizes a catalog's graduation requirements. These requirements may change from one catalog year to the next. A student only needs to fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog they started under. However, students may choose to graduate under a later catalog.

The undergraduate curriculum recently underwent a number of changes and improvements. The effect of these changes caused a number of significant course changes including numbering changes, prerequisite changes, and discontinuation of courses. Below are a number of pre allowed course substitutions for students on older catalogs and can no longer meet their requirements because of these changes. Permission is not needed for these substitutions. Each substituted course can only count for one requirement.

If you plan to stay with on an older undergraduate catalog:

• CS 33003 Computer Organization and Assembly Language can be replaced with any CS 30000 or CS 40000 level elective
• CS 33005 Symbolic Programming Languages can be replaced with any CS 30000 or CS 40000 level elective
• CS 45101 Computer Architecture is replaced by CS 35101 Computer Architecture
• CS 43201 Operating Systems is replaced by CS 33211 Operating Systems
• The requirement of CS 42201 Introduction to Numerical Computing I or CS 46201 Automata and Formal Languages can be substituted with CS 45201 Computer Communication Networks, CS 43901 Software Engineering, or CS 43005 Introduction To Database System Design
• CS 43111 Structure of Compilers can be substituted with CS 45201 Computer Communication Networks, CS 43901 Software Engineering, or CS 43005 Introduction to Database System Design
• CS 31011 Discrete Math is replaced by CS 23022 Discrete Structures for Computer Science

If you plan to move from an old catalog to the 2003/04 or 2005/06 catalog:

• For CS 30000-level electives you can use CS 33003 Computer Organization and Assembly Language or CS 33005 Symbolic Programming Languages if you have taken the course
• CS 35101 Computer Architecture can be substituted with CS 45101 Computer Architecture
• CS 33211 Operating Systems can be substituted with CS 43211 Operating Systems
• CS 33101 Structure of Programming Languages can be substituted with CS 43101 Structure of Programming Languages
• CS 23022 Discrete Structures for Computer Science can be substituted with CS 31011 Discrete Math
• CS 29995-001 ST:Discrete Structures for Computer Science (Spring 2005) can be substituted for CS 23022

Course Credit for AP Exams

New incoming students with a score of 4 or 5 on the Computer Science AP Exam (either A or AB) will receive course credit for CS 23021 CS I: Programming and Problem Solving.

Credit for this course is given by the Honors College. Students must contact the Honors College and forward their materials there. Additionally, you must contact a Computer Science undergraduate advisor to determine into what course you should be placed.