Requirements for a CS concentration

Note: The Computer Science concentration is available to students entered St. Olaf prior to the approval of the CS major in late Fall 2002.

St. Olaf's Computer Science (CS) concentration is a substantial multi-level exploration of the discipline of CS that builds on a breadth-first, hands-on introduction to the discipline, takes a team-based approach to software design (possibly including interdisciplinary team projects, introduces ethical and social analysis, and emphasizes written and oral communication skills and other aspects of a liberal arts education. See also the most recent catalog description of the concentration.

A CS concentration is arranged by individual contract between the program and a student, which helps both the student and the program with academic planning and builds in the potential to adapt requirements according to special circumstances and particular educational objectives. See Dick Brown (rab@stolaf.edu) to arrange a contract.

The CS concentration requires six credits in CS. In the guidelines below, proposed course numbers are included, with references to existing course numbers as appropriate; general education credits are currently pending approval in most cases. Further information about the courses is provided in summary or detailed format; see also additional documents related to the curriculum.

Guidelines

A typical CS concentration ordinarily the following courses.

• CS1, Principles of Computer Science, future CS 121 (existing CS 172). [MAR]. No prerequisite.
• SD, Software Design and Implementation, future CS 251 (existing CS 272). [WRI]. Prerequisite: CS1.
• HD, Hardware Design, future CS 241 (existing CS 274). Prerequisite: CS1.
• ADS, Algorithms and Data Structures, future CS 253 (modification of existing CS 372). Prerequisites: SD, MFC.
• PL, Programming Languages, future CS 276 (existing CS 376). Prerequisites: HD, SD.
• An approved sixth course in CS.