CAS: Mathematics & Computer Science

Students with advising inquiries should work with advisors from the Computer Science and Mathematics departments.

Computer Science Advising: Students should contact the appropriate CS Academic Advisor below based on the first letter of their last name:

• A – CH: Pluto Davis (pjdavis@bu.edu)
• Ci – J: Libby James (etjames@bu.edu)
  
• K – M: CS Advising (csadvise@bu.edu)
• N – S: Michael Coulombe (coulombe@bu.edu)
  
• T- Z: Stacie Nardizzi (nardizzi@bu.edu)

Mathematics Advising:

• First-years and Sophomores: Please contact Ella Connolly (e11a@bu.edu)
• Rising Juniors: Please contact Genevieve Schortz (gschortz@bu.edu)

Upon completion of the CGS program, students must have earned credit towards the following 10 courses:

• Humanities: 3 courses
  • Choose two from CGS HU 103, CGS HU 201, or CGS HU 202
  • CGS HU 104*
• Natural Sciences: 2 courses
  • CGS NS 201 and CGS NS 202
• Rhetoric: 2 courses
  • CGS RH 103 and CGS RH 104*
• Social Sciences: 3 courses
  • Choose two from CGS SS 103, CGS SS 201, or CGS SS 202
  • CGS SS 104*

*Required course taken during the Summer term.

Principal Courses

Unless otherwise noted, all required courses are 4 unit hours. The following courses have to be taken at Boston University and cannot be transferred: CS320, CS332, CS350.

Lower Division

• CAS CS 111 and CS 112 Introduction to Computer Science I & II, or equivalent
• CAS CS 210 Computer Systems
• CAS MA 123 and MA 124 Calculus I & II or one of the following:
  • CAS MA 127 Enriched Calculus, MA 129 Honors Calculus, or equivalent
• CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus or MA 230 Honors-Level Vector Calculus
• CAS MA 242 Linear Algebra or MA 442 Honors Level Linear Algebra
• CAS MA 293 Discrete Mathematics or CAS CS 131 Combinatorial Algorithms*
• CAS MA 294 Applied Abstract Algebra
• CAS MA 581 Probability** OR CAS CS 237 Probability in Computing

*If a student uses CAS 131 to fulfill the lower division requirement, MA 293 cannot be used as one of the additional MA courses level 200 or above for the upper division requirements.

**CAS MA 581 may also count toward the Upper Division requirement of two MA courses level 200 or above.

Upper Division

• CAS CS 330 Introduction to Analysis of Algorithms
• Two of the following:
  • CAS CS 320 Concepts of Programming Languages
  • CAS CS 332 Elements of the Theory of Computation
  • CAS CS 350 Fundamentals of Computing Systems
• Two additional computer science courses level 400 or above
• One two-course sequence selected from:
  • CAS MA 531–532 Mathematical Logic/Foundations of Mathematics
  • CAS MA 541–542 Modern Algebra I & II
  • CAS MA 555–556 Numerical Analysis I & II
  • CAS MA 569–570 Optimization Methods of Operations Research/Stochastic Methods of Operations Research
  • CAS MA 581, 582, 583 Probability, Mathematical Statistics, Introduction to Stochastic Processes (any two)
• Two additional MA courses level 200 or above

For more information about the major, please refer to the Bulletin.

• Completion of the CGS curriculum and appropriate electives
• Cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.00

Boston University students completing a degree in CAS must also complete the following requirements. 

• BU Hub requirements
  • Students who take the specific CGS courses noted on the pathway above will fulfill all BU Hub requirements except those listed below. These remaining Hub requirements will be fulfilled through the following courses:
    • Quantitative Reasoning II (1 requirement) fulfilled by CAS CS 111 or CAS CS 112
    • Creativity/Innovation (2 requirements) fulfilled by CAS CS 111 and CAS CS 112
  • You will fulfill the remaining Hub requirements – Teamwork/Collaboration (1 requirement), Writing-Intensive Course (1 requirement) – through the courses you take for your CAS major, other electives, or Hub Cocurricular Experiences.
• CAS requirements:
  • Second Language requirement
  • Natural Sciences Laboratory requirement*
• Mathematics & Computer Science major requirements
• CAS requires a minimum of 128 units, excluding PDP, ROTC, and FY and SY courses.

*Note: The CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory Requirement is met through completion of College of General Studies Program of Study.