Frequently Asked Questions

1. What courses should I sign up for?
2. What about second semester?
3. What if I have AP or IB credit for Computer Science?
4. Why don't I take Math in my first semester?
5. What if I'm not ready for Calculus?
6. What Math courses must a CS student take?
7. How many credits will I take?
8. How many semesters of foreign language do I need?
9. What writing courses do I need?
10. What if I fail a course?
11. What if I want to change my major?
12. Do I need to have my own computer?

What courses should I sign up for?

---

All first semester students should take CS110 - Introduction to Computer Professionalism and Ethics. In addition, most students will also take CS139 - Algorithm Development in their first semester. The remainder of the first semester schedule is made up of general education courses or special courses like marching band or military science.

What about second semester?

---

Most second semester CS students will take CS239, CS/Math 227, and will begin their calculus sequence while also finishing their General Education Cluster 1 courses. See the web advising page for sample plans of study through all four years of the program.

What if I have AP or IB credit for Computer Science?

---

Students who have achieved a score of 4 or 5 on the CS-A or CS-AB AP exam will receive credit for CS139. Those students may either retake CS139 if they want to strengthen their programming skills or they may directly go into CS239 (Advanced Programming). Consult with your advisor about the best option for you.

Students with a higher-level IB score of 5 or more in Computing Studies receive credit for CS139 and CS238. Again, consult with your advisor about the best placement for you first CS course.

Why don't I take Math in my first semester?

---

Students transitioning from high school to college have many new things to learn, from classroom expectations to living on their own to dealing with other people. We find that many first year students find the workload of CS139 to be challenging within this context and many find the workload of their first college calculus course to be challenging as well. To ease the transition and to enhance the student's ability to succeed in their CS139 and other courses, we recommend delaying the calculus course until the second semester when some of the other transitional issues are lessened.

What if I'm not ready for Calculus?

---

All incoming students take a Math Placement exam which lets us know the level of preparation for the JMU calculus courses. There are several calculus levels from which to choose. If the placement test score indicates that the student is not prepared for calculus, usually the student will take Math 155 or Math 156 (College Algebra) their first semester to strengthen their pre-calculus skills.

What Math courses must a CS student take?

---

All CS students need one calculus course, one statistics course and two semesters of discrete mathematics. In addition, we recommend that students take a second semester of calculus. There are several options for meeting these requirements and your advisor will use your math placement test score to help determine appropriate placement. See the current catalog for specific requirement information.

How many credits will I take?

---

Most first semester freshman in the CS program will take either 13 or 14 hours their first semester. After that, most will take a load of from 14 - 17 credits each semester. The lighter credit hour load is recommended to ease the transition from high school to college. After the first semester, students are more ready to determine an appropriate course level for themselves.

How many semesters of foreign language do I need?

---

Neither the CS major nor the Bachelor of Science requirements require any foreign language. If a student is interested in pursuing a foreign language, they may do so as free electives.

What writing courses do I need?

---

All students at JMU must take GWRTC103 or its equivalent. Some students fulfill this requirement through dual enrollment or AP credit. Others will take this course either their first or second semesters. In addition, all CS students must take WRTC210 (Technical and Scientific Communication) usually in their second year.

What if I fail a course?

---

If you fail a course that is a prerequisite to another course (such as CS139), you must retake the course before you can continue the sequence. You may choose to retake the course under JMU's repeat forgiveness policy or you may choose to simply retake the course. You may only "forgive" two course grades during your time at JMU, so use this option carefully. Upon successful completion of the course, you may then continue the sequence of courses.

What if I want to change my major?

---

All first semester freshman students must see their freshman advisor to change their major. All other students simply need to fill out a change of major form and have their new major department sign the form. For majors with entrance requirements, you may need to fulfill those requirements prior to declaring your major.

Do I need to have my own computer?

---

Most students attending college will have their own computer. There is no special requirement that a first year student must have a computer, but most students benefit from being able to work in their own rooms at their own pace. Most CS courses allow students to work in the computer lab, providing an appropriate environment for that work and students will often do some work in the lab and some work on their own computers. Computer labs are open during the day, evenings, and on the weekends for use by students when classes are not using the facility.