Computer Science Minor

Summary

The Computer Science minor prepares students to apply the tools and theory of computer science to their major field of study. Applications in multi-disciplinary fields including art, biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, cognitive science, music, and the social sciences can benefit from a deeper understanding of computer science. 

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Degree

Minor

Total Credits

28

Locations

Mankato

Career Cluster

Information Technology

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Program Requirements

Core

This course provides conceptual and logical tools for students planning to major in a computing-based major. Programming in a high-level language such as C++, Python, or Java, and the development of skills in abstraction, problem-solving, and algorithmic thinking are emphasized.

Prerequisites: MATH 112 or MATH 113 or MATH 115 or MATH 121

This course is a continuation of CIS 121. Students develop a basic knowledge of programming skills and object-oriented concepts, and use fundamental data structures such as lists, stacks, queues, and trees.

Prerequisites: CIS 121. Select One Course: MATH 112, MATH 113, MATH 115, MATH 121, or MATH 130

This course builds on CS 122 (Data Structures) with coverage of advanced data structures and associated algorithms, including trees, graphs, hashing, searching, priority queues, and memory management. Formal proof techniques, the analysis of best, worst, and expected cases, and the development of efficient algorithms are emphasized. Use of effect-free programming, first-class functions, and higher-order operations such as map, reduce, and filter are explored.

Prerequisites: MATH 121 and CS 111 or CIS 122 or IT 214

Limits, continuity, the derivative and applications, transcendental functions, L'Hopital's Rule, and development of the Riemann integral.

Prerequisites: Satisfy Placement Table in this section, MATH 115 or both MATH 112 and MATH 113 with "C" (2.0) or better.

Goal Areas: GE-04

This course is an introduction to mathematical concepts needed in computer science, including sets, relations and functions, propositional logic, proof techniques, recurrence relations, graphs and trees, and discrete probability. This course is not intended for students pursuing a degree in mathematics.

Prerequisites: MATH 121 with "C" (2.0) or better or consent.

Restricted Electives

There are two options for this minor. Option 1 includes intelligent systems and focuses on AI, machine learning, data mining and human computer interaction. Option 2 includes computer architecture and is flexible across all topics in computer science.

Select one option.

Option 1 Required

Fundamentals of data mining and knowledge discovery. Methods include decision tree algorithms, association rule generators, neural networks, and web-based mining. Rule-based systems and intelligent agents are introduced. Students learn how to apply data-mining tools to real-world problems.

Prerequisites: CIS 121

Option 2 Required

This course presents historical and current concepts and implementations of computer organization. Topics include instruction set design, digital storage, performance metrics, processor datapath and control, pipelining, memory hierarchy, busses and I/O interfacing, and parallel processors.

Prerequisites: CS 111 or CIS 122or IT 214

Option 1 Electives - Choose 4 Credit(s). CS Topics courses can be repeated for credit. Only CS courses fulfill this requirement.

This course introduces the foundational concepts of programming languages, including the principles of language design, language constructs, and comparison of major languages. Topics include formal methods of examining syntax and semantics of languages and lexical analysis of language components and constructs, and propositional and predicate calculi.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224, and admission to major.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to programming languages such as syntax analysis, semantic analysis, code generation, runtime systems, static analysis, advanced programming constructs, concurrency and parallelism, type systems, formal semantics, language pragmatics, and logic programming. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to intelligent systems such as Basic Search Strategies, Basic Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Basic Machine Learning, Advanced Search, Advanced Representation and Reasoning, Reasoning Under Uncertainty, Agents, Natural Language Processing, Advanced Machine Learning, Robotics, and Perception and Computer Vision. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to human computer interaction such as designing interaction, programming interactive systems, user-centered design and testing, new interactive technologies, collaboration & communication, statistical methods for HCI, human factors and security, design-oriented HCI, and mixed, augmented and virtual reality. This course builds on the use of modern compilers. Related topics covered include lexical scanning, parsing, type checking, code generation and translation, optimization, and compile-time and run-time support for modern programming languages.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Option 2 Electives - Choose 4 Credit(s). CS Topics courses can be repeated for credit. Only CS courses fulfill this requirement.

This course introduces the foundational concepts of operating systems including operating systems principles, concurrency, scheduling, dispatch, and memory management and prepares students for advanced topics in operating systems.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224 or EE 234, and admission to major.

This course introduces the foundational concepts of software engineering, and parallel and distributed computing and prepares students for advanced topics in these areas.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224, and admission to major.

This course introduces the foundational concepts of programming languages, including the principles of language design, language constructs, and comparison of major languages. Topics include formal methods of examining syntax and semantics of languages and lexical analysis of language components and constructs, and propositional and predicate calculi.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224, and admission to major.

This course introduces the foundational concepts of Information Management, Database Systems, Data Modeling, Data Security, Secure Design, Defensive Programming, Security and Cryptography.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224, and admission to major.

An introduction to data communications and networks. The field encompasses local area networks, wide area networks, and wireless communication. Topics include digital signals, transmission techniques, error detection and correction, OSI model, TCP/IP model, network topologies, network protocols, and communications hardware.

Prerequisites: CIS 223 and CIS 224 or EE 234

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to operating systems such as security and protection, virtual machines, device management, file systems, real time and embedded systems, fault tolerance and system performance evaluation. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to programming languages such as syntax analysis, semantic analysis, code generation, runtime systems, static analysis, advanced programming constructs, concurrency and parallelism, type systems, formal semantics, language pragmatics, and logic programming. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to networking and computation such as mobility and social networking and expansion of topics covered in CS 306. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to algorithms and computing such as advanced computational complexity, automata theory and computability, and advanced data structures algorithms and analysis. This includes the theoretical underpinnings of modern computer science, focusing on three main models of computation: DFA, PDA and Turing Machines. Students determine model capabilities and limitations: what is and is not computable by each of them.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to parallel and distributed computing such as parallel algorithms, architecture, and performance, distributed systems, cloud computing, and formal models and semantics. These have been called techniques for High Performance Computing. Topics also include application areas and basic concepts of parallel computing, hardware design of modern HPC platforms and parallel programming models, methods of measuring and characterizing serial and parallel performance.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to computer architecture and organization such as functional organization, multiprocessing and alternative architectures, and performance enhancements. This includes topics in computer architecture including a major emphasis on measuring and improving computer performance. Topics include advances in pipelining and analysis and optimization of storage systems and networks, multiprocessor challenges and trends.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to intelligent systems such as Basic Search Strategies, Basic Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Basic Machine Learning, Advanced Search, Advanced Representation and Reasoning, Reasoning Under Uncertainty, Agents, Natural Language Processing, Advanced Machine Learning, Robotics, and Perception and Computer Vision. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to information management such as indexing, relational databases, query languages, transaction processing, distributed databases, physical database design, data mining, information storage and retrieval and multimedia systems. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to information assurance and security, such as defensive programming, threats and attacks, network security, cryptography, web security, platform security, security policy and governance, digital forensics, and secure software engineering. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to computational science such as modeling and simulation, processing, interactive visualization, data, information and knowledge, and numerical analysis. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to graphics and visualization such as basic and advanced rendering, geometric modeling, computer animation and visualization. Topics include game programming with concentration on 3D graphics including modeling, rendering, and animation for computer games and graphic simulations. Programs are created using a current graphics and game development environment.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to human computer interaction such as designing interaction, programming interactive systems, user-centered design and testing, new interactive technologies, collaboration & communication, statistical methods for HCI, human factors and security, design-oriented HCI, and mixed, augmented and virtual reality. This course builds on the use of modern compilers. Related topics covered include lexical scanning, parsing, type checking, code generation and translation, optimization, and compile-time and run-time support for modern programming languages.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to software engineering such as software processes, project management, requirements engineering, software design, construction, verification and validation, reliability, and formal methods. These relate to advanced programming for general-purpose software development. Topics include tools and processes appropriate for employing object-oriented designs and programming within a significant software development environment and advanced data structures and algorithms, graphical user interfaces, and software development processes.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of topics theory and/or implementation related to the fundamental differences that Platform-Based Development has over traditional software development addressing topics such as Web Platforms, Mobile Platforms, Industrial Platforms, and Game Platforms. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Special topics not covered in other courses. May be repeated for credit on each new topic. VariablePrereq: Consent

Prerequisites: Consent