Dual Degree Program in Computer Science and Engineering
Students with a computer science major who also are interested in engineering are able to receive both a Bachelor of Science degree (computer science major) from UW-La Crosse and a Bachelor of Science degree (engineering major) from UW-Madison. At UW-La Crosse, students must complete a minimum of 86 credits, including the general education requirements and specific math and science courses in preparation for the engineering program. Students are recommended to include the following courses in their work at UW-La Crosse:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHM 103 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CS 120 | Software Design I | 4 |
| CS 220 | Software Design II | 4 |
| CS 224 | Introduction to Programming Language | 1-3 |
| CS 225 | Discrete Computational Structures 1 | 3 |
| CS 270 | Introduction to Assembler Programming, C Programming and Computer Organization | 3 |
| CS 340 | Software Design III: Abstract Data Types | 4 |
| CS 341 | Software Design IV: Software Engineering | 3 |
| CS 370 | Computer Architecture | 3 |
| CS 421 | Programming Language Concepts | 3 |
| CS 441 | Operating System Concepts | 3 |
| CS 442 | Structures of Compilers | 3 |
| ECO 110 | Microeconomics and Public Policy | 3 |
| ECO 120 | Global Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECO 336 | Women in the U.S. Economy | 3 |
| MTH 207 | Calculus I | 5 |
| MTH 208 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MTH 309 | Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MTH 371 | Numerical Methods | 3 |
| PHY 203 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHY 204 | General Physics II | 4 |
| PHY 306 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| STAT 245 | Probability and Statistics | 4 |
Students should consult with the computer science department chair for specific course and sequence advising for this agreement.
Students who express interest in the dual degree program will be selected for entrance into the UW-Madison portion of the program based on their GPA in all course work; their GPA in the chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics course work required by the program; and the positive recommendation of the UW-La Crosse computer science department chair (or designee). The dual degree engineering agreement with UW-Madison has additional requirements for eligibility, including Wisconsin resident status and that students must have enrolled in UW-La Crosse from high school (rather than transferring to UWL). Admission to UW-Madison is not guaranteed.
In order to receive the B.S. degree from UW-La Crosse, students must also complete credits (to total a minimum of 120 credits) in engineering at UW-Madison and transfer these credits to UW-La Crosse. For the typical student, the remaining credits must include at least eight credits at the 300 level or above. This transfer of credits and awarding of the B.S. degree by UWL can take place as soon as the student earns the necessary credits.
All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements in order to qualify for a degree. The easiest way to track all of these requirements is to refer to the Advisement Report (AR) found in the Student Information System (WINGS) Student Center. All enrolled students have access to the AR.
College of Science and Health (CSH) Bachelor of Science core requirements
B.S. and B.A. students graduating from the College of Science and Health are required to take two natural laboratory science courses selected from the general education laboratory science category (GE 05) and/or from BIO 203, BIO 304, BIO 210, CHM 104, GEO 221, GEO 222, PHY 104 or PHY 204, and they either must take two mathematics courses or one math course and one computer science course from the math/logical systems category of the general education requirements (GE 02). One of the two science courses must be from a department outside of the student’s major department.
Note: Math courses can be pairs, i.e. 150 and 151; MTH/CS majors can use two science courses from same department.
For the Bachelor of Science degree, in addition to all other College of Science and Health core requirements, students from non-exempted programs1 must complete one of the following options. It is recommended that courses are selected in consultation with students’ academic advisor.
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Complete a second major; or
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Complete a minor outside the major; or
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Complete an individualized option, consisting of 18 credits
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At least 12 credits must be earned at the 300/400 level outside the major department.
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The remaining six credits should come from
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100 level or higher courses outside the major (General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements.); or
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300/400 level courses inside major not being used to fulfill major requirements.
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Internship credits may not count toward the individualized option.
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The list of exempted CSH programs is below.
Baccalaureate degree requirements
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:
- Fulfill the general education requirements.
- Complete at least one ethnic studies (diversity) course.
- Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
- Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
- At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
- Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
- A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
- Submit an application for graduation via the "Apply for Graduation" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.
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Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum in order to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.
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The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.
No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.
Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.
The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.
General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.
At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level.
Note: New students and transfer students with 15 or fewer credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.
This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS 120 (Gen Ed Lang/Logical Systems) | 4 | CS 220 | 4 |
| MTH 207 (Gen Ed Math) | 5 | CS 225 | 3 |
| ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy-Written) | 3 | CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy-Oral) | 3 |
| FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar) | 3 | MTH 208 (Gen Ed Math) | 4 |
| Gen Ed Arts | 2-3 | ECO 110 (Gen Ed Self & Society) | 3 |
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS 270 | 3 | CS 370 | 3 |
| CS 340 | 4 | PHY 204 | 4 |
| MTH 309 | 4 | CS 224 | 3 |
| PHY 203 | 4 | STAT 245 | 4 |
| HPR 105 (Gen Ed Health & Well-Being) | 3 | Gen Ed Arts | 2-3 |
| 18 | 16 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS 341 | 3 | CS 442 | 3 |
| CS 441 | 3 | CS 421 | 3 |
| ECO 336 (Gen Ed Minority Cultures) | 3 | MTH 371 (or CS elective) | 3 |
| CHM 103 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science) | 5 | ECO 120 (Gen Ed Global Studies) | 3 |
| Gen Ed Humanistic Studies | 3 | PHY 306 | 3 |
| Gen Ed World History | 3 | Complete CS major field test1 | |
| 20 | 15 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Credits | ||
| Transfer to Engineering Program to complete requirements. | |||
| 0 | |||
| Total Credits: 103 | |||
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Every student must complete the computer science major field test during their final year on campus. This test is used for program assessment, not individual assessment.