Undergraduate Guide
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D grade policy petition option
An Academic Policy Petition requesting to waive a requirement due to a D or D+ for a major class can be considered except for core major requirements (Math 2374/2263, CSCI 2033, 3041, 3061, 4707/5707, 5521/5523/STAT 4052, STAT 3301, 4051, 5101/Math 5651, 5102, IE 3013, 5533, WRIT 3562W, DSCI 4093).
Recommendation for approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies is required for the Academic Policy Petition prior to submitting it to the college office.
Liberal education and other college or university requirements must be passed with a 'D' or an 'S' grade.
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Undergraduate curricular and optional practical training (CPT)
This page contains information for undergraduate students pursuing Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Graduate students should review this CPT page instead.
International students admitted to our undergraduate computer science programs in CLA and CSE and the data science program in CSE who are interested in working off-campus must complete specific paperwork with a CS&E Advisor and the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office to work legally.
Students should take the following steps to get set up for CPT (for more details on CPT go to this ISSS website):
- Receive a job offer
- Students should complete the CPT online workshop on MyISSS.
- Students should meet a CS&E Advisor via drop-in advising or an appointment. Students will need to bring the Course Instructor Verification Form and their offer letter for employment with them to the advisor meeting.
- The CS&E Advisor will complete the Course Instructor Verification Form for the CPT application.
- The CSE&E Advisor will email the student a permission number to add CSCI 5996 to a future semester and instructions on writing a paper to receive credit for CSCI 5996.
- Students should register for CSCI 5996 online using the permission number emailed to them (must be registered before submitting paperwork to ISSS).
- Students complete all three sections of the CPT Request in MyISSS.
- Upload CPT supporting documents
- Enter CPT employment details
- Submit a CPT request to the advisor you met with to complete step 3 above.
CSCI 5996 is a one-credit course taken pass/fail, which will only count for credits towards the 120 credit minimum needed to graduate. CSCI 5996 will not count for major requirements in the BS and BA programs. CSCI 5997 will be used for any CPT extension requests since CSCI 5996 cannot be added to the same semester twice.
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B.S. degree requirements
Application to program
Admission to a major in the College of Science and Engineering is a competitive process based on the successful completion of specific technical courses and a grade point average (GPA) based on technical courses (the technical GPA).
Students who have completed the necessary technical courses and have a 3.2 or above technical GPA at the end of fall semester will be guaranteed admission to that major. All other students who have completed the necessary technical coursework for their intended major (as identified by each department) will be considered for admission to that major on a space-available basis.
The demand for computer science education at the University has been increasing for over a decade, and it has outpaced the University's investment in our instructional capacity. Therefore, the Department is being forced to impose stricter limits on admission to the major at least for the near future. Learn more about these changes and suggested next steps.
The College of Science and Engineering website has more information on applying to your major as a CSE student.
Students should be careful to follow the steps and deadlines listed on the B.S. program application page.
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Student engagement
We strongly encourage students to involve themselves in opportunities beyond the classroom. From on- and off-campus internships and work experiences to studying abroad to student groups, there are many ways to meet people, practice leadership, and learn new skills (or polish existing ones!)
Jobs & internships
CSCI Teaching Assistant opportunity
Handshake job and internship site
University of Minnesota student jobs
Co-Op program (be sure to speak with a CSCI advisor before applying)
Get involved
Study abroad
University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center
Learning abroad in CSE - B.S. students
Research
How to get involved in undergraduate research
Undergraduate student research interest survey
For credit research opportunities (CSCI 4970W, CSCI 5991, CSCI 5994)
Stay connected
Sign up for the CSCI undergraduate mailing list
Follow @umncomputerscience on Instagram
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Student support resources and general info
Like engagement opportunities, there are many resources and tools available to you to support you academically, as well as policies to know and understand. Below are some of the most common - if you don’t see something you’re curious about, please ask your advisor!
Important links
OneStop Student Services
(policies, academic information, financial aid & tuition, and more)
CSCI undergraduate prerequisite chart
Scholarship information
Department of Computer Science & Engineering scholarships
College of Science and Engineering scholarships
Resources for academic success
Student Academic Success Center
Graduation and beyond
Graduation checklist for undergraduates
College of Science and Engineering commencementUniversity of Minnesota computer science graduate programs
Peterson’s Guide
(for exploring other graduate programs and institutions)
Academic integrity policies
University of Minnesota student conduct code