Computer Science

Theoretical Insights Meet Practical Applications

Start your computer science career today with our Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program, equipping you with real-world skills from your first line of code.

Two students present their programming project

What Do Computer Science Students Learn?

Computer science students build a strong foundation in theory and algorithms while also taking specialized courses in cutting-edge areas such as cybersecurity, natural language processing, and data science.

What is Being in the Computer Science Program at FGCU Like?

Gain hands-on experience with artificial intelligence (AI), computer and network design, and modeling data and information processes.
Enjoy small class sizes and accessible faculty.
Find undergraduate research opportunities in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and data science.
Join student organizations like the Computer Science and Software Engineering Club (CSSEC).
Take specialized courses in human computer interaction, robotics, natural language processing, digital systems, neural networks, data mining, machine learning, and assembly language.

The computer science program has provided me with unique and impactful opportunities. This degree path offers useful and valuable resources that I am involved in, including research in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science. I am also an officer of the Computer Science and Software Engineering Club (CSSEC) which hosts weekly meetings and annual hackathons. The professors and leaders in the program are experienced, knowledgeable, and personable. Overall, the computer science degree creates a supportive yet challenging environment to learn and grow in.”

Katharine Ringo

Computer Science '27

Concentrations

The science of protecting computer systems including their networks, data, and programs from cyber attacks. The concentration includes classes on database security, network security, and hands-on cybersecurity.

The science of extracting knowledge from large data sets and presenting and using that knowledge to make intelligent decisions. It’s a sub field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AL/ML). The concentration includes classes on Natural Language Processing, Neural Networks and Deep Learning, Exploratory Data Analysis and Data Mining.

The engineering approach to the complete software life cycle including design, construction and maintenance of large-scale projects. Courses include Requirements Engineering and Analysis, Software Testing, and Software Architecture and Design.

Where Do Computer Science Majors Work?

Because our curriculum is guided by industry needs, you'll learn specialized topics valued by employers. This prepares our graduates for computer science careers in a variety of roles:

Software Developers
Project Managers
Business Analysts
System and Network Engineers
Data Scientists
Cybersecurity and AI roles

You'll also be prepared for further graduate study, such as with a Master of Science in Computer Science. 66% of our computer science graduates stay in Florida, though there are opportunities both locally and beyond.

What Do Computer Science Majors Get Paid?

The average salary for our computer science alumni is $88,542.

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Level Up Your Career in Computer Science

Fast-track your education and career with our Combined B.S. to M.S. Program in Computer Science. Designed for motivated students, this accelerated pathway lets you complete up to 9 graduate credits as an undergraduate, saving time and money. With concentrations in Cybersecurity and Data Science, you will gain advanced technical expertise that sets you apart in today’s competitive tech landscape. Whether you are preparing for leadership roles or aiming to drive innovation in the field, this program gives you the skills, knowledge, and edge to succeed.

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Concentrations

Cybersecurity Concentration
Data Science Concentration
Software Engineering Concentration

Admissions Information
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Admissions Information for the 2025-2026 Catalog Year
If you are not yet an FGCU student, visit the Admissions Office Website
If you are a newly-admitted FGCU student please be sure to sign up for an Eagle View Orientation session. As part of this session you will be meeting with an academic advisor who will assist you in registering for classes for your major.
Program Admission Requirements
Students admitted to Florida Gulf Coast University as a degree seeking student in good academic standing may declare a major in engineering. All engineering majors must satisfy the academic milestones as described in the student guidebook. Refer to the Computer Science (B.S.) Student Guidebook for further information on milestones.

In addition to the program requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
- Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy Service-Learning requirement.
- Satisfy Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits, including 12 credit hours in the major must be completed at FGCU. Also, COP 4951 and COP 4952 must be taken at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Admission Deadlines
Visit the Admissions Office Web site for information on admission deadlines of the university.
Program Requirements
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Program Requirements for the 2025-2026 Catalog Year
The General Education Program Website is located at https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
1. FGCU General Education Program (https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/)
  To prevent or minimize excess hours, select general education courses that satisfy common prerequisite requirements for your intended major.
2. Common Prerequisites
  For this major, common prerequisite courses with an asterisk (*) require prior knowledge and skills demonstrated through degree acceleration programs (e.g., the College Board's Advanced Placement Program [AP], International Baccalaureate Program [IB], College-Level Examination Program [CLEP], Advanced International Certificate of Education Program [AICE]); dual enrollment; placement exam; or college coursework.
  
  FGCU Course: *COP 1500 Intro to Computer Science (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: COP X500 or COP X000
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  FGCU Course: COP 2006 Programming I (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: COP x006 or COP x250 or COP x253 or COP x800
  
  FGCU Course: *MAC 2311 Calculus I (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: MACX311
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C then MAC 1147 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  FGCU Course: MAC 2312 Calculus II (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: MACX312
  
  FGCU Course: MAC 2313 Calculus III (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: MACX313 or MAPX302 or MADX301 or MADX401
  
  FGCU Course: PHY 2048 General Physics I (3) and PHY 2048L General Physics I Laboratory (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: (PHYX048 and PHYX048L) or PHYX048C
  
  FGCU Course: PHY 2049 General Physics II (3) and PHY 2049L General Physics II Laboratory (1) Minimum grade C
  Acceptable Substitute: (PHYX049 and PHYX049L) or PHYX049C
  
  FGCU Course: *STA 2023 Statistical Methods (3) or *STA 2037 Statistics with Calculus (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: STAX023 or STAX037
  [For STA 2023 Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  [For STA 2037 Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C then MAC 1147 minimum grade of C then MAC 2311 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  Note: FGCU is submitting a Common Prerequisites Manual (CPM) Revision Request to establish a new track in the CPM.
3. Required Courses in the Major (42 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  CDA 3104 Comp Org'n & Assem Lang Prog (3)
  CDA 3200 Digital Systems & Architecture (3)
  CEN 3031 Software Engng Fundamentals (3)
  CEN 3078 Computer Security (3)
  COP 3003 Programming II (3)
  COP 3530 Data Structures & Algorithms (3)
  COP 3635 Systems and Networks (3)
  COP 3710 Intro to Data Engineering (3)
  COP 4020 Principles of Programming Lang (3)
  COP 4610 Operating Systems (3)
  COP 4951 Senior Comp Sci Project I (3)
  COP 4952 Senior Comp Sci Project II (capstone) (3)
  COT 4420 Theory of Computation (3)
  MAD 3107 Discrete Mathematics (3)
4. Restricted Electives/Concentrations (15 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  Select one of the following groupings:
  
  Cybersecurity Concentration
  
  Complete the following:
  CIS 3213 Introduction to Cybersecurity (3)
  CIS 4368 Intro to Database Security (3)
  CIS 4622 Hands-on Cybersecurity (3)
  CNT 4403 Network Security (3)
  
  Complete 3 credits from the list of electives or from any other concentration.
  
  Data Science Concentration
  
  Complete the following:
  IDC 3140 Intro to Data Science (3)
  STA 3038 Prob & Stat for Data Sci (3)
  
  Complete 6 credits from the following:
  CAI 4203 Neural Networks & Deep Learning (3)
  CAI 4313 Applied Natural Language Proc (3)
  CAP 4767 Exploratory Data Analysis (3)
  CAP 4770 Knowledge Disc. & Data Mining (3)
  
  Complete 3 credits from the list of electives or from any other concentration.
  
  Software Engineering Concentration
  
  Complete the following:
  CEN 3073 Requirements Engr & Analysis (3)
  CEN 4065 Software Architecture & Design (3)
  CEN 4072 Software Testing (3)
  CEN 4721 Human Computer Interaction (3)
  
  Complete 3 credits from the list of electives or from any other concentration.
  
  No concentration noted on transcript
  
  Complete 15 credits from the following list or from any concentration.
  CAI 4105 Machine Learning (3)
  CAP 4324 Predictive Analysis (3)
  CAP 4662 Introduction to Robotics (3)
  CAP 4730 Computer Graphics (3)
  CDA 4150 Computer Architecture (3)
  CEN 4026 Software Maint & Evolution (3)
  CEN 4083 Intro. to Cloud Computing (3)
  CEN 4216 Cyberphysical Systems (3)
  CIS 3941 Internship in Computer Science (3)
  COP 3350 Systems Admin and Programming (3)
  COP 4908 Independent Study (3)
  COP 4931 Special Topics in Comp. Sci. (3)
  COT 3400 Design &Analysis of Algorithms (3)
5. Sustainability Course Graduation Requirement (3 credits)
  Select at least 3 credits in sustainability coursework (SCGR Attribute)
6. Additional Electives - as needed to reach total credits required for the degree
Program Requirements
Total Credits Required: 120
Degree Map
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Degree Maps
Destination FGCU (Transfer from FSW to FGCU)
Course Description
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Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search
Course Schedule
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Getting Started With the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSEATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.
*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting, BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)
Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes
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Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will be able to:
1. Analyze complex computing problems and identify solutions by applying computer science theory and software development fundamentals.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate secure computing solutions that meets a given set of requirements with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare as well as local and global, cultural, social, environmental, and sustainability factors.
3. Recognize professional and ethical responsibilities in computing and make informed judgments.
4. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team and communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
5. Use the techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice.
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels through oral and written presentations, exams, design projects, laboratory assessment and other assignments throughout the curriculum.

Communication Skills

Graduates will be able to:
1. Select, organize, and relate ideas and information in written, oral, and graphic form with coherence, clarity, and unity.
2. Develop and present consistent arguments to select and diverse audiences.
Communication skills are assessed at the University, College, and Department levels through oral and written presentations, exams, projects, laboratory assessment and other assignments throughout the curriculum.

Critical Thinking Skills

Graduates will be able to:
1. Identify problems and the critical information needed for their solution.
2. Analyze and synthesize information, and draw reasoned inferences.
3. Formulate and evaluate appropriate problems-solving strategies.
Critical thinking skills are assessed at the University, College, and Departmental levels through oral and written presentations, exams, projects, laboratory assessment, and other assignments throughout the curriculum.
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available on the Student Account Services website.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Website for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.

Theoretical Insights Meet Practical Applications

What Do Computer Science Students Learn?

What is Being in the Computer Science Program at FGCU Like?

Concentrations

Where Do Computer Science Majors Work?

What Do Computer Science Majors Get Paid?

Explore Related Majors

Level Up Your Career in Computer Science

Experience FGCU