Computer Science Major

Requirements for the Major in Computer Science

Major declaration:

1. Students who intend to major in Computer Science need to declare the major before the end of their sophomore year.
2. A student can declare the Computer Science major only when one of the following conditions is satisfied: (1) has finished CSCI 062 PO ; (2) is in CSCI 062 PO ; (3) is in the second semester of sophomore year and successfully enrolled in both CSCI 062 PO  and CSCI 101 PO  in the following semester.
3. All declared Computer Science majors are required to have Pomona Computer Science faculty as their primary advisor. Please see the department should you have any questions.

Courses used to fulfill major requirements must normally be taken for a letter grade.

1. Introductory courses: CSCI051x PO (including CSCI 051A PO , CSCI 051J PO , or CSCI 051G PO ,or CSCI 051P PO ) CSCI 054 PO   and CSCI 062 PO .
2. Mathematics: MATH 058 PO   or MATH 060 PO  
3. Core courses: CSCI 101 PO , CSCI 105 PO , and CSCI 140 PO .
4. Electives: Three additional upper-division courses in computer science. Independent study and senior exercise courses are not normally considered electives. Students are encouraged to take computational courses in other disciplines, but they will not normally be counted as Computer Science electives.
5. Computer Science Colloquium: Students must attend 12 colloquium talks in each of their junior and senior years. Students should enroll in CSCI 188 PO  in junior year and in CSCI 190 PO  in senior year to account for colloquium attendance.
6. Senior Seminar: CSCI 190 PO . Students should complete two core courses and one other upper-division course (core or elective) courses numbered 100 and higher before enrolling in CSCI 190 PO .

For students who transfer credits from other institutions or via study abroad programs: the total number of credits of the second and third introductory courses (specified in (1)), the core courses (specified in (3)) and the electives (specified in (4)), if all taken at POM, is 8 credits. In the case that a student takes courses outside of the college that  transfer to less than 1 POM credit, you need at least 7.6 Pomona credits (as counted by the registrar and shown on the transcript) to fulfill these requirements.

The major requirements are in effect starting AY 2018-19. Please check the catalog archive for previous major requirements. For students who entered Pomona College before fall 2018, multiple options are available. Please check with the Computer Science Department for details.  

Computer Science Major Requirement Transition

* By default, all students should fulfill the major/minor requirements that were in effect at the time they entered the College. However, we will provide some flexibility and allow the classes of 2020 and 2021 to choose among the following four options:  

1. The entire old major requirements
2. The entire new major requirements
3. Old intro sequence & new upper division (CSCI051x, CSCI 052 PO , CSCI 055 PO  /MATH 103 PO , CSCI 062 PO ) + item 2 to 6 of the new requirements.
4. New intro sequence & old upper division (CSCI051x, CSCI 054 PO , CSCI 062 PO ) + everything else of the old requirements (MATH 060 PO , CSCI 081 PO , CSCI 105 PO , CSCI 131 PO  , CSCI 140 PO , 3 electives, CSCI 190 PO , two semesters of colloquium during senior year).

Old Requirements – Entered Pomona College in 2015 or before

1.  Introductory Courses
   1. CSCI051x
   2. CSCI 052 PO  
   3. CSCI 055 PO  OR MATH 103 PO  
   4. CSCI 062 PO  
2. Mathematics: MATH 060 PO  
3. Core Courses
   1. CSCI 081 PO  
   2. CSCI 105 PO  
   3. CSCI 131 PO  
   4. CSCI 140 PO  
4. Electives: Three additional CSCI electives
5. Senior Seminar: CSCI 190 PO  
6. Colloquium: All talks during senior year

Old Intro Sequence & New Upper Division

1. Introductory Courses
   1. CSCI051x
   2. CSCI 052 PO  
   3. CSCI 055 PO   or MATH 103 PO  
   4. CSCI 062 PO  
2. Mathematics: MATH 058 PO   or MATH 060 PO  
3. Core Courses 
   1. CSCI 101 PO  
   2. CSCI 105 PO  
   3. CSCI 140 PO  
4. Electives: Three additional CSCI electives (no external electives allowed)
5. Junior Colloquium:CSCI 188 PO  
   1. 12 talks during junior year
6. Senior Seminar: CSCI 190 PO  

      a. 12 talks during senior year

New Intro Sequence & Old Upper Division

1. Introductory Courses
   1. CSCI051x
   2. CSCI 054 PO  
   3. CSCI 062 PO  
2. Mathematics: MATH 058 PO   or MATH 060 PO  
3. Core Courses
   1. CSCI 081 PO  
   2. CSCI 105 PO  
   3. CSCI 131 PO  
   4. CSCI 140 PO  
4. Electives: Three additional CSCI electives
5. Senior Seminar: CSCI 190 PO  
6. Colloquium: All talks during senior year

New Requirements

1. Introductory Courses
   1. CSCI051x
   2. CSCI 054 PO  
   3. CSCI 062 PO  
2. Mathematics: MATH 058 PO   or MATH 060 PO  
3. Core Courses
   1. CSCI 101 PO  
   2. CSCI 105 PO  
   3. CSCI 140 PO  
4. Electives: Three additional CSCI electives (no external electives allowed)
5. Junior Colloquium: CSCI 188 PO  
   1. 12 talks during junior year
6. Senior Seminar: CSCI 190 PO  
   1. 12 talks during senior year