<p>Hello all, I have narrowed my college search down to UNC Chapel Hill and NC State and I have a few questions for you all. I have already been accepted to NC State and invited to the honors program and I haven't heard back from Chapel Hill yet but please just answer as if I am accepted. Both state and chapel hill have highly ranked computer science programs with chapel hill being ahead, however NC States program is ABET certified while UNC's is not. Overall I like both schools and would be happy going to either although I like UNC's campus and Greek life scene more. My question is would this lack of ABET accreditation hinder me in getting a good job after college or getting into a good post-grad institution for a masters? It is also worth mentioning that UNC has a great minor in entrepreneurship which I would like to do. What do you guys think is the effect of this lack of accreditation and what is your opinion on where I should choose? Thanks</p>
<p>I also forgot to mention that UNC’a program is through the college of sciences while NC State is though the college of engineering. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Accreditation for Computer Science is not that important. Many top departments do not have it and it does not hurt their graduates at all. Choose your university on the basis of the program that you prefer.</p>
<p>ABET == more science classes required.</p>
<p>Accreditation isn’t very important. I’ve been a programmer for over 30 years, and I’ve never even heard anyone mention it outside of the CC forums.</p>
<p>Going to UNC won’t hurt you at all.</p>
<p>ABET accreditation per se is only important for CS if you want to take the patent exam. If you have a non-ABET-accredited CS degree, you need to have had specific course work as listed in the [General</a> Requirements Bulletin](<a href=“http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/exam/GRB_January_2014.pdf]General”>http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/exam/GRB_January_2014.pdf).</p>
<p>Otherwise, ABET accreditation merely indicates that the CS major is at least a decent one. However, non-ABET-accredited CS majors can be decent to excellent, although they can also be poor. I.e. ABET accreditation may be considered sufficient, but not necessary, as an indicator of a CS major being at least decent.</p>
<p>UNC-CH is generally considered to have a good CS department.</p>
<p>Just has the others have said, ABET for CS is not important…BUT after reading the ABET curriculum criteria for CS, it gives a good “template” for which courses/topics should be covered in a CS program (accredited or not). In general, make sure your CS curriculum is similar to the following as REQUIRED courses:</p>
<p>Introductory Programming 1 (C++, Java, Python and Scheme in some schools)
Introductory Programming 2 (C++, Java, Python and Scheme in some schools)
Discrete Mathematical Structures
Computer Organization (may or may not include Assembly Language)
Data Structures
Algorithms
<strong>Note: Data Structures & Algorithms may be a combined course at some schools</strong>
Organization (or Theory) of Programming Languages
Operating Systems Theory
Computer Architecture (not required at every school)</p>
<p>The possible CS electives should allow one to venture into different areas:</p>
<p>Computer Networks
Database Systems
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Network Security/Information Assurance/Cryptology (Crypto may also be a Math course)
Computational Science (usually co-given with Math dept)
Computer Graphics
Parallel Computing</p>
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<p>Be aware that the way the frosh/soph level courses are organized can vary considerably between different schools. The number of courses may vary, and some of the courses may not exist because their content is distributed among other courses.</p>