I just got accepted to UCSD, and my acceptance email says my major is “Computer Science”. But on their website, there are distinctly separate degrees, one is a “Computer Science (BS)” and “Computer Science (BA)”. I can’t find any information about how to declare or apply to either of these. My best guess is they’re just alternate course paths. Is this right? Or is there more info I’m missing?
Assume it’s the BS. You have to have a really good reason to be in the BA program, I’ve never met anyone who is.
Thanks!
Difference can be seen by comparing checklists:
https://cse.ucsd.edu/sites/cse.ucsd.edu/files/undergraduate/BA%20Computer%20Science%20ChecklistFA2015.pdf
https://cse.ucsd.edu/sites/cse.ucsd.edu/files/undergraduate/BS%20Computer%20Science%20ChecklistFA2015.pdf
The difference appears to be:
- The BS program requires a statistics course that the BA program does not require.
- The BS program requires 9 CSE upper division electives while the BA program requires 7 CSE upper division electives (both allow 2 of them to be taken from an expanded list of technical electives).
However, https://cse.ucsd.edu/undergraduate/degree-programs/bs-computer-science says that a new curriculum will be used for students entering fall 2017. The difference between the BA and BS programs may change.
Neither program is ABET accredited, according to http://main.abet.org/aps/AccreditedProgramsDetails.aspx?OrganizationID=5766 . This is not normally a concern for most graduates, except those looking into taking the patent exam. Such students may want to carefully look at the patent exam prerequisite requirements for non-ABET accredited CS majors and choose courses with that in mind.