BA CIS Program Information

The BA CIS program offers students a liberal arts-focused education blended with specialized study in computer and information science. The program invites students to combine the study of computer science with the study of a related field that has a strong potential for computing applications. Your specific intellectual interests and educational goals should drive your related field selection, as well as your elective computer science coursework.

In addition to the General Education coursework required of all students at Ohio State, BA CIS students must complete coursework in three areas: computer science, additional non-major required courses, and the related field.

The computer science coursework is divided into two sets of courses: core and electives. Students are encouraged to select their CS electives with special attention to how the courses correlate with the related field.

The additional required non-major courses are a set of additional math and science courses beyond that required for the General Education requirements.

For the related field, students have two options: 1) select a pre-approved related field or 2) create their own related field.

All BA CIS students must take the set of six courses outlined below, regardless of their related field.

Core CSE Courses
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
CSE 2221	Software 1: Software Components	4	Prereq: 1212, 1221, 1222, 1223, 1224, Engr 1221, 1281.01H, 1281.02H, or CSE Placement Level A. Prereq or concur: Math 1151, 1161.01, or 1161.02.
CSE 2231	Software 2: Software Development and Design	4	Prereq: 2221. Concur: 2321.
CSE 2321	Foundations 1: Discrete Structures	3	Prereq: 2122, 2123, or 2221; and Math 1151, or 1161. Concur (for students with credit for 2221): 2231.
CSE 2421	Systems 1: Introduction to Low-Level Programming and Computer Organization	4	Prereq: 2122, 2123, or 2231; and 2321; and enrollment in CSE, CIS, Data Analytics, Music (BS), Eng Physics, or Math major.
CSE 2501	Social, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Computing	1	Prereq: 2122, 2123, or 2231; and GE writing and comm course: level 2 (legacy GE only), or GE foundation writing and info literacy course; and enrollment in CSE or CIS major, or Information Security minor. Students have the option of taking PHILOS 2338 (4 credit hours) to fulfill this course requirement. PHILOS 2338 will also satisfy the Citizenship Theme General Education requirement.
CSE 3901 or 3902 or 3903	Project: Design, Development, and Documentation of Web Applications (3901), Interactive Systems (3902), or System Software (3903)	4	Prereq: 2231; and 2321; and 2421 or 3430, or 2451 and ECE 2560; and enrollment in CSE, CIS, ECE, or Data Analytics major. Students need to select only one of these courses for this requirement.

Additional Electives and Relevant Elective Information
Requirement	Hours	Notes
Total elective hours	27	A total of 27 hours of electives are required.
CSE electives	13	A minimum of 13 hours of CSE electives is required. See the section on CSE Electives above for details.
Related field electives	6	A minimum of 6 hours of related field electives is required. These hours are part of the minimum 18 hours of related field coursework required for the degree, so you will select these from the course list for your related field. See the section on Related Fields below.
Additional elective hours	8	These additional elective hours may be CSE or related field courses, or a combination. Work with your advisors to decide what works best for you.

Required Non-Major Courses
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
MATH 1152	Calculus 2	5	Prereq: A grade of C- or above in 1114 (114), 1151, 1156, 1161.xx, 152.xx, 161.xx, or 161.01H. Not open to students with credit for 1172, 1181H or any Math class numbered 1500 or above, or with credit for 153.xx, or Math courses numbered 162.xx or above.
STAT 2450 or 3470	Calculus-based Statistics	3	STAT 2450: Introduction to Statistical Analysis 1. Prereq: Math 1131, 1141, 1151, 1156, 1161.xx, or 1181H, or equiv, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 2480, 2480.01, 2480.02, or 3202. STAT 3470: Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Engineers. Prereq: Math 1152, 1161.xx, 1172, 1181H, or equiv, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 3440, 3450, 3450.01, 3450.02 or 3460. Students need to choose only one of these courses for this requirement.
Science	Elective	5	Choice of science courses to cover 5 credit hours of coursework. These hours are in addition to the Gen Ed Natural Science requirement. Courses should be selected from available Gen Ed Natural Science courses.
Math or Science	Elective	3	Choice of math or science course to cover 3 hours of coursework. These hours are in addition to the Gen Ed requirements for Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning/Data Analysis and Natural Science. Courses should be selected from available Gen Ed courses in these two areas.

Pre-approved related fields reflect coherent sets of courses that CSE faculty have determined apply to the field of computing. For this option, you will choose one of the pre-approved related fields listed below and select at least 18 credits of coursework from that field’s course list. You may not mix-and-match courses from different related fields.

Computer Science and Art/Design intersect in several exciting ways. Technology enables artists and designers to create digital art, animations and interactive experiences using software and coding. Tools like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D modeling programs and animation software rely on computer science principles to function. This collaboration enriches both fields, allowing for innovative artistic expression and design.

Course choices for Art and Design Related Field
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
ACCAD 5001	Animation Techniques and Practices	3
ACCAD 5002	3D Computer Animation: Form, Light and Motion I	3
ACCAD 5141	Interactive Arts Media: UI/UX	3
ART 2100	Beginning Drawing	3
ART 2200	Real and Recorded Time	3
ART 2300	Two-Dimensional Studies	3
ART 2555	Introduction to Digital Photography and Contemporary Issues	3
ART 3000	Digital Image Manipulation	3	Not open to students with credit for Art 2500.
ART 3001	Internet Art	3	Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
ART 3002	Intro to Ceramics: Structure	3	Not open to students with credit for Art 2502.
ART 3003	Introduction to Glass Art	3	Not open to students with credit for Art 2503. Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
ART 3014	Visual Studies: Color	3	Not open to students with credit for Art 2514.
ART 3024	Painting I	3	Not open to students with credit for Art 2524.
ART 3101	3D Modeling Sculpture	3	Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
ART 4101	Moving Image Art	3	Art 3000 (2500), 3001, 3009, or 3101. Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
DESIGN 3104	Introduction to Game Design	3
DESIGN 3105	Exploring Design Thinking	3
DESIGN 3305	Visualization as Thinking	3
DESIGN 3505	Presentation as Thinking	3

If you have other courses you are interested in taking for these related fields, please talk with your academic advisor. Please note that 1000-level courses will NOT be approved.

Computer science and Communication are closely intertwined in several ways, as they both contribute to how information is created, transmitted, and understood. Multimedia, natural language processing, and human-computer interaction are all examples of how computer science can make communication more intuitive and efficient. Together, these fields enhance our ability to collaborate and share information.

Course choices for Communication Related Field
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
COMM 2511	Visual Communication Design	3	Enrollment in Comm, Journal or AgrComm major/minor.
COMM 2540	Introduction to Communication Technology	3
COMM 3331	Communication and Decision Making	3
COMM 3440	Mass Communication and Society	3
COMM 3466	Communication and Popular Culture	3
COMM 3513	Video Games and Society	3
COMM 3554	Social Implications of Communication Technology	3
COMM 3558	Social Media	3	Not open to students with credit for Comm 4554.
COMM 4555	Computer Interface and Human Identity	3

If you have other courses you are interested in taking for these related fields, please talk with your academic advisor. Please note that 1000-level courses will NOT be approved.

Computer Science and Accounting/Business/Economics are interconnected in several important ways. Technology drives efficiency in business operations through automation, data analysis and software solutions that streamline processes. Overall, the combination of these fields enhances decision-making, operational efficiency, and strategic planning.

Course choices for Economics, Accounting, and Business Related Field
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
ACCTMIS 2000	Foundations of Accounting	3	Not open to students with credit for ACCTMIS 2200 or 2300.
BUSFIN 3120	Foundations of Finance	3	AcctMIS 2000, Math 1116 or above, Econ 2001.01, and CSE 1110 or equiv. Not open to students with credit for BUSFIN 3220. Not open to students enrolled in the BSBA program.
BUSML 3150	Foundations of Marketing	3	Math 1116, 1130, 1148, or equiv and Econ 2001.01 or equiv. Not open to students with credit for BUSML 3250. Not open to students in BSBA.
BUSMRH 3100	Foundations of Management & Human Resources	3	Math 1130 and Econ 2001.01. Not open to students enrolled in the Fisher College of Business.
BUSOBA 3130	Foundations of Operations Management	3	Math 1116, 1130, 1148, or equiv, and Econ 2001.01, or equiv. Not open to students with credit for BUSOBA 3230. Not open to students enrolled in the BSBA degree program.
BUSOBA 4242	Business Sports Analytics	3	Stat 3202 or permission of instructor.
ECON 2001.01	Principles of Microeconomics	3	Not open to students with credit for Econ 2001.02, 2001.03H, or AEDEcon 2001.
ECON 2002.01	Principles of Macroeconomics	3	Not open to students with credit for Econ 2002.02 or 2002.03H.
ECON 3820	The Economics of Gender in Labor Markets	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, or 2001.03H, or equiv.
ECON 4001.02	Intermediate Microeconomic Theory	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, or 2001.03H, and 2002.01, 2002.02, or 2002.03H, and Math 1131, 1151, 1152, 1161, 2182H, or 4181H or equiv; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for Econ 4001.01 or 4001.03H.
ECON 4002.01	Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, or 2001.03H; and 2002.01, 2002.02, or 2002.03H, or equiv. Not open to students with credit for Econ 4002.02 or 4002.03.
ECON 4310	Local Public Finance	3	Econ 4300, or PubAfrs 7120, or equiv. Not open to students with credit for PubAfrs 4310. Cross-listed in PubAfrs.
ECON 4400	Elementary Econometrics	3	Econ 3400, IntStds 3400, Stat 1430, 1450, 2450, or AEDEcon 2005, or equiv. Not open to students with credit for Econ 5410 or 5420.
ECON 4800	Labor Economics and Industrial Relations	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, or 2001.03H, or equiv. Not open to students with credit for Econ 5850.
ECON 4830	Economics of Sports	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, or 2001.03H, or equiv.
ECON 4831	Sports Data Analytics and Economic Analysis	3	Econ 2001.01, 2001.02, 2001.03H, AEDEcon 2001, or 2001H.

If you have other courses you are interested in taking for these related fields, please talk with your academic advisor. Please note that 1000-level courses will NOT be approved.

Computer Science and Game Design/Animation work together in important ways. Game developers use computer programming to create the mechanics and graphics of games, while also creating realistic animations and behaviors for characters. By combining these disciplines, developers can create immersive, engaging, and technically sound gaming experiences.

Course choices for Game Design and Animation Related Field
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
ACCAD 5001	Animation Techniques and Practices	3
ACCAD 5002	3D Computer Animation: Form, Light and Motion I	3
ACCAD 5141	Interactive Arts Media: UI/UX	3
ART 3001	Internet Art	3	Repeateable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
ART 3101	3D Modeling Sculpture	3	Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
ART 4101	Moving Image Art	3	Art 3000 (2500), 3001, 3009, or 3101. Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
COMM 3513	Video Games and Society	3
COMM 3545	Human Computer Interaction	3
DESIGN 3104	Introduction to Game Design	3
DESIGN 4104	Intermediate Game Design I	3	Design 3104.
DESIGN 4154	Intermediate Game Design II	3	Design 4104.
MUSIC 2254	Music of Video Games	3
PHILOS 2455	Philosophy and Videogames	3

If you have other courses you are interested in taking for these related fields, please talk with your academic advisor. Please note that 1000-level courses will NOT be approved.

Computer Science and Linguistics are closely linked, particularly in areas like cybersecurity, natural language processing, machine translation and speech recognition. This partnership not only advances technology but also deepens our understanding of language and the ways in which humans and machines communicate.

Course choices for Linguistics Related Field
Course	Title	Credits	Prerequisites and Notes
LING 2000	Introduction to Linguistics	3	Not open to students with credit for Ling 2000H
LING 2051	Analyzing the Sounds of Language	3	Math 1075 or 1148, or an ACT math subscore of 22 or higher that is less than two years old, or Math Placement Level R. Not open to students with credit for Ling 2051H or SphHrng 2051
LING 3701	Language and the Mind	3	Ling 2000, 2000H, 5000, Psych 1100 or 1100H. Not open to students with credit for Ling 3701H, Psych 3371 or 3371H
LING 3801	Codes and Codebreaking	3
LING 3802	Language and Computers	3	Soph standing or above
LING 3803	Ethics of Language Technology	3
LING 4400	Linguistic Meaning	3	Ling 2000, 2000H, or 4000

If you have other courses you are interested in taking for these related fields, please talk with your academic advisor. Please note that 1000-level courses will NOT be approved.

If your interests do not align with any of the pre-approved related fields, you are strongly encouraged to develop your own related field. To do so, you should first choose a computing-related topic. It might be in a field closely linked to existing computer science or STEM coursework, like Mathematics or Physics, or it might be in a completely different discipline, like Music or History. You have the power to create your own curriculum for the related field, so it can be tailored to your particular aims and interests.

Next, you should create a list of 2000-level or above courses connected to your topic. Select at least 18 credits worth of courses for your related field (if each course is 3 credits, you will need at least 6 courses). Courses may come from different departments as long as they form a coherent set of courses. These courses should fit together to create a coherent and cohesive program that has a clear relationship to computing. As such, topics and materials in the related field coursework should have similar practices, themes, and/or goals. In other words, the chosen courses should relate to each other and computing applications. See the tips below for examples of an approved student-proposed related field and a rejected related field.

To create a coherent related field, courses should all fit together in terms of methodologies, techniques, practices, or themes. They may be from the same department or different department as long as they cohesively work together and apply to computing. To better illustrate, here are two examples: one related field using courses from different departments that would be approved and one related field using courses from the same department that would not be approved.

Example 1: Approved Related Field

Related Field Rationale: This related field considers the cultural importance of computing technology and how computing influences and impacts culture and communication practices.

Communication 3554: Social Implications of Communication Technology (3 credits)
English 2269: Digital Media Composing (3 credits)
English 3011.01: Digital Activism (3 credits)
English 4569: Digital Media and English Studies (3 credits)
History 3702: Digital History (3 credits)
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 3306: Gender, Media, and New Technologies (3 credits)
Reason for Approval: While these courses are not all in the same department, there is a guiding principle behind their selection: how digital technology impacts culture and vice versa. These courses all consider similar themes/topics and come from related disciplines.

Example 2: Rejected (Not Approved) Related Field

Rationale: This related field explores anthropology, the study of humanity. Humans use computers, which is how it applies to computing.

Anthropology 2202: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)
Anthropology 3027: Disasters & Health (3 credits)
Anthropology 3211: Introduction to Forensic Science (3 credits)
Anthropology 3304: The Living Primates (3 credits)
Anthropology 3452: Archaeology of the Pacific Islands (3 credits)
Anthropology 3597.02: Women, Culture, and Development (3 credits)
Reason for Rejection: Although these courses all come from the same department, there is no clear rationale for how they fit together. The courses do not relate to one another methodologically as they come from different areas of anthropology like forensic science, archaeology, and cultural anthropology. These courses do not fit together thematically either, as disasters and health do not closely link to the excavation of material artifacts in the pacific islands or to living primates.

Tips for Related Field Class Selection

Look at Minor Programs to generate ideas for areas of interest and see how they group classes together.
Look at individual departments of interest to see what courses they offer.
Use Class Search to look up courses.
Talk to the CIS BA Faculty Advisor. You should come to this meeting with at least one idea of a topic/area of interest to explore. The CIS BA Faculty Advisor can suggest courses, disciplines, and departments you might consider.

Send your proposed related field courses to Dr. Radu Teodorescu (the CIS BA Faculty Advisor) and your academic advisor for approval. You may email Dr. Teodorescu at teodorescu.1@osu.edu.

Please note that you may be asked for further information about your proposed related field and proposed courses (including a course description or a course syllabus).

Curriculum Overview

General Education and College Requirements

**General Education Requirements: 25 hours**
Requirement	Course Options	Hours
GE Launch Seminar	GENED 1201	1
Foundations: Writing and Information Literacy	*Student Choice*	3
Foundations: Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning/Data Analysis	Math 1151*	Overlap w/ Required Non-Major courses
Foundations: Literary, Visual and Performing Arts	*Student Choice*	3
Foundations: Historical & Cultural Studies	*Student Choice*	3
Foundations: Natural Science	Student Choice*	Overlap w/ Required Non-Major courses
Foundations: Social & Behavioral Sciences	*Student Choice*	3
Foundations: Race, Ethnic and Gender Diversity	*Student Choice*	3
Theme: Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World	*Student Choice*	4
Theme: Student Choice	*Student Choice*	4
GE Reflection	GENED 4001	1

**College/Degree Requirements: 13 hours**
Requirement	Course Options	Hours
Foreign Language		12
ASC 1100		1

Major Coursework Requirements

**Major Core: 32 hours**
Course	Title	Hours
CSE 2221	Software I	4
CSE 2231	Software II	4
CSE 2321	Foundations I	3
CSE 2421	Systems I	4
CSE 2501 or PHIL 2338	Ethics in Computing	1 (4)
CSE 390x	Project: Design, Development and Documentation	4

Related Field Core	Select 12 hours of Related Field coursework (usually at the 2000-level) as "core"	12

**Required Non-Major Courses (26 hours)**
Course	Title	Hours
Math 1151 (FDN: Math & Quantitative Reasoning / Data Analysis)*	Calculus I	5
Math 1152	Calculus II	5
STAT 2450 or 3470	Stats	3
Science (FDN: Natural Science)*	Elective	10
Math/Science	Elective	3

**Program Electives: 27 hours**
Category	Additional Information	Hours
Program Electives**	See below for minimum CSE and Related Field requirements	27

**Overall Program**
Category	Hours
General Education	25
Required Non-Major Courses	26
College/Degree Requirements	13
Major Core	32
Program Electives	27
Minimum Total Credit Hours	123

Additional information:

* These courses are can also fulfill certain GE Requirements above (may be degree requirements, pre- or co-requisites, or major courses).

** Program elective requirements:

A minimum of 13 hours must be CSE courses
A minimum of 6 hours must be Related Field courses
At most 2 hours of CSE 4193, 3 hours of CSE 4998, or 6 hours of CSE 4999, with no more than 6 hours total of CSE 4193, 4998, and 4999 combined, may be counted toward technical electives

*** Application to the major:

An application to the major must be submitted online during the term in which admission requirements are being completed

**** Graduation application:

A Major Program Form must be filed with ASC Advising to begin the graduation application process. Students are encouraged to obtain and submit it one semester prior to the graduation term to gain graduating-senior scheduling priority for the graduation term.

Sample Schedule

**Year 1 Autumn: 16 hours**
Course	Hours
ASC 1100	1
Math 1151	5
CSE 1223	3
GE-Writing	3
GE-Diversity	3
GE-Launch Seminar	1

**Year 1 Spring: 16 hours**
Course	Hours
CSE 2221 (need C- or better)	4
Math 1152	5
Foreign Language 1	4
GE-History	3

**Year 2 Autumn: 14 hours**
Course	Hours
CSE 2231	4
CSE 2321	3
Stat 2450	3
Foreign Language 2	4

**Year 2 Spring: 16 hours**
Course	Hours
CSE 2421	4
Related Field Core	3
GE-Science	5
Foreign Language 3	4

**Year 3 Autumn: 14-15 hours**
Course	Hours
CSE 390x	4
CSE 2501 or PHILOS 2338	1 or 4
[GE-Theme if not PHILOS 2338]	[4]
Related Field Core	3
GE-SBS	3

**Year 3 Spring: 15 hours**
Course	Hours
Related Field Core	3
Related Field Core	3
Program Elective	3
Math/Science	3
GE-Lit/VPA	3

**Year 4 Autumn: 16 hours**
Course	Hours
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
GE-Theme	4

**Year 4 Spring: 13 hours**
Course	Hours
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
Program Elective	3
GE-Reflection	1

BA CIS Program Information

Computer Science and Required Non-Major Courses

Related Fields

Curriculum and Sample Graduation Plan

Curriculum Overview

General Education and College Requirements

Major Coursework Requirements

Additional information:

Sample Schedule

Program Objectives and Outcomes

Objectives:

Outcomes: Students in the BA CIS program will attain:

BA CIS Program Information

.cls-1{fill:#a91e22;}.cls-2{fill:#c2c2c2;}double-arrow Computer Science and Required Non-Major Courses

.cls-1{fill:#a91e22;}.cls-2{fill:#c2c2c2;}double-arrow Related Fields

.cls-1{fill:#a91e22;}.cls-2{fill:#c2c2c2;}double-arrow Curriculum and Sample Graduation Plan

Curriculum Overview

General Education and College Requirements

Major Coursework Requirements

Additional information:

Sample Schedule

.cls-1{fill:#a91e22;}.cls-2{fill:#c2c2c2;}double-arrow Program Objectives and Outcomes

Objectives:

Outcomes: Students in the BA CIS program will attain:

Computer Science and Required Non-Major Courses

Related Fields

Curriculum and Sample Graduation Plan

Program Objectives and Outcomes