Minor in Computer Science
Nearly all Illinois undergraduate degrees can be paired with a Computer Science minor.
The CS minor can be a great way to add computer science to the area of study you're most passionate about—from agriculture to the arts, from media to the sciences, or from business to engineering, just to name a few. Only CS, CS + X, and CE majors are not eligible for the CS minor.
Capacity in Core CS Courses
The Department of Computer Science is committed to providing enough capacity in the core courses for our minor (CS 124, CS 128, CS 173, and CS 225) to accommodate all students who are interested and who meet the prerequisites. Students wishing to complete a CS minor are recommended to take CS 124 and CS 225 in the Spring semesters, and CS 128 and CS 173 in the Fall semesters.
Note: Declaring a minor in CS will not give you an advantage in registering for CS courses.
Use the CS Minor as a Pathway to the Online Professional Master of Computer Science (MCS) Degrees
If you complete any Illinois CS or CS + X bachelor's degree or the CS minor with a GPA of 3.0 or better in the last two years of your undergraduate degree and a GPA of 3.2 or better in CS courses, you are guaranteed admission to our Online MCS or MCS in Data Science (MCS-DS) programs.
CS Minor Course Requirements
New Requirements: These requirements apply to students who will not have credit for CS 225 prior to Spring 2022. All students starting the CS minor in Fall 2021 or later should follow these requirements.
REQUIRED COURSES:
|
Hours |
Courses |
|---|---|
|
3 |
CS 124 Intro to Computer Science I (substitutes: CS 125, ECE 120) |
|
3 |
CS 128 Intro to Computer Science II (substitutes: CS 126, CS 199-128, ECE 220) |
|
3 |
CS 173 Discrete Structures (substitute: MATH 213, MATH 347, MATH 412, MATH 413; cannot be used as upper-level CS courses) |
|
4 |
CS 225 Data Structures |
|
6 |
Two upper-level CS courses at the 300- or 400-level Upper-level courses not allowed for the CS Minor: CS 397, CS 398, CS 400, CS 401, CS 402, CS 403, CS 413, CS 491, CS 494, CS 497, CS 499 Upper-level courses must be taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. One may be taken from a study abroad program with departmental approval. |
|
16-19 |
Minimum Total Hours For links to courses and additional details on substitutions and transfer equivalents, visit the CS Undergraduate Minor page in the Illinois Course Catalog. |
Declaring the CS Minor
To declare the CS minor, submit a request here: go.illinois.edu/MinorDeclaration
Note that declaring a minor in CS will not give you an advantage in registering for any CS courses. However, once declared, you will receive emails that apply to your minor.
To cancel the minor, submit an online request here: go.illinois.edu/MinorCancellation. You do not need approval from the CS Department to cancel a CS Minor.
CS Minor Course Requirements From Fall 2021 or Earlier
These requirements apply to students who have completed or registered for CS 225 by Fall 2021.
The following three courses are specifically required:
|
Hours |
Course |
|---|---|
|
4 |
CS 125 Intro to Computer Science (substitutes: ECE 190 or ECE 220) |
|
3 |
CS 173 Discrete Structures (substitute: MATH 213) |
|
4 |
CS 225 Data Structures |
Students must take three additional courses from among the following approved courses. These courses must be taken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, though one may be taken from a study abroad program. At least one of the three courses must be at the 400-level. Students may apply two or even all three of the additional courses from among the 400-level offerings.
|
Hours |
Course |
|---|---|
|
4 |
CS 233 Computer Architecture |
|
4 |
|
|
3 |
CS 357 Numerical Methods |
|
4 |
CS 374 Algorithms and Models of Comp. |
|
3 |
Any course number between (and including) CS 407 and CS 498 except CS 413, CS 491, CS 492, CS 493, CS 494. |
|
20 |
Minimum Total Hours for the CS Undergraduate Minor from Fall 2021 or Earlier |