The combined major in computer science and design integrates fundamental design courses with a strong programming foundation. Students will declare a concentration in interaction design, graphic and information design, or experience design. Students in this major often have an interest in human-centered design methods used in developing digital interfaces and applications.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Computer Science Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science Overview | ||
| CS 1200 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| or ARTF 1000 | Art and Design at Northeastern | |
| CS 1210 | Professional Development for Khoury Co-op | 1 |
| or EEAM 2000 | Professional Development for Co-op | |
| Computer Science Fundamental Courses | ||
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | Discrete Structures and Seminar for CS 1800 | 5 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and Lab for CS 2500 | 5 |
| CS 2510 and CS 2511 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 2 and Lab for CS 2510 | 5 |
| Computer Science Required Courses | ||
| CS 3000 | Algorithms and Data | 4 |
| CS 3500 and CS 3501 | Object-Oriented Design and Lab for CS 3500 | 5 |
| CS 4500 | Software Development | 4 |
| or CS 4530 | Fundamentals of Software Engineering | |
| IS 4300 | Human Computer Interaction | 4 |
| Computer Science Elective Courses | ||
| With advisor approval, directed study, research, project study, and appropriate graduate-level courses may also be taken as upper-division electives. | ||
| Complete 8 credits of CS, CY, DS, or IS classes that are not already required. Choose courses within the following ranges: | 8 | |
CY 2000 or higher, except CY 4930 | ||
DS 2500 or higher, except DS 4900 | ||
Design Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Art + Design Fundamentals | ||
| ARTF 1122 | Color and Composition (with optional ARTF 1123) | 4 |
| Art + Design Fundamentals Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 5 | |
| Form and Structure and Form and Structure Tools | ||
| Movement and Time and Movement and Time Tools | ||
| Experience and Interaction and Experience and Interaction Tools | ||
| Design Required | ||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World and Seminar for Design Perspectives | 4 |
| ARTG 1250 | Design Process Context and Systems | 4 |
| ARTG 2250 and ARTG 2251 | Typography 1 and Type Tools | 5 |
| Design Elective | ||
| Complete any one ARTG design elective course, as long as prerequisites have been met. | 4 | |
| Art + Design History Elective | ||
| Complete any one ARTH course. | 4 | |
| Art + Design Elective | ||
| Complete any one ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTG, ARTH, ARTS, or GAME course as long as prerequisites have been met. | 4 | |
| Degree Capstone Project | ||
| ARTG 4550 | Design Degree Project | 4 |
Design Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following options: | 8 | |
| Experience Design Option | ||
| Experience Design 1 | ||
| Experience Design 2 | ||
| Graphic Design Option | ||
| Graphic Design 1 | ||
| Typography 2 | ||
| Information Design Option | ||
| Information Design 1 | ||
| Information Design 2 | ||
| Interaction Design Option | ||
| Interaction Design 1: Responsive and Interaction Design Tools | ||
| Interaction Design 2: Mobile | ||
Degree-Focused Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete two courses from the following lists: | 8 | |
| Art + Design | ||
| Complete any ARTG course as long as prerequisites have been met. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subject listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives. | ||
| Psychology | ||
| Foundations of Psychology | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Cognition | ||
| Computer Science | ||
| Database Design | ||
| Programming in C++ | ||
| Game Programming | ||
| Computer Systems | ||
| Networks and Distributed Systems | ||
| Theory of Computation | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Game Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Computer Graphics | ||
| Programming Languages | ||
| Mobile Application Development | ||
| Web Development | ||
| Building Game Engines | ||
| Research | ||
| Directed Study | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Foundations of Data Science | ||
| Information Presentation and Visualization | ||
| Large-Scale Information Storage and Retrieval | ||
| Machine Learning and Data Mining 1 | ||
| Machine Learning and Data Mining 2 | ||
| Principles of Information Science | ||
Integrative Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The following courses are used in the major but also count as the integrative requirement: | ||
| Human Computer Interaction | ||
| Design Degree Project | ||
Supporting Course
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Computing and Social Issues | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Issues in Race, Science, and Technology | ||
| The Law, Ethics, and Policy of Data and Digital Technologies | ||
| Cyberlaw: Privacy, Ethics, and Digital Rights | ||
| Literature and Digital Diversity | ||
| History of Technology | ||
| Bostonography: The City through Data, Texts, Maps, and Networks | ||
| Knowledge in a Digital World | ||
or PHIL 1300 | Knowledge in a Digital World | |
| Technology and Human Values | ||
| The Twenty-First-Century Workplace | ||
| Environment, Technology, and Society | ||
| Computers and Society | ||
Computer Science Writing Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Writing | ||
| ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
| ENGW 3302 | Advanced Writing in the Technical Professions | 4 |
| or ENGW 3314 | Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design | |
| or ENGW 3315 | Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | |
Required General Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 24 credits of general electives. | 24 | |
NUpath Requirements Satisfied
- Engaging with the Natural and Designed World
- Exploring Creative Expression and Innovation
- Conducting Formal and Quantitative Reasoning
- Analyzing and Using Data
- Writing in the First Year
- Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
- Writing-Intensive in the Major
- Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone
Integrating Knowledge and Skills Through Experience is satisfied through co-op.
Khoury College GPA Requirement
Minimum 2.000 GPA required in all CS, CY, DS and IS courses
Computer Science and Design Major Credit Requirement
96 SH are required in the major.
Program Requirement
133 total semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study:
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1200 or ARTF 1000 | 1 | CS 2510 and CS 2511 | 5 | CS 3500 and CS 3501 | 5 | Vacation | |
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | 5 | ARTG 1250 | 4 | CS 3000 | 4 | ||
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | 5 | ARTF 1122 (with optional ARTF 1123) | 4 | ||||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | ||||||
| 19 | 17 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTG 2250 and ARTG 2251 | 5 | Co-op 1 | Co-op 1 | ENGW 3302 | 4 | ||
| Design Option level 1 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| A+D Fundamentals elective | 4 | ||||||
| Degree-focused elective 1 | 4 | ||||||
| CS 1210 or EEAM 2000 | 1 | ||||||
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| IS 4300 | 4 | Co-op 2 | Co-op 2 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Computing and social issues | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Design Option level 2 | 4 | ||||||
| Art+Design History elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | ||
| CS 4500 (and CS 4501) | 4 | Degree-focused elective 2 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Design elective | 4 | ARTG 4550 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Art+Design elective | 4 | CS elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | CS elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | |||||
| Total Hours: 135 | |||||||