Culminating Experience

There are three different ways to have a culminating experience for CS. All three options involve taking two courses:

Option 1: Two consecutive terms  of COSC 98 (Senior Design and Implementation Project). Students work in groups towards a project addressing a "real-world" need. This involves all aspects from figuring out the requirements, design, implementation, and testing. The result of this experience is a software product of significant scope and significant benefit to a user base. Please refer to the Registrar's Timetable of Class Meetings or the Upcoming Class Schedule for details about when the class is offered each year.

Option 2: Two consecutive terms of COSC 99 (Thesis Research). Students work individually with a CS faculty member on a research project. This project usually is, but does not necessarily have to be, in the area that the faculty member is an expert in, and usually is themselves involved in research themselves. Oftentimes, this project arises out of discussions with faculty members, but at times it is completely student driven. The result of this experience is a written thesis approved by the research advisor. A written thesis is required for thesis research, the Honors program, or the High Honors program. Find more information here.

Option 3: Two additional advanced topics courses. Eligible courses include courses in the ranges 49.01 through 49.99, 69.01 through 69.99, and 89.01 through 89.99. Each such course will include components in the faculty member's area of research expertise, and will give the opportunity to students to engage with current research. These two courses will be taken in the senior year, unless an exception is approved by the departmental major advisor. These two courses are in addition to the courses used to satisfy the other requirements of the major, and cannot be used to satisfy any other major requirements.