Computer Science Information for Off-Campus Students
July 2003

Taking Computer Science Courses at HMC

Students at all of the Claremont Colleges are welcome and encouraged to take Computer Science courses at Harvey Mudd.

CS 5 - Structured Programming and Problem Solving

CS 5 requires no previous background in Computer Science. However, it does assume proficiency with mathematical concepts that would be covered in a high-school calculus course. A student who has not taken high-school calculus or is not concurrently taking calculus at the Claremont Colleges should consult with the instructor before registering for this course.

In some cases, a student who has taken a Computer Science course with substantial programming in a language such as Java, Pascal, C, C++, or Fortran may be able skip this course and move on to the next course, CS 60, described below.

CS 60 - Principles of Computer Science

The second course in Computer Science is CS 60. This course provides an overview of the field of computer science, stressing key concepts and techniques. It is offered both semesters.

CS 60 assumes a working knowledge of Java and basic ideas from calculus. Students who have taken a programming course in Pascal, C, C++, or Fortran and wish to take CS 60 should consult the instructor in advance to get advice on how to prepare themselves for this course. A placement exam or project, demonstrating proficiency in Java, may be required of those students who have not taken CS 5 or Pomona College's CS 40.

Other Introductory Courses

Both CS 70 and CS 81 require CS 60 as a prerequisite. CS 81 also requires Mathematics 55, "Discrete Mathematics", as a prerequisite. A student who has taken a discrete mathematics or combinatorics course at another campus should consult the instructor of CS 81 before registering for CS 81.

Advanced Courses

Pursuing a Major in Computer Science

Students at HMC and Pomona Colleges are expected to enroll in the Computer Science major of their home institution.

Students at Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges have several alternatives in pursuing a major in Computer Science:

• Fulfill the requirements of the Harvey Mudd Computer Science major. In order to eliminate any confusion, all off-campus students are assigned an HMC faculty advisor in addition to their advisor at their "home college". Please check with the Computer Science Department Chair at Harvey Mudd for the current off-campus faculty advisor.

• Fulfill the requirements of the Pomona College Computer Science major.

• In some cases, the student's home college may permit the student, in conjunction with their advisor, to design their own Computer Science Major. In this case, we believe the following courses (all of which are now generally offered both semesters) should be included as the basis of a computer science major:
  1. CS 5, "Structured Programming and Problem Solving",
     or Pomona CS 40, "Introduction to Computer Science".

  2. Computer Science "Foundations":
     1. CS 60, "Principles of Computer Science"
     2. CS 70, "Data Structures and Program Development"
     3. Mathematics 55, "Discrete Mathematics"
     4. CS 81, "Computability and Logic"

  3. Computer Science "Kernel":
     1. CS 105, "Computer Systems"
     2. CS 121, "Software Development"
     3. CS 131, "Programming Languages"
     4. CS 140, "Algorithms"

  The Harvey Mudd Computer Science major requires the courses listed above as well as three additional Computer Science elective courses and two semesters (in one academic year) of Computer Science Clinic. Students designing their own majors are encouraged to add as many upper division electives to the above list as their schedule permits. The choice of additional courses or clinic should be made in conjunction with their advisor(s).

  Regardless of which of these alternatives is selected, off-campus students are assigned to the Computer Science faculty member currently serving as advisor to off-campus students. Please contact the Computer Science Department Chair at Harvey Mudd for help in contacting the off-campus advisor. The home college advisor and the Harvey Mudd Computer Science off-campus advisor can work together to provide the student with the best possible program of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the prerequisites for the Computer Science at Harvey Mudd?
  Because all Harvey Mudd students must fulfill the scientific core, the Computer Science Department assumes the science background, particularly mathematics, provided by the HMC scientific core.

• Why do I need an HMC Computer Science faculty advisor?
  It has been our experience that students without a faculty advisor have difficulty in planning their schedule and ensuring adequate preparation for computer science courses.

• As an off-campus student will I have access to the computer science computing resources?
  All Computer Science majors have accounts on all the departmental computing resources.

• How do I obtain access to the HMC buildings after 'normal' hours?
  See the HMC Dean of Faculty who can provide the building access codes.

• What about 'Home College' requirements?
  Students must still fulfill any 'Home College' requirements, e.g., a thesis. In some cases a clinic project may fulfill a thesis requirement, but it is upto the student to negotiate such an arrangement with their home college advisor.