The computer science minor provides students with foundational knowledge in the discipline and can complement studies in other engineering and non-engineering disciplines.

Students should declare their minor when they begin their studies in the department, using the online form available in SIS/Program of Study. (Note: CS minor requests will not be approved during peak advising/registration periods.) Students also should also consult the undergraduate advising manual for more information.

All courses applied toward the minor requirements must be taken for a grade (not S/U) and students must receive at least a grade of C-.

Core Courses
Student must take at least four core courses to have a solid foundation in the field, for a total of 14 credits:

  • Gateway Computing (EN.500.112/113/114 – Java preferred) (or AP credit or equivalent) – 3 credits
  • 600.120/601.220 Intermediate Programming – 4 credits
  • 600.226/601.226 Data Structures – 4 credits
  • At least one of:
    • 600.233/601.229 Computer System Fundamentals (600.120/601.220 is pre-req, this course is a pre-req for some systems upper level courses)
    • 600.271/601.231 Automata and Computation Theory (550.171/553.171 is a pre-req, this course is a pre-req for some analysis upper level courses)

Although not explicitly required, EN.553.171 Discrete Math is also strongly recommended for CS minors but does not count towards the minor requirements.

Upper Level Courses
Students must take at least three upper level (600/601.3xx or above) computer science courses, each worth at least three credits. These must be chosen in consultation with your minor advisor to ensure that they are part of a cohesive program of study. One way to achieve this is to choose all three courses within only one or two area classifications. Prior to July 2019 these were Analysis, Systems, and Applications. As of July 2019, courses have one of five designators instead: Theory, Systems, Applications, Software, Reasoning. Please consult the complete list of upper level courses with both old and new area designators. Note that at most one independent study or research course may be used towards the upper-level course requirements.

Fall 2021 Requirements Change
For students who matriculate at JHU in fall 2021 or later, the fourth core course requirement (Computer System Fundamentals or Automata & Computation Theory) is being replaced by any CS course >= 601.200 that is at least three credits. Note that at most one independent study or research course may be used towards the seven course requirement. Students who are continuing in the minor program beyond summer 2021 will have the option to satisfy this new requirement instead of the old one.