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New Student Registration FAQ
Introductory CS Courses
Mathematics
General Education
Requirements
If your question isn't included above,
please email our advisors.
Introductory CS Courses
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I have not had the opportunity to take a programming class in
my high school, will I be behind as a CS major?
No. The curriculum begins with CS1121, which is an introductory
programming course. It is assumed that students enrolling in CS1121
have not had any prior programming experience. Approximately 2/3 of our
majors begin in CS1121.
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I have heard that CS1131 is for students who have programming
experience, but I only know C++ (Basic, ...) and have never had Java.
Should I take CS1131 or CS1121?
Your programming experience can be in almost any programming language
and you still might be fine going into CS1131. The course starts
at the beginning with Java, but the material is covered faster since
the concepts should be familiar from whatever language you have
programmed in. If you perform well on the
CS 1131 placement test,
you have the background to enroll in CS 1131.
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I learned some Java already. Can I get credit for CS1121?
Can I enroll in CS1122. Or should I take CS1131?
CS1121 covers the following topics: classes/objects, methods, parameter
passing, assignment, expressions, ifs, loops, arrays, file input/output,
exceptions, GUI elements including JApplet, JFrame, JPanel, JLabel,
JButton, JTextField, flow and grid layout managers, and action and mouse
listeners. If you are familiar with all these topics, you can get credit
for CS1121 and enroll in CS1122 by taking and passing a test and
successfully completing a programming assignment using these topics. If
you are only familiar with some of these topics, then you should take the
CS1131 placement test, which will probably indicate you have the background
to take CS1131. (Note, if you register for CS1122 (two credits) please also register for CS1721 (one credit.)
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I have heard that College courses cover much more material than
high school courses so I am concerned that CS 1131 will be too fast
for me. What happens if I enroll in CS 1131 and find that I can't
keep up?
If it turns out that CS 1131 is moving too fast for a student, it
is possible to change to CS 1121 within the first 3-4 weeks of the
semester.
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I have been using computers since I was very young. Do I really
need to take CS 1000, the CS Orientation class?
Yes, the Orientation class is not an orientation to computers. It
is an orientation to the profession and to the Department and University.
Topics do include an orientation to the computing environment in the
Department. But there is also information on degree requirements, the
faculty, career opportunities and other useful topics.
Mathematics
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What Math course do I take?
Most students who are ready should take MA1160 (Calculus with Technology). If you are not ready (as determined by your ACT or SAT scores or MTU's Math readiness test) take MA1032, MA0099, or a course that the Math Department suggests. If you have credit for MA1160 (or its equivalent), take MA2160. If you have credit for both, please see an advisor.
General Education Requirements
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The recommended schedule indicates that I should either take a
general education course or a lab science. Does it matter which one
I take the first semester?
In general, no. However, in some situations one or the other makes
more sense, e.g.,
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if you want to continue in a foreign language, or start a foreign
language, it often makes sense to take the foreign language courses
beginning your first. These courses can be used toward your general
education requirements.
- if you are uncertain about your major and your second choice is an
engineering major, taking chemistry your first semester puts you in
better position to switch to an engineering degree.
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Suppose I decide I want to take my lab science my first semester,
what lab science should I take?
Since computers are used virtually everywhere, it can be difficult
to predict what science courses may be the most useful in your future
career. So, it often makes sense to take the lab science that most
interests you. After all, what is of interest to you now is a
reasonable predictor of what type of environment you will want to
work in the future.
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How about general education courses? How do I decide which one
to take?
Again it's really a matter of your own interests. Click here
for a list of general
education distribution courses available to first year students. Note, on this list courses marked with an asterick are designated as courses that can be taken during the first year.
If your question isn't included above,
please email our advisors.
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