Students are expected to maintain a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) in their computer science courses, with a 2.75 GPA being the minimum GPA acceptable in major courses.
Students are subject to the Unit, Subject A (English Composition), and American History and Institutions requirements of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), as well as the General Education Requirements of the College of Creative Studies (CCS).
They also are required to take those CCS computer science courses, and any other UCSB courses, that the student's faculty advisor deems necessary. This aspect of the curriculum is tailored for each student.
In the mathematics and science courses listed above, students may instead take a CCS course that their advisor deems acceptable. Some of the requirements above also can be met via advanced placement (please see the General Catalog).
The upper division requirements are the same as those for upper division computer science majors in the College of Engineering (Bachelor of Science degree program). These include the Major requirements, the Major Electives, and the Ethics requirement. However, CCS students are not required to satisfy the formal prerequisites for the upper division courses that they take. Rather, they meet with their CCS faculty advisor each quarter, and obtain approval for their planned course of study for the next quarter.
Under exceptional circumstances, certain upper division CS course requirements may be waived. Examples of such circumstances include a case in which a student has completed advanced work or research in the topic of the course(s), or has arranged to take a more advanced course. All such waivers require written advisor approval.