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This version of the Handbook is for students who have officially entered one of the CIS major or CIS minor programs during the semesters that are stated on the cover of this handbook. Every few years, small but significant changes are made to the program regulations. The regulations that were in effect when you declared the major or minor are the regulations that will be applied to determine if you have completed the program of study. If you officially entered the program at any semester other than semesters that are stated on the cover of this handbook, you should use the version of the Handbook that was in effect for your semester of entry into the program.
There are three computer science-related degree programs and three minors offered by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Information Science. Two of the degree programs grant Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees; one with an emphasis (Track) in Computer Science and the other with an emphasis in Information Systems. An Associate of Science (A.S.) degree program in Computer Information Systems is also offered.
The three minors are in Computer Science, Information Systems, and General Computing. See page 10 for a list of requirements for these minors.
It is possible to do a dual major with any other B.S. degree program available at Mansfield. Some Information Systems majors do a dual major with a Business-related program. There is an overlap of courses with the Business Administration major, the Marketing major, and the Accounting major which facilitates the acquisition of both majors within a reasonable timeframe if the student plans his/her program carefully.
Students that major (B.S.) in CS can minor in Mathematics, without a great deal of additional course work. Some of our CS students choose to dual major in Applied Mathematics. Also, students majoring in IS can minor in Accounting or Business Administration with a few additional courses. These dual major and major/minor strategies can be valuable assets when entering the job market.
Many other departments on campus also have minors available. For the details on these programs, contact someone within that department. For additional information on dual majors and minors, see your advisor.
Information about the computer science related programs, including course descriptions can found in the undergraduate catalog. Additional information on the Computer Information Science department can be found on our home page at http://mansfield.edu/cis/
The overall goals of all of the computer science-related majors and minors are to provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable them to:
Students will gain:
For all of the programs, it is essential that you pay close attention to course prerequisites and the sequence in which you take courses. Courses should be taken in the prescribed semester unless there are strong circumstances making that impossible. Some upper-level courses, such as CIS 3300, CIS 3308, CIS 3310, CIS 3311, CIS 3325, CIS 3350, and CIS 4309 are offered on a rotating basis, only once every four semesters. You are responsible for enrolling in these courses when they are offered so that you can graduate on schedule. Likewise, you are responsible for having the proper prerequisites so that you will be able to take such courses when they are offered.
If you are in the Computer Science Track you must be particularly diligent about getting your mathematics requirements completed on a regular schedule. Otherwise, your last two semesters on campus could be heavily scheduled with mathematics courses, causing very difficult semesters of study. Some upper-level mathematics courses, such as MA 3310, are offered on an every-other-year basis. You should be ready to take them when offered, by having completed the course prerequisites early in your course of study.
The B.S. Computer Science degree programs are tailored for a four-year sequence. Many students choose to take a longer time. However, if you have not taken the proper course prerequisites by the time infrequently scheduled courses are offered, it may be necessary for you to be taking these courses after your intended graduation date. By attending summer school, at Mansfield or at other institutions, students can make up credits or perhaps complete the degree requirements in less than four years.
Core Program Requirements (55 Credits) |
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| Number | Title | Credits | Prerequisites | Offered |
| CIS 1104 | Computer Science I | 3 | None | FA/SP |
| CIS 2204 | Computer Science II | 3 | 1104 | FA/SP |
| CIS 2206 | Business Programming Concepts I | 3 | 1104 | FA |
| CIS 3300 | Programming Languages | 3 | 2204, 3330 | SP, even year |
| CIS 3301 | Data Structures | 3 | 2204 | FA |
| CIS 3306 | Business Programming Concepts II | 3 | 2206 | SP |
| CIS 3311 | Software Engineering | 3 | 3301 | FA, even year |
| CIS 3325 | Operating Systems | 3 | 3301, 3330 | SP, odd year |
| CIS 3330 | Computer Organization | 3 | 1104 | FA |
| CIS 3340 | Database Systems | 3 | 3301, 3306 | SP |
| CIS 3350 | Analysis of Algorithms | 3 | 3301 | SP, odd year |
| CIS 3390 | Networking I | 3 | 2204, 3330 | FA |
| CIS 4490 | Networking II | 3 | 3330, 3390 | SP |
| CIS xxxx | Six credits of major-related electives at the upper division level (courses numbers 3260 or higher.) | 6 | ||
| MA 3310 | Numerical Analysis | 3 | ||
| MA 3314 | Applied Probability and Statistics | 3 | ||
| MA 3260 | Discrete Structures | 3 | ||
| MA 4401 | Seminar: Selected Topics (or 1 cr. MA 4402 by substituton) |
1 | ||
Other Program Requirements (20 Credits) |
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| MA 2231 | Calculus I | 4 | ||
| MA 2232 | Calculus II | 4 | ||
| Natural science laboratory course | 4 | |||
| In addition to above, a year-long laboratory science course (preferably Physics) | 8 | |||
| You should verify that the science courses you have selected will also qualify for the "Natural Science" General Education requirements. | ||||
Important Notes:
This schedule may need to be adjusted to match course availability. This schedule assumes that your first semester will be in the Fall, otherwise minor adjustments will have to be made.
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Core Program Requirements (57 Credits) |
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| Number | Title | Credits | Prerequisites | Offered |
| CIS 1104 | Computer Science I | 3 | None | FA/SP |
| CIS 2204 | Computer Science II | 3 | 1104 | FA/SP |
| CIS 2206 | Business Programming Concepts I | 3 | 1104 | FA |
| CIS 3301 | Data Structures | 3 | 2204 | FA |
| CIS 3303 | Web Site Design | 3 | None | FA/SP |
| CIS 3306 | Business Programming Concepts II | 3 | 2206 | SP |
| CIS 3308 | Operations Research | 3 | (2203 or 2204), (Ma 1125 or 3314), (Ma 1129, 3260, or 3280), (Ma 1170 or 2231) | SP, even year |
| CIS 3309 | Management Information Systems | 3 | 1104 or 2203 | FA |
| CIS 3310 | Systems Analysis | 3 | Bus 1130 or Bus 2230, 2203 or 2206 |
FA, odd year |
| CIS 3330 | Computer Organization | 3 | 1104 | FA |
| CIS 3340 | Database Systems | 3 | 3301, 3306 | SP |
| CIS 3390 | Networking I | 3 | 2204, 3330 | FA |
| CIS 4309 | E-Commerce | 3 | 3309 | SP, odd year |
| CIS xxxx | Six credits of major-related electives at the upper division level (courses numbers 3260 or higher). See xxxx for more information. | 6 | ||
| ACC 1110 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 | ||
| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| BUS 1130 | Intro to Business and Management | 3 | ||
| BUS 2230 | Principles of Management | |||
| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| ACC 1111 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 | ||
| ECO 1101 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |||
| ECO 1102 | Principles of Microeconomics | |||
| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| ACC 3300 or higher | Any accounting course numbered 3300 or higher | 3 | ||
| BUS 3330 | Marketing | |||
Other Program Requirements (9 Credits) |
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| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| MA 1125 | Intro to Statistics | 3 | ||
| MA 3314 | Applied Probability and Statistics | |||
| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| MA 1129 | Finite Mathematics | 3 | ||
| MA 3260 | Discrete Structures | |||
| MA 3280 | Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory | |||
| Take one of the following courses: | ||||
| MA 1170 | Fundamentals of Calculus | 3 (or 4) | ||
| MA 2231 | Calculus I | |||
Important Notes:
This schedule may need to be adjusted to match course availability. This schedule assumes that your first semester will be in the Fall, otherwise minor adjustments will have to be made.
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Core Program Requirements (30 Credits) |
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| Number | Title | Credits | Prerequisites | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIS 1102 or CIS 1103 |
Visual Basic Programming or Intro to Microcomputers |
3 | None | FA/SP |
| CIS 1104 | Computer Science I | 3 | None | FA/SP |
| CIS 2203 | Software for Business Applications I | 3 | 1104 | FA/SP |
| CIS 2204 | Computer Science II | 3 | 1104 | FA/SP |
| CIS 3303 | Web Site Design | 3 | 1104 | FA |
| CIS 33xx | Any 2 CIS courses numbered 3300 or higher | 6 | ||
| ACC 1110 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 | ||
| ACC 1111 | Principles of Accounting II | 3 | AAC 1110 | See catalog |
| BUS 2230 | Principles of Management | 3 | See catalog | See catalog |
Other Program Requirements (9 credits) |
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ECO 1101 |
Principles of Macroeconomics or Principles of Microeconomics |
3 | ||
| MA 1125 | Intro to Statistics | 3 | ||
| PHL 2200 or PHL 3230 |
Critical Thinking or Formal Logic |
3 | ||
Important Notes:
The university-wide General Education requirements include the one-credit “First Year Experience Course” UNV 1100, as well as a 3-credit “Information Literacy” course, a 3-credit “Global Awareness” course, and two 3-credit “The Writing across the Curriculum” courses. For the full details of these important requirements consult the “Undergraduate Catalog” and your advisor.
This schedule may need to be adjusted to match course availability. This schedule assumes that your first semester will be in the Fall, otherwise minor adjustments will have to be made.
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Note that of the total of 10 credits listed above as "Gen. Ed. and/or Electives ", at least 5 of these credits must be from courses in the General Education Groups #1 through #5, and the remaining credits can be freely chosen.
| Number | Class | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 1104 | Computer Science I | 3 |
| CIS 2204 | Computer Science II | 3 |
| CIS 3301 | Data Structures | 3 |
| CIS 3330 | Computer Organization | 3 |
| CIS xxxx | Six credits of additional CIS courses, numbered 3300 or higher | 6 |
Cis 1104 Cis 2204, Cis 3330 Cis 3301 The two additional Computer Science courses should be scheduled after prerequisites are completed.
| Number | Class | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 1102 | Visual Basic Programming | 3 |
| BUS 1130 or BUS 2230 |
Intro to Business and Management or Principles of Management |
3 |
| CIS 2203 | Business Software Applications I | 3 |
| CIS 3303 | Web Site Design | 3 |
| CIS 3309 | Management Information Systems | 3 |
| CIS 3310 | Systems Analysis | 3 |
Note that CIS 3310 is offered in the Fall every other academic year
| Number | Class | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose from two of the following three courses (6 credits) | ||
| CIS 1102 | Visual Basic Programming | 6 |
| CIS 1103 | Introduction to Microcomputers | |
| CIS 1104 | Computer Science I | |
| Choose one of the following two courses (3 credits) | ||
| CIS 2203 | Business Software Application I | 3 |
| CIS 2204 | Computer Science II | |
| Complete each of the following (9 credits) | ||
| CIS 3303 | Web Site Design | 3 |
| Two additional courses | 6 | |
The two additional courses can be other Computer Science courses, or courses which relate to the use of computers in the student's major, or other courses where there is a major component of computer use as part of the course content. Please note that departmental approval is required for such non-CIS courses. Also note that this minor is not available to students majoring in CIS.
Cis 1103, Cis 1104, Cis 2203, Cis 2204, Cis 3303 The two additional Computer Science courses should be scheduled as appropriate, following approval
For students in the Computer Science and Information Systems Tracks, only upper-division level courses (courses numbered 3260 or higher) may count as major-related electives
Computer Science Track students should select major-related electives from Computer Science courses. Upon close consultation with your advisor, a set of related courses from mathematics or physics might also be counted.
Information Systems Track students should select major-related electives from Computer Science, Accounting or Business courses. Courses other than Computer Science electives should be selected only after close consultation with an advisor. Such selections should form a set of related courses. As examples: three upper-level accounting courses or three upper-level management courses. However, one accounting course, one management course, and one finance course would not constitute an acceptable set of major-related electives, even though these three courses all are offered by the same department.
Up to six credits of Computer Science/ Information Systems internships may count as major-related elective credits, although twelve can be used toward the overall degree.
The choice of major related electives should relate to some coherent career objective rather than being merely a collection of individual courses. Work closely with your advisor in making your choices. Unless you have a strong reason for doing otherwise (i.e., a well thought out career direction) major-related electives should be selected from Computer Science courses.
Information Systems Track students and Computer Science Track students may take a maximum of two internships through the CIS 4450 Organization Internship course. These internships can have a maximum total of 12 credit hours. Of these 12 credits, a maximum of 6 credits can be used as "Major Related Electives."
Internships are normally done after the student has completed 15 credits of computer science courses, but exceptions can be made. Associate degree students can also qualify for internships, usually in their second year of study. Fall and Spring semester internships are usually done within driving distance of the Mansfield area on a part-time employment basis, while the student takes regular classes. Summer semester internships are often done on a full-time employment basis, perhaps near the student's home.
Although some students find their own internship situations (subject to approval), there are many opportunities for internships that can be arranged through the department. We have active internship programs with large national corporations, such as State Farm Insurance (Illinois), as well as with local employers, such as Intelligent Direct (Wellsboro) and Information Technology (on campus).
About half of our graduates complete at least one internship before graduation, providing valuable real-world experience, and giving our students a competetive edge when entering the workforce. The better your grades are, the better your chances are to secure a high-quality internship. These internships are an extremely valuable part of your education, and they have been creating valuable full-time employment opportunities for many of our students. See your advisor or any one of the Computer Science faculty members if you are interested in exploring the possibility of an internship.
Mansfield has a Computer Science Club advised by the Computer Science faculty. This club provides an opportunity for social interaction with other students interested in computers. The club also provides many valuable opportunities for learning well beyond the limits of the classroom. Field trips and attendance at the statewide conference of SSHE computer educators are additional experiences offered through the Computer Science Club. Currently the Computer Science club manages the Mansfield University student web-server. The student web-server provides an opportunity for all students of the university to have a homepage on the world wide web, but students, who are interested, can be involved with management of the site. This is a tremendous educational opportunity as well as some fun. The club is as active as the student members make it.
Many Computer Science students get campus work as computer lab consultants, computer tutors, and computer maintenance technicians with our on-campus Information Technology group. These work experiences enhance the students' knowledge and skills beyond what is available from your course work.
CIS Department
Simon B. Elliott Hall
Mansfield, PA 16933
Howard Iseri, Acting Chairperson
Arlene Brown, Secretary
Phone: 570-662-4481
Fax: 570-662-4137
Mansfield University is a community in the best sense of the word. We look out for each other. We push ourselves to dream big. We work hard to achieve success. We care. Mansfield welcomed its first student in 1857 – and to this day, the University continues to seek and serve students with big dreams for their futures.
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