Everything on this page is based on having an education plan to earn the CRC certificate in Computer Science. Go back and do that exercise if you haven't already.
To transfer to university you'll need additional courses. You'll take several math, one or two physics, perhaps one chemistry, and about ten general education courses at CRC.
Let's look at the details with Shuri, our new Computer Science student. Recall that she did not take calculus or AP Computer Science in high school, and her education plan begins with a Fall semester. She has chosen to transfer to CSU-Sacramento for a Bachelors degree in Computer Science.
Making the decision between Sac State and Davis deterimines all but 4 or 5 courses in your education plan.
For each of these schools, I've listed the CRC courses that most efficiently prepare you to transfer to:
CSU-Sacramento
or
UC-Davis
.
Go to the link to your transfer university. You'll find links to two PDF documents. Write down all the courses from these two PDF documents. A few of the IGETC courses will be unnamed, just write down what I have in the PDF document. You'll have a list of about 20 courses.
Now let's put these courses into the education plan. Start with the MATH courses.
The math course sequence for computer science is:
Algebra II (high school) => MATH 335 => MATH 370 => MATH 400 => MATH 401 => one or two more math courses
Put your MATH course sequence into consecutive Fall and Spring semesters. Take and pass one math course every semester until you're done with all of them.
Take MATH courses in fall or spring.
Let's continue with Shuri's education plan to transfer to CSU-Sacramento. She had Algebra II in high school and did not take Chemistry with a lab in high school.
Her education plan becomes:
Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer 1 CISP 300 CISP 360 MATH 335 MATH 370 Fall 2 Spring 2 Summer 2 CISP 400 CISP 430 CISP 310 CISP 440 MATH 400 MATH 401 Fall 3 Spring 3 Summer 3 MATH 402
Put the PHYS and/or CHEM courses into fall and spring semesters. Put the course in the semester immediately after its prerequisite. PHYS 411 happens the first semester after MATH 400.
Shuri needs the PHYS 411 and PHYS 421 sequence. Her education plan becomes:
Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer 1 CISP 300 CISP 360 MATH 335 MATH 370 Fall 2 Spring 2 Summer 2 CISP 400 CISP 430 CISP 310 CISP 440 MATH 400 MATH 401 PHYS 411 Fall 3 Spring 3 Summer 3 MATH 402 PHYS 421
Now it's time for the General Education (GE) courses. You've got a few (around 4) of the GE courses that have not been chosen. That's OK, we can set aside space for the in the education plan.
Everyone starts with ENGWR 300 in their next semester. Then they take ENGWR 301 the following semester. These can be in summer.
Then find a place for ANTH 300. That can be summer.
Since Shuri will be transfering to Sac State her GE course list contains HIST 310, POLS 301, COMM 301, and four other courses.
She'll have this:
Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer 1 CISP 300 CISP 360 ANTH 300 MATH 335 MATH 370 HIST 310 ENGWR 300 ENGWR 301 11 12 6 Fall 2 Spring 2 Summer 2 CISP 400 CISP 430 COMM 301 CISP 310 CISP 440 one GE course MATH 400 MATH 401 one GE course POLS 301 PHYS 411 16 16 9 Fall 3 Spring 3 Summer 3 MATH 402 PHYS 421 one GE course one GE course 15
I included the total units for each semester. 15 units without GE course(s) is a good maximum for a Computer Science transfer student in Fall and Spring semesters.
Notice that I loaded up both summer sessions with GE courses. This lets Shuri transfer to Sac State as quickly as possible. And Computer Science students should be able to easily handle 6 units of GE courses in the summer.
Now Shuri has, and you can have, an education plan for a transfer university. But no one has checked your work yet.
Your Computer Science education plan has two components. Each of these components has a different helper.
The CRC counselors are experts at GE. Ask one of them to review the GE part of your education plan. Let them know that you're following the IGETC pattern. Be sure they list which specific course in your plan fits Areas 1,2,3,4,5 (and 6 if you're transfering to UC-Davis).
Then get your education plan approved by your STEM professor. I'm happy to help all STEM transfer majors. I'll make sure that you don't have impossible-to-pass semesters. I'll adjust your courses as necessary. And I'll verify your IGETC courses.
After reviewing Shuri's Computer Science education plan I can see that she has all the courses for the CRC Computer Science certificate. But I see some rearranging that will make her Fall 2021 semester less difficult. I would rearrange into this:
Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer 1 CISP 300 CISP 360 ANTH 300 MATH 335 MATH 370 HIST 310 ENGWR 300 ENGWR 301 one GE course 14 12 6 Fall 2 Spring 2 Summer 2 CISP 400 CISP 430 COMM 301 MATH 400 CISP 440 one GE course POLS 301 MATH 401 one GE course PHYS 411 15 16 6 Fall 3 Spring 3 Summer 3 CISP 310 MATH 402 PHYS 421 one GE course 16
Once your education plan has been approved by a CRC counselor and a STEM professor, you're ready to enroll and pass the courses in your plan.
When you're done passing these courses you'll have completed the CRC Computer Science certificate. You're also ready to transfer to Sac State or Davis and finish the second half of your university degree.
Get to work :)
Last updated November 2, 2020