Advising Frequently Asked Questions

More information about the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program (ABM) can be found here.

Undergraduate students can request enrollment in a 500 level class as an undergraduate using the Graduate Request form, they are not able to self-enroll while still listed as an undergraduate student.

Information about the Computer Programming Minor can be found on the CSC Undergraduate Advising website and on the NC State University website.

Students must pass CSC 116 with a C or better and both co-requisite classes in order to be eligible to declare the minor. We will also accept COS 100 for E 115; and CR, S*, or a transfer grade (ex. TB, TC+, etc.) in CSC 116.

Students majoring in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and/or Computer Engineering are not permitted to minor in Computer Programming.

The CSC Department does not permit audits of undergraduate classes.

Each line on your degree audit that specifies the number of credit-hours required to fulfill it requires a unique class.

In many cases, a course may be part or two or more requirement category lists.

The course may count then for one of the groups but not both. You may choose which group the course counts toward, regardless of where it initially sorts in your degree audit. Students may request the course be moved by using the Degree Audit Course Shift Form.

The Global Knowledge and US Diversity corequirements may be fulfilled by taking a course from another category that has been designed by the University as fulfilling one of these corequirements.

This is possible only because Global Knowledge and US Diversity are corequirements and, as shown on your degree audit, do not need credit hours to be fulfilled.

There are a few types of electives in the CSC degree audit:

• CSC Restricted Electives (CSC RE) are usually high-level CSC programming/project or theory classes.
• Other Restricted Electives Group B (ORE Group B) contains mostly 300/400 level classes from other disciplines that are useful to supplement, augment, and enhance your CSC courses. Many students use these courses to form the basis of a minor in areas such as business administration, mathematics, statistics, economics, cognitive science, etc. You will also find that CSC RE’s are part of this category, but most students find it difficult to fit additional CSC classes in their schedule.
• Other Restricted Electives Group A (ORE Group A) contain both CSC RE and Group B, as well as some 200-level courses that only exist in this group. Group A classes cannot be used for any of the CSC Concentrations.
• Free Electives can be fulfilled by most classes that are not otherwise being used in your degree audit. There are some restrictions, which are listed in the degree audit.

CSC RE and ORE must be taken for a letter grade (D minus or higher), while free electives can be taken for credit-only or a letter grade. Exceptions for CSC 297, 299, 498, and 499 are made in certain circumstances due to the fact that they are only offered as credit only.

The CSC Department offers several concentrations and tracks.

Concentrations are specifically defined patterns of required and elective courses that all relate to the concentration topic. Computer science majors who have passed CSC 116, CSC 216, CSC 217, CSC 226, and are enrolled in CSC 230 and CSC 316 may apply for any concentration listed here. Submitted forms will be reviewed after the CODA decisions for each cycle are completed.

The Department also offers tracks. Tracks provide an overview of the area of focus that is less extensive than a concentration. As tracks do not result in a change of degree audit, students are not required to apply for tracks but can declare their interest in a track.

A pre-requisite means the class must be taken before.

Example 1: CSC 326.

Fred must pass CSC 230 and CSC 316 before being able to take CSC 326.

Example 2: CSC 116 and CSC 216.

Fred must take and pass with a C or higher, or have credit for, CSC 116 before being able to take CSC 216. CSC 216 cannot be taken at the same time or before CSC 116.

A co-requisite means you need to have completed the class for a grade before or take the class at the same time.

Example 1: E 115, MA 141, and CSC 116.

Fred takes E 115, MA 141, and CSC 116 at the same time OR Fred takes E 115 and/or MA 141 in the Fall and then takes CSC 116 in the Spring.

Example 2: CSC 471 and CSC 474.

Fred takes CSC 474 in semester #1 and then CSC 471 in semester #2 OR takes them both in the same semester.

Certain courses have criterion grades for graduation purposes.

Example 1:

• A C or higher is required for: MA 141, 241, CH 101, CH 102, PY 205, and PY 206
• A grade of S in E 115
• A C minus or higher in ENG 101, E 101, and E 102

Example 2:

• A C or higher is required for: CSC 116, 216, 217, and 226
• All other CSC classes a D minus or higher is accepted as long as your major GPA is above a 2.0
• Students pursuing a Concentration are required to have a C or higher in concentration Restricted Electives as outlined by the degree audit

Seats in CSC 111, CSC 113, CSC 116, CSC 216/217, CSC 226, CSC 230, CSC 246, and CSC 316 are reserved for certain majors and minors.

If you are attempting to enroll and are not currently in one of those majors or minors, there are two paths for enrollment.

1. Wait for CODA to be processed at the end of the semester. Once your degree audit is changed, you will be able to enroll on your own. Seats are saved for newly admitted majors and minors.
2. Wait for the enrollment request form to open and request a seat in the class. Space permitting, prospective students will be enrolled via a manual enrollment process.

Pre-Work

The CSC Undergraduate Advising Office will advise you each semester during pre-registration advising to be sure you are on target for your chosen graduation date. You may be advised by phone, email, or in person during drop in hours. We encourage you to fill out your Pack Planner to be sure your plan is achievable. The Department does not require the Plan of Work Study form.

Post-Work

You will need to complete the Post-Work Report, available here

1. Complete the top Advisor Evaluation and mark your answer if you give, or do not give, permission for your reflections to be shared.
2. Copy the four questions into a separate document.
3. At the top of each page of this document, please be sure your Name and Semester of Work is written.
4. Below each question, please give your 1 – 2 paragraph answer. If you completed two rotations back-to-back, make sure to indicate which rotation you are referring to and make sure your responses cover all rotations.
5. Once finished, please email the appropriate topic advsior and attach ONE PDF that has both the completed Advisor Evaluation and the Post-Work Report with your answers.
   • CPT students should email Ms. Marini
   • All other Co-Op students should email Mrs. Hamilton
6. The CSC advisor will review, comment, and send the document back to you and your Co-Op advisor. You may have your post-work meeting with them regardless of if the paper has been reviewed.

Course Permission and Other Co-Op Forms

For Course Permission and all other Co-Op forms that are not the post-work report, please email Dr. Adams (barbara_adams@ncsu.edu) a completed PDF with your filled in information and signature as needed.

The minimum grade requirement (MGR) is an additional requirement that some CSC classes may use to ensure both project and exam grades meet minimum standards.

The MGR is not a technicality; it is the basis for the way the course is graded. The CSC Department holds firm to the conviction that criterion grades on both projects and exams should meet an appropriate threshold to demonstrate that the course content has been learned.

Any Distance Education (6** section number) courses with the “CSC” designation are fully reserved in Spring and Fall for students in the Computer Programming Certificate (CPC)… which is an online only program.

In the Summer only, on campus students may request a seat from Engineering Online (EOL).

Students are allowed, however, to take Distance Education courses for any other degree requirement outside of “CSC” courses.

Changing OUT of CSC?

1. If another engineering major, see the Coordinator of Advising for that major and have them e-mail us that they’ve seen you.
2. If a major outside of the College of Engineering, see Academic Advising services and have them e-mail us that they’ve seen you.

Staying in or CODA into CSC?

• Follow instructions on Academic Advising.

In the CSC degree some classes are only offered as credit-only (S/U grading) and will fulfill degree requirements if a grade of S is earned:

• E 115
• CSC 297
• CSC 299/498/499

The University also allows both HES requirements to be changed to credit-only and still count towards your degree requirements.

The CSC BS degree has a slot for “free electives”, which can be taken for a letter grade or credit-only.

All other requirements must be taken for a letter grade. The degree audit will let you know if a minimum grade is required, otherwise a grade of D minus or higher is acceptable. Please check your degree audit to check if a low grade or grade of S is sorting in the correct place.

Progress Report FAQ: https://sis.emas.ncsu.edu/students/progress-reports/#q4

CARES is a service that provides additional support for students in distress, or for those who have been identified as exhibiting concerning or worrisome behaviors. The program works closely with campus resources to provide early intervention for students who may be struggling personally or whose behavior has led others to be concerned for their well-being. 

Anyone can make a CARES referral about any NC State student, faculty, or staff member that they might be concerned about. Whether or not you take advantage of this resource is completely up to you.

You can find out more information about CARES here: https://prevention.dasa.ncsu.edu/nc-state-cares/about/, which includes an FAQ page: https://prevention.dasa.ncsu.edu/nc-state-cares/frequently-asked-questions/ 

Summer school is optional. Students who wish to take summer classes may take classes at NC State or they may take them at another institution and transfer those credits back to NC State.

NC State offers summer classes both on campus and through Distance Education classes during the:

• 3-week Maymester
• 5- week Summer I
• 5-week Summer II
• 10-week classes spanning Summer I and II

Maymester, Summer I, and 10-week classes can all be found in the “Summer I” shopping cart.

A student’s term advisement hold for summer is cleared at the same time they are advised for Spring, but students should always consult with their academic advisor before making final decisions about summer classes.

Students who take a summer class elsewhere should first review the FAQ on Transfer Classes. Every institution has different requirements, but students will likely have to:

• Apply to that school as a visiting student
• Earn a criterion grade in the class
• After the class has been completed, and a grade is posted, send an official transcript to NC State’s Undergraduate Admissions office for processing

Students who have been admitted as New Transfer students (ie. from a college or university other than NC State) should contact Dr. Gary Weinberg.

Continuing students who plan to take one or two classes at another college or university should first review the transfer database. If a course you plan to take is in the database and the “NC State Equivalent course” is an exact match of one of your degree requirements, NC State will accept the course. Please also consult your academic advisor to be sure.

If the course is not in the database, a syllabus needs to be sent to the department offering the class for evaluation. The CSC Department has a Syllabus Review Tool for all CSC prefix classes. Classes offered at NC Community Colleges have all been previously reviewed by the University and are not eligible for this process.

Once a student has earned a grade at another institution, they must send an official transcript to NC State’s Undergraduate Admissions office for processing in order for the credit to be applied. This process can take several weeks.

More information can be found here.