Computer Science is about analyzing what computers can do, what they can't do, what is possible, and what can be done better. We offer courses in data structures, algorithms, computer systems, artificial intelligence, computer graphics, programming languages, and more.
Most students who are interested in Computer Science should start with either COSC 111–Introduction to Computer Science I (if they have little to no experience) or COSC 112–Introduction to Computer Science II (if they have programming experience). These courses are appropriate both for students who think they might want to major in Computer Science and for students who want to learn something about Computer Science but who do not intend to major in it (yet).
The department sometimes teaches courses aimed at non-majors. For example, in Fall 2021, we taught a course called Introduction to Computing and the Arts.
We do placement on an individual basis - we want to make sure you start in the best place for your education. If you think you want to skip COSC-111 and start in COSC-112, you should talk to either the professor teaching 112 in the semester you want to take it, or to the department chair (currently Prof. Rager). Note that getting a 5 on the Computer Science AP exam does NOT automatically allow you to skip 111, you still need to talk to someone.