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CIMS Computing
New York University Courant Institute Graduate School of Arts and Science College of Arts and Science

Placement

Computer Science Placement

Most students will start the major sequence with CSCI-UA.0101 and MATH-UA.0121. Some students need preparatory courses before beginning the major, others will have advanced placement credit or transfer credit that enables them to skip certain courses in the major sequence.

Preparatory Course Work

Introduction to Computer Science (CSCI-UA.0101) assumes that students have computing experience including an elementary understanding of programming. Although it is the first course in the major, it moves quickly and a student who is entirely unfamiliar with computing will have difficulty keeping pace. Students without any background in computing must take CSCI-UA.0002 Introduction to Computer Programming prior to taking CSCI-UA.0101. CSCI-UA.0004 Introduction to Web Design and Computer Principles is another elementary course option, but it deals more with software applications and less with programming.

Advanced Placement

The college will give credit for the following scores on the advanced placement test:

Subject Test Score Credit
Computer Science A 4 CSCI-UA.0101
Computer Science A 5 CSCI-UA.0101 (honors)

 

Freshman Placement Information

Well prepared freshmen who want to major in Computer Science and who have some programming experience, either from high school or the workplace, are advised to take CSCI-UA.0101 and CSCI-UA.0102 in their freshman year. This will allow more flexibility in taking electives during the junior and senior year. All sections of these classes use the Java programming language.

If you have little or no programming experience, you should take CSCI-UA.0002, Introduction to Computers and Programming, either the summer before your freshman year or during your freshman fall or spring semester, before taking CSCI-UA.0101. If you receive a grade of B or higher in CSCI-UA.0002, you may register for CSCI-UA.0101. If your grade in CSCI-UA.0002 is lower than B, you should find a different major.

SAMPLE PLACEMENT EXAM for placement into CSCI-UA.0101.

Transfer Placement Information

Transfer students should have their transfer credits in computer science and mathematics evaluated during the first semester of enrollment in NYU's College of Arts & Science. Students should bring copies of their transcripts, along with copies of the descriptions of the courses, to the department.

In order to place out of a computer science course (CSCI-UA.0002, CSCI-UA.0101, or CSCI-UA.0102), you must have appropriate experience with computer programming, normally using C, C++, Java or Pascal. If you have studied C, C++, Java, or Pascal, you should take the NYU Computer Science Placement Exam for Freshmen, even if you are a sophomore or junior. See the separate web page on the NYU Computer Science Placement Exam for Freshmen (SAMPLE PLACEMENT EXAM). This exam should take about 30 minutes. If you are a transfer student who has not studied C, C++, Java, or Pascal you must make an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to discuss your options.

If you wish to place out of CSCI-UA.0101, into CSCI-UA.0102, and have taken a college level class studying C, C++, Java or Pascal at a reasonably advanced level (including arrays, functions, recursion, and at least one of structs (C), objects (C++/Java), or records (Pascal)), you must ALSO take Part I of the "NYU Computer Science Placement Exam for Transfer Students: Additional Questions". You may use any of C, C++, Java or Pascal to answer the questions. This should take another 30 minutes or so. However, if you have taken the AP exam in Computer Science (the A version) administered by the ETS and received a 4 or a 5 as your grade, you do not need to take this exam.

If you wish to also place out of CSCI-UA.0102, into CSCI-UA.0201, and have taken a college level course that included writing programs using linked lists and binary trees, you must ALSO take Part II of the "NYU Computer Science Placement Exam for Transfer Students: Additional Questions". You may use any of C, C++, Java or Pascal to answer the questions. This should take an additional 30 minutes or so. However, if you have taken the AP exam in Computer Science (the AB version) administered by the ETS and received a 4 or a 5 as your grade, you do not need to take this exam.

For further information, please e-mail the Undergraduate Program Administrator.


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