Computer Science + Crop Sciences, BS & Crop Sciences, MS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science + Crop Sciences and the Master of Crop Sciences
The five-year joint B.S.-M.S. program in Crop Sciences combines a B.S. in Crop Sciences with a non-thesis M.S. in Crop Sciences or a B.S. in Computer Science and Crop Sciences with a nonthesis M.S. in Crop Sciences. Current University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergraduate students enrolled in the Department of Crop Sciences who have completed between 60 and 96 credit hours, maintain superior academic performance are eligible to apply for this program. Students admitted to the program will receive both degrees once all requirements for the B.S.-M.S. program are completed.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science + Crop Sciences and the Master of Crop Sciences
For the Computer Science + Crop Sciences, B.S.
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for the Bachelor's degree only: 126 hours.
Minimum hours required for the Bachelor's degree + Master's degree in Crop Sciences: 146 hours.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300 and 400 level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
fulfilled by CPSC 112 and any other course approved as Natural Sciences & Technology | ||
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-8 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-15 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Department Foundation | ||
| Communication Option: | 3 or 6 | |
| Public Speaking | ||
| Let’s Talk about Food, Agriculture, and the Environment | ||
| Oral & Written Comm I and Oral & Written Comm II | ||
| ACES 101 | Contemporary Issues in ACES | 2 |
| Crop Sciences Core | ||
| CPSC 102 | Foundational Skills in Crop Sciences | 2 |
| CPSC 112 | Introduction to Crop Sciences | 4 |
| CPSC 212 | Introduction to Plant Protection | 4 |
| CPSC 393 | Crop Sciences Internship | 3 |
| or CPSC 395 | Undergrad Research or Thesis | |
| CPSC 498 | Crop Sci Professional Develpmt | 1 |
| Computer Science Core | ||
| CS 100 | Computer Science Orientation | 1 |
| CS 124 | Introduction to Computer Science I | 3 |
| CS 128 | Introduction to Computer Science II | 3 |
| CS 173 | Discrete Structures | 3 |
| CS 222 | Software Design Lab | 1 |
| CS 225 | Data Structures | 4 |
| CS 374 | Introduction to Algorithms & Models of Computation | 4 |
| CS 421 | Programming Languages & Compilers | 3 |
| Computer Science Technical Track | ||
| Choose from the following options: | ||
| Computer Architecture and System Programming | ||
| OR | ||
| Introduction to Computer Systems | ||
& Any two (2) 400-level CS courses except CS 491 | ||
| Mathematical Foundations | ||
| MATH 220 | Calculus | 4 or 5 |
| or MATH 221 | Calculus I | |
| MATH 225 | Introductory Matrix Theory | 2-4 |
| or MATH 257 | Linear Algebra with Computational Applications | |
| or MATH 415 | Applied Linear Algebra | |
| or MATH 416 | Abstract Linear Algebra | |
| MATH 231 | Calculus II | 3 |
| CS 361 | Probability & Statistics for Computer Science | 3 |
| Foundational Data Analytics | ||
| CPSC 440 | Applied Statistical Methods I | 4 |
| CPSC 444 | Introduction to Spatial Analytics | 4 |
| Crop Sciences Electives | ||
| At least one 3-hour 400-level CPSC/HORT/PLPA course | 3 | |
| Any CPSC/HORT/PLPA course except CPSC 241 | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Hours for B.S. | 126 | |
12 hours of graduate level concentration electives in the B.S. requirements will overlap with 12 hours of electives required for the M.S. requirements.
For the Crop Sciences, M.S. Non-Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CPSC 594 | Professional Orientation CPSC | 1 |
| CPSC 598 | Seminar (required each semester) | 4 |
| Electives including at least 4 hours of graded coursework at the 500 level other than CPSC 599 (elective courses are chosen in consultation with faculty advisor) | 27 | |
| Total Hours for M.S. | 32 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement |
|---|
| Other requirements and conditions may overlap |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required overall: 12 |
| Minimum GPA: 3.0 |
| Twelve (12) hours of graduate level concentration electives in the BS requirements will overlap with 12 hours of electives required for the MS requirements. |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Hours for Joint Program | 146 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science + Crop Sciences and the Master of Crop Sciences
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CS 100 | 1 | CS 128 | 3 |
| CS 124 | 3 | CS 173 | 3 |
| MATH 220 or 221 | 4 | MATH 231 | 3 |
| CPSC 102 | 2 | CPSC 112 | 4 |
| Composition I or Communication Option | 3 | Communication Option or Composition I | 4 |
| ACES 101 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CS 222 | 1 | CPSC 212 | 4 |
| CS 225 | 4 | CS 233 or 340 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Language Other Than English (3rd level) course | 4 |
| Free elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 2 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| MATH 225, 257, 415, or 416 | 2 | CS 374 | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 | CS 361 | 3 |
| CS 341 (or CS 4XX course except CS 491) | 4 | Free Elective Course or CS 4XX course except CS 491 | 3 |
| CPSC 393 or 395 | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| CPSC 440 | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CS 421 | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| CPSC 498 | 1 | General Education course | 3 |
| CPSC 444 | 4 | Any CPSC/HORT/PLPA course except CPSC 241 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free elective course | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 | CPSC 598 | 1 |
| CPSC, PLPA or HORT 4XX Elective Course | 3 | ||
| CPSC 598 | 1 | ||
| 18 | 14 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CPSC 594 | 1 | CPSC 598 | 1 |
| CPSC 598 | 1 | Elective course for MS degree | 3 |
| 500-level Elective Course for MS Degree | 4 | Elective course for MS degree | 4 |
| Elective course for MS degree | 4 | ||
| Free Elective course | 2 | ||
| 12 | 8 | ||
| Total Hours 146 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science + Crop Sciences and the Master of Crop Sciences
Computer Science, B.S. component:
- Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.
Crop Sciences, B.S. component:
- Demonstrate knowledge in the key subject matter areas of applied plant biology; crop growth and development; crop management and protection; and soil science.
- Demonstrate an ability to identify a problem and develop solutions using quantitative reasoning skills for analysis of biological data.
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary to listen and make effective arguments, to share applied scientific concepts with the public, and to make use of a broad variety of media.
- Demonstrate an ability to lead and function in multidisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrate the ability to perform self-guided discovery in agricultural sciences, practicing skills of engagement to enhance intellectual curiosity.
Crop Sciences, M.S. Non-Thesis component:
- Students will be able to read, understand, knowledgeably discuss and summarize in writing the primary scientific literature of one or more disciplinary areas (bioinformatics and statistics, crop genetic improvement, crop production, plant protection, sustainable food systems, and water quality and environmental systems).
- Students will acquire professional scientific writing and communication skills.
- Students will develop the capacity to communicate and collaborate across interdisciplinary boundaries.
- Students will develop the interpersonal skills to be competitive for career opportunities in plant sciences and agriculture.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science + Crop Sciences and the Master of Crop Sciences
Crop Sciences
Crop Sciences website
AW-101 Turner Hall
MC-046
1102 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3420
cropsciences@illinois.edu
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
ACES Office of Academic Programs
128 Mumford Hall
1301 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-3380
aces-academics@illinois.edu
Advising
Advising Website
(217) 333-3570
Undergraduate Advising Email: ugrad@cropsciences.illinois.edu
Graduate Advising Email: grad@cropsciences.illinois.edu
Admissions
ACES Undergraduate Admissions
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Graduate Admissions
(217) 333-3380
visitACES@illinois.edu