Computer Science, Minor
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The undergraduate minor in computer science requires a minimum of 18 s.h. in computer science coursework, including 12 s.h. in courses taken at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the minor and in all UI courses for the minor. Coursework in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. CLAS minors may only be earned concurrent with or subsequent to earning a University of Iowa bachelor's degree. They cannot be granted as standalone credentials or as the sole program of study completed at the University of Iowa.
Students excused from courses required for the minor may substitute other computer science electives. Enrollment in many courses for the minor requires a minimum grade of C-minus in prerequisite courses.
Students who major in informatics may earn a minor in computer science. Students majoring in computer science, computer science and engineering, or data science may not minor in computer science.
The minor in computer science requires the following coursework.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| CS:1210 | Computer Science I: Fundamentals | 4 |
| CS:2210 | Discrete Structures | 4 |
| CS:2230 | Computer Science II: Data Structures | 4 |
| CS:3330 | Algorithms | 3 |
| At least 3 s.h. from: | ||
| Computer science courses (prefix CS) numbered 3210-5899, except CS:3910, CS:3330, or CS:4310 | ||
Students who have completed ENGR:1300 Introduction to Engineering Computing and ENGR:2730 Computers in Engineering are considered to have satisfied the minor's requirement for CS:1210 Computer Science I: Fundamentals.
Students may declare the computer science minor and request an audit for the minor on MyUI.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Computer Science, Minor
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| The undergraduate minor in computer science requires a minimum of 18 s.h. in computer science, including 12 s.h. in courses taken at the University of Iowa. | ||
| Students must earn a C-minus minimum grade in prerequisite courses to advance to the subsequent course. | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CS:1210 | Computer Science I: Fundamentals a, b | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Spring | ||
| CS:2210 | Discrete Structures | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CS:2230 | Computer Science II: Data Structures | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Spring | ||
| CS:3330 | Algorithms | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective: computer science elective c | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
- a
- Students who have completed ENGR:1300 and ENGR:2730 are considered to have satisfied the minor's requirement for CS:1210.
- b
- Students will need to meet the prerequisite requirements for CS:1210. Students starting in CS:1210 will need to be calculus ready, either by ALEKS or Advanced Math Placement test or prerequisite math coursework. Additional math is not required for the computer science minor.
- c
- Students take a computer science course (prefix CS) numbered 3210-5899, except CS:3910, CS:3330, or CS:4310.