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2025-2026

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Computer Science (Reynolds Community College)
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Computer Science

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The Department of Computer Science offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a rigorous, highly concentrated curriculum of computer science courses. It includes advanced study in several important areas of computer science and provides a strong foundation in this discipline. Every course is taught by full-time faculty members who also serve as advisers to both undergraduate and graduate students.


The master’s degree emphasizes continuing self-development of individuals currently engaged in science-, technology- and engineering-related fields. It prepares persons who have completed undergraduate majors in these fields for entry into careers in areas that use computing technology. Both the theoretical and applied aspects of computer science are emphasized in this program. The program offers courses in a wide range of areas in computer science, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and cloud computing, data mining, bioinformatics, and medical informatics.

Career opportunities

Computer science (CS) spans the range from theory through programming to cutting-edge development of computing solutions. Computer science offers a foundation that permits graduates to adapt to new technologies and new ideas. The work of computer scientists falls into three categories: a) designing and building software; b) developing effective ways to solve computing problems, such as storing information in databases, sending data over networks or providing new approaches to security problems; and c) devising new and better ways of using computers and addressing particular challenges in areas such as robotics, computer vision, or digital forensics.   

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Computer programmer
  • Cybersecurity engineer
  • Data engineer or architect
  • Project manager
  • Sales engineer
  • Scrum master
  • Software engineer or developer
  • Software quality assurance and test engineer
  • Web or mobile app developer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • College Professor
  • Computer Architecture Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Lead Software Engineer
  • Machine Learning Engineer/Scientist
  • Project Leader
  • Research & Development Engineer
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
  • Earn a minimum grade of "B" in all your math, science and computer science classes
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 307
  • STAT 212
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 3.0+ cumulative GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Computer Science (B.S.) with concentration in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Software Engineering

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Computer Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Computer Science)

Reynolds Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Year 1
SDV 101 (or SDV 100) Orientation to STEM Disciplines UNIV 101 1 Elective
CSC 221 Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming CMSC 254 3 Major
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
History UCGS History elective (select any approved history class) VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 263 Calculus I (consult with your Reynolds advisor about prerequisites for this class) MATH 200 4 Major
CSC 222 Object-Oriented Programming CMSC 255 4 Major
MTH 264 Calculus II MATH 201 4 Major
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
UCGS Humanities/Fine Arts Elective (select any approved class) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory Science Select one: BIO 101, CHM 111, or PHY 241 VCU equivalent 4 Major
Year 2
CSC 223 Data Structures & Analysis of Algorithms CMSC 256 4 Major
CSC 208 Introduction to Discrete Structures CMSC 302 3 Major
CSC 205 Computer Organization CMSC 311 3 Major
UCGS General Education Elective (select any approved general education elective) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
UCGS Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective (select one): PLS 135, PSY 200, SOC 200 VCU equivalent 3 General education
UCGS Humanities/Fine Art/Literature Elective (select any approved class; must be from a different category than first Humanities/Fine Arts Elective) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Approved Transfer Electives (select 10 credits of approved transfer electives; students needing MTH prerequisites for MTH 263 should select MTH 161-162 or MTH 167) VCU equivalents 10 Elective
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Year 3
ENGR 395 Professional Development 1 Major
CMSC 235 Computing and Data Ethics 3 Major
ECON 205 The Economics of Product Development and Markets 3 Major
CMSC 304 Programming Languages 3 Major
STAT 212 Concepts of Statistics 3 Major
CMSC 303 Introduction to the Theory of Computation 3 Major
CMSC 355 Fundamentals of Software Engineering 3 Major
CMSC 357 Computer Systems 4 Major
CMSC 401 Algorithm Analysis with Advanced Data Structures 3 Major
MATH MATH course (300 to 400 level) 3 Major
Year 4
CMSC 405 Operating Systems 3 Major
CMSC 408 Databases 3 Major
CMSC 441 Senior Design Studio I (Laboratory/Project Time) 2 Major
CMSC 451 Senior Project I 1 Major
CMSC 440 Data Communication and Networking 3 Major
CMSC CMSC upper-level electives 3 Major
CMSC 442 Senior Design Studio II (Laboratory/Project Time) 2 Major
CMSC 452 Senior Project II 1 Major
CMSC CMSC upper-level electives 6 Major
Open electives 5 to 7 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 30 undergraduate credit hours including six computer science courses CMSC 255, CMSC 256, CMSC 257, CMSC 302, CMSC 303 and CMSC 311; an overall GPA of 3.0; and a GPA of 3.4 in the six courses identified above.