HomeCourse Categories and Descriptions for all Majors
The course requirements for the BSE and BAS degrees are expressed in terms of the following six course categories: (i) Mathematics (M), (ii) Natural Science (S), (iii) Engineering (E), (iv) Technical Electives (O) for Independent Study/Internship/Societal Project on the BAS CPG), (v) Social Science and Humanities (SSH), and (vi) Free Electives (F). The courses which are included in each of the remaining categories, as well as the courses for which No Credit (NC) is given, are listed on the following pages.
General honors courses are included in the same category as their departmental listing.
Some forethought needs to be exercised before selecting the Mathematics elective in the Electrical Engineering major: for instance, Math 241 is a pre-requisite for some ESE courses such as ESE 310, while CSE 260 is a pre-requisite for ESE 220. Discuss your CPG with your advisor.
For a list of courses that can be used to fulfill the mathematics requirement, click here.
Again, some forethought is needed in selecting Natural Science electives: MSE 221 or Phys 240, for instance, are required pre-requisites for some EE courses.
For a list of courses that can be used to fulfill the natural sciences requirement, click here.
The courses satisfying this category are listed in the Engineering column of the Major's curriculum.
Here are some suggestions as to possible courses with few, if any, pre-requisites that are acceptable (please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list by any means):
BE 200/209, 220/210, 466, 480, 485
EAS 311
CSE 270, 280, 360, 390 (EE only; not CTE), 377, 477
MSE 220, 222, 260
ESE 250, 304, 341, 360, 361, 391, 444, 452
MEAM 203, 210, 302, 333
CBE 230, 377, 460, 475, 479
Engineering/Mathematics/Science Electives. These electives may be any course (including courses in ESE, TCOM, and CSE) in the Engineering, Mathematics, and Natural Science categories except those explicitly prohibited above. Dual degree or dual major students who entered between Fall 2000 and Fall 2004 may use up to 2 c.u.'s in this category to satisfy requirements towards the second degree or major.
(v) Social Science & Humanities Courses.
On October 8, 1998, the SEAS Undergraduate Affairs Committee approved the following new policies in the SSH depth requirement. These are in effect for classes graduating after August, 1999.
In the SSH category, a student should choose courses of personal interest which will include a total of seven courses; six course units of study (two Social Science, two Humanities and two of either category) that will lead to reasonably broad insight in those fields, as well as one course unit of in-depth study of either a Social Science of a Humanities subject. Because of the importance of good communication skills to success in all endeavors, each student should seek to enhance these skills by the choice of SSH courses.
Information on what constitutes breadth and depth courses as defined by SEAS.
Social Sciences: Courses which qualify for the social science breadth requirements include any course from the following departments, except where noted. Freshman seminars and Writing Requirement courses offered by these departments listed are included:
American Civilization; Asian American Studies (except where cross-listed with English, HIST, or AMES); Communications; Economics (except statistics, probability, & math courses); History and Sociology of Science; International Relations; Linguistics (except language courses); Political Science; Psychology; Sociology; Urban Studies; Womens Studies.
In addition, the following courses may be used for social science:
CSE 355
CIS 590
Legal Studies 101, 210, 233
Finance 101, 103
BPUB 201, 250
Nursing 333, 533
Humanities. Courses which qualify for humanities breadth requirements include any course from the following departments, except where noted. Freshman seminars and Writing Requirement courses offered by these departments listed are included:
African Studies; Afro-American Studies; Anthropology; Ancient History; Asian American Studies (cross-listed with AMES, English and HIST only); Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; Classical Archaeology; Classical Studies; Comparative Literature; Design of the Environment; English; Fine Arts; Folklore; Germanic Language; History; History of Art; Jewish Studies; Latin American Studies; Music; Philosophy (except logic courses 005 & 006); Religious Studies; Romance Languages; Slavic Languages; South Asia Regional Studies; Theater Arts.
In addition, the following courses may be used for humanities:
EAS 009, 310
Any foreign language course
Depth: In order to demonstrate SSH depth, a student must take a second course in any of the departments used to satisfy one of the other six SSH requirements. The strictures above on what constitutes a humanities and social science apply.
Writing Requirement. From the class of 2001 onwards, all SEAS undergraduates will have to complete a Writing Requirement. This will not necessitate the completion of additional course units. Students can easily satisfy the requirement without altering the existing constraints of their BSE degrees ie. courses satisfying the Writing Requirement can also be used to satisfy Social Science and Humanities electives.
(vi) Free Electives. Any course offered by the University to undergraduates may be taken as a free elective unless it is in the No Credit (NC) list.