Computer Science Department

Undergraduate Degrees

The CS Department offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with three tracks for students to choose from.

1) Bachelor of CS – Regular Track

2) Bachelor of CS – Cybersecurity Concentration Track (started in Fall 2020)

The Cybersecurity option requires students who choose the concentration to complete 15 hours of coursework that builds knowledge, skills, and expertise in cybersecurity. Specific course requirements are as follows:

      • Four required courses (core):
        • COMP 3332 Cryptography. Offered in the spring semester
        • COMP 4323 Network Security. Offered in the spring semester
        • COMP 4331 Computer Forensics. Offered in the fall semester
        • COMP 4333 Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing. Offered in the fall semester
      • One of the following required elective courses (Offered in the summer semester – online):
        • COMP 2313 Introduction to Information Security
        • COMP 3331 Information Privacy
        • COMP 4332 Mobile Security
    • Want to move to the CS – Cyber Security Concentration degree plan? Please go to this webpage to submit your concentration change form.
    • Concentration Coordinator: Dr. Na Li; Office: 315 SR Collins; Phone: (936) 261-9862; Email: nali@pvamu.edu

3) Bachelor of CS – Data Science Track (starting in Fall 2022)

The Data Science option requires students who choose the concentration to complete 12 hours of coursework that builds knowledge, skills, and expertise in data science. Specific course requirements are as follows: Four required courses (core):

        • COMP 3311 Introduction to Data Science
        • COMP 4315 Data Mining and Analytics
        • COMP 4316 Machine Learning
        • COMP 4318 Information Retrieval
    • Want to move to the CS-Data Science Concentration degree plan? Please go to this webpage to submit your concentration change form.
    • Concentration coordinator: Dr. Lin Li; Office: 111H SR Collins; Phone: (936) 261-9882; Email: linli@pvamu.edu

The CS Department also offers a minor in Computer Science. The requirement is as follows:

  • MATH 2413, 2414
  • COMP 1336, 1121, 1337, 1122, 2336, 2310, and 9 semester hours of upper-division CS courses

The new CS course numbers (TCCNs) that were effective starting the fall 2021 semester

  • Click here to see the course numbers for the old ones and new ones.

Transfer credits from community colleges to the CS program

  • Course Mapping Matrix between Community Colleges and PVAMU-CS Program (TBA)

Information on the Five-Year BS/MS Programs

The B.S. and M.S. degrees offered through this option are identical to the individual B.S. and M.S. degrees offered in each Department. The combined five-year degree plan provides students with the opportunity to obtain these degrees in less time than would be required when pursuing them independently. Junior and senior engineering majors who are within 30 semester-credit hours of completing the requirements for an undergraduate degree may, upon being recommended

by the department head and their respective dean of their College, register for up to six semester-credit hours of graduate courses. These graduate courses may be used to meet undergraduate upper-level technical electives requirements as well as be used to meet graduate requirements at Prairie View A&M University.

Minimum Requirements

  1. Current undergraduate engineering student with junior or senior class standing within 30 hours of completing an undergraduate degree
  2. Current GPA is a 3.0 or above
  3. Student willing to take six hours of graduate courses as the electives for BS degree

Click the following links for more information and the application process

Admission

All students seeking admission into the Computer Science undergraduate program must meet the undergraduate admission requirements of the university and the admission requirements of the College of Engineering. For official university requirements, please refer to the University Catalog for the most current university admissions requirements.

Students may be admitted to the College of Engineering in two ways: (1) directly into a major or (2) conditionally admitted.

General Scholarship Application

A student is admitted directly into a major only if all admission criteria are met.

First-time Freshmen – Engineering and Computer Science Majors

First-time freshmen will be evaluated on the basis of the following admission criteria that are applicable for the student:

  • Students must meet the Prairie View A&M University admissions requirements.
  • Students must present a SAT score of 930 (based on combined verbal and math scores only) or higher or a composite ACT score of 19 or higher.
  • Must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Student must be in the top 25 percent of their graduating class.
  • Students must have successfully passed or must be exempt from the THEA exam in all areas.

THEA requirements have no influence on the admission to the University; however students must satisfy this criterion to be admitted to the College of Engineering. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the student’s major status being changed.

As noted, students who meet these criteria will be admitted directly into a major. Those students that do not meet the criteria will need to have their records reviewed by their academic department and be considered on individual merits for conditional admission.

Those first-time freshmen who do not meet the direct admission standards into the College and wish to be considered for conditional admission must meet the following criteria:

First-time Freshmen – Engineering and Computer Science Majors

First-time freshmen will be evaluated on the basis of the following admission criteria that are applicable for the student:

  • Students must meet the Prairie View A&M University admissions requirements.
  • Students must present a minimum SAT score greater than 820 (based on combined verbal and math scores only) or higher or a composite ACT score of 17 or higher.
  • Must have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Student must be in the top 50 percent of their graduating class.

Transfer students include those from other units within Prairie View A&M University as well as those from other educational institutions. Transfer students external to Prairie View A&M University must furnish an official transcript to the Office of Admissions for evaluation of all college level work completed. Transfer students with less than 30 hours of transferable credit are admitted under the criteria for first-time freshmen.

Transfer students with 30 hours or more of transferable credit must meet the following requirements:

  • Students must meet the Prairie View A&M University and the College of Engineering admissions requirements.
  • Must have a ‘C’ or higher in all transfer courses.
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale in all math, science, and engineering courses.

Students who meet these criteria will be admitted directly into a major. Those students that do not meet the criteria will need to have their records reviewed by their desired academic department and be considered on individual merits for conditional admission.

Ravi Iyengar

Dr. Na Li

Dr. Lin Li

CS Program coordinator and CS regular track advisor

Mr. Ravi Iyengar
Instructor

Office: 111J SR Collins
Phone: (936) 261-9875
Email: rniyengar@pvamu.edu

CS – Cybersecurity concentration advisor

Dr. Na Li
Associate Professor

Office: 315 SR Collins
Phone: (936) 261-9862
Email: nali@pvamu.edu

CS – Data Science concentration advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator

Dr. Lin Li
Associate Professor

Office: 111 Suite H SR Collins
Phone: (936) 261-9882
Email: linli@pvamu.edu

Degree Plans

Financial Aid

Prairie View A&M University has the following major financial assistance programs:

  • Federal Pell Grants
  • Stafford Loans
  • Parent Plus Loans
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs)
  • Federal/State Work Study
  • Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)
  • Scholarships
  • Texas Grants
  • B-On Time Loans

Financial assistance also available to students in the Computer Science Department as follows:

  • Assistantship for students working with faculty members on grants/contracts.
  • Hourly students work within the Computer Science Department.
  • Hourly work at the Lockheed Martin Corporation storefront for qualified students.
  • Other types of financial assistance.