BS Programs

Double Majors and College of Letters and Science Minors

For students in the College of Engineering BS in Computer Science degree program, completing a minor or double major offers students a cohesive supplement to their original major, reflecting well-rounded interests and courses of study. Students admitted to the BS in Computer Science may petition to add a double major from either Letters and Science or the College of Creative Studies. Students may NOT double major in two College of Engineering majors. Students that entered UCSB as freshmen must complete their degrees within a total of 15 regular quarters. Students admitted to the BS in Computer Science as junior transfer students must complete their CS degree and the second major within a total of 9 regular quarters. No exception will be made to this rule.

Please note that students admitted as junior transfers to either the College of Letters and Sciences (L&S) or College of Creative Studies (CCS) are not eligible to petition to add a College of Engineering major as a second major, nor are they eligible to switch their major to Computer Science.

Students may minor in any subject listed in the College of Letters and Sciences minor subjects. Currently there are no departments, including Computer Science, in the College of Engineering that offer a minor. For more information see the Letters and Science page.

Honors Program

The College of Engineering's (COE) Honors Program connects our top-performing students with earlier access to research and enriching experiences. More information about the program, qualifications and requirements can be found on COE's page here.

Study Abroad

The UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) offers a variety of choices for students to gain international education experiences while completing a Bachelor's program. An international experience can prepare students to better adjust to the global economy and, in particular, the global IT industry. EAP provides a rare combination of a UC quality educational experience while exploring a different culture and campus in an international setting . For more information on the available programs, see the EAP program. The timelines for engineering students interested in studying abroad can be seen here.

BS/MS Combined Degree Program

A combined BS/MS Program in Computer Science provides an opportunity for outstanding Computer Science, Computer Engineering (CE), or CCS Computing undergraduate majors to earn both degrees in as little as five years. Interested students should make their interest known to the department early in their 3rd year (typically their junior year) and plan to apply in the Spring quarter of that year. Applications are accepted once per year with a May 15 deadline each year. Additional information about this program can be found here.

Distinction in the Major Program

About DIMAP

The Distinction in the Major Program (DIMAP) is a high honor in recognition of the academic scholastic achievement of students for working on projects outside of and beyond the CS major degree requirements. The goal of the program is to encourage students to apply the knowledge and skills they have obtained in the major to a challenging research or technological problem. Students admitted to the program work under the supervision of a faculty advisor on a senior project via the Capstone Track or on a research project via the Research Track. These unique experiences help students extend their knowledge in a particular area and acquire the skills necessary to plan, manage, and implement a large project or open-ended research problem. At the end of the program, students present their results to their peers and faculty.  Students who earn Distinction in the Major will receive a seal on their UCSB diploma in recognition of these achievements and officially setting them apart from their peers, and the students are also recognized at the CS Dept Awards Ceremony at the end of the Spring quarter.

Who is eligible?

1. Computer Science students that will finish all their degree requirements & graduate in Winter 2025 or Spring 2025 or Fall 2025, and
2. Have completed a minimum of 105 UCSB units, and
3. Have a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.60 or higher at the time of their application. 

Application process

Applications open annually at the beginning of the Spring quarter and are typically due a few weeks before the end of the quarter.  Students must apply to DIMAP in advance to be considered for the program.  Eligible students will apply to one of two tracks: Capstone or Research.

Capstone track

1. Complete the Capstone CMPSC 189A/B elective series offered in Fall and Winter quarters. 
2. Present your work during the CS Summit event (this is built into the Capstone course). 
3. Earn a grade of B+ or better in both CS 189A and CS 189B. 

Research track

1. Students will work on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member by enrolling in two-quarters of CMPSC 196 with 3-4 units per quarter. As such, students that are applying to the research track need to find a faculty advisor before the start of the first quarter of research. If you are unable to find an advisor, we cannot guarantee finding a research advisor for you. This may result in not finishing the DIMAP program or not finishing in time. 
2. Present your work orally or as a poster. If you are graduating in Winter 2025 or Fall 2025, you are expected to give an oral presentation to select CS faculty. If you are graduating in Spring 2025, you are expected to present your work as a poster during the Spring Undergraduate Research Showcase event that takes place in Week 10 of Spring quarter.
3. Earn a grade of B+ or better in both quarters of CMPSC 196. 

Application Timeline

Eligible students who expect to finish all of their CS major requirements and graduate in the 2025 calendar year, i.e., Winter 2025 or Spring 2025 or Fall 2025, can apply to DIMAP by completing the application form. The application deadline is Friday May 17, 2024. Students will need to submit a copy of their CV and unofficial transcript as part of the application.

DIMAP application form

Senior Capstone Project

2-Quarter Sequence: Fall/Winter Quarters

The capstone course sequence presents an opportunity to develop innovative solutions to real industry problems. You won't find answers to these problems in a textbook, on a message board, or in off-the-shelf software package -- because students in this class are among the first ever to be able to solve them. Working together with industry leaders, student teams take on the most challenging problems of the day with technological innovation, creativity, and boatloads of hard work.

The capstone course sequence is offered during the Fall and Winter quarters at UCSB with Capstone projects presented to the public during the UCSB CS Summit.