When trying to figure out which electives might be best for you - there are a few things that you might want to consider. Whether that might be making the best use of your breadth and free electives, getting a minor, or strategically planning your electives to be able to take online courses during the summer, there are a lot of options for Computer Science students!
Before we get started - you can find the complete list of course offerings here. Also be sure to check the list of prohibited courses that cannot be used for credit in the Computer Science program.
When planning your electives, make sure that you are selecting courses that genuinely interest you, and not just “bird” courses (courses that you think will be easy). While it is tempting to select electives based on their difficulty, as opposed to anything else, you might get stuck in a course that you find uninteresting or that you dislike the material of, and struggle to complete assessments because of it.
Another consideration is that you can only take up to 7.0 credits of 1000-level courses, including mandatory classes. If you end up liking a course, and it is a prerequisite for a subsequent series of courses that is 2000-level or above, you can take those courses and avoid going past that limit.
When else will you be in a setting that encourages you to explore different interests through courses taught by experts in those fields?
A BCS student can add up to 2 program elements, which can be a combination of minors and streams, and the degree has enough elective credits to complete any minor. If you have any interests outside of CS, or would like to do courses that complement it, you should consider getting a minor!
Do you plan to do courses during the summer or during your co-op terms? Some courses are often offered online, and some are even offered “unscheduled” (meaning that there are no scheduled lecture times).
These courses are good to “save” for co-op terms, as these courses can be done after work hours, and if you are in a different city - there is a chance that evaluations will be accessible as well!
If you’re looking for a place to start planning your electives, consider looking into the following common elective choices:
If you liked biology in high school:
If you enjoyed physics in high school:
If you have a Letterboxd account (if you like watching movies):
If you are a fan of Suits (if you are interested in law):
If you are interested in classical history and literature:
(2) Prohibited courses for computer science students
(3) Maximum Number of Credits Below the 2000-level
(4) Adding a Minor
