Study Abroad for Computer Science Majors
When You Should Go
CS majors typically study abroad in the fall or spring of their Junior year. Note that, in the example schedule described later, one could easily swap the Junior Fall and Spring semester schedules.
Places CS Majors Have Studied Abroad
- Australia: Arcadia University, University of South Australia, University of N.S. Wales
- ESIEE, Paris, France
- Int’l Christian University, Tokyo, Japan
- New Zealand
Department Rules for Transferring Credit
- Petition in advance for approval for the courses you want to transfer (petition forms will be available in the CS main office)
- You must earn the equivalent of a B or better to earn transfer credit for CS courses
- In order to be ready for clinic in your senior year, CS 121 must be taken either as a sophomore or junior
- Courses taken before study abroad must be such that you have the prerequisites you need for the courses you choose to take while abroad
- Your plan must allow you to complete the major in four years
- You should attend three seminars/talks related to computer science and write a paragraph on each to obtain a semester of colloquium credit
- Discuss any Hum/Soc credit transfer plans that you have with your HSS advisor, as approval from the HSS Department Chair is required.
Further Advice
For further advice, contact Professor Mike Erlinger ([email]erlinger@cs.hmc.edu[/email]), a member of the Study Abroad Committee.
Example Plan for Study Abroad During Junior Year
Important Note: If you wish to travel abroad in the Spring instead of the Fall of your Junior year, those semesters’ classes are interchangable.
| Freshman | Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
| Chem 21 and 25 | 4 | Chem 22 and 26 | 4 | |
| Phys 23 | 2 | Phys 24 and 28 | 4 | |
| Math 11 and 12 | 4 | Math 13 and 14 | 3 | |
| CS 5 | 3 | CS 60 | 3 | |
| Hum 1 | 4 | Hum 2 | 3 | |
| Total | 17 | Total | 17 | |
| Sophomore | Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
| E 59 Baby Stems | 3 | CS 70 | 3 | |
| Math 61 and 62 | 3 | Math 63 and 64 | 3 | |
| Phys 51 and 53 | 4 | Hum/Soc #1 | 3 | |
| Bio 52 | 3 | CS 81 | 3 | |
| Math 55 | 3 | Hum/Soc #2 | 3 | |
| Total | 16 | Total | 15 | |
| Junior | Fall – STUDY ABROAD! | Units | Spring | Units |
| CS Elective #1 | 3 | CS 105 | 3 | |
| CS Elective #2 | 3 | CS 121 | 3 | |
| Hum/Soc #3 | 3 | Hum/Soc #6 | 3 | |
| Hum/Soc #4 | 3 | IE course | 3 | |
| Hum/Soc #5 | 3 | Free elective | 3 | |
| Seminar | 0 | CS 194 (Colloq) | 0 | |
| Total | 15 | Total | 15 | |
| Senior | Fall | Units | Spring | Units |
| Clinic (CS 183) | 3 | Clinic (CS 184) | 3 | |
| CS 140 | 3 | CS 131 | 3 | |
| Hum/Soc #7 | 3 | Hum/Soc #9 | 3 | |
| Hum/Soc #8 | 3 | Hum/Soc #10 | 3 | |
| CS Elective #3 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |||
| CS 195 (Colloq) | 0 | CS 196 (Colloq) | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | Total | 15 |
Note: This plan accommodates the CS Precedence Diagram and sums up to 128 units.
Upon Your Return
We would love to learn more about your study abroad, both in terms of academic insights, as well as cultural and personal ones. We ask that you meet with some of our faculty — informally, of course — after you return. During this time, you can share your wealth of experiences with us. For example:
- How did college life change when you went abroad?
- What was it like to compute in another culture?
- Did scientific research take on a different meaning?
- In what ways did you become a part of the community?
- What things about America were hard to explain to your colleagues abroad?
- What things about their culture were difficult for you to understand?
- What did you miss/will you miss the most?
We’d also like to encourage you to write-up a brief essay on your experience, so that we can share this with CS students who will consider studying abroad in the future. If you chose to do so, this will qualify as one of the seminars/talks required for colloquia transfer credit.