Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Science in Engineering

The Computer Science Department is the only department at Princeton that offers both undergraduate degree programs in Bachelor of Arts (AB) and Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE).

AB students and BSE students must fulfill slightly different University requirements. Both AB and BSE students must complete 8 computer science departmental courses. 

Students completing a BSE degree in Computer Science must meet the School of Engineering and Applied Science general requirements. This includes courses in physics and chemistry. BSE students complete 36 courses over four years. 

Students completing an AB degree in Computer Science must take three prerequisite computer science courses: COS 126, COS 217, and COS 226, as well as any one of MAT 202 or 204 or 217 or EGR 154. AB students complete 31 courses over four years. 

Both AB and BSE majors are required to complete independent work. AB majors are required to do four semesters of independent work: a Junior Research Workshop in junior fall, a one-semester project in junior spring, and a year-long senior thesis. Independent work does not  count toward the 31 required courses for AB students. BSE majors are required to perform one semester of independent work, which does count as a course.  BSE majors may take additional semesters of independent work, including a senior thesis.  Each additional semester of IW counts as a course towards the requirement of 36; the first additional semester also counts as a COS departmental.