Minors

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers three minors.

• Minor in Computer Science
• Minor in Bioinformatics
• Minor in Human-Computer Interaction

CS Minor Admissions

Before being admitted to the minor there must be evidence that students have enough experience to be sure the Minor will be a good fit for them. Examples of such experience include: completion of the majority of a CSE course, like 131 or a CSE 131 equivalent transfer course, or passing AP CS-A with a 4 or 5, or other comparable experience and passing the CSE Placement exam.

Minor in Computer Science (after Aug. 1, 2024) 

Note: These policies apply to anyone officially admitted to the C.S Minor after August 1, 2024. 

Units Required: 15

And one (1) elective from:

Additional Information

All courses used for the computer science minor must be taken for a grade, and the student must earn a C- or better. Should the student decide to go further in the field, all courses in the computer science minor can be used toward a second major in computer science or a degree in computer science or computer engineering.

Minor in Computer Science (before Aug, 2024)

Note: These policies apply to anyone officially admitted to the C.S. Minor before August 2024 (WUAchieve will reflect these requirements).

If a student's goal is a basic foundation in computer science for application to another field, but he or she is not planning a career as a practicing computer scientist, the minor in computer science is a good choice. The minor consists of five CSE courses, including two core courses and three electives. The core courses provide an introduction to computer science concepts and problem-solving techniques. The electives offer flexibility to integrate computer science studies with a major area.

Units Required: 15

Elective Courses (9 units)

Any three CSE courses with a T, S, M, or A suffix.

(Students may also choose from CSE 132, CSE 240, and CSE 347.)
9 Total Units

The Minor in Computer Science (before Aug, 2024) requires 2 core courses (CSE 131 and CSE 247) and 3 elective courses. Approved transfer courses and proficiency credit are allowed to replace CSE 131. Students who have approved transfer credit or proficiency credit for CSE 247 will not be required to take it at WashU, however, some other WashU course must be designated in consultation with the CSE advisor to replace that course. For the 3 elective courses, at least 2 of the 3 courses must completed at WashU within the CSE department. Complete the following form to request review of non-CSE courses: Elective Request

Note: Electives with limited enrollment often prioritizes CSE Majors over Minors. Please review waitlist priorities and consult with your Minor advisor prior to registration to ensure you will be able to make sufficient progress. The following courses are beneficial for Minors, offered regularly, and usually able to accommodate all interested students: CSE 132, CSE 240 (or Math 310, CSE 332S, CSE 330S, CSE 361S. 

Additional Information

All courses used for the computer science minor must be taken for a grade, and the student must earn a C- or better. Should the student decide to go further in the field, all courses in the computer science minor can be used toward a second major in computer science or a degree in computer science or computer engineering.

Minor in Bioinformatics

Mindful of the emerging opportunities at the interface of biology and computer science, the Department of Biology and Department of Computer Science & Engineering have fashioned the minor in bioinformatics.

Units Required: 23 to 24 units

Additional Information

It is anticipated that, for some students, some portion of the introductory sequence will overlap with courses required for the major, and these courses will be applicable to both the major and the minor. Upper-level courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may not be used to fulfill the requirements of another major or minor in Arts & Sciences.

Arts & Sciences students should declare the minor within A&S. They will be assigned an advisor in Biology. Per A&S policy, students with a major in the Department of Biology are not eligible to declare this minor. Per A&S policy, A&S students must complete 9 units of upper-level coursework towards the minor. 

McKelvey, Olin, and Sam Fox students should declare the minor within McKelvey. They will be assigned an advisor in CSE. 

A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses to count toward the minor. Students may apply no more than one course taken outside Washington University toward the minor requirements. Courses earned through Washington University-approved study abroad programs are considered to be resident units and may count toward this minor where applicable with no limit.

Minor in Human-Computer Interaction

The HCI minor is intended for students who are interested in the design of user-centered interactive technologies and those desiring jobs that include user interface creation, product design, UX/UI design, app development, virtual and augmented realities, and so on. This minor should appeal to students in the College of Art — particularly designers and computationally intrigued artists — who are interested in gaining a more in-depth knowledge of back-end development skills. It will also be of interest to engineering students looking for more experience with aesthetics and front-end design skills. In addition to being useful for these primary audiences, this minor allows students from other departments on campus to support their studies with a clear track in a hybrid pursuit of design and programming.

Units Required: 18 units

Students must complete two pillar courses, one integration course and three approved electives. Courses listed below are considered approved elective offerings between the Sam Fox School and the McKelvey School of Engineering.

Pillar Courses (6 units):

Integration Courses (3 units):

Electives (9 units, with at least one course each from CSE and Art/Design):

Additional approved elective courses can be found by viewing the Google Docs file maintained for this program.