Do I need to take CS 110?
Generally, yes. Even if you took a similar course in another institution. See this page for more information.
What if I have already earned a degree from another university?
If you have an AA or AS degree from a college in the Virginia Community College System, you may be exempt from lower level general education requirements. With the VCCS AA/AS waiver, you will still need to take ENGH 302; if you are not transferring a course equivalent to COMM 101 (public speaking), you will need to take it or pass the test-out procedure. If you have a BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university, you may be exempt from all general education requirements. You should see your advisor to determine whether you meet the requirements for one of these exemptions.
What courses can I transfer from NVCC(NOVA)?
NVCC has an agreement with GMU that states which NVCC (Virginia Community College System, VCCS) courses will transfer to GMU. The CS/VCCS course equivalency guide for the CS department courses outlines everything that will transfer. The VCCS/GMU Transfer Guide covers all undergraduate course equivalencies.
What courses should I take if I have an A.S. in Computer Science from a VCCS school like NOVA?
Can I take courses elsewhere while I am a student at GMU?
In order to receive credit for courses taken elsewhere, you must first obtain permission from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, whose office is located in 2500 ENGR. You will be required to provide a satisfactory reason for your request and complete the Study Elsewhere form. While appropriate requests often are approved, please be aware that core CS and Math courses are expected to be taken at GMU; therefore, requests to take these courses elsewhere are rarely approved. In addition, all approvals are made at the discretion of the Dean. Courses taken elsewhere without first obtaining proper approval are highly unlikely to be approved retroactively.
How can I transfer credits from another institution, as an undergraduate?
You must have an official transcript submitted from your prior institution to the GMU registrar's office. Your transcript will be examined to determine what courses you will be given transfer credit for. If you believe you have been given too little recognition, you can file a Transfer Credit Re-Evaluation Appeal Form with the CS Department after consulting with your advisor. Along with this form, you must submit additional documentation including the syllabus, textbook name, and sample coursework that you completed at your previous institution. Providing only a syllabus will have a low chance of obtaining any specific transfer credits. Take this form and your documentation to the CS Department (ENGR 4300).
How do the grades from my transferred courses affect my GPA?
No grades are transferred from your prior institution. You will receive credit for any courses accepted for transfer with a grade of "T", but the transferred courses will have no affect on your GPA. Generally, courses will not be accepted for transfer unless you received a grade of C or better.
I took the equivalent of CS 112 (and 211) in another language (not Java) before transfering to GMU. Do I need to retake that material here by taking the GMU courses CS 112 and CS 211?
If your advisor determines you need Java experience you should take CS 211 (CS 112 is taught in Python). You may choose to audit CS 211. If you audit, it will be much more important for you to actually do the programing assignments than to sit in the classes, though the classes should be helpful too. The course audit form will need to be approved by the instructor of the course.
If you are a strong programmer it is possible to work on your own to learn Java. You will need to actually write programs, fix them, adapt them and extend them. To help you with this, you can use a text and/or an online course.
The difference between languages could make it difficult for you to jump into our demanding, programming-intensive CS 310. It's important to start out right, and not have to re-start later. Do not take chances when it comes to mastering the basic skills!
If you doubt your programming skills, it may be best to begin by auditing or retaking CS 112 (which is taught in Python.)