Admissions
Getting Started is Easy
Whether you need help preparing to return to school, have questions about admissions requirements, financial aid, or anything else, our Enrollment Advisor is here to answer your questions and provide guidance.
Contact the program today at cspbonline@colorado.edu or schedule an appointment.
Virtual Open House
Ask questions directly to our faculty, advisors and program chair. RSVP is required, and there is a different registration link for every open house date.
Application Dates and Deadlines
Summer 2023 |
Fall 2023 |
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Application Process
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Complete the admissions application (no fee for the 2023 admissions cycle)
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Provide a personal statement of 250–1,000 words specifically explaining why you are interested in the Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate degree program. Reflect on your personal strengths (e.g. intellectual passion, academic abilities, professional experience) and any recent experience with computer science.
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Submit all transcripts directly to CU Boulder. Unofficial transcripts are accepted if you do not intend to request transfer credits. For more information on how to submit transcripts, visit the CU Admissions Transcript page.
Application Requirements
In order to apply for the Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate program, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Have a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
- Have a minimum accumulated GPA of 2.75 in your existing bachelor’s degree. Applicants with significant life experience but a lower GPA will be considered.
- Meet the math requirements.
- Complete and submit all application materials by the specified application deadline. We do not offer late acceptance or extensions.
- International students must meet a minimum standard of English proficiency.
You are required to fulfill one of the following:
- Completion of AP Calculus or Calculus 1 with a minimum C- grade.
- Note that "Calculus for Business" or other courses not explicitly listed as "Calculus 1" do not satisfy this requirement. If you did not take a Calculus 1 course, you will need to take the ALEKS online course (see below).
- Successful completion of CLEP exam for Calculus. (CLEP exam credit may be granted for a score of 54 or above).
- Completion of the self-paced ALEKS Prep for Calculus with Limits course.
- For this option, visit the ALEKS website and sign up for the course using the class code: HMWQJ-3DWWN. You will be required to purchase an access code to take the course.
- Additional ALEKS Information:
- The cost is approximately $25, and you will be granted 6 weeks of access to complete the self-paced course.
- After purchasing access, you will be given an “Initial Knowledge Check”. This will determine the percentage of the course content you are already proficient in. As you progress through modules, you will periodically be given “Progress Checks”. Your performance in this or any other ALEKS check in no way impacts your application.
- Once you achieve 80% tested knowledge, you will receive a certificate of completion via email. This signifies that you have met the math prerequisite of our program. Our admissions team has access to these certificates and will review them as part of the admissions process.
IMPORTANT: Applications that fail to meet the math prerequisite will not be considered. If you are unsure, please reach out to our office via the request information form and we will be more than happy to discuss this with you. It is very important that you do not assume you have met it, check your transcript or make sure you have completed 80% of ALEKS.
In addition to our general admission requirements, all international applicants are also required to meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. Applicants are evaluated based on their overall application.
Visit the CU Boulder English Proficiency Requirements page to view the most up-to-date English proficiency requirements, as set by CU Boulder Admissions.
Also, please be aware the Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate program adheres to the US Mountain Time Zone and our servers are housed in Boulder, Colorado. We welcome students from around the world, however, please be aware this may result in some additional work in relation to deadlines and/or software accessibility. Flexibility will be at the discretion of the instructor.
We encourage applicants from all different backgrounds to apply to our program. Even if you are new to the field of computer science, there are several ways to express your interest in your personal essay (250-1,000 words):
- Share a recent experience you had that led to your interest in CS
- Outline goals you have for after you complete our program
- Touch on ways you would apply your new knowledge in your professional and/or personal life.
Transfer Information
New students are eligible to transfer credits from CU Boulder and outside institutions.
All Credits
- Must be equivalent to classes from our curriculum. Credits not equivalent to these courses, or computer science courses outside of our curriculum, are not eligible to be transferred.
- Must have been passed with a C- or better.
- Must have been taken within the past 10 years.
- Must provide an official transcript to be eligible to receive credit
CU Credits
You may transfer a maximum of fifteen (15) eligible credit hours from CU Boulder or CU Continuing Education before matriculating into the program.
Outside Institution Credits
You may transfer a maximum of nine (9) eligible credit hours from an outside institution and must have been issued by an accredited institution.
Furthermore, it is highly encouraged that transfer credits are completed prior to applying to the program. (Example, completed by Summer 2023 if applying for Spring 2024) Failure to do so may result in a delay of matriculation into the program.
You may also combine CU Boulder and other university transfer credits, however, you may not exceed more than 15 credits total.
Eligibility
As part of the admissions process, the Office of Admissions will officially evaluate your credits approximately 2 weeks after acceptance into the program. All possible transferable credit will be transferred and reflected in your transfer credit report in your student portal. How these transferable courses apply to your specific degree will require a conversation with your assigned academic advisor and can be viewed in your degree audit.
To determine if your credits are eligible to be transferred, please review the CU Admissions guidelines. Their office handles all transfer credit eligibility.
Courses taken over 10 years ago may not be transferred to the program.
Not Looking for a Full Degree?
You can take Applied Computer Science courses as a nondegree student to explore the program before you apply or to deepen your knowledge in a specific area.