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Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science

Meet the Demand for Skilled Technology Experts

In today’s technology-driven world, the need for skilled professionals with an in-depth knowledge of computing systems is higher than ever. The Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science (BSACS) is the study of both theoretical and applied computer science – an intersection of information technology, computer science, and business. City University of Seattle provides a solid foundation in all areas of computer science, current programming languages and technology, artificial intelligence, software engineering, web development, operating system management, database technologies, cybersecurity, networking, and more.

Students learn the latest tools, technologies, and gain hands-on experience learning from faculty who are skilled professionals in their field. The BSACS transitions working professionals into the information technology sector and prepares graduates for a variety of professional roles across industries.

Program Information Summary

Enrollment: All Quarters

Course Format: Online, Mixed Mode, On-Site (Seattle)

Total Credits: 180

Undergraduate Program Manager

Brian Maeng

Dr. Brian Maeng, Ph.D.

maengjooyol@cityu.edu

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science (BSACS) program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and competency to participate in applying Computer Science to specific domains successfully. Topics include object-oriented, functional, and statistical programming, network, operating systems, databases, web applications, discrete math for data structures and algorithms, system analysis and design, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cyber ethics required to deliver Applied Computer Science projects, as well as maintaining the professional skills needed to advance in the Technology and Computing field.  Students can pursue specialized studies by selecting courses in artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity, data science, and information technology to advance in applied computer science.

Click HERE for admissions and tuition information.

Click HERE for the complete program catalog.

Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science  will prepare students to:  

1. Integrate a foundational knowledge of all areas of applied computing (General Computing Knowledge).

2. Apply fundamental principles and practices of applied computing (Applied Computing Principles and Practices).

3. Apply critical and ethical thinking to solve problems in applied computing (Critical and Ethical Thinking).

4. Evaluate the data to inform decisions and solve problems in applied computing (Quantitative Literacy).

5. Create the ability to develop and express ideas while applying a variety of delivery models, genres, and styles (Communication).

6. Collaborate effectively on diverse teams to accomplish a common goal (Collaboration).

Note: For full course descriptions please refer to the current catalog.

Total Required Credits (180 Credits)

Lower Division Requirements (70 Credits)

Students must meet General Education requirements.  This is typically completed within the 90 required lower division credits. See the General Education Requirements section of this catalog for more detailed information. For this program, Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning is met with the course MATH 141 Precalculus or higher. MATH 138 (NS) is a pre-requisite for MATH 141.
General Education RequirementsTotal Credits
College Composition (CC) I** & II10 Credits
Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning (QSR)5 Credits
Humanities (HU)10 Credits
Social Sciences (SS)15 Credits
Natural Sciences (NS)15 Credits
**If College Composition I is waived through transfer or articulation, students must take an additional 5 quarter credits from a humanities discipline.

Preparatory Courses (20 Credits)

These preparatory courses may be applied towards CityU’s General Education and Lower Division credit requirements.
MATH 138College Algebra (QSR or NS)

5

CS 132Computer Science I *

5

CS 251Statistical Computing (NS) *

5

IS 201Fundamentals of Computing

5

Applied Computer Science Major (45 Credits)

CS 320Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence *

5

CS 330Network Communications *

5

CS 351Discrete Mathematics in Computing (NS) *

5

IS 312Web Design and Programming *

5

CS 340Operating Systems *

5

IS 345Cybersecurity *

5

IT 434Cloud Computing

5

IS 360Database Technologies *

5

IS 471Cyber Ethics (SS)

5

Specialized Study (30 Credits)

Specialized study course must be approved by the Program Director

Electives (10 Credits)

Students may select two elective courses from any upper-division courses within STC

Capstone (5 Credits)

CS 497Technology and Computing Capstone *

  5

Demand for computing talent keeps rising. Computer and mathematical-science jobs are projected to grow 7.3% from 2025 to 2035, the fifth-fastest of all 22 major occupational groups — growth driven largely by the continued adoption of digital tools and AI across the economy. The industry building and running that technology is expanding just as fast: computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services are projected to grow 25.1%, adding 120,400 new jobs, as demand for cloud computing and AI infrastructure accelerates. Related computer and information technology occupations are expected to add roughly 317,700 openings each year. At the same time, 78% of companies already use AI somewhere in their business, so employers increasingly value graduates who can pair rock-solid software skills with an eye for intelligent automation. Computer science majors are listed as one of the highest-paying bachelor’s degrees. For more information, visit the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Graduates of CityU’s Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing (BSACS) are prepared for roles such as:

  • Software Engineer: Design, build, and maintain software applications and systems across the full stack.
  • Cloud Engineer: Design, deploy, and manage scalable infrastructure on cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
  • Cybersecurity Engineer: Protect systems, networks, and data from security threats and vulnerabilities.
  • DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer: Automate deployment pipelines and keep systems running reliably at scale.
  • Backend / Full-Stack Developer: Build the server-side logic and APIs that power web and mobile applications.
  • MLOps Engineer / LLMOps Engineer: Deploy, monitor, and manage AI and ML models in production, ensuring efficiency, reliability, and compliance.
  • AI Data Engineer: Build and optimize data pipelines, manage large datasets, and prepare data for AI and ML training.
  • Computer Vision Engineer: Develop and implement models that process and analyze images or video for real-world applications.
  • NLP Engineer: Build natural language processing systems, including chatbots, language models, and text analytics tools.
  • AI Systems Architect: Design large-scale AI systems, integrating models, data pipelines, and platforms into cohesive solutions.

CityU’s BSACS graduates work with teams at Adobe, AWS, Google, and Microsoft, among others, helping to power intelligent systems and insights in areas such as:

  • Retail & e-Commerce — recommendation systems, demand forecasting, and generative AI shopping assistants
  • Healthcare — predictive diagnostics, AI-supported triage, and medical image recognition
  • Finance & Insurance — fraud detection, credit scoring, robo-advisors, and algorithmic trading
  • Manufacturing & IoT — sensor analytics, predictive maintenance, and autonomous quality control
  • Energy & Environment — smart-grid analytics, sustainability modeling, and AI for climate forecasting
  • Civic Tech & Public Sector — AI for policy modeling, service optimization, and digital citizen engagement