Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science

Enrollment

All Quarters

Course Format

Online, Mixed Mode, On-Site (Seattle)

Total Credits

180

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 Overview

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.

Learning Outcomes

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).

Lower Division Requirements

Total Required Credits: 90

Students must meet General Education requirements.  This is typically completed within the 90 required lower division credits. See the General Education Requirements section in the catalog for more detailed information.

For this program, Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning is met with  MATH 141 Precalculus or higher.  MATH 138 (NS) is a pre-requisite for MATH 141.

General Education Requirement (55 Credits)

College Composition I** & II (CCII) (10 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 (15 Credits)

CS 132 Computer Science I *
CS 251 Statistical Computing (NS) *  
IS 201 Fundamentals of Computing I

Requirements

Total Required Credits: 90

Core Requirements (45 Credits)

CS 320 Fundamentals of AI *
CS 330 Network Communications *
CS 340 Operating Systems *
CS 351 Discrete Mathematics in Computing (NS) *
IS 312 Web Design and Programming *
IS 345 Cybersecurity *
IS 360 Database Technologies *
IS 471 Cyber Ethics (SS)
IT 434 Cloud Computing *

Choice (10 Credits)

Students may select two electives from any other undergraduate upper-division courses within the School of Technology & Computing or complete the internship.

Internship
This course is repeatable for credit. Each enrollment must be pre-approved by the Program Manager.

CS 493 Technology and Computing Internship *

Capstone (5 Credits)

CS 497 Technology and Computing Capstone *

Applied Computing Specialized Study (30 Credits)

Students can design a specialized study with the approval of the Program Manager. Students can choose 6 courses (30 credits) from any upper-division major within university or the School of Technology and Computing. The school provides the courses in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, or Information Technology.

Computer Science
CS 440 Software Quality Assurance *
CS 445 Software Process Management *
CS 451 Frontend Development *
CS 452 Backend Development *
CS 469 Data Structures and Algorithms in Computing *
CS 475 Artificial Intelligence *

Cybersecurity
CY 467 Systems Security *
CY 468 Ethical Hacking *
CY 481 Network Security *
CY 487 Data Security *
CY 488 Software Security *
CY 489 Cloud Security *

Information Systems
IS 456 Database Systems Management *

Data Science
DS 410 Programming in Data Analytics *
DS 476 Data Analysis and Presentation *
DS 479 Data Mining and Machine Learning *
DS 483 Mathematics and Statistics for Machine Learning (NS) *
DS 484 Big Data Systems *

Information Technology
IT 472 IT Compliance *

Career Opportunities

Undergraduate Program Director

Michael Lahman
lahmanmichael@cityu.edu

Demand for computing talent keeps rising. Computer and mathematical-science jobs are projected to grow 15.2% from 2022 to 2032, adding more than 350,000 U.S. 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 Developer (Full-Stack): Design, build, and maintain web, mobile, or desktop apps—integrating APIs, cloud services, and AI capabilities such as language or vision APIs.
Systems / Business Analyst: Translate business requirements into technical specifications, model workflows, and recommend data-driven (AI-enhanced) process improvements.
Cloud Solutions Engineer: Provision and manage resources on AWS, Azure, or GCP; evaluate managed AI/analytics services to keep solutions scalable, secure, and cost-efficient.
DevOps Engineer: Automate CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions, Docker, and infrastructure-as-code; support both traditional software and emerging ML workloads.
Data & Analytics Associate: Design relational/NoSQL schemas, write optimized queries, build dashboards, and prototype basic ML models that turn raw data into actionable insights.
Cybersecurity Analyst: Implement security controls, monitor threats, and explore AI-driven detection tools to protect applications, cloud assets, and user data.

CityU’ 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
Healthcare – predictive diagnostics, AI-supported triage
Finance & Insurance – fraud detection, credit scoring, robo-advisors
Manufacturing & IoT – sensor analytics, predictive maintenance
Energy & Environment – smart-grid analytics, sustainability modeling
Civic Tech & Public Sector – AI for policy modeling, service optimization

Click HERE for admissions and tuition information.

Click HERE for the complete program catalog.

Updated: 30/07/2025

SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTING