Originally established by the state’s General Assembly in 1850 as the University of Deseret, the University of Utah has grown into a premier public flagship space-grant institution. Each year, Utah enrolls over 23,900 undergraduates and 7,700 graduate students within the Utah System of Higher Education. The U sprawls across a vast 1,534-acre urban campus in Salt Lake City along the rugged Wasatch Range. Extension centers are also operated in Murray, Sandy, Park City, and Bountiful. The University of Utah offers comprehensive education in over 190 majors while maintaining a student-faculty ratio of 17:1. According to the Carnegie Foundation, Utah has very high research activity and draws in funding over $410 million annually.

The U.S. News has ranked the University of Utah as America’s 115th best university, 55th top public school, and 94th best college for veterans. In particular, Utah is acclaimed for hosting the 40th best computer science programs nationwide. Forbes magazine named U of U the 86th top research university and 37th best school in the West. The University of Utah was included in the Princeton Review’s lists of “Best 380 Colleges” and “Best Health Services. It also took the #2 spot for top 25 undergraduate schools for game design. The Times Higher Education has even lauded Utah as the 182nd best university globally.

University of Utah Accreditation Details

Continuously since 1933, the University of Utah has been regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Furthermore, more than 35 Utah programs have received discipline-specific, programmatic accreditations. The College of Engineering meets the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Both undergraduate and graduate computer science degrees are approved by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC). Many courses in the Entertainment Arts and Engineering track are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

University of Utah Application Requirements

With an acceptance rate of 81 percent, the University of Utah has a selective admissions process requiring certain criteria be met. First-year freshmen interested in the B.S. in Computer Science program must already hold a high school diploma or score at least 150 on the General Educational Development (GED) test. Finishing a college-prep curriculum with at least four years of English, three years of math, and three years of science is strongly recommended. On average, admitted freshmen have a high school GPA of 3.53. Applicants should also score at least 21 on the ACT or 1020 on the SAT. Personal achievement in clubs, athletics, and community service is also considered.

Transfer students who have completed 30 or more undergraduate credits at another regionally accredited institution are also accepted. Those with less credits will be considered freshmen. Incoming transfers are expected to be in good standing at their previous school. Carrying a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 is generally required. Transfers with an A.A. or A.S. degree could qualify with a GPA of 2.35 or higher though. All Utah students are admitted as Pre-Computer Science majors. For the B.S. in Computer Science, candidates must complete five prerequisites and score C- or better in each. Full major status is only attainable for those with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.

Before the final April 1st deadline, students wishing to enroll at the University of Utah must submit the following:

• Completed online application form
• $45 non-refundable processing fee
• Official high school and college transcripts
• Standardized SAT or ACT scores
• 500-word Honors essay (if applicable)
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time freshmen and sophomores from Utah will pay $3,564 per semester. Non-resident undergraduates are charged $12,477 per semester for full-time, lower-division tuition. Utah residents with 60 or more credits are billed $3,606 each semester for full-time undergraduate studies. Out-of-state undergraduate students must afford $12,632 per upper-division semester. The University of Utah has a $23 activity fee, $85 athletic fee, $20 health fee, $113 computing fee, and $60 student life fee per semester. On-campus room and board is estimated to cost an additional $10,566 each academic year. Books will also cost around $1,006 annually.

70 percent of beginning full-time students at U of U earn financial aid. More than $11.9 million in institutional aid is granted each year. Students can collect money through the Federal Perkins, Federal Subsidized Stafford, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford, or Federal Parent PLUS loans. Private/alternative student loans are accepted. Certain students can receive the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. In-state residents should apply for the Utah Education Fund (UEF) Grant. The Need-Based Tuition Assistance Grant (NBTAG) can provide $400 per term too. Federal Work-Study (FWS) is available for no more than 20 hours weekly. Scholarships are also abundant, such as the Sterling Scholar Award, Trustees Scholarship, President’s Scholarship, ARUP Utah Promise Scholarship, and Transfer Achievement Award.

B.S. in Computer Science Program

In the School of Computing, the University of Utah offers a B.S. in Computer Science program for over 500 upper-division undergraduate students. The program gives students the core knowledge and skills required for adapting to rapidly evolving technology in today’s workplace. With the real-world, complex curriculum, students develop the footing for designing and managing computer systems in the private, government, or nonprofit sectors. Majors benefit from access to Utah’s Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute (SCI), which is an industyr leader in visualization. The Flux Research Group is also available for students wishing to study operating systems, networking, cybersecurity, virtualization, and more.

The software-oriented program consists of seven core courses: discrete mathematics, software engineering, computer organization, algorithms, programming languages, software systems, and data structures. Electives will range from artificial intelligence to graphic design and network administration. If desired, the 120-credit curriculum allows for an emphasis in Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE). This unique option helps blend fine arts and computing skills for careers in digital media entertainment, including 3D animation. Highly motivated students can select the B.S. Honors degree for an added research thesis. There’s also a combined, five-year B.S/M.S. in Computer Science program to begin graduate coursework in the senior year.

Other students may be interested in pursuing the B.S. in Computer Engineering, B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, B.F.A. in Graphic Design, M.S. in Computational Engineering and Science, M.S. in Computer Science, or M.S. in Computing at the University of Utah.

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