The University of Buffalo (UB) provides its graduates with the educational foundation to succeed in today’s technology-focused business environment through its cutting edge B.A. and B.S. in Computer Science programs. Founded in 1846 in Buffalo, New York, UB has become one of the northeastern region’s leading public research universities. Its three campuses located in Amherst and Buffalo serve almost 30,000 students, and its sizeable enrollment makes UB the largest of the State University of New York (SUNY) system’s 64 campuses. The school was originally established as a private medical school. Today, the University of Buffalo consists of 13 different schools and awards more than 200 graduate and 100 undergraduate degrees. UB joined the SUNY system in 1962. When it first established a Computer Science department in 1967, it became one of the first institutes of higher education in the country to do so. In 1998, the Computer Science Department and the Computer Engineering Department merged to form the current Department of Computer Science and Engineering within UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

University of Buffalo Accreditation Details

The University of Buffalo is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. In addition, the university belongs to the American Association of Universities (AAU), a nonprofit association of Canadian and U.S. research-intensive institutions of higher learning.

University of Buffalo Application Requirements

  • Completion of either the online Common Application, a single form that can be used to apply to more than 500 member schools, or the online State University of New York (SUNY) application.
  • Payment of nonrefundable $50 application fee
  • Sumbission of ACT or SAT scores
  • High school transcript. High school students applying to majors in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences must have completed mathematics through trigonometry. They should also have completed higher-level science and math courses like physics, chemistry, pre-calculus and calculus.
  • Teacher’s or counselor’s letter of recommendation
  • Official transcripts from former colleges and universities

Tuition and Financial Aid

Annual tuition rates for the University of Buffalo’s B.A. and B.S. in Computer Science programs are around $6,170 for New York state residents and $19,590 for out-of-state residents. Fees total around $2,701 per year with room and board averaging about $12,400 per annum. Total costs for New York residents is about $21,271, and the total costs for out-of-state residents is about $34,581.

UB offers numerous financial aid options to qualified students. Financial aid possibilities include:

  • Federal and State Grants
  • Federal Loans
    – Perkins Loans
    – Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Alternative/Private Loans
  • Merit-based Scholarships
  • Work/Study Programs
  • Four-installment Payment Plan
  • Three-installment Payment Plan
  • Military Veterans Deferred Tuition Payment Plan

University of Buffalo B.A. and B.S. in Computer Science Programs

UB’s B.A. and B.S. programs in Computer Science provide students with a strong theoretical and experimental conceptual background and introduce them to state-of-the-art research and developments in the field of computing. Both programs prepare graduates for professional careers in computing and information technology as well as for graduate level course work. The main difference between the two program options is their concentration. UB’s B.S. program focuses more narrowly on computer science, and the B.A. program encourages students to blend their interest in computer science with courses in another area of concentration. For example, the CSE department offers a five-year combined BS/MS degree program in computer science. Along with the School of Management, the department offers a five-year combined degree BS/MBA in computer science and business administration. Students can also opt for a BS degree in computational physics that is jointly offered with the Physics department.

Computer Science (CS) majors study concepts and applications related to hardware, software and intelligent systems. Students prepare for careers as computer scientists and gain knowledge in topics like designing secure software and computer and communication systems, providing access to data and understanding the automation of human intelligence. UB’s B.A. and B.S. in Computer Science degree program help graduates increase their understanding of leadership roles, effective communications and legal and ethical responsibilities.

The B.S. degree in Computer Science requires a total of 120 credits including 38 General Education credits, 78 Computer Science major credits and four elective course credits. General Education requirements for Computer Science majors include a Writing Skills requirement, two World Civilization courses, two Natural Sciences courses including a laboratory course, an American Pluralism course, basic level proficiency in a foreign language, a Social and Behavioral Science course, an Arts course and a Humanities course. Students in this major must also complete Calculus I and Calculus II. Computer Science courses explore topics such as data structures, data mining, robotics, software engineering, pattern recognition, machine learning, networking and programming languages. UB’s B.A. degree in Computer Science also requires a total of 120 credits. These credits include 68 Computer Science credits, 38 General Education Credits and 14 Elective credits. Students must complete five courses from a department outside of Computer Science. These external concentration courses need to be at the 200-level or higher, with a maximum of two 200-level courses permitted. In addition, these external concentration classes should be lecture-based rather than seminar or tutorial-type classes.

To graduate with a degree from the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 at UB. Students must also maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all of the technical classes required for the major including engineering, math, science and technical elective courses).

Students in UB’s B.A. and B.S. in Computer Science degree programs have access to sophisticated modern computing facilities and equipment. They also benefit from the expertise of faculty members involved in state-of-the-art research in areas like artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, geographic imaging and pharmacogenomics. Graduates who earn their B.A. or B.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of Buffalo will advance their professional careers in the exciting and expanding field of computing.

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