Initially established in 1946 as Triple Cities College to serve World War II veterans, Binghamton University was incorporated into the State University of New York system four years later. SUNY at Binghamton quickly evolved into a premier public doctoral-granting research institution with space-grant status. Along with Stony Brook, Albany, and Buffalo, Binghamton is one of the four SUNY university centers. Spread across 887 suburban campus, SUNY at Binghamton is located in the small town of Vestal near the Susquehanna River just minutes from downtown. Each year, Binghamton University enrolls around 13,500 undergraduates and 3,300 post-graduates in six colleges. SUNY at Binghamton students can select from over 190 programs, including a B.S. in Computer Science.

According to the U.S. News, SUNY at Binghamton is the 89th best national university, 37th top public school, and 72nd best college for veterans. In particular, the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering was recognized for America’s 112th top computer science department. Forbes ranked Binghamton University as the 73rd best research institution nationally. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named SUNY at Binghamton the fourth best public value for out-of-state students. BU was also included in the Princeton Review’s “Colleges That Pay You Back.” SUNY at Binghamton was the country’s 74th best university for studying abroad in the Open Doors Report. As a “Public Ivy,” Times Higher Education also honored Binghamton among the top 400 global universities.

SUNY at Binghamton Accreditation Details

Last reaffirmed in 2011 for the maximum 10-year term, SUNY at Binghamton is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). This is one of six regional accrediting bodies approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Binghamton is properly licensed to operate by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). The Watson School is specifically granted approval from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Computer science programs meet the standards of the ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC).

SUNY at Binghamton Application Requirements

Getting into the State University of New York at Binghamton isn’t easy with the very selective acceptance rate of 44 percent. First-year freshmen must be graduating from a licensed high school with a New York Regents diploma or out-of-state equivalent. Taking a college-prep curriculum with four years of English, four years of math, three years of science, three years of social studies, and two years of foreign language is necessary. AP, IB, and Honors courses are preferred. On average, admitted BU students have a high school GPA of 3.6. Freshmen also achieve an average SAT score of 1910 and ACT score of 29.

Undergraduate transfers interested in Binghamton’s B.S. in Computer Science must have completed at least one full-time college semester. Transfers are only accepted from regionally accredited colleges and universities. Applicants must be in good standing and eligible for returning to their previous school. The Watson School of Engineering prefers transfers with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. Having already taken Calculus I and II as well as English composition is highly recommended. Transfer agreements are available with several NYS community college engineering science programs. Any international students on F-1 or J-1 visas must score at least 83 on the TOEFL iBT or 6.5 on the IELTS.

Before the Early Action deadline on November 15th or Regular Admissions deadline on January 15th, students should apply to SUNY at Binghamton by submitting:

• SUNY or Common Application form
• Official high school or college transcripts via SOAR
• Self-reported SAT and/or ACT scores
• At least one teacher/counselor recommendation
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Payment for the $50 non-refundable fee

Tuition and Financial Aid

Money magazine rated SUNY at Binghamton among America’s 10 best college buys. Full-time undergraduate students from New York State will pay $6,470 in annual tuition. Non-residents enrolling full-time are billed $21,550 per undergraduate year. Academic fees cost an extra $2,706 each year. Room and board is estimated to cost $13,991 annually for standard double occupancy dorms. Total undergraduate cost of attendance is approximately $23,167 (in-state) or $38,216 (out-of-state). Non-U.S. international students automatically pay $39,000 every full-time year. Courses during winter and summer sessions will charge $270 (in-state) and $816 (out-of-state) per credit hour.

Around 82 percent of beginning, full-time Binghamton students earn financial aid. Assistance packages often include Federal Subsidized, Federal Unsubsidized, Federal Perkins, and Parent PLUS loans. Private/alternative loans are accepted, but interest is typically high. Some low-income students qualify for the Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). In-state should apply for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), SUNY Tuition Credit, or NYS Aid for Part-Time Study. There’s also the New York State STEM Incentive Program. Federal Work-Study (FWS) can be provided for part-time on- or off-campus work. Institutional awards are numerous, including the BAE Systems Scholarship, EY Student Support Scholarship, and IBM/Watson Fellows Scholarship.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Housed in the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science program is designed to prepare SUNY at Binghamton for success in today’s fast-evolving computing field. Firmly grounded in the liberal arts, the four-year program blends theory and practice to ensure graduates can automate the processing of digital information. Students gather the technical skills to design, implement, and evaluate computer-based software and systems development. Currently, there are over 400 computer science majors following Binghamton’s 126-credit BS-CS curriculum. There’s also a Dual Diploma Program serving IT and computer engineering students at Istanbul Technical University.

Undergraduates pursuing the B.S. in Computer Science will begin taking foundation courses in physics, calculus, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and statistics. The core consists of major-related coursework on programming, data structures, operating systems, algorithms, computer architecture, and network administration. Available electives will range from cyber security to mobile applications and graphics design. In the final year, students must complete a computer science internship, co-operative, or research project. Computer science majors benefit from Binghamton’s state-of-the-art Linux clusters, Sun workstations, and RAID storage. Outside the classrooms, students can join the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society or Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) chapters.

Motivated students can pursue a five-year B.S./M.S. in Computer Science program for an accelerated degree. The SUNY at Binghamton School of Management also offers a Fast Track BS-MBA option for computer science majors.

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