Frequently Asked Questions
Can I major in Computer Science (CS)?
CS is a high-demand major at Pomona with a fixed number of seats available in the required courses. Not every student interested in majoring in CS is guaranteed to be able to do so. Starting in Fall 2025 whether a student can major (or minor) in computer science depends solely on whether or not they are able to enroll in CSCI 51 in one of their first three semesters. Every student who enrolls in CSCI 51 in one of their first three semesters is guaranteed to be able to complete the major (or minor) as long as they enroll in appropriate CS courses in subsequent semesters.
Can I minor in CS?
Starting in Fall 2025, students who are able to enroll in CSCI 51 in one of their first three semesters will be guaranteed access to classes to complete a minor as long as they enroll in appropriate CS courses in subsequent semesters.
How do I enroll in CSCI 51?
We allocate a fixed number of seats in CSCI 51 each semester for each class year (first years, sophomores, etc.). If the seats fill up for your class year, you should join the waitlist for the class and we will revisit the list if seats become available. However, you should expect to have to try to enroll again the following semester.
Can I skip CSCI 50?
Possibly. You may be able to place out of CSCI 50 if you have prior programming experience; please reach out to the CS department chair for guidance.
Can I skip CSCI 51?
No. For students entering Pomona in Fall 2025 or later, the CS major and minor require CSCI 51. There is additionally a separate course CSCI 50, a half-semester introduction to programing, that must be taken either before taking CSCI 51 or concurrently with CSCI 51. If you have prior programming experience, you may qualify to place out of CSCI 50; please reach out to the CS department chair for guidance.
Can off-campus students take CS classes at Pomona?
We reserve some seats in our upper-division classes for off-campus students who have declared a CS major through Harvey Mudd College. For our introductory classes, we prioritize Pomona students. Given demand and capacity, in recent years this has meant that only Pomona students are able to take our introductory classes.