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        Undergraduate Newsletter for January, 2005
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Dear CS Student:

Happy New Year and welcome back to the CS Department!

The first day of classes is approaching -- Tuesday, January 18, 2005.
There are a few issues to note as you prepare for the new semester:

  o CS degree requirements: Have you taken 7 background courses?
  o Schedule of CS classes 
  o CS Department needs graders 
  o CS Department's career management tool:  31 jobs listed
  o Distributed Mentor Project
  o MentorNet 
  o Spring 2005 academic calendar

Details are below.  

Cheers,

Margrit Betke
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Computer Science Department, Boston University


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CS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

Some of our seniors have not fulfilled the background-course
requirements for the BA degree in CS and may not be aware of this
problem.  To graduate, you need 7 background courses, 4 300-level
courses, and 4 400+ level courses = 15 courses.

If you declared your major concentration in CS before Fall 2003, you
may include Calculus as one of the seven background courses.

If you declared your major concentration later, Calculus does not
count.  If you are a senior, you may need to sign up for another
background course this semester so that you can graduate in May !!!!
Talk to your advsior if CS 232 would be appropriate.  Another option
is to take an additional non-background CS course. In this case you
need to write a petition (email me at betke@cs.bu.edu and CC your
advisor).

Please note that Calculus is still a prerequisite for many CS courses.
Multivariate Calculus is needed in CS 585 Image and Video Computing.
Knowing Vector Calculus is a big plus for those of you who dream of a
career at NASA or in the computer games/graphics industry.  

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CS COURSE SCHEDULE:

http://www.cs.bu.edu/courses/spring2005.html

This semester, we have two sections of CS 112: one in Java and one in
C++.  CS 210 (Computer Systems) has an Honors section.  CS 232
(Geometrical Algorithms) counts as a background course.  There are
several higher-level courses that you may take as electives.

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CS DEPARTMENT NEEDS GRADERS: 

$500 per position.  Apply at
    http://www.cs.bu.edu/~snyder/graders/graderapp.html

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FINDING A JOB:

You can access the CS Departments' Career Management Tool at
      http://www.cs.bu.edu/IAP
Click on Resources and follow the Career Management Tool link.
Currently there are 31 jobs listed -- in Boston and nationwide.

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DISTRIBUTED MENTOR PROJECT:

The Computing Research Association offers funding for women
undergraduates in computer science for summer research with a mentor
who is typically not at BU.  Students will be involved in projects
with successful researchers, learn how a research university operates,
and interact with professors and graduate students. This experience is
invaluable for students who are considering applying to graduate
school.

Applications are due February 15, 2005 at:
	     http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/dmp
If your are interested in applying, contact me (betke@cs.bu.edu) for
advice on your application -- this is a competitive program.

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MENTORNET:

 MentorNet is the award-winning nonprofit e-mentoring network that
 addresses the retention and success of those in engineering, science
 and mathematics, particularly but not exclusively women. Founded in
 1997, MentorNet provides highly motivated proteges from many of the
 world's top colleges and universities with positive, one-on-one,
 email-based mentoring relationships with mentors from industry and
 academia. In addition, the MentorNet Community provides opportunities
 to connect with others from around the world who are interested in
 diversifying engineering and science. 

 http://www.mentornet.net

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SPRING 2005 ACADEMIC CALENDAR:

Instruction Begins                           Tuesday, January 18, 2005  
Holiday, Classes Suspended                   Monday, February 21, 2005  
Substitute Monday Schedule of Classes       Tuesday, February 22, 2005  
Spring Recess        Saturday, March 5, through Sunday, March 13, 2005  
Instruction Resumes                             Monday, March 14, 2005  
Holiday, Classes Suspended                      Monday, April 18, 2005  
Substitute Monday Schedule of Classes        Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Instruction Ends                                Wednesday, May 4, 2005  
Study Period                  Thursday, May 5, and Friday, May 6, 2005  
Final Exams Begin                                  Monday, May 9, 2005
Final Exams End                                   Monday, May 16, 2005  
COMMENCEMENT                                      Sunday, May 22, 2005
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