Combined Plan Curriculum Guide
The Combined Plan Curriculum Guide lists all the courses at Holy Cross that are equivalent to the required Columbia courses for each specific engineering major.
The following is the 2021-22 Combined Plan curriculum guide for Holy Cross students.
Foundation Courses Required of All Majors
i. Mathematics
- The full sequence of Calculus I, II, III (MATH 135, MATH 136, MATH 241, or equivalent)
ii. Physics
- Mechanics and Thermodynamics (PHYS 115)
- Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics (PHYS 116)
iii. Chemistry
- General Chemistry I (CHEM 181)
iv. Laboratory Requirement
Either one-semester physics lab or one-semester chemistry lab is generally required. Please see individual programs below for more details.
v. Computer Science
- Introduction to computer science and programming in C++, JAVA, Python or MATLAB. Note that some majors require a specific programming language (see requirements for majors below).
vi. Humanities and Social Sciences
- Twenty-seven credit hours non-technical requirement is satisfied by the course work taken for the bachelor’s degree awarded by the home institution. Among these courses the students must include:
a. Principles of Economics (ECON 100 or 110)
b. English Composition (ENGL 100 or check with the 3-2 Program Advisor for an appropriate course).
Additional courses are required for certain majors. See the list below for additional requirements by major.
Required Major-Specific Courses
Additional, major-specific requirements are bulleted. Courses that are not available at Holy Cross but may be available at Consortium schools are identified as such. In some instances, where noted, it may be possible to take these courses the summer prior to registering at Columbia or while enrolled at Columbia.
Mathematics
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304)
Physics
Classical and Quantum Waves (PHYS 223)
Physics Lab (taken with PHYS 115)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Programming (CSCI 131)
Chemistry / Biology (Choose one of the following three)
General Chemistry I (CHEM 181)
Environmental Biology: Molecules to Cells (consortium course)
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (BIOL 161)
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Physics
Classical and Quantum Waves (PHYS 223)
Chemistry
General Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 231)
Biology
Introduction to Biology I (BIOL 161)
Introduction to Biology II (BIOL 162)
Computer science
Computer Programming in Python
Electrical engineering
Introduction to Electrical Engineering (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304)
Chemistry
General Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 231)
Organic Chemistry I and Lab (CHEM 221) [maybe taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Organic Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 222) [maybe taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Computer Science
Computer Programming in Python
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Geology
Earth: Origin, Evolution, Processes and Future (GEOS 150)
Computer science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
(Programming in Python preferred but will accept any language)
Engineering Mechanics
Mechanics (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Discrete Mathematics (CSCI 135 or MATH 243)
Electrical Engineering
Introduction to Electrical Engineering [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Discrete Mathematics (CSCI 135 or MATH 243)
Data Structures (CSCI 132)
Mathematics
Introduction to Applied Mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Introduction to Probability and Statistics (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Chemistry
General Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 231)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Earth and Environmental Sciences
A Better Planet by Design (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Other Science Elective (choose one of the following three)
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 221)
Classical & quantum waves (PHYS 223)
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (BIOL 161)
Earth and Environmental Sciences (choose one of the following two)
Earth’s Environmental Systems: The Climate System (consortium course) [may be taken while at Columbia.]
Earth’s Environmental Systems: The Solid Earth System (consortium course) [may be taken while at Columbia.]
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Physics
Classical and Quantum Waves (PHYS 223)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Electrical Engineering
Introduction to Electrical Engineering (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Mathematics (choose one of the following two)
Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304)
Probability and Statistics (choose one of the following two)
Probability Theory (MATH 375)
Statistical Inference (MATH 376)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Programming (CSCI 131)
Data Structures (CSCI 132)
Students cannot apply directly to IEOR: Financial Engineering.
Mathematics
Introduction to Applied Mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Engineering Mechanics
Mechanics [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Mathematics
Introduction to applied mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Physics
Classical and Quantum Waves (PHYS 223)
Computer Science
Computer programming in Python
Mathematics
Introduction to Applied Mathematics (PHYS 221)
-or-
Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 304) and Linear Algebra (MATH 244)
Physics/ Biology (choose one of the following three)
Classical and Quantum Waves (PHYS 223)
Environmental Biology: Molecules to Cells (consortium course)
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (BIOL 161)
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (CSCI 131)
Foundations of Data Science [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Engineering Mechanics
Mechanics (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Electrical Engineering
Intro. to Electrical Engineering (consortium course) [may be taken before or during enrollment at Columbia]
Sample Schedule
Sample schedules for the first three years of study for math, physics and computer science majors are available to help design a yearly schedule at Holy Cross. You will make your own schedule plan in consultation with your academic advisor. These sample schedules are meant as examples only and are subject to change.
Please note that the first-year schedules are similar but not identical.
- Sample Schedule (PDF)