How to Apply to Computer Science at Marquette University: The BS in Computer Science in the College of Arts and Sciences, Its Curriculum, ABET Accreditation and Five-Year BS/MS, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

Marquette University is a Jesuit university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Undergraduate computer science is offered by the Department of Computer Science in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, and the degree is the BS in Computer Science. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Marquette’s website, for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. The major

• Accreditation: the department says the Computer Science major is accredited by the CAC Accreditation Commission of ABET.
• Major courses from day one: the major page says students start computer science courses right away; COSC 1010 Introduction to Software Development assumes no prior programming, with two years of college preparatory mathematics as the prerequisite.
• Other programs in the department: Interdisciplinary Data Science (with Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) and Interdisciplinary Bioinformatics, plus minors in Computer Science and Cybersecurity.
• Adding a second field: the College of Arts and Sciences says 73% of its students add at least one more major or minor.
• Getting into the major: the department links to declaring the major or minor in CheckMarq. Whether first-year admission is reviewed by major, and any grade threshold for switching in later, are not stated on the pages read.

2. Curriculum

The undergraduate bulletin lists for the BS in Computer Science:

• 46 credits of computer science: ten required courses (34 credits) — Introduction to Software Development, Object-Oriented Software Design (Java), Data Structures, Hardware Systems, Algorithms, Operating Systems, Programming Languages (or Compiler Construction), Professional Ethics in Computer & Data Science, Principles of Design and Senior Design Project — plus 12 credits of upper-division electives.
• 23 credits of mathematics and science: five math courses (17 credits: Calculus 1, Calculus 2 or Integral Calculus, Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory, Statistical Methods) and at least 6 credits of biology, chemistry or physics, including one lab course.
• Core: the 30-credit Marquette Core Curriculum, including foundations in rhetoric, philosophy and theology, plus the first-year Arts and Sciences seminar in the fall.
• Graduation: at least 120 credits (the bulletin’s typical program totals 122); a 2.000 GPA overall and in the major; at least 24 upper-division credits at Marquette.
• Five-year BS/MS: students may apply as early as the last semester of sophomore year, with at least a 3.000 GPA in two terms of programming, two terms of data structures and algorithms, and three courses in calculus and discrete mathematics. The department page names the master’s the M.S. in Computer and Information Science; the bulletin calls it an M.S. in Computing. There is also a five-year BS in Computer Science + MBA, with application to the Graduate School of Management in the junior year.

3. First-year application and deadlines

• Application: the Common Application or the Marquette application.
• Deadlines (fall entry; no year is stated):
  • Early Action: November 15, decision in late December (the international page says by December 20);
  • Regular Decision: February 1, decision by March 1; later applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis.
• Spring entry: for international students, the application is due November 1, supporting materials November 15 and the deposit December 1.
• Materials: high school transcripts, an essay and an activities list are required; recommendations and extra statements are optional but reviewed if sent.
• Testing: Marquette is test-optional for both domestic and international applicants.

4. Students at high schools in China (Gaokao, A-Level, IB, AP)

• Exams and certificates: the international materials page asks for the exam results or certificates used in your system, with examples including the Chinese graduation certificate, A Levels, IB and the NCEE (Gaokao). Decisions can usually be made on unofficial documents, with official copies due before the I-20 and enrollment. No Gaokao score requirement is published.
• English: one of:
  • TOEFL: 86 overall with at least 20 in each section for tests before January 21, 2026; 4.5 overall from that date;
  • IELTS: 6.5 or higher in each section;
  • Duolingo: 120 overall, preferably no subscore below 115;
  • SAT Evidence-Based Reading 560+, or ACT English 24+ and Reading 20+.
• Conditional admission: applicants who meet every requirement except English can request conditional admission, which becomes full admission once qualifying English evidence arrives; the English study needed cannot be completed at Marquette.
• Credit: AP and IB credit follows Marquette’s charts; A-Level work is reviewed by content, with certificates and a syllabus for each course.
• Financial documents: F-1 or J-1 students submit a financial sponsorship form and a current bank statement covering first-year costs.

5. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• Apply as an international student; deadlines and materials are the same.
• English: a U.S. or Canadian high school transcript showing successful in-person study over at least four semesters is accepted as English evidence.
• Grade requirements for BC curricula are not published; check with Admissions.

6. Transfer students

• Deadlines: transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no deadline, as space permits; fall decisions start in December and spring decisions in September.
• Application: the Common App or Marquette’s transfer application; the transfer page says it is free.
• International university credit: an official credential evaluation (with U.S. credits and GPA) from ECE, WES, TEC or another approved agency is required; transcripts from Chinese universities also need a CHESICC Transcript Verification Report.
• Credit evaluation: done after admission, with official transcripts and English course descriptions or syllabi, and takes three to four weeks. At least 45 credits must be completed at Marquette.
• Whether computer science has extra course or GPA requirements for transfers is not published.

7. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 international undergraduate estimate: tuition $26,945 each for fall and spring, plus $24,950 in living expenses (housing and food for two terms, 12-month health insurance, books, student fees and more), for a total of $78,840. Summer courses cost about $980 per credit (2026 rate).
• Scholarships: merit-based; every applicant is automatically considered for the Père Marquette Award at admission, and other scholarships need a separate application. Amounts were not checked for this guide.
• Marquette does not award need-based scholarships, and even the largest merit award does not cover room, board, fees and books.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply Early Action by November 15 or Regular Decision by February 1
• Transcripts, graduation certificate or Gaokao results, essay and activities list; testing optional
• IELTS 6.5 in each section, TOEFL 86 (4.5) or Duolingo 120; conditional admission is possible
• Prepare the sponsorship form and bank statement

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply as an international student; four semesters of in-person Canadian high school can meet the English requirement

Transfer students:

• Apply any time; get a credential evaluation and, for Chinese universities, a CHESICC report

Sources: Marquette University, Computer Science major (department); Computer Science major overview; Bulletin: Computer Science, BS; Five-year BS/MS program; First-year application; Test-optional policy; International application process and deadlines; International application materials and English; Conditional admission; Credit transfer; International tuition and costs; International undergraduate scholarships. Information is a guide for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates). Check Marquette for the latest details.