How to apply to Computer Science at William Paterson University: required courses and the prerequisite chain of the ABET-accredited B.S. in the College of Science and Health, CS classes of 40 or fewer, the June 1 fall deadline for international students, TOEFL 79 and the Pioneer Award worth about USD 8,500 a year, for students in China, Canada and transfer students

William Paterson University is in Wayne, New Jersey, about 20 miles from New York City. Its B.S. in Computer Science is offered by the Department of Computer Science in the College of Science and Health, which also offers a B.S. in Information Technology. This guide summarizes William Paterson’s official information 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 program

• Accreditation: the department’s prospective-student page says the B.S. in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, and the curriculum follows ACM/IEEE undergraduate guidelines.
• Small classes: all computer classes are limited to 40 students or fewer. Full-time faculty all hold Ph.D.s, and departmental student tutors offer help outside class.
• Research and internships: qualified upper-level students can do projects or join faculty research, and the department says students have published and presented with professors. Upper-level students with relevant internships can earn credit through CS 4950.
• STEM: the B.S. in Computer Science (CIP 11.0101) is on the university’s STEM-designated list, so F-1 graduates can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
• Advising: every student has a professional advisor at the advisement center; after declaring computer science or IT and earning 30 credits, students are also assigned a CS faculty advisor through graduation.

2. Courses and prerequisites

The full credit requirements are in the university catalog (academiccatalog.wpunj.edu), which we could not read this time, so total credits and all graduation requirements are not covered here; check the catalog. The list below follows the department’s CS Program Prerequisite Chart (footer: Spring 2022); use the latest version when planning:

• Grade rule: any course that is a prerequisite for another needs a C- or better. COMM 1100 and ENG 1100 are required before any CS course at the 3000 level or higher.
• Starting point: CS 2300 Computer Science I requires MATH 1150 or MATH 1350; CS 2400 Computer Science II, CS 2600 Discrete Structures and CS 2800 Computer & Assembler require MATH 1160 or MATH 1350.
• Courses marked required on the chart: CS 2300, CS 2400, CS 2600, CS 2800, CS 3420 Data Structures, CS 3380 Fundamentals of Networking and Information Security, CS 3410 Digital Logic and Computer Organization, CS 3500 Software Engineering, CS 3600 Parallel and Distributed Computing, CS 3820 Programming Languages, CS 3450 Operating Systems and CS 4800 Computer Science Seminar.
• Courses marked elective: data mining and machine learning, artificial intelligence, database management, data science analytics, computer graphics, cloud computing, internet applications with Java, database-driven web apps, applied cryptography, penetration testing and ethical hacking, data communications and networks, computer architecture, parallel and distributed systems and more; plus selected topics, honors projects (GPA 3.5), internship (GPA 2.5) and independent study (GPA 3.0).

3. Admission to the major and switching in

• The pages we read do not describe a separate admission bar for computer science or the rules for switching into the major. This is not published; ask admissions or the department.
• High school subjects (general requirements page): 4 units of English, 3 of math (algebra I, geometry, algebra II), 2 of lab science, 2 of social science and 5 additional college-prep units; some departments have extra requirements.
• Placement tests: the international freshman page says all new students take the university placement tests in reading, writing and math after admission, which decide whether non-credit remedial courses are needed.

4. Dates and materials (international first-year)

• Deadlines (no year shown): fall June 1 regular deadline, then rolling admission; University Honors College March 1; spring December 1. First-year decisions are rolling.
• Scholarship deadline, two versions: the international freshman page gives January 1 for merit scholarship consideration, while the international deadlines page gives February 1 for the merit scholarship package. Plan for the earlier date.
• Transcripts: email records from every secondary school attended (with the diploma if you have graduated) to international@wpunj.edu, with notarized English translations if needed, plus any IB, AP or IGCSE/A-Level results. International admissions converts the grades itself.
• Essay, recommendations, tests: most majors do not require an essay or recommendation, but both are accepted; SAT/ACT are optional.
• Application fee: the fee table on the tuition page lists a USD 50 application fee; the domestic freshman page says it is waived for students who attend an official visit.

5. English requirements

• Minimum scores: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105, Oxford ELLT 6.0, PTE 53, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500 or Michigan English Test 79; the table also lists STEP Eiken 2500, GTEC 1350 and ACT 37 (the ACT maximum is 36, so confirm this one with admissions).
• Waivers: U.S. citizens and permanent residents; citizens of countries on the waiver list; graduates of high schools in the U.S., U.S. territories or listed countries; and students at international schools following a listed country’s system (such as IB, A-Levels, IGCSE). An English Medium of Instruction letter from your most recent school is also accepted (valid for five years, on letterhead with an administrator’s signature and official stamp).
• Students who switch mid-stream from a local non-English curriculum to an English one (such as IB) must take non-ESL English courses with their peers, with a B or better in English.

6. Students at high schools in China

• William Paterson does not publish how Gaokao scores are used; ask international admissions (international@wpunj.edu). China is not on the English waiver list, so students at regular high schools need an English test.
• Email transcripts with notarized translations; international admissions converts the grades.
• AP credit: AP Computer Science A 4 or 5 earns CS 2300 Computer Science I; Computer Science Principles 3–5 earns CS 2010; Calculus AB 3–5 earns MATH 1600 Calculus I; Calculus BC 4 or 5 earns MATH 1600 and MATH 1610.
• A-Level and IB credit rules are not on the pages we read; ask admissions.

7. Students at Canadian high schools (including BC)

• The English waiver list includes “Canada (all but Quebec)”: Canadian citizens, graduates of high schools in Canada outside Quebec, and students at international schools following the Canadian system can skip the English test.
• Grade requirements for the BC curriculum are not published; international admissions converts grades, so ask them for details.
• For whether Canadian students qualify for the Pioneer Award, see the conditions in section 9 (a valid student visa such as F-1/J-1 and a primary residence outside the U.S.).

8. Transfer students

• Requirements: at least 12 college credits with a 2.0 GPA (some majors such as nursing require more); with fewer than 12 credits, also send the high school transcript. You must choose a major when applying, and can be undeclared only with fewer than 60 credits.
• Credits from abroad: post-secondary coursework outside the U.S. needs a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-accredited or AICE-endorsed service.
• International transfer deadlines: fall June 1 regular, then rolling; merit scholarship January 1; spring December 1.
• Transfer scholarship: students with a 3.00 GPA and 30 accepted credits can receive the Presidential Scholarship of USD 1,000–3,000 a year; the page does not say whether international students qualify.

9. Costs and scholarships

• 2026-27 tuition and mandatory fees (full time, 12–19 credits): out-of-state tuition USD 13,692 a semester, USD 13,975 with fees; New Jersey residents USD 8,662 a semester. The tuition page has no separate international rate, and housing and meals are extra.
• Pioneer Award (international): new main-campus international students receive an 80% discount on the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition, estimated at about USD 8,500 for full-time undergraduates in 2026-27. Students must have a primary residence outside the U.S., hold a valid student visa (including F-1/J-1), stay full time in fall and spring and keep a 2.0 cumulative GPA to renew. It does not apply to WP Online programs or second degrees.
• Trustee Scholarships (first-year): test-optional, USD 5,000–9,000 a year, banded by the university’s normalized weighted GPA: with SAT 1130–1600 or ACT 23–36, USD 9,000 for 4.0+, USD 8,000 for 3.75–3.99 and USD 7,000 for 3.4–3.74; with SAT 0–1120, ACT 0–22 or no scores, USD 7,000, 6,000 and 5,000 respectively. Awarded automatically after admission, first come first served, with a January 1 priority deadline for fall. The page does not say whether international students qualify; ask admissions.
• University Honors College: admitted and enrolled freshmen receive USD 5,000 a year in addition, with a separate Honors College application.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• For scholarships, complete your file by January 1; fall deadline June 1 at the latest
• Email transcripts and notarized translations to international@wpunj.edu
• Prepare TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105 or PTE 53
• Ask international admissions how Gaokao scores are used and whether you can receive a Trustee Scholarship

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

• Canadian students outside Quebec can skip the English test; confirm how BC grades are converted and whether the Pioneer Award applies

Transfer students:

• Fall deadline June 1; at least 12 credits and a 2.0 GPA; course-by-course evaluation for coursework outside the U.S.

Sources: William Paterson University, Department of Computer Science; Prospective Students; Advisement & Academic Support; Internships & Jobs; CS Program Prerequisite Chart; International Freshman Applicants; International Deadlines; English Proficiency; Pioneer Award; STEM Designated Majors; International Transfer; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition and fees; Institutional Scholarships; Requirements and Deadlines; Freshman Students; Advanced Placement; Requirements for Transfer Students. The deadline pages show no year, and costs are for 2026-27. Check William Paterson’s website for the latest information.