Penn State Altoona Academics at Penn State Altoona Academics at Penn State Altoona

Academics at Penn State Altoona

Arts & Humanities Business & Engineering Education, Human Development, & Social Sciences Mathematics & Natural Sciences

Business & Engineering

Information Sciences & Technology

Sample Semester Sequence

While it is often most effective to follow the sample semesters below, each student's situation is different. The following schedule for the first four semesters at Penn State Altoona will get you started. Note that the schedule below assumes semester one is the fall semester. Credits are listed in parentheses.

Semester 1
  • IST 110(3)-A general introduction to computers and IST.
  • Math 110 or 140(4)-Calculus is required for completion of the IST degree. Students not ready for calculus should take Math 21, Math 22 and then Math 110 over their first three semesters.
  • CMPSC 101(3)-An introductory programming course generally taught using C or C++
  • Foreign Language 001(4)-IST students are required to complete the equivalent of 3 semesters of a foreign language. This requirement can be met by testing or advanced placement. For example, a student can test out of all three semesters by demonstrating proficiency on an exam, or a student can have advanced placement and skip over the first or first two semesters.
  • PSU 3(1)-The first year seminar that all incoming first year students take. This course can take a variety of forms.
Semester 2
  • IST 210(4)-Database design and development. One example of a database program is Microsoft Access.
  • IST 220(3)-Networking
  • Foreign Language 002(4)
  • ECON 002 or 004(3)-Macro or micro economics. Either one is acceptable.
  • ENGL 015 or 030-Writing
Semester 3
  • IST 230(3)-Discreet mathematics. Remember learning about sets, union and intersection in elementary school? That is discreet mathematics. More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_discrete_mathematics_topics
  • Foreign Language 003(4)
  • General Education/Humanities(3)
  • General Education/Arts(3)
  • General Education/Natural Sciences(3)
Semester 4
  • IST 240(3)-Object oriented programming generally taught as an introduction to Java
  • STAT 200(4)-Statistics
  • CAS 100(3)-Communications
  • General Education/Natural Sciences(3)
  • General Education/Socal-Behavioral Sciences(3)