Understanding California's Computer Science Transfer Pathways

This paper presents the first curricular landscape analysis of transfer pathways for computer science (CS) transfer students in the public higher education system in California, the largest and most complex higher education system in the United States. Drawing on data from 115 community colleges and 31 public universities in California, this study examines and compares computer science Bachelor's degree requirements, curriculum complexities, and both ideal and existing course articulation coverage between schools. We find considerable variation in the CS degree requirements across the system, particularly in the number of math courses required and the overall flexibility of the course requirements. Articulation agreements between community colleges and four-year schools have the potential to (and sometimes do) reduce the complexity of the degree for transfer students significantly, but articulation agreements are not consistently in place across the system. This research both suggests concrete action items and surfaces important areas of further exploration to create a more seamless process for transfer students to complete their CS Bachelor's degrees.