The Education and Computing minor is currently paused, and will be made active at a later date.
If you are interested in this minor, please reach out to itpadvising@usc.edu for alternative minors/courses you can pursue before then.

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Education and Computing

This minor is no longer being offered.

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The Education and Computing minor aims to apply skills and knowledge of computer programing and STEM pedagogy to issues in education and society. The Education and Computing minor will support students who plan to enter research, policy and teaching in STEM education.

Learn about:

Skills and Careers > Requirements > Course Plan > Resources >

Skills

Java
Python
Teaching
Leadership
Block-based programming logic
Algorithmic and computational thinking

Careers

STEM Teacher
K-12 Administrator
Non-Profit Administration

Requirements

All minors at USC need 16 units that only meet minor requirements and do not meet any other major, minor, or GE requirement.
All courses completed for your minor or specialization must be completed for a letter grade.
You must earn a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA in the courses completed for your minor or specialization.

Minor (18 units)

Core Requirements (18 units):

ITP-115 “Programming in Python” (2 units) or ITP-116 "Accelerated Programming in Python" (2 units)

ITP-330 "Computational Thinking Through Programming" (4 units) [prerequisite: ITP-115/116 or ITP-165 or CSCI-102]

EDUC-422 "Education for Social Change" (4 units)

EDUC-426 "Educational Inquiry" (4 units)

ITP-430 "Computational Education Capstone" (4 units) [prerequisite: (ITP-115 and ITP-330) and (EDUC-435 or EDUC-436)]

Specialization (10 units)

Core Requirements (6 units):

ITP-115 “Programming in Python” (2 units) or ITP-116 "Accelerated Programming in Python" (2 units)

ITP-330 "Computational Thinking Through Programming" (4 units) [prerequisite: ITP-115/116 or ITP-165 or CSCI-102]

Choose One of the Following (4 units):

EDUC-422 "Education for Social Change" (4 units)

EDUC-426 "Educational Inquiry" (4 units)

Course Plan

Use the chart below to plan your course schedule to complete your minor. Pay careful attention to prerequisites. Make sure you consult with your major advisor about how best to incorporate the requirements for your minor with your major and general education requirements.

Please contact our academic advisors with questions about course sequencing, departmental clearance and course substitutions.

Semester 1

ITP-115 "Programming in Python"

Start writing programs in the Python language, an easy-to-read programming language used for web applications, data analysis, and scientific research. You'll learn to think like a programmer to solve problems, control flow, and implement graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to create simple programs.

ITP-116 "Accelerated Programming in Python"

The course is intended to teach the fundamental concepts of the Python programming language to those students who already have experience with a previous programming language. Watch this video to learn more!

Computational Thinking through Programming

This course focuses on development of practical Python programming skills through project-based application. It is split into two parts: part one focuses on powerful features of the Python programming language itself, and part two focuses on application of modules to solve domain-specific challenges, such as in scientific computation and data visualization, system manipulation and automation, web development, and machine learning.

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Computing Education Capstone

This course focuses on exploring computational thinking and educational practices. Students will explore problem solving, algorithmic thinking, computation principles, and the diversity of topics in computing education.

Students will build upon and apply knowledge of educational equity, social foundations, and pedagogy while focusing on transforming K-12 computing education. During the course, students will lead group discussions, develop and present computing curriculum, and design, implement, and grade a computing project.

Next steps

How can I add this program?

Apply online

Current USC students can use our online application to declare a minor or specialization. Your application will be processed within 4 to 9 business days, and you will be notified at your official USC email address of your admission to the program of your choice.

Complete your application >

Contact us with questions

If you have a question about the program, you're welcome to write to us or schedule an advisement appointment. We can help you navigate our program requirements and resources and refer you to other offices as needed.

Contact our advisors >