Deficiency Courses
(Computer Science, Data Science, Industrial Engineering, & Software Engineering students)
At the time of application your transcript and supporting documentation is evaluated and it is determined if you are lacking any of the deficiency courses. If you have been assigned any of the deficiency courses, it is listed in your ASU Admission letter. If you did not receive a copy of your Admission Letter, email GoGrad@asu.edu.
There are three options to clear deficiency courses, including the option to take and complete the course by the end of your first year in the program (within the first two fall/spring semesters). See below details regarding the three options and the respective deadlines to meet deficiency requirements.
Important: Starting January 8th, 2024, all Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 admits must take the deficiency course. Deadline for Option 1 and 2 was January 7th, 2024.
Option 1: Petition for Re-Evaluation
If you believe you have previously completed a course that is equivalent to the deficiency that was assigned then you can submit the deficiency waiver form here: https://fultonapps.asu.edu/deficiency/. You will need to upload the Petition for Reevaluation of Deficiency Course form and supporting documents, such as syllabus, catalog description, and university transcripts (including the grade scale), to prove that you have met the requirements. Be advised that the documents you uploaded during the admission application have been evaluated, so a reevaluation petition should only be submitted if you have new information to provide. Once the petition has been reviewed, the decision is final. Deficiency petitions may only be submitted before your first semester in the program.
Option 2: Non-Credit Refresher Course & Exam
You may be able to take topic exams offered through ASU’s Career Catalyst platform to satisfy the deficiency requirement before the start of your first semester. The cost for each attempt is $59.00. Some, not all, of these non-credit, self-paced courses include a high-level overview of the prerequisite topic, practice quizzes, and a final exam. These exams will draw on your previous knowledge of the foundations of the program you have been admitted to.
Available courses:
CSE 230 - Computer Organization & Assembly Language Programming (2 attempts)
CSE 240 – Introduction to Programming Languages (1 attempt)
CSE 310 - Data Structures & Algorithms (2 attempts)
CSE 330 - Operating Systems (2 attempts)
CSE 340 - Principles of Programming Languages (satisfies CSE 355 deficiency; 2 attempts)
IEE 376 - Deterministic Operations Research (1 attempt)
IEE 380 - Probability and Statistics for Engineering Problem Solving (1 attempt)
IEE 470 - Stochastic Operations Research (1 attempt)
SER 222 - Design and Analysis of Data Structures and Algorithms (2 attempts)
SER 334 – Operating Systems and Networks (2 attempts)
Courses not available:
CSE 110 - Principles of Programming
CSE 205 - Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structures
CSE 355 - Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science
MAT 242 - Elementary Linear Algebra or MAT 342 Linear Algebra or MAT 343 Applied Linear Algebra or IEE 376
MAT 267 - Calculus for Engineering III
A student must pass the final exam to complete the course.
Each attempt requires the student to enroll and pay for the course.
The exam may only be taken prior to attempting the for-credit course.
Once you have passed the final exam, you will need to upload your certificate here: https://fultonapps.asu.edu/deficiency/
The certificate will only be accepted if the exam was taken by the deficiency deadline for your program.
Note: CareerCatalyst courses are non-credit bearing, and cannot be counted for credit to any degree program at ASU. Use of these courses as will only apply to deficiencies assigned at admission.
Option 3: Take the Course
You may take for-credit, graded courses to satisfy assigned deficiencies by the end of the first year, including summer. These courses will appear on your ASU transcript, but do not count toward your degree requirements.
IMPORTANT:
Industrial Engineering and Data Science, Analytics & Engineering students must earn a 'B' or better to clear deficiencies.
Software Engineering and Computer Science students must earn a 'C' or better to clear deficiency courses.*
Graduate students are required to take at least one graduate-level or approved 4xx level course appearing on the iPOS every fall and spring semester in order to meet the continuous enrollment requirement. There is an exception to this if you are taking deficiency courses that are listed on your admit letter.
A student has a total of two attempts to clear the deficiency. Deficiency courses may not be completed a third time.
Students may complete equivalent deficiency courses at a community college if available. International students should consult with advising if interested. See course equivalency list for the Maricopa Community Colleges.
*Tip for CS students assigned CSE 310: Check CSE 5xx Area/Pre-requisite and Approved CSE 4xx course lists. There are some courses that do not require CSE 310 as a pre-requisite, such as CSE 445. Note, some plans do not allow room for CSE 4xx credits. Consult with advising for guidance as needed.