Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About
The Foundation Examination in Computer Science
Students need to pass this foundation exam
before they can officially be a Computer Science major and before they can take either COP 3402C or any other 4000-level computer science course.
The exam is typically given one Friday after the end of each semester. Check the secure sign-up page
for exact dates at
https://www.cs.ucf.edu/registration/foundations.html.
Anyone who desires to be a Computer Science major needs to take the exam after they complete COP 3502 or COT 3100. It does not matter what your catalog year
is.
You will find copies of some of the previous editions of the exam (along with
solutions) at
http://www.cs.ucf.edu/registration/exm/index.html.
The material covered in COP 3502 and COT 3100 should prepare you well for the
test.
Ideally, this exam should be taken as soon as possible after you complete both
COP 3502C (Computer Science I) and COT 3100C (Introduction to Discrete
Structures); i.e. if you are enrolled for both of them at the same time, sign
up for the exam at the end of the semester. If you are only enrolled in one of
them, wait till you take the second course. You are not allowed to take
the exam unless you pass both COP 3502 and COT 3100 with a grade ``C'' or
better.
No! This is not credit-by-exam scheme for COP 3502 and COT 3100.
However, if you satisfy both of the following requirements, namely
- transferring from an out-of-state or a private school into
UCF
- have already completed two courses similar to COP 3502 and COT 3100
with a grade ``C'' or better
and pass the foundation exam, see your faculty advisor for course
substitutions.
Theoretically, you can attempt the exam any number of times. However, if you
failed two serious attempts, you are strongly advised to talk to your
faculty advisor before the third attempt.
What are the criteria for passing the exam?
This is subject to change, slightly, at the discretion of the exam graders and Foundation Exam Coordinator. Roughly however, passing thresholds are designated for both the CS and Discrete sections. Historically, these have been 70 and 60, respectively, but are subject to a slight change depending on the difficulty of the exam. Furthermore, there are low thresholds designated for both exams, which are typically either 5 or 10 points below the respective passing thresholds. In order to pass, a student must either pass both sections or pass one section, score about the low threshold on the other, and exceed the sum of the two passing scores.
Sign up for the exam at https://www.cs.ucf.edu/registration/foundations.html.