Computer Science 456/656
Automata and Formal Languages
Prerequisites

Revised January 22, 2015.

As stated in the catalog, you must have taken CSC 302, Introduction to Data Structures and MAT 351, Discrete Math II, before enrolling in CSC 456 or CSC 656. Note that MAT 251, Discrete Math I, is a prerequisite for Discrete Math II, and hence is an implied prerequisite for CSC 456/656 also. and that CSC 135 and CSC 136 are prerequisites for CSC 302, and hence are implied prerequisites for CSC 456/656 also, as are all the other prerequisites for CSC 351 and CSC 302.
Here are the ways a prerequite requirement can be satisfied.
  1. Complete the course at UNLV and receive a grade of "C" or better.
    Taking one of these courses concurrently is not sufficient.
  2. You are an admitted CSC graduate student (not a special student) and your admission is contingent on completion of CSC 656, but there is no contingency to complete CSC 351 or CSC 302.
  3. Complete an equivalent course at another university and receive a grade of "C" or better. I will need to examine your transcript to verify this.
    Note: If you have only taken one semester of discrete math at another university, you have not fulfilled the MAT 351 prerequisite.
    Also, if you have taken only two programming semesters at the level of CSC 135 or above at another university, you have not fulfilled the CSC 302 prerequisite.
  4. They are cracking down on prerequisite waivers, so I can no longer do this. You have to go above me, now. Convince me personally that your knowledge of the prerequisite material is sufficient. For example, a student who has completed several advanced mathematics courses with a grade of "B" or better would probably know enough background material to fulfill the CSC 351 prerequisite, even if these courses did not include discrete math.
All students not meeting criteria 1. or 2. above must see me personally in order to verify that they fit one of the other criteria. (Some students have already done so; they do not need to return to me.) Any student who fails to take care of this is subject to being administratively dropped.