Start with the exact major and location
Purdue’s undergraduate directory lets applicants filter its majors by area of interest, college or school, location and credential type. It lists 170 majors, including options across agriculture, engineering, business, science, health and the liberal arts. Applicants should use the directory to identify the exact degree title and confirm whether it is available at West Lafayette, Indianapolis or another Purdue location. A similar title at a different campus may represent a different programme and curriculum.
To make a useful comparison, look beyond the major name. Review the academic unit, degree type, required courses, prerequisites, electives and any progression conditions. A programme page and the university catalogue explain the requirements that a short directory listing cannot show. If you are comparing several options, note which subjects are central to each curriculum and whether your preparation meets stated prerequisites. For international applicants, Purdue’s curriculum requirements page also states baseline high-school mathematics and laboratory science expectations; confirm any additional programme preparation with the selected department.
The Purdue majors directory provides searchable filters. It is an entry point, not a complete degree audit or a guarantee that a course will be offered in every term.
Example: Computer Science, B.S.
Computer Science is one example of how Purdue organizes a degree around core study and later specialization. The Department of Computer Science lists six foundational courses: CS 18000 Problem Solving and Object-Oriented Programming, CS 18200 Foundations of Computer Science, CS 24000 Programming in C, CS 25000 Computer Architecture, CS 25100 Data Structures and Algorithms, and CS 25200 Systems Programming. The page then describes tracks with advanced required courses and electives, allowing students to focus on an area such as machine intelligence, security, software engineering, systems software, programming languages or computational science and engineering.
The current department page identifies track locations and distinguishes older curriculum editions from Fall 2023 onward; it also calls out a Fall 2026-forward track edition. This is a reminder to use the correct entering cohort and campus when planning. The department states that major-required, track and prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. It also limits transfer credit for core courses to work completed before entry to the West Lafayette/Indianapolis Computer Science programme, and does not accept transfer credit for 300- or 400-level CS coursework except approved study-abroad work.
These details are an illustration, not an exhaustive list of degree requirements. Always follow the department’s live Computer Science degree requirements, the official catalogue and the student’s approved plan of study. Requirements differ across Purdue majors and can change by cohort.
Use tracks and electives to shape the degree
In the Computer Science example, tracks provide a way to develop depth after the foundational sequence. Purdue describes options that align with different interests, including databases and information systems, algorithmic foundations, machine intelligence, programming languages, security, software engineering, systems software and computational science and engineering. Some tracks are identified for West Lafayette, while others include Indianapolis. Students should compare the listed campus against their intended location rather than assume every track is offered everywhere.
A track is not a free-standing credential. It sits within the degree’s overall core, general education, mathematics, science, prerequisite and elective requirements. Course sequencing matters: a required course may depend on an earlier course, and the department’s rules determine which electives can satisfy which requirements. Purdue also states that one course cannot be counted for both required and elective credit in its Computer Science tracks. Use the curriculum flowchart, track details and official plan tools to understand dependencies before attempting to compress a semester schedule.
For a student changing majors or bringing prior credits, do not assume that a course title match earns Purdue credit. The Computer Science department gives specific restrictions for lower- and upper-level transfer credit. Ask the department or academic advisor for an official evaluation and use the current catalogue year tied to the student’s entry cohort.
Verify the current catalogue before choosing
Use Purdue’s current catalogue and department pages to verify the exact programme, campus and catalogue year before applying or enrolling. A department summary can explain a curriculum’s shape, while the catalogue and official plan of study carry the detailed credit requirements, prerequisites and completion rules. The Computer Science department’s curriculum page includes links to track editions, prerequisite flowcharts and progression resources; it notes that students should use the edition appropriate to their curriculum.
For applicants, the practical sequence is: select the exact major and location in the undergraduate directory; open the department’s degree page; review required courses, prerequisites and track choices; then check the university catalogue for the correct cohort. For admitted students, the advisor-approved plan and degree audit should guide registration. If a page is unclear, ask the academic department whether a course is available at the intended campus and in the intended term.
This guide uses Computer Science as an illustrative example and does not represent every Purdue major. It does not equate Indian school subjects, entrance examinations or prior university courses to Purdue course credit. Such equivalence requires an official evaluation by Purdue.