The Grainger College of Engineering
City Scholars

Classes Offered

City Scholars students are required to take a full course load (12 - 15 credits) of University of Illinois classes (in-person in Chicago or online). International students must adhere to all standards for in-person instruction and a minimum of 9 credits must contain in-person instruction.

Students are expected to work 20 hours a week at internships. Students do not work on Thursdays as TE 440 is held in-person that day. A sample schedule is provided below. 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8 hours internship 8 hours internship 4 hours internship  TE 440  

Required Classes

City Scholars are required to take TE 440 Engineering City Scholars (3 credits). Class takes place in-person on Thursdays.

  • CS students: TE 440 counts towards two advanced elective credits and one free elective.
  • ECE students: TE 440 counts as one tech elective credit and two free elective credits.

For additional questions about classes, please visit our FAQ page.

Classes Offered

Classes offered in person or specifically for City Scholars will vary slightly each semester of the City Scholars program. The lists below reflects courses commonly offered in recent semesters. Availability is not guaranteed each term and is subject to enrollment and scheduling.

📌 Important Note: Students should expect variation in course offerings each semester. Always confirm final availability before submitting rankings.

■In-Person, ■Online, ■Hybrid

CS 210: 
Ethical & Professional Issues
CS 421: 
Prog. Languages & Compilers
CS 445: 
Computational Photography
CS 211: 
Ethical & Professional Conduct
CS 426: 
Compiler Construction
CS 447: 
Natural Language Processing
CS 341: 
System Programming
CS 427: 
Software Engineering I
CS 461: 
Computer Security I
CS 435: 
Cloud Networking
CS 465: 
User Interface Design
CS 409: 
Art of Web Programming
CS 437: 
Topics in Internet of Things
CS 466: 
Introduction to Bioinformatics
CS 411: 
Database Systems
CS 441: 
Applied Machine Learning
CS 483: 
Applied Parallel Programming
CS 418: 
Interactive Computer Graphics
 
 

ECE 310/311: 
Digital Signal Processing
ECE 313: 
Probability with Engineering Apps
ECE 364: 
Programming Methods for ML
ECE 391: 
Computer Systems Engineering
ECE 408: 
Applied Parallel Programming
ECE 411: 
Computer Organization & Design
ECE 422: 
Computer Security I

The following courses are not currently offered in Chicago as part of the City Scholars program:

CS Courses 
  • CS 357: Numerical Methods I 
  • CS 361: Probability & Statistics for Computer Science
ECE Courses
  • ECE 329: Fields and Waves I
  • ECE 385: Digital Systems Laboratory
  • ECE 411: Computer Organization & Design
  • ECE 445: Senior Design Project Lab 

Course Planning Strategy

Prepare for a Semester in Urbana or Chicago

The City Scholars Program encourages students to take proactive steps now to prepare for both a potential semester in Chicago and continued enrollment in Urbana. Because placement is not guaranteed until match results are released, it is important to plan for both pathways in advance so you can stay on track and move smoothly into either outcome.

Things to Consider When Planning

  1. Dual-location planning: Create a course plan for both Urbana and Chicago scenarios. 
  2. Registration approach: Register for Urbana first, since course registration occurs before match results are released; adjust later if selected for a Chicago placement.
  3. Credit load: Plan for a full-time load (12–15 credits, maximum 15 credits), including TE 440 (3 credits).
  4. Course availability: Some courses may differ depending on location and semester offerings.  
  5. Academic Advisor: Review plans early with your academic advisor to ensure flexibility, feasibility, and alignment with degree requirements before rankings are finalized.