Undergraduate Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science offers a range of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This section describes the Bachelor of Science degree and other undergraduate offerings. See the Master of Science in Computer Science section in this catalog for more information on the department's graduate programs.

Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Computer Science will be prepared for both graduate school and for computer oriented careers. The curriculum provides a solid base in computer science fundamentals that includes software design and development, problem solving and debugging, theoretical and mathematical foundations, and computer systems and system software. In addition, students have the opportunity to explore specialized areas of computer science that include web development, low-level processor and device programming, programming languages, artificial intelligence, computer networks, databases, parallel computing, and computer graphics. Hands-on experience is facilitated through the department's state-of-the-art laboratories, its new multimedia studio classroom, and a 128-processor parallel computing cluster. Qualified students can enter the five-year joint B.S. and M.S. in Internet Engineering.

Program Objectives

• Provide a comprehensive course of study in the core areas of computer science required for graduate study and computer careers.
• Provide a rigorous foundation in programming techniques, problem solving, and computer science theory.
• Expose students to modern computing environments, a wide variety of program development tools, and practical applications.
• Encourage close interaction between students and professors, which is made possible through small class sizes and a high degree of availability of professors outside the classroom.
• Develop students' communication skills through group projects and classroom presentations.
• Allow students to apply their coursework experience in a capstone senior project.
• Expose students to local researchers and practitioners in computer-related fields through the department's Special Lecture Series.
• Provide opportunities for undergraduate research with a faculty advisor.

In addition to the B.S. degree, the department offers students from other majors the opportunity to earn a minor in computer science and to take short courses on specific computer-related topics such as personal productivity software, computer graphics, and internet applications.

To learn more:

• Please see Computer Science Course Descriptions.
• Please see Practical Series in Computer Science Course Descriptions.
• Please see Major in Computer Science.
  • Please see Typical Program in the Computer Science Major for Students Starting in Fall.
  • Please see Typical Program in the Computer Science Major for Students Starting a Semester Late.
• Please see Minor in Computer Science.