The Department of Computer Science programs are to provide graduates with the fundamental knowledge and habits of critical thinking required for future leadership roles in the numerous fields that depend on the underlying discipline of computer science. We intend to achieve the following goals:
To give each graduate a foundation in both the theory and the practice of computer science.
To prepare each graduate to take advantage of opportunities for generating new knowledge after graduation.
To introduce each graduate to the challenges and joys involved in research that leads to new kinds of computer software and hardware.
To provide the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a commitment to lifelong learning and ethical behavior.
The faculty believes the mission can only be accomplished through a commitment to assisting student learning through analysis and application, continuous improvement of the program through assessment and evaluation of student needs, and responsiveness to changes in the discipline within a global, social and ethical context.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the Computer Science Program will:
Develop the professional skills and the necessary technical knowledge both in breadth and in depth to prepare them for employment and advanced study in computer science.
Have sufficient awareness of the local and global societal impact of technology and of the related legal and ethical issues in computer science to make decisions regarding their personal and professional responsibilities.
Have the critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and leadership skills necessary to function productively and professionally.
Be able to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and the independent study skills necessary for life-long learning.
Learning Outcomes
Software Fundamentals Graduates will demonstrate their ability to use fundamental computer science knowledge to design, document, implement, and test software solutions to a wide range of problems, using at least two high-level programming languages
Computer Science Technology Skills Graduates will demonstrate expertise in the main content areas of computer science including
discrete and continuous mathematics including skills in logic and proof writing
analysis and design of algorithms
formal languages and computability theory
operating systems
database systems
computer architecture
computer networks and distributed computing concepts.
Scientific Method Graduates will be able to gather requirements, analyze, design and conduct simulations or other computer experiments evaluate and interpret the data.
Societal Awareness Graduates will be aware of and understand the impact of computer technology on society at large, on the workplace environment, and on individuals.
Ethical Standards Graduates will be able to recognize and understand the importance of ethical standards as well as their own responsibilities with respect to the computer profession.
Collaborative Work Skills Graduates will demonstrate the ability to work effectively in teams to conduct technical work through the exercise of interpersonal communication skills.
Oral Communication Skills Graduates will demonstrate their ability to verbally communicate clearly.
Written Communication Skills Graduates will demonstrate their ability to write effectively both technical and non-technical materials with appropriate multimedia aids.
Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning Graduates will demonstrate that they can independently acquire new computing related skills and knowledge in order to pursue either further formal or informal learning after graduation.