2000 Program Objectives

• To provide students with a solid foundation in the key principles and practices of computing in solving science, engineering and business problems.
• To prepare graduates for employment in the computing-based professions, and for post-baccalaureate education in computer science and engineering.

The undergraduate curriculum course structure has been arranged to develop students' background in basic sciences, mathematics, English, and basic computer science during the first year. The basic computer system, software development, and more mathematics are introduced at the second year. In the subsequent years, the student continues with the strong development of problem solving, design, and analysis skills by taking more theoretical and advanced core courses. In the junior year, students start selecting more advanced topics of computer science in the CS elective course offerings and plan for their senior project in the last year.

The computer science major is designed to provide both training for employment and preparation for graduate school. The course work provides training in practical programming skills, modern approaches to systems construction, underlying abstractions and mathematical theory. Students going on to graduate school will need the ability to implement the concepts they develop. Students choosing work environments will need the ability to relate applied problems to familiar abstractions and to distinguish between efficient and inefficient approaches to algorithm design.

The Professional Practice Program for computer science students consists of four to six quarters of work in a position related to computer science. Students normally apply for this program in the spring quarter of the freshman year.