Computer Science

Majors & Minors
Computer Science

Computer Science

“I chose to study computer science because I believe that software has made the world a better place, and I want to be a part of that change."

Meet Ameen "Al" Sharairi, computer science major

You should major in computer science if:

You enjoy working with computers and have a natural understanding of technology.
You would like to be fluent in computer programming languages like JavaScript, Python, or C++, or you are interested in learning or strengthening these skills.
You’re a logical problem-solver who enjoyed classes like algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, and physics in high school.
You want to get plenty of hands-on experience programming and debugging code.

Computer scientists are the backbone of the digital workforce. Here at �鶹��ý Lafayette, you can customize your computer science degree with one of our concentrations:

Cloud Computing
Computer Engineering
Cyber Security
Scientific Computing
Video Game Design & Development

Whichever you choose, you’ll get experience doing programming, debugging code, and creating products like websites, apps, and data systems.

Computer Science at �鶹��ý Lafayette

What's Computer Science Like?

Lab work
Research
Group work & collaboration
Writing
Presenting
Math & theory

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology.

Life as a Computer Science Major

�鶹��ý Lafayette computer science graduates often take jobs locally at large companies like CGI

Push the Boundaries of Software, Hardware & Human-Computer Interaction

Explore the world of computer science, from circuits to cyberspace, while learning about topics ranging from algorithms and big data to virtual and augmented reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. �鶹��ý Lafayette is in the heart of �鶹��ý's tech community, with experts in the University’s and in locally-based companies like , , and .

Research Within Your Grasp

Get hands-on experience in research with faculty mentors in our labs, including the Computer Architecture & Networks Lab, High Performance Cloud Computing Lab, Human Computer Interaction Lab, Internet Computing Lab, Intelligent Systems Modelling & Simulation Lab, and Virtual Reality Lab.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Earn credit towards your degree while living in another country through �鶹��ý Lafayette's Study Abroad programs. Travel to Costa Rica, England, France, or Italy.

Student Organizations

Connect with students and professionals in our campus-based chapters for the , , CMIX Student Association.

Concentrations in Computer Science

Cloud Computing

The cloud computing concentration covers remote network computing, parallel and distributed computing, accounting, and business-related fields. This concentration is ideal if you have strong business interests, a desire to enter the corporate or government workforce, or even build your own business.

Computer Engineering

The computer engineering concentration gives you a strong foundation digital systems, circuits, and hardware design. This concentration includes several advanced courses from the .

Scientific Computing

The scientific computing concentration emphasizes advanced math, physics, and graphics. This concentration helps prepare you for demanding areas of applied computing in science and engineering-heavy fields, including petroleum engineering, biomedical sciences, and environmental management careers.

�鶹��ý Lafayette student designing a video game

Video Game Design & Development

Learn about video games, human-computer interaction, graphics, artificial intelligence, visual arts, visual design, and storytelling in the video game design concentration. It’s an ideal route if you’re interested in gaming and entertainment computing, advanced graphics, musical and visual experiences, optimizing user experiences, artificial worlds, and artificial intelligence.

Computer Science According to Students

Freshman Year Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year

CMPS 150: Introduction to Computer Science

with Nona Istre

I took the introductory programming course with Ms. Nona, and I enjoyed it so much. That course really sparked my interest in computer science, programming, software development.”

Tate Courville, Computer Science major

CMPS 261: Advanced Data Structures & Software Engineering

with Dr. Jason McNeely

I thoroughly enjoyed Advanced Data Structures. It is arguably one of the most important classes in our department because we learn data structures and software design, which are building blocks for everything else we do in computer science.”

Samantha Castille, Computer Science major

CMPS 432G: Parallel & Distributed Computing

with Dr. Mohsen Amini

My favorite class was Parallel and Distributed Computing. The course gave me insight into how providers like Amazon Web Services power some of the largest websites we know, like Netflix, Spotify, and LinkedIn.”

Adam Roach, Computer Science major

CMPS 453: Introduction to Software Methodology

with Dr. Arun Lakhotia

I was very inexperienced in real-world application of computer science and real-world methods, and this class gave me the opportunity to try both. We could pick our own project, and I decided to create a website from scratch. I chose this because I had never done it before, and Dr. Arun helped me every step of the way. The experience was priceless, and I could not have asked for a better mentor.”

Armando Fuentes, Computer Science major

Careers in Computer Science

Matt Miller alumni spotlight computer sciences

Matthew A. Miller

"I really enjoyed the classes where we built things that were similar to real-world applications, such as the database and video game classes. The database course was the single most useful one I took in terms of learning the kind of skills I use every day: designing a database and building an application to use it."

Computer Science '09

Programming Team Lead for Acadian Ambulance Service

Meet Matthew Miller

Jobs in Computer Science

Software Engineer
Network Architect
Database Administrator
Information Security Analyst
Game Developer
Systems Safety Engineer

Program Requirements

Admissions Requirements

To major in computer science, you must meet the University's admissions requirements.
See the full admission requirements.

Graduation Requirements

Computer science majors must maintain a grade of “C” or better in each major course and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to graduate.

The course requirements for the computer science major depend on which concentration you choose. See the full requirements for each concentration:

The computer science minor is open to all majors at the University.

In this minor, you will complete 18 credit hours. Twelve of these credit hours are predetermined courses, and the remaining six credits you choose as electives from any computer science course at the 400 level.

Resources

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Computer Science

Meet Ameen "Al" Sharairi, computer science major