Department of Computer Science at The College at Brockport

Computer Science at the College

	Computer Science and Computer Information Systems
	Tracks in Computer Science
	Student Advisement
	Internships, Theses, and Other Capstone Experiences

Computer Science and Computer Information Systems

Computer science is the study of the theory and practice of computation. A computer scientist creates new hardware and software that is more efficient, effective, and reliable. Computer information systems, on the other hand, is the study of the use of computers for systematic organization of data that supports efficient and accurate collection, processing, analysis and retrieval of information. An information system specialist applies existing technology to solve real world problems. Both incorporate aspects of several other fields: mathematics, to analyze the properties of algorithms and data structures; engineering, to design and construct practical programs and machines; the experimental sciences, both to investigate the behavior of programs running on real machines and to use programs for modeling scientific phenomena; and the cognitive sciences, to develop "intelligent" programs and to study computation in relation to human intelligence.

Computer Science and Information Systems are young and rapidly developing fields. Presently their chief areas, reflected in regular course offerings at the College, are: design and analysis of algorithms, programming languages, systems analysis, software engineering, project management, database systems, e-commerce, computer architecture, operating systems, computer security, artificial intelligence, decision support and expert systems, networking, multimedia, etc. Other areas are covered in independent study and topics courses. In addition, students can gain valuable job experience through internship programs and Brockport Career Exploration courses (BCEC).

The Computer Science major provides students with an excellent basis for a variety of careers and for graduate study. Possible careers include programming, system analysis and design, maintenance, management and user support of software in areas such as business, science, engineering, and computer systems. Fields of graduate study, for which a double major with mathematics is advisable, include not only computer science, but mathematics, information management, and various areas of science and engineering.

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Tracks in Computer Science

The computer science program at The College at Brockport is a vigorous program that strives to present students with the most thorough education possible in this rapidly changing field. Students may select from courses designed to prepare them for a wide variety of postgraduate and career goals. The purpose of this site is to provide information which will aid the student in developing the program which best suits his or her individual needs.

The student interested in computer science has several options to choose from:

A major in Computer Science in one of the three tracks:
- Advanced Computing (AC) track, (accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET [previously CSAB]).
- Software Development (SD) track,
- Information Systems (IS) track,
All three tracks have several entry-level courses in common. Hence, the selection of a specific track may be postponed until the sophomore year. Further, students majoring in computer science have the option of switching between tracks before graduation.
A double major in computer science and another discipline, such as mathematics or business administration.
A minor in computer science.
A minor in computer information systems.

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Student Advisement

Students should strive to choose a coherent set of courses aimed at achieving their educational goals. Suggested course sequences for all three tracks are presented in the section on Useful Information for Students. An individual student's program should, however, be discussed with his or her computer science faculty advisor. It is suggested that students consider a minor or a second major in another discipline to complement their computer science major.

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Internships, Theses, and Other Capstone Experiences

Students are strongly encouraged to widen their educational experience by pursuing an independent study, an internship, a senior thesis, or a study abroad program. Students can gain valuable job experience through the Computer Science Internship program, offered by the Department of Computer Science, or the Brockport Career Exploration course (BCEC), offered by the Office of Career Services. These two are separate programs with distinct requirements. In both cases, the student works in an employment setting under close supervision; internships and career exploration may be paid or unpaid, but both award college credit. A third possibility to gain work experience is to seek on-campus employment in the computing laboratories, in particular with the Information Technology Services or the Office of Telecommunication Services. Students interested in pursuing a graduate program are strongly urged to consider an independent study or the thesis option to test out their potential for independent research and advanced study. Students interested in pursuing a graduate program are also encouraged to seek work experience as a tutor or a laboratory assistant, either in the Department of Computer Science or the Student Learning Center.

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