There is a massive demand for our graduates. Nearly all of our students have had at least one internship, and our students are highly sought after by industry and are well prepared for both CS MS and PhD programs.
Our Alumni careers include
- Software Engineer at Facebook
- Software Development Manager at LAmazon Web Services (AWS)
- Cyber Security Technologist at Booz Allen Hamilton
- Software Developer at Big Data in Richmond
- Software Engineer at NAVSEA Warfare Center
- Technical Program Manager at AiRo Digital Labs
- Image Scientist at Boeing
- Innovation Architect at Effectual
- Frontend Developer at Pattern Data
- Software Engineer at Meta
- Sr. Program Director at CACI
- Full Stack Developer at ALKU
In addition to the University Career Fair, we host our career and internship in the fall with Business each semester, where most employers seek computer science students. They also host events to meet and network with our students. We always bring potential employers to talk with our students throughout the academic year.
No, computer science is not going away because of AI. AI is a subfield within computer science, and the development and advancement of AI rely heavily on computer science principles and techniques. Data Scientists, Information Security Analysts, and Computer and Information Research Scientists are among the top 20 fastest-growing careers in America (and also the best-paid). Computer and Information Technology Occupations are in demand.
Throughout your education at UMW, you will learn many languages, including Java, Python, and C. You will also learn the foundation of different programming paradigms (object-oriented, procedural, functional, etc.) so that you can learn any language quickly. Many programming languages and new ones are constantly invented, so learning the different paradigms will enable you to switch among languages.
All of our CS courses have 25 or fewer students. Our small class sizes ensure that students ask questions, get to know their classmates and professors, and facilitate project-based learning and interactive teaching. Our CS courses are taught by CS faculty, and our professors’ top priority is excellent teaching.
Students with little or no programming experience should select CPSC 110 as their first CPSC course. CPSC 110 uses the Python programming language. Students with programming experience should select CPSC 220 as their first CPSC course.
Students who have completed an AP course in computer science and earned a 5 on the exam can be given credit for CPSC 220 and enroll in CPSC 240 and CPSC 284. These students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Java programming before beginning CPSC 240.
We need lab aides to help students in CPSC 110, CPSC 220, and other courses.
Most of our students have laptops, which are helpful for their college careers and for transporting their CS work around with them. However, laptops are not required. We have a lab in the basement of James Farmer Hall.
Absolutely! The CS Curriculum is around 44-48 credits. Your GenEd requirements include 30 – 40 credits, giving you 32-46 credits toward a second major, a minor, or your exploration through the Liberal Arts. There probably won’t be another time in your life when you’ll have such access to explore a wide variety of disciplines: this is the advantage of a Liberal Arts degree!
Computer Scientists are in such demand in the job market that there isn’t pressure from the workforce to have a particular second major or minor, so I encourage you to think about what could round out your ability to apply CS to your future career.
Help outside of class comes in three forms: lab aides, peer tutoring via academic services (free), and professors’ office hours. Currently, all CPSC 220 have a dedicated lab aide with specific hours to help that section. Sign up for peer tutoring for CPSC 110, 220, or 240. Our professors typically have at least five office hours each week for their classes.
However, a nice thing to note is our open-door culture in the department, where professors typically open their doors to interact with and help students outside of officially posted hours! It’s common to see a professor assisting a student who isn’t in their class.
Generally, students who enjoy coding more and want to work as software developers should consider majoring in computer science. Students who prefer cybersecurity topics and want to work as cyber analysts should consider a cybersecurity major. However, the coursework for the first one or two years is the same as that for computer science and cybersecurity. So students do not need to pick between the two majors right away. By the time you are at the point where the majors diverge, you will have a good sense of which of the two is proper for you.
Students with little or no programming experience should select CPSC 110 as their first CPSC course. CPSC 110 uses the Python programming language. Students with programming experience should select CPSC 220 as their first CPSC course.
Students who have completed an AP course in computer science and earned a 5 on the exam can be given credit for CPSC 220 and enroll in CPSC 240 and CPSC 284. These students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Java programming before beginning CPSC 240.