Computer science for College students

Illustration by Robert Meganck, Communication Design, Inc.

Arts & Sciences undergraduates now can pursue an interdisciplinary bachelor of arts degree in computer science that differs from the bachelor of science degree offered in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. The major is the first to be administered jointly by the two schools.

“For many years, students in the College have wanted to take computer science, but not with the engineering focus,” said Thomas Horton, a computer science faculty member who served on the computer science B.A. committee. “They wanted to pursue additional majors such as economics or psychology or the life sciences, but the engineering degree requirements didn’t allow them to do both.”

David Evans, assistant professor of computer science and chair of the planning committee, said that College students currently make up about 10 to 20 percent of computer science course enrollment; until now, however, they have not been able to earn a degree in the discipline.