cs.smith.eduSmith College | Computer Science

Smith text logo Smith College Search ToggleDiscover Smith Expand Discover Smith Menu Smith in Action History & Traditions President Sarah Willie-LeBreton Visit the Campus Governance Smith at a Glance Contact Smith Academics Expand Academics Menu Programs & Courses Our Approach To Learning Applied Learning & Research Faculty Directory Academic Calendar Registrar Class Deans Provost/Dean of the Faculty Study Abroad Libraries Admission & Aid Expand Admission & Aid Menu Apply to Smith Visits & Programs Life After Smith: Career Outcomes Tuition & Aid for Applicants Aid for Current Students For Parents & Families For School & CBO Counselors Your Campus Expand Your Campus Menu Residence Life Dining & Menus Community Offices & Services Health & Wellness Clubs & Organizations Student Government Association Athletics For New Students SmithArts News & Events Expand News & Events Menu Smith Today Events Performing Arts Smith Alumnae Quarterly Search Utility Students Faculty & Staff Families Alums Give to Smith Search Toggle Show all breadcrumbs Home Breadcrumb Scroll Left Home Academics Scroll Right Computer Science Computer Science prepares students to lead in a world experiencing sweeping technological change. Students choosing to major in computer science can look forward to a career in one of the many fields to which computer technology has become vital, including the sciences, arts and entertainment, banking and commerce, and of course the communication and computer industries themselves. About Computer Science at Smith Scroll Left About the Department Selecting a Computer Science Major or Minor Adviser Scroll Right Computing and the Arts Artistic applications of computing are a growing initiative in the department. In recent years we have added new minors in digital arts and digital music . Visiting faculty and active interdisciplinary ties with related departments make this an exciting and vibrant area. Student Involvement Computer science students are very active in the department. Three liaisons attend department faculty meetings and run monthly social gatherings, such as movie night and game night. A student-led club organizes career-oriented training and offers community outreach via a local chapter of Girls Who Code . Many students work as teaching assistants, running help sessions, grading and aiding students during teaching labs. Students also do research as special studies, as research grant assistants or as honors theses. Faculty have summer research projects available for motivated and interested students. For more information, contact a faculty member as early as January of the spring semester. Facilities Computer science enjoys the use of several dedicated classrooms and research facilities in Ford Hall. Installed machines include multiple-boot workstations and dedicated computing clusters. The student lounge provides comfortable furniture, toys and refrigeration for students looking for a break from their work. Students and faculty pursue interdisciplinary research and class work using digital circuits and microprocessor kits, Lego robot arms and robot dogs, and mobile platforms, plus sensor modules, synthesizers and keyboards for digital sound and music. The Center for Design and Fabrication offers 3-D printers, laser scanners, laser and water-jet cutters, among other tools for rapid prototyping. Computer Science Studies for Non-Majors For non-majors, we offer courses demystifying the inner workings of computers and the Internet. Students can take a course in interactive web design, providing them with bankable skills on the job market. For those interested in exploring further, we invite you to check out our courses on beginning programming, computer graphics and artificial intelligence. Online Questionnaire To pick a computer science major adviser, please fill out the CS Major/Minor Declaration & Adviser Form . The form will automatically notify the computer science administrative assistant. Next Steps Sarah will process your request and assign you a faculty advisor, depending on the number of advisees currently assigned to CS faculty. Both you and your new adviser will receive an email from the administrative assistant indicating that you have a new adviser. Get a Change of Adviser form (scroll to bottom of page) from the Registrar’s office, fill it out, and have your new adviser sign it. That’s it! Requirements & Courses Computer Science Learning Goals Goals for Majors in Computer Science Students majoring in computer science at Smith will gain a broad understanding of the core concepts of computing, as well as exposure to a variety of modern theoretical and programming paradigms. Moreover, they will develop the essential ability to successfully apply these concepts and tools in diverse contexts arising in the arts and sciences. Specifically, they will learn how to: approach real-world situations from a computational perspective solve problems abstractly evaluate and implement proposed solutions adapt their solution to relevant domains, and reason critically about the broader implications and consequences of the design and use of computational methods. Measurable Outcomes The skills, knowledge and behaviors that students acquire through our curriculum are observable through their ability to: learn new programming languages, use multiple programming paradigms, and describe the similarities and differences between these paradigms, articulate how computing systems function, in terms of software-hardware interfaces, resource management, and communication between their parts, and adapt to new platforms. demonstrate understanding of the power and limitations of various algorithms and computational models through abstract formulation, concrete implementation, correctness and efficiency analysis. map abstract computation to specific physical and software implementations, as well as draw appropriate conclusions about real systems, including efficient resource management, communication between parts, and practical constraints. work both independently and as part of a team, engage in dialogue about computational problems and their solutions, and reason critically about the societal implications of the resulting system. The Major Computer Science Major Requirements Twelve full-semester courses or the equivalent Two introductory courses CSC 110 (S/U only) CSC 120 Three core courses CSC 210 CSC 231 CSC 250 Two mathematics courses MTH 111 , a math course with a prerequisite of MTH 111 or PHI 102 MTH 153 or a math course with a prerequisite of MTH 153 Four intermediate courses One CSC or SDS theory course: CSC 205/ MTH 205 , CSC 235/ SDS 235 , CSC 240 , CSC 252 , CSC 266 , CSC 274 , CSC 290 , CSC 294 , a topic of CSC 334, CSC 353pm , CSC 354 , CSC 356ni , CSC 370 , CSC 372 or a topic of CSC 390. One CSC or SDS programming course: CSC 205/ MTH 205 , CSC 220 , CSC 235/ SDS 235 , CSC 240 , CSC 249 , CSC 251 , a topic of CSC 256, CSC 262 , CSC 266 , CSC 274 , CSC 290 , CSC 294 , a topic of CSC 334, CSC 352 , CSC 354 , CSC 356ni , CSC 370 or CSC 372 One CSC systems course: CSC 223 , CSC 230 , CSC 249 , CSC 251 , CSC 262 , CSC 270 , CSC 325 , CSC 327 , CSC 330 , CSC 352 or CSC 353pm One CSC course at the 200 level or above. One 300-level course, taken only after completion of the core courses Major Requirement Details Beyond CSC 110 , students may count one course (or up to 4 credits) S/U towards a CSC major or minor with the approval of their advisor. An additional course at the 200 level or above is required if a student places out of CSC 110 . Courses in other programs and departments may be used to satisfy this requirement by permission of the department. An advanced undergraduate or graduate course taught at another of the Five Colleges for a letter grade may satisfy the 300-level course requirement with permission of the department. Honors Please consult the director of honors or the departmental website for specific requirements and application...