Computer Science

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Program is designed to:

Provide a high quality degree program in computer science that will prepare students for lifelong learning as they pursue professional careers in computer science and leadership roles in the society in which they serve.
Provide our students with a strong foundational base, state-of-the art techniques, methodologies, and tools to specify, design and develop computer-based solutions to complex systems problems.
Provide opportunities for faculty and students to contribute to the body of knowledge that serves the profession, by engaging in research, scholarly and other activities which support their interests and are in agreement with the goals and objectives of the College, and the University.
Prepare our students to communicate well, both orally and in writing, on moral and ethical development, in knowledge of the liberal arts, and on commitment to services to others.

The ratio of faculty to students in the department is roughly 1-to-9.
Funded research projects led by our faculty focus on such areas as advanced integrated control, artificial intelligence, computer modeling, database management, distributed processing, global carbon dioxide-climate changes, smart systems and speech recognition.
Research expenditures for the computer science department total roughly $2 million per year.
The computer science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Fewer than 10 computer science departments in the state and fewer than 10 among the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities share this accreditation status.

Degrees offered

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (B.S.C.S.)
Master of Science in Computer Science (M.S.C.S.)
Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (M.S.C.I.S.)

Software engineering. Telecommunications. Systems engineering.

These fields define the direction of our society. In many ways, they define our future.

Prairie View computer science graduates are in the middle of the action, formulating ideas, creating programs and developing solutions to some of the most complex computer-systems challenges. They are aggressively recruited by Fortune 500 companies and other leading computer science departments.

While most of us wonder what's next, our graduates are already answering that question.

Our Program

In Prairie View's computer science department, we provide the highest quality instruction to our students and conduct leading-edge research. Our program prepares students to communicate well, to work together in teams and to do all things with ethics and integrity.

Prairie View computer science graduates are lifelong learners. Our job is to prepare them for this long-term learning process. In doing so, we actively engage them in research and other activities that support their interests. But we also ensure they are not learning in a vacuum: We immerse them in the broad education necessary to understand the impact of computer-based solutions in a global and societal context.

Undergraduate Education

While a strong academic foundation is important in most fields, it is especially critical in computer science. All future learning extends from this base of understanding, so it must be sound and it must be solid.

This is precisely the kind of undergraduate education we provide in Prairie View's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (B.S.C.S.) program. We build upon that base with state-of-the-art techniques, methodologies and tools that teach students to solve complex systems problems with computer-based solutions. Our bachelor's-degree program offers concentrations in artificial intelligence, computer network, database systems, distributed and parallel systems and software engineering.

By the time they graduate, our students are not only able to identify systems problems, but can personally design and develop the remedies needed to solve them.

Graduate Education

Prairie View's computer science department offers two graduate degrees: Master of Computer Science (M.S.C.S.) and Master of Computer Information Systems (M.S.C.I.S.). A large number of our graduate students receive assistantships, where they are able to serve as either teacher's assistants or research assistants.

Faculty

Our faculty members are readily available to assist students outside of classroom hours and all are deeply committed to fostering student success. In fact, our faculty-to-student ratio enables them to closely monitor the progress of each student and maintain a strong advising system. Faculty dedication to providing high quality and continuous improvement in teaching, research and service is one of our program's most valuable assets. The department has one endowed faculty position.