Computer Science

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Computer science is all about problem-solving with technology. Whether you’re interested in programming, software engineering, cybersecurity, or data analysis, this major gives you the skills to design and build the tech that powers our world.

Experiential Learning

Build a strong foundation in programming, systems, networking, databases, and software engineering.
Work on real-world projects in small, collaborative classes where faculty know you by name.
Compete in coding challenges and develop professional connections through the Association for Computing Machinery student chapter.
Gain valuable internship experience at companies like Walgreens, Caterpillar, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, ProducePro, and Illinois Mutual Insurance.

Program Details

Degree Concentrations

Take your career any way you want! Explore the different degree concentrations that we offer so you can personalize your education.

The AI concentration provides students with the necessary skills to effectively use the Artificial Intelligence (AI) knowledge to solve real-world problems and potentially find new insights. The concentration is comprised of 12 semester hours of study including 9 semester hours of required courses and 3 semester hours of elective course as outlined on the Requirements tab.

Love video games? This concentration introduces you to game design, programming, and production while building your skills in systems, networking, and software development. Want to dive deeper? Add an interactive media minor or double major.

Data is everywhere—and so are the opportunities to use it. Learn how to analyze big data, use AI and machine learning, and solve real-world problems in business, healthcare, social media, and more.

Want to fight cyber threats? This concentration gives you the skills to protect information and stop hackers in their tracks. Learn about network security, cryptography, and cybersecurity strategies used by top companies and government agencies.

Career Opportunities

A computer science degree opens doors to a wide range of industries. Recent graduates have:

Developed software at top tech companies like Microsoft and Epic Systems
Built digital tools for media giants like the New York Times and Sony
Worked in cybersecurity, data analysis, and IT infrastructure for major corporations

Minors

The Computer Game Technology minor provides students with essential background, understanding, knowledge, and skills in the practice of computer game software design and development.

The computer science and information systems minor, which is open to all students, gives you a foundation in software development and computer science basics.

You can customize the minor by choosing electives in databases, networking, software engineering, security, gaming or mobile computing. It’s often paired with engineering and interactive media majors.

The data science minor, which is open to all students, gives you a basic understanding of tools to gather and understand large amounts of data.

These tools are important for economic management, wealth creation, life and health improvement, and other applications in engineering, science, business, health care and education. The minor is a valuable addition to business, science and engineering majors.