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Fact Sheet 07
College of Arts and Sciences
www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas/
Revised August 2007
Computer Science
The Department of Computer Science offers a program leading to the bachelor of science degree in computer and information sciences.
Career Opportunities
The bachelor of science degree prepares you, as a student, for a career in the field of computer science and its applications, and for additional study in computer science at the graduate level. Within this degree, you may choose various electives to emphasize particular aspects of computer science.
A computer security certificate includes a series of courses recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) as the basis for a Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance. It prepares you for a government or business career in the rapidly growing field of computer security.
A computer science emphasis concentrates on the design, development, and implementation of computer-based solutions to problems in various commercial, scientific, and software development environments. This emphasis best prepares you for graduate work in computer science.
A computer and information sciences emphasis concentrates more on business applications than does the computer science emphasis and prepares you to apply and develop software in business or industrial environments.
A computer application emphasis permits you to apply a knowledge of computer science to some other field of interest by completing a minor in that field.
All computer science majors gain valuable on-the-job experience through an internship program with local businesses. Some major companies that have provided internships include the following:
Anderson Consulting
Lockheed Martin
Merck
Siemens Health Services
Smith Kline Beecham
UNISYS
Internships can be done on a full-time or part-time basis and often lead to a full-time position after graduation. Graduates of the program have found success in all areas of computer science and hold positions with such well-known companies as the following:
DuPont
General Electric
Merck
QVC
SUN Microsystems
UNISYS
Graduates also have entered advanced study programs at the following universities:
Brown University
Cornell University
Temple University
University of Delaware
University of Pittsburgh
Undergraduate Degree
Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Sciences. The bachelor of science in computer and information sciences introduces you to the art and science of computing, and includes a study of structured programming and object-oriented programming languages (such as Java), data structures, foundations of computer science, computer organization, and software engineering. This core is followed by courses covering the major areas of computer science, such as visual programming, database management systems, operating systems, compiler construction, programming language concepts and paradigms, user interfaces, and artificial intelligence. Courses pertaining to new technologies are added to the curriculum as needed to keep our degree program as current as possible. For course descriptions and more details on degree requirements, see the department's Web page at www.cs.wcupa.edu. For information on our nationally recognized degree and certificate programs in computer security, see our Information Assurance Web page at www.cs.wcupa.edu/cae.
Many computer science courses are offered during late afternoon and evening hours.
Minors
The department of Computer Science offers three minors:
Facilities
The West Chester University Academic Computing Center maintains a network of Microsoft Windows-based PC computers. Available through these computers are the standard Microsoft packages offering word processing, spreadsheets, database, electronic mail, and World Wide Web browsing. Additional programming packages (such as Java, C++, and Visual Basic) are used to teach computer science courses.
The Department of Computer Science is a member of the Microsoft Academic Alliance, which makes a wide range of software available to students at little or no cost.
The department maintains its own network of Linux-based servers. As a student taking upper-level computer science courses, you will be given Linux accounts and access to these servers from computer science labs via X-terminals as well as through the Internet. You also have the opportunity to create your own World Wide Web home page.
Courses taught in the computer science curriculum will provide you with exposure to both UNIX-based and Windows-based platforms. Much of the software used runs on both platforms, offering you the convenience of working on projects at home as well as at school.
Special Study Opportunities
The department has contacts with more than 50 businesses in the area, including Shared Medical Systems, UNISYS, Smith Kline Beecham, TV Guide, and Bell of Pennsylvania, where you as a computer science intern will be placed, usually after your sophomore year. Nearly all of the internships are paid positions. The department has a high rate of successful placement for its graduates.
Special Entrance Requirements
If you enter WCU as a freshman computer science major, you must meet the following high school criteria:
Those who seek to transfer to the computer science major from another college or from another major within WCU must first have the following:
Faculty
You can find a complete listing of faculty and their degree qualifications for this program on the department's Web page, or from one of the contact people listed below.
For General Program Information
Dr. James Fabrey, Chairperson
Department of Computer Science
403 Anderson Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-3228 or 436-2204
E-mail: jfabrey@wcupa.edu
Department Web page: www.cs.wcupa.edu
For Information on Specific Topics
Computer Science Graduate Program
Dr. Elaine Milito
401 Anderson Hall
610-436-2690
E-mail: emilito@wcupa.edu
Internship Opportunities
Professor Howard Edelman
408 Anderson Hall
610-436-2595
E-mail: hedelman@wcupa.edu
Web: www.cs.wcupa.edu/~hedelman/
Transfer Credit for Computer Science Courses
Professor Thomas Ahlborn
402 Anderson Hall
610-436-2817
E-mail: tahlborn@wcupa.edu
Web: www.cs.wcupa.edu/~tahlborn/