Northern Arizona University

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What Is Computer Science?
Computer Science - or more accurately, "Computation Science" - is the study of solving problems through computation. Computer scientists use algorithms and data structures to harness the incredible processing power of modern computers towards constructive ends. They write programs, the basic building blocks that form the computer world. Traditionally, they do not couple databases with MS Office products or provide E-Commerce Solutions - those areas are in the purview of Computer Information Systems. Instead, computer scientists create the databases, the "office" software, and the networking protocols at the core of today's computing demands in business, science, and engineering.


Award Winning Design Emphasis
The Computer Science program incorporates a unique emphasis on design that enables graduates to hit the ground running when they start their first full-time jobs. Beginning in their sophomore year, students create software for interdisciplinary design teams that include mechanical, electrical, civil, and environmental engineering students. This software might include everything from controlling a robot that turns on motors, reads sensors, and provides automatic logic, to designing a graphical user interface. In their junior year student teams design and implement solutions to challenging problems that illustrate software architecture and software engineering methodology. When they reach their senior year students have the opportunity to design and implement solutions to problems provided by industrial partners and then to present their final products at the College.s annual design conference. Seniors who intend to go on to graduate school can elect to work on research projects directed by faculty and may complete work that leads to their first journal or conference publication.

Outstanding Faculty Who Care
The computer science faculty has varying professional specialties, but all are united by a strong commitment to teaching. Among the special interests of the faculty are data mining (the Center for Data Insight is one of the research centers of the Arizona university system), parallel algorithms, distributed systems, artificial life, fuzzy logic, neural networks, evolutionary programming, user interfaces, programming languages, modeling reactive systems, and software engineering.