Computer Science Major

Master today's technology and create tomorrow's.

In this program, solve problems and understand the ins and outs of programming, networking, databases, data structures, algorithms, and more. Stay grounded in your faith while in the fellowship of a Christ-center community.

Classes Careers Meet the Faculty

Build Technical Skills

Take a hands-on approach to learning in Houghton's science computer lab. Hone your technical skills by building and updating desktop machines from raw components.

Latest Technology

Learn about the newest versions of software and industry-related topics, like Quantum Computing, data structures and algorithms, and big data and cloud computing. Be confident in knowing you'll be ready for the workforce after completing this program.

What will I learn?

Through Houghton’s computer science program, you will

Conduct research, tackle a real-world complex issue, or travel in your first year with Houghton’s Science Honors Program.
Spend your summer getting paid to do real, cutting-edge research. Collaborate with Christian faculty members who care about your growth academically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Gain practical experience in Houghton’s Technology Service Office. Support Houghton's network infrastructure and address computer hardware and software issues.
Collaborate with your professors. Find solutions to real-world problems through research.
Publish and present your research at national conferences.

124 Credits

57-61

Required Courses

63-67

Elective Courses and General Education

Degree Requirements

Beyond Foundations

Build on traditional computer science courses like networking and databases. Explore less conventional areas in courses such as Machine Learning, Data Mining, Neural Networks, and Computational Biology.

Research Experience

Conduct research, formulate problems, implement solutions in various computer languages. Write a scientific paper, with the potential of being published in peer-reviewed journals. This extensive, collaborative research between faculty and students takes a leading role in Houghton’s program.

Experiential Learning

Seize the opportunity to conduct summer research at Houghton College’s Shannon Summer Research Institute. You will work closely with faculty mentors on research projects for a period of five weeks before you present your findings. Previous projects include, Anomalous Network Packet Detection Using Data Stream Mining, Twitter Spammer Detection Using Data Stream Clustering, and Community Detection in Dynamic Social Networks.

``Many things contributed to my preparedness for professional work during my education at Houghton. Obviously, the technical knowledge gained in my computer science classes with Dr. Hu was indispensable. But, beyond that, my experience at Houghton provided me with so many ``soft`` skills that have been even more important than any technical knowledge I gained. While pursuing my degrees in Computer Science and Music, I had the great opportunity to work with the folks in Technology Services as both a helpdesk and a network intern. I learned how to:

Prioritize work and track multiple projects—both homework and IT projects.

Network architecture and design, as well as implementation.

Customer service skills—specifically, how to liaison between technical and non-technical persons.

IT physical infrastructure as a whole—from fiber lines to server racks, to end-user devices.

Desktop administration—specifically how to develop desktop images and maintain a fleet of PCs.