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About
As you ponder all the career fields open to a St. Mike’s computer science major (software engineer? artificial intelligence? web development?), think also about two famous quotes shared by our professors:
- “Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.”-Edsger Dijkstra
- “Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.”-Donald Knuth
Our program will help you become proficient developing basic software after three initial required courses, but you’ll also be broadly educated in liberal arts and take focused core courses in the major. Once secure in computer theory and practice, you might work alongside the college’s IT staff pros, present your work at conferences, use our Linux lab or intern at IBM. Small personalized classes, department picnics, contests and guest-lectures help build a tight community of friendly, hard-working students who tackle great special projects together. Our graduates have a strong track record of landing desirable jobs upon graduation.
Learn more about the Computer Science program from our Saint Michael’s professors in the video below:
Faculty
Computer Science
John Trono
Professor of Computer Science, Chair of Computer Science and Information Systems
Read more
Computer Science
Greta Pangborn
Associate Professor of Computer Science, Engineering Program Co-Director
Read moreIn Depth
Computer Science as presented in our courses is primarily concerned with discovering new knowledge, with strong foundations in theory and selected application domains. The field is the basis for software engineering, just as chemistry forms the basis for chemical engineering or physics the basis for electrical engineering.
You’ll benefit from a carefully-planned balance between theory and practice, rooted in early proficiency with basic software development from your first three courses. You will move on to take core courses in Machine Organization, Programming Languages, Theory of Computation, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture, and Software Engineering. Elective choices include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Data Communications and Networks
- Database
- Advanced Algorithm Analysis
- eCommerce
- Computer
- Information Security
Here are some definitions to think about in order to better understand our program’s strong emphasis on software development or software engineering:
Engineering is building useful products for real people – that is, the development of solutions to technical problems within economic, social and technical constraints, under conditions of uncertainty. Examples include bridges, highways, skyscrapers, automobiles, dams, nuclear reactors, power grids, airplanes, space shuttles, lunar bases …and computers.
Software engineering (SE) is the engineering of computer software systems, encompassing the requirements, design, construction, management and evolution of software for use by others in industry, office and home. SE applies the scientific background acquired in the foundations of computer science to the development, operation, and maintenance of reliable, efficient, large-scale systems. . Examples include operating systems, search engines, communications networks, manufacturing control systems, and financial software systems.
Special Opportunities
As a St. Mike’s computer science major, you can experience what computers do for people in the “real world” by working part-time during the school year either for the college’s Information Technology Department or for local companies such Global Foundries, Dealer Policy, and Vermont Information Processing. You’ll have the chance to participate in independent study and research projects leading to conference presentations, published papers and software packages. The department also sponsors picnics, dinners, programming contests and guest speakers.
Students also regularly travel to regional programming contests and conferences, including the regional Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSCNE) and the Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference. After your first-year courses, you may want to work in our campus Linux-based lab. It is not uncommon for a CS major to work on special computer-related projects in collaboration with professors outside our department too – statistics, psychology, mathematics data science, and economics are a few recent examples.
Careers
Our recent graduates have gone on to careers like:
- Vermont Information Processing
- PC Construction Company
- Dealer Policy
- Bayer
- Travelers
- Galen Healthcare
- Raytheon
- Tallan, Inc.
- Epic Systems
- Global Foundries
- VENTURE.co
Graduate Programs Attended
- Boston University
- Brown University
- Northeastern University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Learning Outcomes
- Students will create clearly documented software that will be both efficient and robust.
- Students will produce several solutions to typical computer science problems and use mathematical and/or experimental techniques to investigate and evaluate the value of their alternate solutions.
- Students will analyze discipline specific material, determine its accuracy, and compose clear and concise prose that summarizes those ideas and/or challenges those conclusions.
- Students will be prepared for careers that utilize their computing skills.
In Depth
In Depth
Special Opportunities
Careers
Learning Outcomes
In Depth
Computer Science as presented in our courses is primarily concerned with discovering new knowledge, with strong foundations in theory and selected application domains. The field is the basis for software engineering, just as chemistry forms the basis for chemical engineering or physics the basis for electrical engineering.
You’ll benefit from a carefully-planned balance between theory and practice, rooted in early proficiency with basic software development from your first three courses. You will move on to take core courses in Machine Organization, Programming Languages, Theory of Computation, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture, and Software Engineering. Elective choices include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Data Communications and Networks
- Database
- Advanced Algorithm Analysis
- eCommerce
- Computer
- Information Security
Here are some definitions to think about in order to better understand our program’s strong emphasis on software development or software engineering:
Engineering is building useful products for real people – that is, the development of solutions to technical problems within economic, social and technical constraints, under conditions of uncertainty. Examples include bridges, highways, skyscrapers, automobiles, dams, nuclear reactors, power grids, airplanes, space shuttles, lunar bases …and computers.
Software engineering (SE) is the engineering of computer software systems, encompassing the requirements, design, construction, management and evolution of software for use by others in industry, office and home. SE applies the scientific background acquired in the foundations of computer science to the development, operation, and maintenance of reliable, efficient, large-scale systems. . Examples include operating systems, search engines, communications networks, manufacturing control systems, and financial software systems.
Special Opportunities
As a St. Mike’s computer science major, you can experience what computers do for people in the “real world” by working part-time during the school year either for the college’s Information Technology Department or for local companies such Global Foundries, Dealer Policy, and Vermont Information Processing. You’ll have the chance to participate in independent study and research projects leading to conference presentations, published papers and software packages. The department also sponsors picnics, dinners, programming contests and guest speakers.
Students also regularly travel to regional programming contests and conferences, including the regional Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSCNE) and the Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference. After your first-year courses, you may want to work in our campus Linux-based lab. It is not uncommon for a CS major to work on special computer-related projects in collaboration with professors outside our department too – statistics, psychology, mathematics data science, and economics are a few recent examples.
Careers
Our recent graduates have gone on to careers like:
- Vermont Information Processing
- PC Construction Company
- Dealer Policy
- Bayer
- Travelers
- Galen Healthcare
- Raytheon
- Tallan, Inc.
- Epic Systems
- Global Foundries
- VENTURE.co
Graduate Programs Attended
- Boston University
- Brown University
- Northeastern University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Learning Outcomes
- Students will create clearly documented software that will be both efficient and robust.
- Students will produce several solutions to typical computer science problems and use mathematical and/or experimental techniques to investigate and evaluate the value of their alternate solutions.
- Students will analyze discipline specific material, determine its accuracy, and compose clear and concise prose that summarizes those ideas and/or challenges those conclusions.
- Students will be prepared for careers that utilize their computing skills.
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