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Program in Computer Science and Informatics

Overview

The Program in Computer Science and Informatics offers majors and minors in computer science, information technology, web design and development, and scientific computation (minor). Our program prepares our students for technology-related careers in the global marketplace, for graduate school, and to be knowledgeable, ethical, and socially conscious adopters of technology. We also serve the Simmons community by offering courses to address both the general and specific technology fluency needs of our students. These courses help students gain an overview of technology—its use, application, and limitations—and can serve as stand-alone courses or as a starting point for more advanced study in one of our four technology areas. While our courses and majors have a strong technology focus, they also stress teamwork, collaboration, communication, and the development of leadership skills. Most courses include a structured laboratory experience with students frequently solving problems in groups. We often find that students have a latent interest in, and talent for, technology that blossoms in these courses.

Each of our degrees has a focus that helps students identify interests and land jobs upon graduation. Our Computer Science degree focuses on programming and software engineering; Information Technology focuses on cybersecurity; and Web Design and Development focuses on full-stack development.

Most of our majors complete one or more internships, in which they relate the theory learned in class to the actual needs of the workplace. Students have recently completed internships in industry, government, nonprofits, and academic institutions, including Staples, Raytheon, IBM/Lotus, Nuance, Meditech, Tufts University, and Twitter. Students are frequently offered permanent jobs upon graduation at the internship site. Our job placement rate for recent graduates is very high, with alumnae working for companies that create educational software, medical support, gene research, voting machine security, and software to support nonprofits, among other roles.

Students also have the opportunity to complete significant independent study projects under the guidance of a faculty member and to participate as a member of a research team on NSF-funded research projects.

Computer Science and Informatics students often double major in areas such as communications, art, English, education, mathematics, philosophy, Spanish, or business.

At Simmons University, we help young women find their voices. We prepare them to be leaders in the world, and this world needs women in computer science and information technology more than ever.

Learning Outcomes

Computer Science and Information Technology majors will:

  1. Understand the fundamental concepts and theory of computing and their application to solving real-world problems.
  2. Communicate effectively across diverse audiences and modalities.
  3. Demonstrate depth of knowledge through the application of theory and the ability to adapt to evolving technologies.
  4. Think abstractly, logically, clearly, and critically.
  5. Use collaborative leadership abilities to contribute effectively in a diverse team.
  6. Develop the individual initiative and skills to assess new ideas and information providing the capability for lifelong development.
  7. Understand the ethical, legal, and social implications of technology as they apply to diverse communities and stakeholders.
  8. Have the education and skills to seek employment in technology-related jobs or become enrolled in graduate study.