Overview of Degrees Offered by the Kahlert School of Computing

Which Degree Is For You?

There is a wide spectrum of career paths available to Kahlert School of Computing students. Picking one major over another does not lock you into one path, but the choice of major is important for focusing on the area of most interest to you.

• Computer Engineering emphasizes the physical and hardware aspects of computing. Computer engineers design computer circuits, processors, and the electronic systems and devices that computers control. Computer engineers also design and develop the software to analyze and control sophisticated devices and machines.

• Computer Science encompasses the theory and discipline of solving computational problems. Computer scientists analyze and engineer the software, algorithms, computer systems, and theories that continue to advance the modern technological world. They work in a broad range of areas including artificial intelligence, security, graphics, robotics, operating systems, networking and communication.

• Data Science focuses on the practice and theory of extracting useful knowledge, results, and understanding from raw data. Data scientists typically work with consumers and producers of data in order to analyze, manage, and augment large data sets or work in industries that require automated forms of decision making and analysis.

• Software Development is the study of the principles, tools, and techniques for developing modern software. Software developers create the web, mobile, and desktop applications that we use every day. They typically work as full stack developers, writing and maintaining the secure front end and back end code that turns a specification into a real-world, functioning system.

See the Venn diagram below for a summary of the differences in course requirements across CS, DS, and SD.