Undergraduate Degree Programs

Students choose to major in computer science for a variety of reasons. Many of our graduates go on to rewarding computer-related careers in research and development in industrial, governmental, or educational environments. Other graduates use their computer science major and its accompanying analytical skills in disciplines such as medicine, law, physical and life sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Demand for graduates well-versed in computer science is high and is expected to grow as we enter the information age.

Several key improvements to the undergraduate program have recently been instituted as a result of an extensive curricular reform. The introductory sequence of courses is based on leading-edge programming practices, including object-oriented techniques and algorithm animation. Traditional course requirements for majors have been augmented with a project-based software engineering course, combining the Department's unique expertise in the theoretical and experimental branches of computer science. In addition to current programs leading to B.A. and B.S. degrees, the Department is leading a university-wide program to develop courses in computational science, which deals with important computing problems that arise in the sciences and engineering. Computational science spans several disciplines and derives much of its intellectual vigor as a result. Our courses are grounded in a strong background in computer science, numerical computation, mathematics, physical and life sciences, and engineering.

The B.A. program in computer science at Duke is designed to encourage double majors in Computer Science with other disciplines. The B.A. sequence requires several core computer science courses and a five-course concentration in a related area; the concentration can be in a traditional academic discipline such as computer science, economics, biology, psychology, or mathematics, or it can be a cohesive interdisciplinary course sequence proposed by the student. The B.S. program in computer science provides a strong background in the major subdisciplines of computer science as well as providing more thorough coverage of the mathematics that is often needed in an advanced degree program. The Department also supports a cooperative B.S. double major with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Specific requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees are described below.