Emmanuel College is pleased to announce the launch of a new major in computer science beginning for Fall 2023. Developed within the School of Business & Management’s Integrated Digital & Data Science (IDDS) initiative, the program is designed to bring computing into the liberal arts environment, and empower students to understand, analyze, and affect change in our digitally-managed world.
“Our new major in computer science is designed to meet the growing needs of the latest generation of students,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Professor of Biology Josef Kurtz, Ph.D. “The technical skillsets students will gain from this program will directly prepare them for the world of work and future academic ventures. Computer science is a logical next step in the development of our IDDS initiative and reflective of the innovative and dynamic learning happening within Emmanuel’s School of Business & Management.”
“Emmanuel’s mission of the liberal arts and sciences is fully embodied in the field of computer science,” said Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Integrated Digital & Data Sciences Initiative Dr. Mark Sherman. “Programming should be, and in my opinion already is, the latest liberal art: a competency that every person in society should have, if not to practice professionally then to inform their everyday decisions at work, play, and contributions to an ever-evolving society.”
Emmanuel students majoring in computer science will be prepared for an in-demand career. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects careers in computer science related fields to expand between 2021 and 2031, with career paths in software development to grow as much as 25%, and in web development and digital design to grow by 23%.
Students will benefit from taking coursework in subjects such as data structures, object-oriented programming, algorithms, web development, and cybersecurity. They will work in JavaScript, Python, and Java, among other systems, bridging fundamental ideas across many technologies. Diverse electives in physics and mathematics, digital culture, social media and storytelling, business analytics and more will further assist students in tailoring the major to their interests and goals.
“Computer science is a field of usefulness, where practitioners build tools and systems to lift other disciplines, changing lives and communities,” said Dr. Sherman. “Emmanuel students are well-suited for that responsibility, and have often expressed interest and fascination with the power afforded by computing.
“I believe that computing is a liberal art that belongs in the general education of every person,” he added. “I believe in the democratization of technology, breaking down the barrier between technology producers and the consumers, allowing more people to access the transformative power of computing. I and the entire IDDS committee constructed a program that will make graduates whom I believe will not just be employable, but important in our next generation of technological revolution.”
Emmanuel College Computer Science Program
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