The Program in Computer Science offers students the opportunity to study computer science within the context of Weinberg College’s focus on liberal arts and sciences, as distinct from the engineering context in the McCormick School’s Department of Computer Science. The computer science requirements are identical in the two programs. Faculty and courses for the program are drawn from the McCormick CS department, which has extensive computing facilities for student use.

Computer science is a highly interdisciplinary field. The department maintains links with other programs at Northwestern, including cognitive science, psychology, learning sciences, communication studies, radio/television/film, computer engineering, and the Transportation Center.

The computer science requirements include the following five parts. Undergraduates are encouraged to participate in research projects and to take advanced courses.

• Background or related courses: fulfill the general requirements of the University and school and provide the necessary background for study in computer science
• Core courses: basic introduction to computer science
• Breadth requirements: areas of computer science to which every CS graduate should be exposed
• Technical electives: opportunities to explore selected computer science topics in detail
• Project: exposure to significant development and/or research work

For more information on the CS department and its course offerings, see the McCormick School chapter of this catalog, or the CS web site.  Students are urged to speak regularly with advisers and to consult the CS website for a detailed curriculum document.

Programs of Study

These courses are offered by the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. See Computer Science.