The curriculum provides a foundation in mathematics through courses in calculus, differential equations, graph theory, abstract and linear algebra, mathematical modeling, numerical analysis, and several other areas. Students also gain extensive computing skills through high-level programming courses and hands-on exposure to RIT's state-of-the-art hardware and software. Studies focus on using the computer as a tool to solve mathematically-modeled physical problems through project-oriented team assignments and laboratory sessions that emphasize real-world applications and knowledge.

To view the a more detailed list of courses for this program, click here.
Rochester Institute of Technology College of Science

Students complete the requirements for both the BS and the MS simultaneously.

The rapid spread of computers and information technology has generated a need for highly trained workers to design and develop new software systems and to incorporate new technologies. These workers include a wide range of computer specialists. Job tasks and occupational titles used to describe these workers evolve rapidly, reflecting new areas of specialization or changes in technology, as well as the preferences and practices of employers

While there are many training paths available for computer science specialists, mainly because employers’ needs are so varied, the level of education and experience employers seek has been rising, due to the growing number of qualified applicants and the specialization involved with most programming and analysis tasks.

Employers look for people with the necessary programming skills, especially on newer, object-oriented programming languages and tools, such as C++ and Java, who can think logically and pay close attention to detail. The job calls for patience, persistence, and the ability to work on exacting analytical work, especially under pressure. Ingenuity, creativity, and imagination also are particularly important when programmers design solutions and test their work for potential failures. The ability to work with abstract concepts and to do technical analysis is especially important for systems programmers, because they work with the software that controls the computer’s operation. Because programmers are expected to work in teams and interact directly with users, employers want programmers who are able to communicate with non-technical personnel. Many colleges offer classes in a variety of areas, such as computer graphics and visualization, database systems/data mining, distributed systems, intelligent systems, languages and tools, security, and theory.

Students can participate in consulting or research in the areas of artificial intelligence, wireless networks, computer vision, computational combinatorics, and distributed computing systems. There are many opportunities for graduate students to participate in these activities for thesis or project work and independent study and for employment upon graduation.

Employment growth is expected to be much faster than the average, and job prospects should be excellent. Employment change. Employment of computer scientists is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of these computer specialists is expected to grow as individuals and organizations continue to demand increasingly sophisticated technologies.

It should be noted that until all course work is completed for both the bachelor's degree and masters degree neither degree's will be awarded to a dual-degree participant.

Average               Range

Co-op:  $25.75$10.00-$45.72 MS:$78,119          $55,000-$105,000

Computer science professionals are employed in almost every industry, but the largest concentrations are in computer systems design and related services and in software publishers, which includes firms that write and sell software. Large numbers of programmers also can be found in management of companies and enterprises, telecommunications companies, manufacturers of computer and electronic equipment, financial institutions, insurance carriers, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Examples: Software Developer, software engineer, programmer/analyst, network administrator, database administrator, and PC analyst.

Apple, ABB Industrial Systems, Amazon, Austin Detek, Cerner Corporation, Cisco, Dialogic Incorporated, Digital, Eastman Kodak Company, Google, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intuit, Lehman Brothers, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft, Metrosonics, Nortel, Paychex, Rogue Wave, Sun Microsystems, Thomson Reuters, and Xerox.