Computer Science
Disciplinary Major or Minor (Bachelor of Science)
Professor - William A. Shay (chair)
Associate Professor - Forrest B. Baulieu
Assistant Professor - Peter Breznay
Lecturers- Linda Curl, Bruce LaPlante
Associate Professor Emeritus - Bruce Mielke
Web site: http://www.uwgb.edu/compsci/
The field of computer science is undergoing great changes as technology advances and the need for computer software increases. Students entering this field must not see a bachelor's degree in computer science as the culmination of study in the field. Rather, they must see it as the first step in a continuing education process that will last as long as they choose to stay in the field. The goal of the computer science major is to provide students with a strong foundation upon which they can continue to build as the field changes. Students receive instruction in areas such as software design and project management, object-oriented programming, design of algorithms, operating systems, database management systems, and network programming.
Computer science courses are often mistaken for programming courses. In reality, they require much more than learning and mastering a programming language. The heart of software design is not the language, but the ability to define a problem, analyze various components, and project and evaluate potential solutions, all of which are subject to limitations and constraints inherent in a given computer. Students must understand that in industry there must be more than just a working program. Good software must not only work but must be fully documented, clearly written, and easily modifiable to meet changing and more extensive requirements.
Equally important, the program provides a theoretical base for computer science. Students develop skills they can use upon graduation but they must be prepared to enter a field which is rapidly changing and be able to adapt. This requires a solid theoretical foundation with knowledge of how computers work and how they carry out tasks specified in applications software. This knowledge is an important ingredient to software design as it gives them the tools they need to analyze efficiency and evaluate various programming and data design options. Simply providing them with skills necessary to enter the computing profession is not sufficient. Each student must be prepared to apply what he or she has learned in order to adapt to the inevitable changes that will occur. Each must also have the ability to learn new ideas and apply them.
Graduates of the computer science program are prepared to continue their education at the graduate level or to apply for entry-level positions in industry. Typical entry-level jobs are programmer or programmer/analyst positions.
All registered students have access to the University's computing facilities. Student accounts allow students to access a wide variety of both PC-compatible and Macintosh computers, Linux server (for select courses), the Internet, and the World Wide Web. General access computer labs contain both Pentium class machines and Macintosh computers. Labs are open seven days per week and are staffed by consultants who provide assistance in using the facilities. Classrooms also have network connections which allow demonstrations of software and Internet applications to be integrated with classroom lectures. There is also a computer science teaching lab with 28 workstations and display facilities that support computer science instruction.
Computer science courses have a strict prerequisite structure. It is imperative that students learn what courses are prerequisites for others and when they are offered. Students are strongly encouraged to talk to an adviser very early in their college career.
Students seeking information on teacher certification should contact the Education Office.