About US

Mission Statement

The Future

Why majoring in CS? Computer Science helped humanity in many areas; disease treatment, weather prediction, improving productivity. Computer scientists help other disciplines using technology effectively, solving real life problems. Engineering and CS Human computer interaction and Manufacturing Engineering use CAD systems in design and simulating systems for analysis. Production is enhanced by robotics and computer-aided manufacturing. Industrial Engineering uses transportation systems, communication networks, and monitoring systems. Biology and CS Biology in the last few years has been a hot discipline specially when it merged with Computer Science. Data mining tools and knowledge discovery models contributed with statistics in the advancements in the Bioinformatics field. Human genome mapping uses databases and to host the human DNA. Art and CS Art can be considered the most discipline that been affected the Computer Science and got affected by it at the same time. Computer graphics,2D and 3D advancements increased the need for powerful hardware, efficient algorithms and powerful software to fulfill the users requirements. Physics and CS Physics uses scientific data visualization, simulation, numerical analysis, and computational software tools to simulate and study physics problems. Medical and CS Health care uses diagnoses software based on Decision Support models and algorithms to recommend treatment for different types of diseases. Medical Images and patient monitoring are controlled by computer-based tools. Hospital information system is a must have component of any hospital Interdisciplinary CS Computer science increasingly applied to new areas in many disciplines you can: -Major in CS + Minor in any other discipline -Major in any other discipline + Minor in CS -B.S. in any major + MS in CS Mathematics and CS Mathematics and computational scientists apply high performance computing and modern computational methods to fundamental problems in mathematics. Mathematicians uses heavily computer algorithms to solve efficiently critical mathematical problems in many practical areas. Geology and CS Geology uses Geographic Information Systems to solve ecological problems. Spatial and temporal databases are maintained by high complex and advanced data bases and tools. Computer algorithms and programs is a major contributed to the advancement in Geology nowadays. Political Science and CS No one can deny the effect of the Internet and the analysis tools used currently in every day political decisions. Population studies, economics, and political corruption is a major day-to-day monitored indicators that affect all humans on almost all countries. Business and CS Electronic commerce has changed the face of how human doing business. Starting from business processes automation to the on-line payments with the security complexity. On-line sales are now big contributors to the national and global economy.

Computer science has changed the world in extraordinary ways over a very short span of time. The field is relatively young discipline, hardly 60 years young, and its impact is felt by almost everyone. Currently there is no field or subject that does not utilize computers and their capabilities. Computer science involves an in-depth study of the design of this ubiquitous device in terms of software, hardware, operations and applications. 

Why to Major in CS?

1. Computing is part of everything we do!
	Computing and computer technology are part of just about everything that touches our lives from the cars we drive, to the movies we watch, to the ways businesses and governments deal with us. Understanding different dimensions of computing is part of the necessary skill set for an educated person in the 21st century. Whether you want to be a scientist, develop the latest killer application, or just know what it really means when someone says ?the computer made a mistake?, studying computing will provide you with valuable knowledge.
2. Expertise in computing enables you to solve complex, challenging problems.
	Computing is a discipline that offers rewarding and challenging possibilities for a wide range of people regardless of their range of interests. Computing requires and develops capabilities in solving deep, multidimensional problems requiring imagination and sensitivity to a variety of concerns.
3. Computing enables you to make a positive difference in the world.
	Computing drives innovation in the sciences (human genome project, AIDS vaccine research, environmental monitoring and protection just to mention a few), and also in engineering, business, entertainment and education. If you want to make a positive difference in the world, study computing.
4. Computing offers many types of lucrative careers.
	Computing jobs are among the highest paid and have the highest job satisfaction. Computing is very often associated with innovation, and developments in computing tend to drive it. This, in turn, is the key to national competitiveness. The possibilities for future developments are expected to be even greater than they have been in the past.
5. Computing jobs are here to stay, regardless of where you are located.
	There actually are more computing jobs than qualified people to fill them in the United States. U.S. IT employment was 17% higher in 2004 than in 1999. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says computing has the greatest potential for new jobs through 2014. Yes, some IT jobs have gone overseas. If you consider the expected growth in computing, it?s easy to see that companies simply need more talent. Don?t miss out on pursuing the large number of open positions available right now, here in the United States.
6. Expertise in computing helps you even if your primary career choice is something else.
	Having a computing major will provide you with a foundation of knowledge, problem solving and logical thinking that will serve as a competitive advantage to you in your career, in whatever field you choose.
7. Computing offers great opportunities for true creativity and innovativeness.
	Creating high-quality computing solutions is a highly creative activity, and computing supports creative work in many other fields. The best solutions in computing exhibit high levels of elegance and beauty.
8. Computing has space for both collaborative work and individual effort.
	Computing is often about being part of a team that requires people with many different kinds of skills. Yet there is also plenty of space for individual flair and imagination.
9. Computing is an essential part of well-rounded academic preparation.
	An increasing number of universities and employers see successful completion of a computer science course as a sign of academic well-roundedness.
10. Future opportunities in computing are without boundaries.
	Computing is one of those fields where it is almost impossible to predict what will happen next. This is why we cannot even begin to imagine all the ways that you can make a contribution to it and it can make your life?s work exciting and real.

Source: http://computingcareers.acm.org/?page_id=4

Computer Science Professions

Computer Science is one of the most exciting and most rapidly growing professions worldwide. Computer scientists offer expertise in the effective and efficient use of computers for industry, business, government, research, and education. Some interesting and recent information regarding jobs and salaries for individuals with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science:

1. According to the Fall 2005 NACE Salary Survey, the average offers for bachelor degree candidates with a Computer Science degree rose 3.3% to $50,664.-. NACE is the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

2. According to a recent ACM (= Association on Computing Machinery - an archaic name, but an active organization of tens of thousands for Computer Science professionals) report (December 2005), the "size of the IT employment market in the United States today is higher than it was at the height of the dot-com boom."

3. The US Bureau for Labor Statistics published in the November 2005 Monthly Labor Review the occupations with the largest job growth from 2004 - 2014. Not only are "Computer Software Engineer" and "Computer Systems Analyst" on this list, but both have a rating of "very high" for the 2004 median annual earnings.

The economy cannot move forward without using computers and computing in new and innovative ways. Participate in this progress and become involved in expanding the economy and thus the lives of the people in Kentucky and the U.S.

International Reach

Career Planning

• Computer Science Students should be aware of the current need in the job market and prepare themselves to it as early as possible.
• If you are in your first years in the CS you have a good chance to prepare yourself rather than waiting to the last semester and then ask yourself what am I going to do after graduation.
• Many job search engines are available on-line that you can use to search for keywords that you think is best matching the job title that you are wishing to work when you finish.
• Use keywords such as: Software developer, Database Administrator, Web developer, Software Engineer, System Administrator, Software Analyst, ....
• Once you find the available list of jobs, you can skim them one by one and create your own list of skill set that you need to have when you graduate form the CS.
• Keep updating your knowledge with those skills and keep building up your resume so you will be ready.
• All CS courses will help you prepared to the job market, but you have to familiarize yourself with the available tools and technologies which we in the CS are using some but not all of them.
• CS is not for studying the tools which can be very rapidly changing over and over.
• But you as a CS graduate needs to be will self educator in those skills and tools.
• One of the good way to look at yourself in general is to take the CS Skill's survey which we have for recruitment purposes.
• If you have any questions regarding your career planning you may ask any of our faculty members or you can consult the University Career Services Center.
• Other Interdisciplinary careers options can be found here.

Employment Opportunities
For employment opportunities in the department please click here

Contact Information

Location : Thompson Complex Central Wing(TCCW), Room 137 A Address : Computer Science Department, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY-42101-11076. Google Directions       Phone : 270-745-4642 Fax : 270-745-6449       Email : audrey.middleton@wku.edu