Program Overview
Mission Statement
The mission of the Computer Science Department at WPI is to
provide outstanding education to its undergraduate and graduate
students in accordance with the principles of the WPI mission, to
advance scholarship in key domains of the computing sciences, and
to engage in activities that improve the welfare of society and
enhance the reputation of WPI. The Department aims to maintain an
environment that promotes innovative thinking; values mutual
respect and diversity; encourages and supports scholarship;
instills ethical behavior; and engenders life-long learning.
Program Educational Objectives
In support of its goals and mission, the WPI Computer Science
undergraduate program's educational objectives are to graduate
students who will:
achieve professional success due to their mastery of
Computer Science theory and practice;
become leaders in business, academia, and society due
to a broad preparation in mathematics, science &
engineering, communication, teamwork, and social
issues;
pursue lifelong learning and continuing professional
development;
use their understanding of the impact of technology on
society for the benefit of humankind.
Program Outcomes
Based on the educational objectives, the specific educational
outcomes for the WPI Computer Science undergraduate program are
that by the time of graduation CS majors will have achieved:
- an understanding of programming language concepts;
- knowledge of computer organization;
- an ability to analyze computational systems;
- knowledge of computer operating systems;
- an understanding of the foundations of computer
science;
- an understanding of software engineering principles and the
ability to apply them to software design;
- an understanding of human-computer interaction;
- completion of a large software project;
- knowledge of advanced computer science topics
- an understanding of mathematics appropriate for computer
science;
- knowledge of probability and statistics;
- an understanding of scientific principles;
- an ability to design experiments and interpret experimental
data;
- an ability to undertake independent learning;
- an ability to locate and use technical information from
multiple sources;
- an understanding of professional ethics;
- an understanding of the links between technology and
society;
- an ability to participate effectively in a class or project
team;
- an ability to communicate effectively in speech;
- an ability to communicate effectively in writing.