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:

1. an understanding of programming language concepts;
2. knowledge of computer organization;
3. an ability to analyze computational systems;
4. knowledge of computer operating systems;
5. an understanding of the foundations of computer science;
6. an understanding of software engineering principles and the ability to apply them to software design;
7. an understanding of human-computer interaction;
8. completion of a large software project;
9. knowledge of advanced computer science topics
10. an understanding of mathematics appropriate for computer science;
11. knowledge of probability and statistics;
12. an understanding of scientific principles;
13. an ability to design experiments and interpret experimental data;
14. an ability to undertake independent learning;
15. an ability to locate and use technical information from multiple sources;
16. an understanding of professional ethics;
17. an understanding of the links between technology and society;
18. an ability to participate effectively in a class or project team;
19. an ability to communicate effectively in speech;
20. an ability to communicate effectively in writing.