Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Computer Science is the study of computation, including its principles and foundations, its efficient implementation, its analysis, and its practical use in a wide range of different application areas. Computer Science is far more than just programming and no other science or engineering discipline has had a greater impact in such diverse areas as commerce, communication, entertainment, finance, medicine, the social sciences, the physical sciences and the life sciences. Computer Science impacts our daily lives in a multitude of ways and computer scientists are instrumental in driving these changes. Computer Science transforms the way we look at and live in our world.

The mission of our undergraduate program is to prepare our students fora wide range of careers as computer scientists, software engineers, software developers, and related positions in the field of computing. Our curriculum covers fundamental programming techniques and skills, broad knowledge of computer hardware, operating systems, programming languages, the mathematical foundations of computing, and advanced topics in software design and application development. Recurrent themes in the program include security, algorithmic complexity, cooperating systems, performance evaluation, and software correctness. This curriculum provides students with the skills needed to design, develop, evaluate, and analyze software solutions to a wide spectrum of computational problems and prepares them to be leaders in the rapidly changing field of computing throughout their careers.

The majority of Penn State’s applications come from traditional, first-year students. The following types of students are considered first-year applicants (or freshman applicants, as some refer to them): Current high school student in his or her senior year; Student who has earned a high school diploma or a GED and has no post-secondary coursework; Student who has attempted 17 or fewer credits (semester hours) of college coursework at a regionally accredited college/university before attending Penn State; Current high school student who may have enrolled in another institution(s) before graduating from high school (dual enrollment); Student who may have attended Penn State on a nondegree basis.

English Language Proficiency

The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement: TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the old paper exam and a minimum of 20 in each section of the new paper exam (code #2660); IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.