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Computer Science

Available as a major or minor

A major in computer science will give you a deeper understanding of the theoretical foundations of computer science and prepare you for grad school.

As a computer science major at Roanoke, you can gain valuable on-the-job experience through part-time work in the information technology department. Internships with local businesses and government agencies can also provide valuable workplace learning experiences.

student at computer

Curriculum & Courses


CPSC 270: Software Engineering & Project Design 
CPSC 362: Video Game Development
CPSC 370: Data Mining

Computer Science students working on laptops

Student Experiences

“Be bold. Don’t be afraid to do what others tell you is impossible. Find what you love and pursue it no matter what others tell you. Don’t be afraid of being the only woman in a class, meeting or group  —  as the only woman, you have a view that no one else does, and believe it or not, your voice can make more of a difference than you think.”

Maya Shende '16

Direct To Tech Master's Program

Roanoke College and Virginia Tech have entered a partnership to benefit students in science fields and serve as an engine for economic, workforce and educational development in Virginia. The two agreements allow Roanoke College students to pursue graduate programs at Virginia Tech and facilitate an early transition to graduate school. 

The new Direct to Tech program provides Roanoke College students direct admission into Virginia Tech Master of Engineering programs in either computer science and applications or computer engineering upon graduation from Roanoke College. Direct to Tech is open to all Roanoke College seniors with a 3.0 GPA, regardless of major, who have completed certain required courses. The partnership reduces the timeline for admission and gives students an early transition into the Virginia Tech graduate programs delivered from the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia.

A second agreement between the two schools is an accelerated 4+1 undergraduate/graduate program in computer science or computer engineering at Virginia Tech. Students take courses that apply toward a bachelor’s degree at Roanoke College and an accelerated master’s degree at Virginia Tech. This means students can earn a Bachelor of Science in four years, then complete the master’s with just one additional year at Virginia Tech. This program is open to any Roanoke College computer science major who has earned at least a 3.3 GPA and completed certain courses, including Calculus II, as part of their undergraduate degree.  

Students interested in these opportunities should contact program coordinator Anil Shende, professor of computer science and mathematics at Roanoke College (shende@roanoke.edu or 540-375-2341) or Dannette Gomez Beane, assistant vice provost in enrollment management at Virginia Tech (gomezds@vt.edu or 540-231-5682). 

Careers & Outcomes

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Faculty

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News

  • If you're interested in a career that contributes to people's health and well-being, join us for the 2024 Health Careers World Expo and meet representatives from graduate programs and employers across the region.

    Date:
    April 2, 2024
    Time:
    6 - 7:30 p.m.
    Location:

    Wortmann Ballroom

    Health Careers World Expoevent image
  • This year, we welcome Professor Renée Cummings, a VentureBeat AI Innovator Award winner, to discuss her work on racial justice and artificial intelligence.

    Date:
    April 4, 2024
    Time:
    6 - 7 p.m.
    Location:

    Wortmann Ballroom

    Virginia Conference on Race - Keynote Lectureevent image

The computer science program prepares you to meet the computational challenges of our modern world. Our computer labs are equipped with a virtual reality environment, dual-boot systems and a heterogeneous computer cluster. 

Our students have gone on to graduate programs at Clemson University, John Hopkins University, the University of Virginia and Wake Forest University. Recent graduates have found jobs as software engineers, technical directors, web developers and game programmers.

We offer both a major and a minor in computer science.