Computer Science at the
University of Portland
Choosing your major
Skills
Interest
Opportunities
Presentation outline
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What is computer science?
Senior design projects
Career opportunities
Courses for spring
Resources
What is computer science?
CS is the study of the storage, transformation, and transfer of
information. The field includes algorithms and practical
problems involved in their implementation in software and
hardware.
(The Linux Information Project)
Information in
Automated
Process
Information out
CS is everywhere
Lots of areas
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Medical IS
Personal health
Biology
Investing
Simulation
Education
Business
Gaming
Security
• Fraud detection
• Robotics, process
control
• Engineering design
• Weather prediction
• Language translation
• Power grid
management
• Human-Computer
interaction
CS senior design project examples
Acoustic Art –
2010 – 2011
Members: Matthew Clark, Jay Davis,
Kyle Kearney, Vincent Tilanus
Used digital images to compose music
Deadly Game –
2011 - 2012
Members: Tom Aaro, Fenton Radford,
Cory Swanson
Built an Xbox 360 free form fighting
game – Brawl Stars
AdviseUP –
2011 – 2012 / 2012 – 2013
Members: Sam Burich, Kapua Chandler,
Chris Lewis; Kekai Ariola, Eric Bergquist,
Megan Yamamoto
Created web-based app to assist with
advising at UP
Theatre Lighting System –
2012 – 2013
Members: Kelsey Abe, Ben Gadbois,
Michael Liedtke, Tim Yandl
Created a laptop-based application to
allow theatres to design and edit
lighting cues, and to control theatre
lights during a performance.
Micromouse– 2013 – 2014
Members: Devon Griggs, Devin
Helmgren, Emilia Holbik, Janel Raab
Created an autonomous robot to
navigate a maze (joint EE and CS
project).
Why study computer science?
Create new technology to make a positive
difference in the world
Be creative – high-quality solutions require
innovation and creativity
Be collaborative and be an individual – software
and hardware are designed and built by teams,
with room for individual project tasks
Fun and satisfying with immediate feedback
(Yes, you will need to know how to write
programs.)
(Take advantage of the EGR110 project:
be creative in programming the
Mindstorms robot and/or arduino.)
Career paths
Software engineer
Web developer
Software test engineer
Program manager
Information technology
specialist (may want
Operations and Technology
Management major)
Graduate school
Teacher
Lawyer
Entrepreneur
Writer
Researcher
Medical doctor
(need to satisfy pre-med
Database administrator
courses)
Computer security
(others, too)
Employment projections 2010 to 2020
(US Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Percent Change
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation
National median salary for CS jobs
(NACE Salary Survey, 2013)
National average starting salary for CS: $59,977
Median annual salary
Database administrator
Web developer
Software architect
Software development manager
Software test engineer
Software developer
$0.00
$40,000.00 $80,000.00 $120,000.00
Best Jobs 2014 – based on job prospects
and job satisfaction
(US News and World Report)
#1 Software Developer
#2 Computer Systems Analyst
#9 Web Developer
#11 Information Security
Analyst
#12 Database Administrator
#18 Civil Engineer
#19 Mechanical Engineer
#24 IT Manager
What to take this spring (typical schedules)
I want to major in CS:
CS 203 / 273
MTH 202
PHY 205 / 275
Core course
(15 credits)
I am unsure about majoring in
engineering or CS:
MTH 202
PHY 205 / 275
CHM 207 / 277
EGR 111 (you will get to see
programming in Matlab)
Core course
(17 credits)
I want to major in EE and minor in
CS:
CS 203 / 273 (move CHM 207 / 277 to
fall semester of sophomore year if
there are seats in CS 203 / 273 in
spring of first year)
MTH 202
PHY 205 / 275
EGR 111
Core course
(17 credits)
I want to major in ME or CE and
minor in CS:
Take the courses to the left (17 credits)
Take CS 203 / 273 fall of sophomore
year
CS major at UP
(a standalone CS major has 14 professional or general electives)
With Mathematics:
• Math minor comes with
no additional credits, as
long as you choose your
electives correctly.
• CS/Math double-major
comes with no additional
credits, as long as you
choose your electives
correctly.
CS major: no programming
experience expected
With Electrical Engineering:
• CS/EE double-major can
be done with 25
additional credits, as long
as you choose your
electives correctly.
CS minor at UP
• Complement another major
• Computational skills are important for many
professionals
• Add to skill-set, more and more products have
embedded software systems
– 21st-century engineering jobs will increasingly require
knowledge of computing
• Minor is 18 credits
– EE majors, can get CS minor 2 additional credits
– CE/ME majors can get CS minor for 9 additional
credits
Watch videos from alumni and students on your
own (depicts all majors)
http://wordpress.up.edu/engineering/resources-2/
Read blogs about summer internships (all majors):
Go to top of page to Student Blogs menu.
http://wordpress.up.edu/engineering/student-blogs/
Resources about CS at UP
Shiley School of Engineering
http://engineering.up.edu/
Computer Science Program at UP
http://engineering.up.edu/cs/default.aspx?cid=4860&pid=1438
EECS Senior Design Projects
http://teaching.up.edu/srDesign/
Faculty:
Tanya
Crenshaw,
rm 220
Andrew
Nuxoll,
rm 217
Tammy
VanDeGrift,
rm 230
Steven
Vegdahl,
rm 218
Karen
Ward,
rm 221
Resources about the computing profession
Computing Careers Website, Association for
Computing Machinery
http://computingcareers.acm.org/
Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
http://www.careercornerstone.org/compsci/compsci.htm
The Computing Research Association
http://cra.org/
University of Washington CS Videos
http://www.cs.washington.edu/prospective_students/undergrad/whycse
Engineering Go For It
http://www.egfi-k12.org/
Why everyone should learn to code:
http://code.org/
Resources about career opportunities
Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov/home.htm
US News Best Jobs (Software Developer)
http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/software-developer