Computer Science Department

The answer to that question is the domain of computer science. There are theoretical aspects to the question, such as discovering what is computable and how efficiently we can solve problems. There are hardware aspects to the question, such as studying how to make computation faster and more efficient. There are also practical aspects to the question, such as how we can get computers to solve specific tasks or become more capable of understanding the world around them.

The question of what we can do with a computer also directly addresses the limits of our own capabilities as human beings. We build computers, we program them, and their capabilities enhance our own. Common applications such as word processing, databases, and the Internet have changed the way we work, communicate, and spend our leisure time. Space travel, exploration, and modern scientific experimentation would be impossible without computers, and every day we expand the limits of what we can do. Computer science is about discovering what is possible and how to use computers to turn ideas into reality.

A liberal arts college is a great place to study computer science. The faculty at Colby are focused on teaching and doing research with undergraduates. The low student/faculty ratio means the faculty have time to spend with students and to provide individual attention in labs and outside of class.

The course Computational Thinking (CS 151) is offered every semester. No prior experience with computers or programming is necessary. This course teaches you how to analyze and describe problems in ways that allow them to be solved by a computer and is the first step in the core CS sequence. The course also satisfies the quantitative (Q) college distribution requirement.

Computer science at Colby offers interdisciplinary applications of CS that give it a unique character. Students learn about applications of CS in other disciplines as part of the core sequence of courses: Computational Thinking (CS 151), Data Structures and Algorithms (CS 231), Computer Organization (CS 232), and Data Analysis and Visualization (CS 251). Electives in robotics, computer vision, biological system modeling, and software system design provide the depth and the background needed to build real applications. Students have opportunities for research in a variety of interdisciplinary topics. Current student projects include applications in microbiology, ecology, physiology, and environmental studies.

CS prepares you for many different opportunities. The major is designed to prepare you for either graduate study or a career in a computation-related field. Recent majors have gone on to graduate study at top CS programs such as Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Maryland. Recent graduates have also been successful at finding interesting positions in industry at large companies like Google, Amazon, Mitre, Aetna, and Goldman Sachs, as well as smaller firms engaged in a variety of applications.

The minor in computer science is intended to give you the ability to apply computing and computation appropriately and effectively within your major discipline. The core and electives provide background in both fundamental and applied CS and the capstone experience lets you integrate CS with your major discipline.

Students with CS background are in high demand, and our students usually have multiple opportunities from which to choose prior to graduation. The need for computer scientists has never been higher, and there are not enough U.S. graduates to fill current demand. It’s a great time to explore computer science.