Students use computers in a computer lab.

Overview

Degree Level: Undergraduate
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

Department: Computer Science and Mathematics
school/college: College of Arts and Sciences

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science

Arcadia University’s programs in Computer Science cover a wide spectrum of areas, including artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, mobile computing, networking, and theoretical computation. Our courses provide a solid foundation in the principles and practices of computing and prepare students for successful careers and ongoing graduate studies in computer science.

You will have unmatched opportunities at Arcadia to deliberate data-driven analysis and decision-making processes.
Through a highly customizable program, you are taught to think quantitatively, analytically, and independently with these unique opportunities:

Develop artificial intelligence systems.
Faculty mentors both in and outside of the classroom.
Gain hands-on knowledge in cyber defensive and offensive operations.
Create web and mobile applications.
Apply modern data science techniques to drive business decisions.
Conduct research and participate in competitions.
Prepare for interviews and research experiences.

What’s the Difference Between a BA and a BS?

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program provides students with the specific skills necessary to qualify for entry-level computing positions in business, private industry, or government.

The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program provides a more in-depth study of computer science through additional courses in Mathematics and Computer Science beyond the Bachelor of Arts requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science

10 Computer Science Courses

3 Computer Science electives

1 Mathematics Course

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

10 Computer Science Courses

4 Computer Science Electives

3 Mathematics Courses

Explore a Typical Course Path to Graduation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Computer Science degree worth it?

Yes. AI has changed how we build software, and the industry is still eager to hire people who can design and architect systems, evaluate and verify AI outputs, place security first, and drive the creativity to solve complex problems. A Computer Science degree can prepare students for careers in software development, IT, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data science, cloud computing, mobile computing, and related technology fields. At Arcadia, students build practical skills through coursework, research, competitions, career preparation, startup development, internships, and a senior capstone experience.

What can you do with a Computer Science degree?

Computer Science graduates can pursue roles such as software developer, software engineer, systems analyst, web developer, data scientist, QA engineer, database administrator, computer game designer, and IT professional. See examples on Arcadia’s Computer Science Career and Internship Outcomes page.

Is Computer Science a good major for AI, cybersecurity, or data science?

Yes. Arcadia’s Computer Science major includes opportunities to study and apply skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, cloud computing, networking, mobile computing, and software development.

Do Computer Science majors get hands-on experience?

Yes. Students gain hands-on experience through software development projects, AI systems, web and mobile app creation, cybersecurity practice, data science work, competitions, interview preparation, startup development, and a year-long capstone project.

Can undergraduate Computer Science students do research?

Yes. Students can work with faculty on research in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data science, networking, mobile programming, and software development. Learn more on the Computer Science Research Opportunities page.

Should I choose a BA or BS in Computer Science?

Arcadia offers both a BA and BS in Computer Science. The BA supports students seeking broad preparation for computing careers, while the BS includes deeper math and computer science coursework for students interested in advanced technical study, research, or graduate school.

Engineering at Arcadia

Begin with computer science, then move into Arcadia’s Engineering Program.

Discover your engineering path

Computer Science Minor

The minor in Computer Science is designed to give students the computing background needed to use computer science as a tool in their primary fields of specialization.

View Minor Requirements

Featured Courses

Introduction to Python for Data Science

Elective Course

Learn the essential concepts of python programming in this introduction to data science and analytics techniques. Use python tools to perform data exploration, cleaning, manipulation, and visualization.

Artificial Intelligence

Elective Course

Gain insights into active research areas and applications, strategies for choosing representations, notational systems and structures, natural languages, vision systems, search strategies, and control.

Introduction to Practical Security Assessment

Elective Course

Learn about an area of cybersecurity called practical security assessment (in the industry terms, “penetration testing”) and the major steps in this field: intelligence gathering, initial foothold, network enumeration, privilege escalation, persistence, lateral movement, password (hash) cracking, data exfiltration, and reporting.

Problem Solving with Algorithms

Required Course

Gain an understanding of computer systems, the use of structured programming concepts, algorithm development, debugging, and data analysis using high-level programming language (currently Java).

Advanced Data Mining

Elective Course

Explore advanced concepts and tasks, as well as state-of-the art research and techniques, for data mining/knowledge discovery from big data. Focus on gaining the necessary skills to both (1) perform data mining upon non-traditional sources of data (such as graphs/networks, images, videos, time series, etc), and (2) apply advanced data mining techniques for knowledge discovery.

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