Department of Computer Science

About the Department
Program Offerings, Course Descriptions & Curricular Tables

Rattikorn Hewett, Ph.D., Chairperson

Professors: M. Gelfond, Hewett
Associate Professors: Lopez‑Benitez, Mengel, Rushton, Shin, Siami Namin, Watson, Zhang, Zhuang
Assistant Professors: Chen, Lim, Rahnamay Naeini, Serwadda
Instructors: Wertz

CONTACT INFORMATION: CS211 Engineering Center, Box 43104, Lubbock, TX 79409-3104, T 806.742.3527, F 806.742.3519, www.cs.ttu.edu

About the Department

The Computer Science department offers the following degree programs and certificate:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Master of Science in Computer Science
Master of Science in Software Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science
Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering

Dual Degree Program

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

The computer science program will provide students a broad-based understanding of the computing discipline and prepare them for a productive professional career and/or pursuit of advanced degrees in the field. The computer science curriculum places a strong emphasis on writing, communications, professional skills and ethical concerns.

At the completion of a graduate degree, computer science graduates also should have the ability to work in multidisciplinary environments with cross-functional teams, perform modeling and experimental analysis on challenging research problems, and investigate current advances in computing research for the purpose of making innovative contributions that are particularly expected at the Ph.D. level.

Mission Statement. The Department of Computer Science engages in the research, education, and service activities required to create and disseminate the knowledge of problem solving using computers.

Program Educational Objectives. Within a few years of graduation, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science graduates are expected to:

Practice in a computing-related profession and/or pursue advanced studies in computing or a related discipline
Exhibit communication, teamwork and leadership skills
Function ethically as responsible professionals with the ability to progress within their organizations
Pursue professional development through continuing education and/or participation in computing oriented events and organizations.

Student Outcomes. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science graduates of Texas Tech University should attain the Criterion 3 Student Outcomes a-k as the following.

An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline.
An ability to analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution.
An ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desired needs.
An ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal.
An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities.
An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
An ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society.
Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in continuing professional development.
An ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice.
An ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design choices.
An ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity.

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

Undergraduate Program

General Standards and Requirements. Admission requirements and academic standards for the Department of Computer Science are consistent with the dynamic enrollment plan for the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering. Refer to the introduction to the Whitacre College of Engineering section of this catalog for a description of the criteria for initial admission to the Whitacre College of Engineering and the lower-division foundational curriculum. The recommended foundational curriculum for computer science consists of ENGL 1301 , ENGL 1302 ; MATH 1451 , MATH 1452 ; CS 1411 ; PHYS 1408 ; and either PHYS 2401 or the required science elective.

A student may apply for admission to the upper division of a degree program upon completion of the foundational curriculum and a minimum of 12 credit hours of Texas Tech coursework. The acceptance criterion is based exclusively on a cumulative GPA for coursework completed at Texas Tech. The specific GPA standard varies among the degree programs and may change from one academic year to the next as necessary to align enrollments with the educational resources. For students who entered Texas Tech prior to June 1, 2012, a minimum 2.0 GPA is required for admission to the computer science upper-division degree program. Students entering Texas Tech after June 1, 2012, must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.

The academic standards required by the Whitacre College of Engineering and the Department of Computer Science are given in the introduction to the Whitacre College section of the catalog and summarized below. Exceptions to these standards are at the discretion of the dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering.

A grade of C or better is required for all courses in an engineering degree plan.
A grade of C or better must be achieved in all prerequisites before the subsequent course may be attempted.
A minimum 2.5 GPA is required to maintain academic good standing and continued membership in the Whitacre College of Engineering.
A full-time student must achieve a C or better in 18 credit hours of coursework in the degree plan in each 12-month period.
An engineering course may be repeated only one time after a course drop, withdrawal, or failure to achieve a C or higher. A maximum of three engineering courses may be repeated.

All students entering the computer science degree program are expected to follow the sequence of courses shown in the curriculum table in this section and must satisfy the requirements of the Dynamic Enrollment Management Plan (DEMP) for computer science and the Whitacre College of Engineering. DEMP details are available from the department. Students demonstrating satisfactory performance may deviate from the specified sequence of courses only with the express approval of a computer science undergraduate advisor and only when such deviation is required to obtain a normal load of coursework for the student.

Computer science majors are not required to have a minor field. However, many students choose to pursue a minor. Minors can be pursued in virtually any field of study offered at Texas Tech. The minor must consist of a minimum of 18 hours, with at least six of those hours at the 3000 or 4000 level. A minor may require additional hours of study, depending on the particular minor field.

Dual Degree. Computer science is part of a dual-degree program in which students can earn a B.S. in Computer Science from the Whitacre College of Engineering and a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science from the College of Arts and Sciences. This degree program follows all requirements mandated for the Bachelor of Science degrees for both the Whitacre College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are advised by an academic advisor in each college and may declare either college as their primary college. The five-year dual-degree curriculum table is listed in this section.

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs. The department offers two combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Science programs. In both cases, completion of the degree requirements leads to the awarding of two degrees. In one, the degrees awarded are the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and the Master of Science in Computer Science ; in the other, the degrees are the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and the Master of Science in Software Engineering . Depending on the options of the master’s programs, the combined programs allow dual counts of up to six credits. Students choosing the combined degree program would be admitted initially as pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The graduate component of the program would be added upon admission to the master’s degree by the Graduate School during the student’s third year of study. Accepted students can begin taking a few of their graduate courses during their senior year. Students must meet the university requirement to take the Graduate Record Examination as well as other graduate admission requirements of the department before enrolling in graduate-level courses.

Graduate Program

For information on graduate programs offered by the Department of Computer Science, visit the Graduate School section of the catalog.

Program Offerings & Course Descriptions

Programs

Bachelor’s

Computer Science, B.S.

Undergraduate Minor

Computer Science, Undergraduate Minor

Intra-institutional Dual Degree

Computer Science, B.S. / Mathematics, B.S.

Courses

Computer Science (Undergraduate Courses)