A Balance Between Cutting Edge and Community

As computer technology becomes increasingly important, the number of careers in the field continues to grow. Computer and Information Science (CIS) offers students the opportunity to study this dynamic science. The minor in computer information technology (CIT) teaches students about the development and management of business databases, computer networks, web applications, and software systems.

CIS undergraduates may choose to specialize. Software engineering, for example, focuses on software design and development. Networking emphasizes the interconnection between individual computers. Cognitive science examines the relationship between the computer and psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience. The graduate school option prepares students for the pursuit of advanced degrees and conducting research.

Picking a specialty helps students focus while incorporating a variety of other subjects and interests. This type of interdisciplinary approach is especially relevant as innovations in the field leap ahead.

CIS hosts many social functions where undergraduates can meet graduate students and faculty members in a relaxed setting. CIS has a strong peer advising program, providing undergraduates with academic counseling, tutoring, and information on jobs and internships. The Women in Computer Science group allows female undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty members to gather for discussions, guest speeches, and social occasions.

At the University of Oregon, CIS balances the study of cutting-edge issues with the support of a close-knit community.

Points of Interest

• Undergraduates have the opportunity to participate in research investigating topics such as artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and theoretical computer science.
• Each summer UO hosts the Programming Languages Summer School, an international gathering of students, professors, and industry professionals who come together to learn about the application of methods in language theory.
• Each year the department participates in the International Collegiate Programming Contest. Sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery, ICPC is a competition among teams of student programmers to see which team can solve the most programming problems in a short amount of time.