Computer Science Major
Program Features
Xavier's computer science major gives students real-world experience through challenging academics, guided research and co-op and internship opportunities. Students earning their Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science graduate ready for careers as computer programmers, systems analysts, software designers, network administrators, web designers and technical consulters.
Students choose between the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or the Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science combines in-depth coursework in computer science, mathematics and science. The Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science allows students to pursue a second major or minor.
Concentrations: Cybersecurity
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Computer Science major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- Computer Science 170: Computer Science I............ 3cr.
- English 101: English Composition............ 3cr.
- Math 225: Foundations of Higher Math............ 3cr.
- second language I............ 3cr.
- Theology 111: Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
- CORE 101: GOA............ 0cr.
Spring
- Computer Science 180: Computer Science II............ 3cr.
- First Year Seminar............ 3cr.
- Math 280: Combinatorics............ 3cr.
- second language II............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 101: Ethics as Intro to Philosophy............ 3cr.
- CORE 102: GOA............ 0cr.
Fall
- Computer Science 220: Data Structures and Algorithms............ 3cr.
- Math 170: Calculus I............ 4cr.
- Historical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives............ 3cr.
- English 205: Literature and the Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
Spring
- Computer Science 260: Software Engineering............ 3cr.
- Creative Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Computer Science 250: Languages and Automata............ 3cr.
- Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Philosophical Perspectives............ 3cr.
Fall
- Computer Science 210: Machine Organization and Assembly Language............ 3cr.
- Social Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Computer Science 300: Programming Languages............ 3cr.
- Major Level Science/Lab............ 4cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Computer Science 335: Databases or Computer Science 340: Networking............ 3cr.
- Computer Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Statistics or Linear Algebra............ 3cr.
- Major Level Science/Lab............ 4cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- Computer Science 320: Operating Systems............ 3cr.
- Computer Science Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Computer Science 390: Senior Project............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- Computer Science 335: Databases or Computer Science............ 3cr.
- 340: Networking
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Sample Courses
Xavier is known for providing an education that's both challenging and personal. Here are some courses that are part of the Computer Science major at Xavier:
Software Engineering (CSCI 260) - Software development process; software requirements and specifications; software design and implementation; verification and validation.
Programming Languages (CSCI 300) - History of programming languages; virtual machines; sequence control; data control; scoping; parameter passing; sharing and type checking; run-time storage management; programming language semantics; programming paradigms. Includes a brief introduction to several different languages as examples of paradigms.
Operating Systems (CSCI 320) - Operating system software and hardware design and implementation; tasks and processes; process coordination, synchronization, and scheduling; physical and virtual memory organization; file systems and naming; security and protection.
Databases (CSCI 335) - Database systems are the software systems used to manage large volumes of data. The principles of database systems are studied from both a theoretical and practical viewpoint. The emphasis will be on solving the problems encountered in designing and using a database system, regardless of the underlying hardware and operating system on which the database system will run.
Clubs
Computer Science Club
From game nights to hackathons and coding classes, these technology enthusiasts love all things digital. Members meet to discuss the latest in computer science and connect with each other.
Outcomes
97% of students from Xavier's undergraduate STEM programs, including Computer Science, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating.
Top Jobs: Software Engineer, Actuarial Analyst, Associate Consultant, Chemist, Developer, Electrical Engineer, Research Engineer
Top Companies: Good Samaritan Hospital, The Christ Hospital, AT&T, 84.51, TBM Consulting, ScribeAmerica, GE Aviation
All For One
Cybersecurity Concentration for Computer Science Majors
A concentration in cybersecurity provides students with the fundamentals at the hardware, systems, and compliance levels. They graduate ready to plan and execute security measures to protect computer networks.
Career Outcomes for Computer Science Majors
100 percent of Computer Science majors are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation. Alumni have gone on to work at Google, Adobe, IBM, Cisco and Fifth Third Bank.
Co-op Experience for Computer Science Majors
Co-op students spend a semester or summer working full-time. They gain hands-on experience in a real software engineering environment under the direct supervision of a professional software developer.
Computer Science Graduate Is the Brains Behind BLINK Display
While he was vacationing in sunny Barcelona last October, Brian Bailey’s team was in Cincinnati’s Washington Park working hard to make sure the 20-foot towers of LED light strips and video games they had spent months creating actually worked for the thousands of visitors at the city’s four-day event called BLINK.
Computer Science Major at Xavier University
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a traditional program that combines computer science, mathematics, and science. It involves more in-depth course work in these main areas producing graduates with a thorough knowledge of Computer Science. The Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science allows students room to pursue a second major or minor combined with computer science. This encourages inter- and multi-disciplinary study, developing well-rounded students ready to contribute to an increasingly interdisciplinary world that utilizes computation.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."