Course requirements
Advising information
Course catalog
Hendrix's computer science program strives to provide an excellent
environment for learning the concepts of computing, both inside the
classroom and especially outside the classroom. Our graduates have
consistently found that their experience in computer science prepares
them well both for industry jobs (typically software development
or information technology management) and for graduate study in
computer science.
Curriculum
The Hendrix computer science curriculum studies computing
from the point of view of many disciplines. Among many other things,
students learn about:
- mathematical properties of computation.
- how computing can be applied to the natural and
social sciences.
- the social impact of computing.
- how computers are engineered to perform their work
correctly and efficiently.
Early in the curriculum, students become proficient with
programming computers; this is a gateway to understanding well
enough how computers work to be ready to understand the central
concepts of computer science.
The computer science minor at Hendrix is designed to complement
other majors. In addition to the three Phase-I courses listed below,
the minor includes two free electives and a capstone course studying
the relation of computing to other disciplines.
The curriculum for a Hendrix computer science major can be divided
broadly into four phases. If you start the major from your first
semester at Hendrix, then these four phases usually correspond to the
four years at college; some students, though, begin their studies in
their second year and manage to compress it into three years.
Computer science classes at Hendrix tend to be fairly small (six to
twelve students is typical). Many classes include an extended
project spanning several weeks or even the entire semester; this
project allows students to gain a deeper understanding both of concepts
related to class topics and of industrial-scale software design.
Detailed curriculum requirements.
Resources
The Hendrix computer science program is supported by three full-time
faculty - Dr. Carl Burch, Dr. Gabriel Ferrer, and Dr. Dwayne Collins. In addition,
each year we invite Dr. Doug
Hoffman, a local industry professional with a doctorate in computer
science, to teach an upper-division course; this provides students with
an important industry perspective on an academic topic.
The Department of Mathematics & Computer Science maintains
two computer laboratories, a Windows laboratory (17 computers)
and a Linux laboratory (14 computers). After the introductory
course, nearly all classes use the Linux laboratory, which is
reserved primarily for the computer science students.
The Linux network is maintained separately from
the overall network.
Nearly all computer science classes are taught in classrooms
equipped with computers and projectors that can be used as a visual aid
for demonstrations.
Most classes involving programming use Java (with Eclipse as the
development environment after the initial course); several other
classes use the C programming language; and some classes involve
studying other languages.
Students
While at Hendrix, many students opt to participate in some
activities relating to computer science: Department-sponsored
activities include a discussion group for student and faculty reading a
computing-related book each semester; intercollegiate programming
contests; and a series of speakers drawn from outside campus.
After graduation, over half of our graduates pursue
postbaccalaureate degrees in computer science or related disciplines,
and most others choose to enter industry directly after graduation.
Employers in the region value Hendrix graduates because they are
consistently well-prepared by their computer science background, and
because Hendrix's liberal arts education provides graduates with the
communication skills needed for success in the computing workplace.