Computer Science

Augustana offers a major and minor in computer science. As a computer science student here, you’ll study more than algorithms and data structures, computer and network design, modeling data and information processes, and AI.

We're a liberal arts college. Here you can focus on computer science and whatever else interests you, whether it’s graphic design, psychology, environmental studies or one of our 100 other areas of study.

Distinctions

• Augustana computer science students build things! Our majors have channeled their creative energies into making real software, like a free ride-hailing app for Augustana students, and organizing the "Vibrant Augie Techest," an immersive interactive experience that blends art, music, sensors, virtual reality and other technologies.
• The computer science curriculum focuses on the representation, manipulation and storage of information in computer systems. Its range includes the study of programming languages, computer architecture, networks and the global internet, operating systems, data structures, algorithms and database management.
• Most computer science students will take an introduction to computer science during their first year, in which they will learn the Python programming language, followed up with a course on data structures where they will learn Java. Our majors take part in a significant semester-long team project in the Software Development class during either their second or third year.
• Mathematics is a fundamentally useful tool for computer scientists, and most students will take pre-calculus and/or calculus in their first year, followed up with a course on discrete mathematics in their second year, in which students will hone their logical thinking skills.
• Computer science majors often work part-time after their first year. Deere and Co., with its world headquarters less than 15 minutes from campus, recruits heavily at Augustana. Or you can stay on campus to work, analyzing data for the Institutional Research and Assessment Office or building websites for community clients with the EDGE Center’s Web Guild.
• All Augustana students complete a Senior Inquiry capstone project that draws from their comprehensive learning experiences. Computer science majors apply the software development process to specify, design, implement and test a major software project in teams. This capstone project also incorporates social and ethical issues.

CS and the liberal arts

At Augustana, you can create, innovate and make connections among seemingly unrelated subjects.  For example, the class Artful Computing combined the creativity and passion of studio art with the logic and mathematics of computer code.

Plus, Augustana’s small class sizes and faculty mentorships provide opportunities to:

• Apply what you learn. Students recently developed an Uber-like student transport app and an event-planning app for the Office of Student Life.
• Be a team leader and a team member — equally important skills to future employers.
• Connect with local companies for internships and part-time jobs. Studying computer science leads to careers in high-paying fields, including software engineering, web development, information technology, and network systems administration.

With its strong liberal arts focus, Augustana supports your career goals and your personal goals as well.

Recent graduates

• Jessica Cotturone '25 is pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
• Luke Heinrichs '25 is a delivery consultant with IBM in Rochester, Minn.
• Gavin McCorry '25 is a reinsurance actuarial trainee at Aon Re, Inc. in Chicago.
• Rim Nassiri '25 is in the Digital Leadership Development Program at Raytheon Technologies, starting her first rotation as a software developer at Collins Aerospace.
• John Warhank '25 is a software engineer at John Deere in the Quad Cities.
• Nhi (Stephanie) Le '24 is a software engineer at LexisNexis Risk Solutions based in Alpharetta, Ga.
• Joonsoo Lee '24 is an inside sales account manager at Labelmaster in Chicago.
• Sofia Briggs '23 is an integration specialist at RainFocus (software development).
• Elizabeth Sloan '23 is a human computer interaction research assistant at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.
• Trang Hoang '22 is a software engineer at TikTok in Bellevue, Wash.
• Bryson Adcock ’20 is a software developer at Integrated DNA Technologies.
• Megan Janssen '18 Lederer is a lead software engineer for ESPN Fantasy Platforms in West Hartford, Conn.
• Zineb Zirari '18 is an asset and liability management vice president for Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank in New York City.