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What is Computer Science?

Get a Master's in Computer Science

The Computer Science B.S.

You benefit from computer science every day.

The smartphone in your hand, the social media you scroll through, your medical records at the doctor’s office, the video games you play, the goods and services you rely on—all are made possible, faster and more accessible through computer science.

At Florida Tech, our computer science degree builds a robust foundation in algorithmic thinking, programming and the design, development and testing of software and information systems. 

The cyber operations concentration offers computer science students an opportunity for cutting-edge, hands-on, specialized training to investigate, analyze and respond to cyber-attacks. Cyber ops at Florida Tech is top-tier—we are recognized as a National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research (CAE-R).

Whether you dream of creating innovative human-computer interactions, designing intelligent systems or leading the charge in cyberdefense, a computer science degree from Florida Tech equips you with the expertise to excel in today’s digital world.

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Why Choose Florida Tech for Computer Science?

From our first-rate facilities to our expert faculty, Florida Tech is one of the best schools for computer science. Here, you will develop critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills to tackle complex challenges. Our bachelor's in computer science provides the foundational knowledge you need to adapt to evolving technologies throughout your career, with the option to specialize in cyber operations for hands-on training in defending digital infrastructures and countering cyber threats.

Florida Tech is known for small class sizes, a low student-to-faculty ratio and our tight-knit, personalized learning community. You’ll find it easy to interact with professors for consultation and mentoring; in fact, students often have the same faculty advisor throughout their college experience.

At Florida Tech, you will build a strong foundation in computer science while customizing your degree with elective courses and research opportunities that align with your career goals. Choose from a variety of subjects to hone your skills, including:

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Human-computer interaction
  • Computer architecture
  • Graphics
  • Databases
  • Operating systems
  • Computational science
  • Cyber operations concentration

In a world where digital threats are constantly evolving, your skills need to stay ahead of the curve. The cyber operations concentration equips you with the tools, techniques and hands-on experience needed to prevent, analyze and respond to cyber-attacks.

This concentration comprises six specialized courses that dive deep into areas like software reverse engineering, vulnerability research and algorithm analysis, providing a strong foundation in cybersecurity. You’ll tailor the concentration to your interests with focused electives that explore topics such as wireless security, cyber forensics and memory forensics.

Florida Tech’s IoT Security and Privacy Lab plays a key role in your hands-on learning, allowing you to tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges and gain practical experience that sets you apart in the field.

As a National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity in CD Research (CAE-R), Florida Tech’s program provides access to the highest level of academic and professional resources.

Whether you want a computer science cybersecurity degree or are interested in another aspect of cyber operations, this concentration provides the knowledge and experience to pursue your goals.

Florida Tech’s faculty are active and internationally known researchers with expertise in computer security, intelligent systems, computer vision, complex networks and distributed negotiations—and they share that expertise with our students.

As a computer science student, you can be part of faculty-led projects in areas like machine learning, computer vision, biologically inspired computing, data mining, cybersecurity, cryptography, speech recognition and more.

We’ll help you develop skills that support your interests and career goals. You’ll take a seminar in computer science disciplines and careers, learn about supercomputers and develop high-performance applications. As a senior, you’ll complete a team design project to conceptualize, design, construct and present a novel software application. We’ll make sure you are career-ready when you graduate.

At Florida Tech, you are encouraged to pursue multiple computer science internships that prepare you for the working world and allow you to engage with professionals in your chosen career field.

 These valuable learning opportunities help you build skills and a highly competitive résumé. Top companies collaborate with Florida Tech to offer computer science internships to our students, including:

  • L3Harris Technologies Inc.
  • Microsoft Corp.
  • NASA
  • Northrop Grumman Corp.

Florida Tech’s location in a high-tech corridor makes us a great place for a computer science degree. Our area has one of the largest high-tech workforces in the country—and that means numerous internship and employment opportunities for our students. Our 130-acre campus is in the heart of the Space Coast; NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral are just north of us.

When it’s time to kick back and relax, you’re just minutes from 72 miles of beautiful beaches, a short trip away from the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks and minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most biodiverse estuary in North America.

But you won’t have to travel far for rest and relaxation. We also have a rich campus life with intramural and collegiate sports, over 200 campuswide student organizations and clubs and a wide variety of social activities.

Our high-tech facilities are a big draw, and many incoming first-year students list the state-of-the-art F.W. Olin Engineering Complex as one of the top reasons they chose Florida Tech. Here, computing laboratories offer the latest in electronic and communications technology for student learning and research. Computers at Florida Tech are upgraded regularly to ensure they are always capable of running the most up-to-date software, and a full suite of software development tools is freely available to all computer science students.

Careers in Computer Science

The demand for skilled software developers, web designers, systems analysts and database administrators has never been higher. Companies need talent to create advanced technologies, improve hardware and manage increasing amounts of data. There is also a growing need for innovative solutions in cybersecurity and combating cyber threats.

Computer science careers cover a broad range of roles, from designing new technologies to improving computing methods and algorithms. Key positions include:

  • Software developer
  • Systems analyst
  • Database administrator
  • Network architect
  • IT consultant
  • Cybersecurity analyst

Students choosing the cyber operations concentration may also be interested in roles such as:

  • Cyber operations specialist
  • Security engineer
  • Incident response analyst
  • Penetration tester
  • Cyber forensics analyst
  • IoT security specialist
  • Cloud security engineer
  • Threat intelligence analyst

Looking ahead to your future career can be exciting! Keep in mind that certain roles may entail additional prerequisites, such as an advanced degree.

Florida Tech Career Services assists students, alumni and employers in their search for careers and employee candidates. We help students develop career plans and job search skills. Explore our Career Toolbox to learn more about our services and access additional resources.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs, including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things. Check the handbook for information on the outlook for computer science careers.

Advanced Degree Options

Many of our computer science graduates pursue advanced degrees at Florida Tech or other prestigious graduate schools in fields such as database development, bioinformatics, networks and computer graphics.

Explore the Computer Science, B.S., Curriculum

The Computer Science, B.S., Curriculum

As a computer science student, you’ll learn the fundamentals of algorithmic thinking and gain the ability to express solutions to problems using computer programming languages.

First-year courses for a computer science degree give you a foundation in software development and cover computer organization—you’ll begin doing computer science on day one.

You can choose to enhance your degree with the cyber operations concentration. Through this concentration, you'll gain expertise in essentials like algorithm analysis, reverse engineering and vulnerability research while exploring advanced topics such as cyber offense and defense, wireless security and digital forensics.

Classes include:

  • Computer Disciplines and Careers
  • Algorithms and Data Structures
  • Computer Architecture and Assembly Programming

Check the catalog for a description of all courses.

Download the Computer Science, B.S. Curriculum now!

Participate in Cutting-Edge Research

We invite well-qualified computer science students to join faculty teams of active and internationally known researchers in the fields of software testing, information assurance (cybersecurity) and intelligent systems.

Research opportunities allow you to gather hands-on experience in career areas such as:

  • Computer security
  • Intelligent systems
  • Computer vision
  • Complex networks
  • Distributed negotiations
  • Cyber operations

Several special-purpose laboratories are available to students doing advanced research, including the L3Harris Institute for Assured Information, an interdisciplinary center and the university’s focal point for cutting-edge research and education in cyberdefense—often of special interest to students in the cyber operations concentration.

Learn more about Computer Science at Florida Tech on the website.

Campus Organizations Help Build Your Résumé

At Florida Tech, you’ll have many ways to become involved in activities that enhance your computer science degree. Beyond the classroom, you can build leadership and professional experience in over 200 academic organizations, professional clubs and honor societies. Here are just a few:

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Student Chapter: ACM advances computing as a science and a profession, promoting networking, professional development and policies and research that benefit society.  

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE): Florida Tech's IEEE student chapter helps educate and refine students' skills in engineering—especially in the fields of computer science, electrical engineering and mechatronics—and facilitates networking, research and friendship.

FITSEC: Florida Tech’s highly ranked competitive cybersecurity team, FITSEC, welcomes members interested in putting their skills to the test and competing to solve challenges in topics such as open-source intelligence, cryptography, enumeration/exploitation, network traffic analysis and much more.

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The Computer Science (Bachelor of Science) program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Computer Science and Similarly Named Computing Programs. Additional information can be found on the department’s ABET information page.

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