Computer Science

Career - what can you do with a computer science degree?

Computer science is one of the fastest-growing careers in the country and the world. Half of the Bureau of Labour Statistics Computer and IT careers are expected to experience double-digit growth over the next 10 years.   

With the potential for business efficiency, new products and services, and the growing threat of security risks, a skills gap will remain open for the foreseeable future. Computer science is a growing career field and will be for a long time.   

Novel technologies like cloud computing, the Internet of Things and automation have not reached full adoption yet. Machine learning and blockchain are adding new dimensions to the ways current systems can be improved or expanded.  

The challenges that today’s Computer Science major students will be paid to tackle are some of the most fascinating and complex in history and mean a rewarding career is available for anyone who has the skills to succeed.   

Internships

Computer science majors are required to complete one departmentally approved co-op experience. Students receive academic credit, valuable practical experience, and good pay for co-op experiences while growing both personally and professionally.

Curriculum

The computer science major at BGSU includes a robust set of core computer science courses designed to provide students with a broad base of computing concepts and programming and problem-solving skills augmented with an evolving array of electives.   

Our campus has state-of-the-art computer labs for student use. You could work on live programming projects in computer science courses to give you experience working in various computing environments.   

The Bachelor of Science degree has a stronger emphasis on computer science and mathematics courses, while the Bachelor of Arts degree offers more flexibility, including additional liberal arts courses. A minor is required for both the B.S. and the B.A. in Computer Science.

Scholarships  

The BGSU Computer Science department has been awarded Choose Ohio First Scholarship funding ($1.14 Million) from the State of Ohio and the Department of Higher Education (ODHE) to recruit high-achieving, underrepresented students and provide them with unique educational and advising experiences for their academic and career success.

Computer Science Student Organizations

Bowling Green State University is home to two student organizations focused on computer science.

ACM Student Chapter is the Bowling Green State University's student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ACM is a global learning community and the world's largest scientific and educational computing society. The association offers students many opportunities such as interactive coding events, fun picnics, and conferences with motivational speakers who deliver inspiring and enlightening presentations. Students of all fields and backgrounds are invited to join in building our community.

Bowling Green Women in Computing (BGWIC) (also known as BGSU ACM-W Student Chapter) is a student organization which is dedicated to the support of young women pursuing careers in computing fields. The BGWIC mission is to support female students’ unique needs while pursuing a degree in Computer Science in Ohio by providing professional development, social networking, and community involvement opportunities in a collaborative, empowering environment.

Admissions Information

BGSU computer science majors must meet one of the following admission criteria: an SAT math score of 550 or higher or an ACT math score of 22 or higher.  

Students not meeting these criteria will need to take appropriate math course(s) at Bowling Green State University before declaring their major to computer science. Many high schools do not offer computer programming classes or computer science, and incoming students are not expected to have such a background.