![[LOGO]](http://www.cse.msu.edu/img/logob.jpg) | The Department of Computer Science and Engineering |
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| Undergraduate Program |
| Michigan State University in East Lansing, three miles east of the state capitol, is the largest institution of higher learning in the state and one of the nation's leading cultural, education and research centers. It also is one of the most attractive campuses, as the campus spans 5,000 acres of grass, trees and flowering plants on both sides of the Red Cedar River. MSU students come from every county in Michigan, every state and 110 foreign nations to pursue academic programs in 14 degree-granting colleges at MSU. |
| Founded in 1855, Michigan State University maintains a rich commitment to quality instruction, research and public service. Established by and for the citizens of Michigan, MSU became the premier land grant institution in the United States. To that end, it provides equal access and equal opportunity to all qualified applicants. Leadership, scholarship, research and public service have greatly enhanced the university's national and international reputation. Michigan State University is committed to producing graduates with diverse backgrounds who are eager to enrich the world in which they live. |
| College of Engineering |
| The College of Engineering has kept pace with the demands of the scientific and technological world. The evolution of this growth began with a small program called Mechanic Arts which is now the expansive Mechanical Engineering Department. Today, the College is comprised of seven departments and eleven majors. The College of Engineering continues to expand based on technological research and development as well as student enrollment. |
| Major programs in the College are designed to provide students with firm knowledge and understanding of the fundamental engineering sciences and of engineering methods for the application of this knowledge. Students' abilities are developed so that they may continually progress with the advancing field of engineering and take part in the solution of the technical as well as economic and social problems which will arise during their lifetimes. |
| Computer Science at MSU |
| We live in an age where information of all forms including sounds, images, and text can be captured, processed, and transmitted from practically any point in the world to any other point in the world quickly, reliably, and cheaply. This information revolution, popularly known as the information superhighway, promises to change the way we live, work, and play by offering us a wide variety of applications such as virtual workplaces, cybergardens, digital cash, digital libraries, smart cars, and virtual realities. Computer scientists and computer engineers lead the way both in developing the technology underlying this information revolution and in developing applications which will change the way we live. Computer scientists do more than simply write programs! |
| The mission of the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering at Michigan State University is to provide the highest quality instruction to our undergraduate and graduate students, to conduct leading-edge research in computer science and engineering, and to provide leadership and service to our professional communities. We take all the components of our mission seriously. Since the birth of the department in 1968, the Department of Computer Science has been and continues to be one of the pioneers in providing high quality instruction in computer science and computer engineering. These programs currently attract approximately 400 undergraduate computer science majors, 200 undergraduate computer engineering majors, 80 M.S. degree candidates, and 70 Ph.D. candidates. MSU Computer Science graduates are aggressively recruited by major Fortune 500 companies as well as graduate programs of other leading computer science departments around the country. |
- More than 95% of the undergraduate courses are taught by full-time Computer Science faculty members. Class sizes are kept small to foster better communication between the students and the instructor.
- The curriculum is constantly reevaluated and updated in order to reflect new scientific and technological breakthroughs.
- The Computer Science faculty constantly reevaluate and upgrade the computing facilities to provide our students both state-of-the-art computing platforms as well as the most common computing platforms in industry and academia.
- Undergraduate students are encouraged to engage in research projects with the faculty. Most of these positions receive financial support.
- All students take a senior-level capstone design course which trains them to work as a team on large-scale software and hardware design projects.
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| Computer science and computer engineering graduates are employed in essentially all areas of industry, government, and education. They serve as systems analysts and software engineers, are involved with problems in business, social and scientific research and development, are designers and planners of process and production control systems, design computer components and systems, are programmers, and teachers. Beginning salaries of computer science graduates typically are in the top ten of all majors. |
| Cooperative Engineering Education |
| Cooperative Engineering Education is an optional academic program in which students are employed in positions directly related to their major field of study. At MSU, co-op students alternate classroom studies and equal periods of employment with over 170 employers in business, government and industry in local, regional, and national locations. Cooperative Education allows students to make informed career decisions while earning funds to cover a significant portion of their college expenses. |
| Engineering Equal Opportunity Program |
| The Engineering Equal Opportunity Program recruits, advises, and provides academic support assistance to minority students in engineering. Begun in 1968, it is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the Big Ten Conference. Academic services, career planning and placement opportunities are part of the program's mission. A pre-college component is also available to high school students from the Detroit metropolitan area. Scholarship awards are provided to students with competitive academic records. |
| Residential Programs |
| Students in Computer Science may participate in several residential option programs on campus. These programs provide students the living/learning atmosphere of a small college while retaining the advantages of the University setting. Students live and attend classes in a residence hall complex. |
| R.O.S.E.S. -- Residential option for students in engineering and science. Housed in the Brody Complex, this program is for entering freshmen. |
| R.I.S.E. -- Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment. Housed in Hubbard Hall, this 2-year program introduces science and engineering students to environmental issues. |
| Lyman Briggs School -- Housed in Holmes Hall, this 4-year program is for students interested in the sciences or dual majors in computer science and pre-professional programs. |
| Student Profiles |
| Derek A. Hackbardt; B.S. 1995 |
| Computer Science isn't just about programming. That's only a small piece. Analyzing business problems and finding solutions using technology both in hardware and software to meet a common goal is what Computer Science is about. I spend my day working with developers, users, and business managers to find the best way to keep the computer systems running efficiently in order to support the company's business processes. Using my Computer Science degree from MSU, I administer UNIX systems across the country. I design and set up systems, create user policies, and keep the machines behind the business alive. The work of a Computer Scientist is the bridge between business goals and technological solutions and MSU provides an excellent environment for gaining the skills you'll need.... |
| Lynn M. Kubinec; B.S. 1993; M.S. 1994 |
| Computers have always fascinated me, but when originally choosing a major in college, I never considered Computer Science as a major. All those math, science and physics courses were a bit intimidating. I chose to major in Business instead, but wasn't happy there. My decision to major in Computer Science wasn't a quick one. I decided to take one of the math classes and if I passed it, try another. If I could get through the prerequisite courses, then I could make a decision about doing a Computer Science degree with a Business Minor or a Business degree with a CPS minor. I amazed myself in that not only did I pass all the pre-reqs, but I enjoyed doing so! |
| I finished both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Science at Michigan State and am now working for Texas Instruments. My job is developing software that runs computer networking hardware. If you buy a computer in the next few years, it's very possible that the software I've written will be an integral part of its operation. My education at Michigan State in Computer Science opened the door for me at Texas Instruments and has given me the skill and confidence I need to be successful. |
| CPS Computing Facilities |
| The instructional facilities include 110 color workstations, including Sun, Intel, and Silicon Graphics platforms. Facilities are available for student use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Computer Science facilities provide majors will full Internet access. Facilities are networked campus wide, allowing student access to Computer Science equipment from laboratories located in all residence hall complexes, the library, and the MSU Union. Dial-up access is also possible from student owned personal computers. |
| The MSU Computer Laboratory provides a Computer Store where students may receive assistance with purchasing decisions on any computer, printer, modem, or other systems peripherals sold there at discount prices. Software consultation in areas such as word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, and programming languages is also available. |
| Sample Program for Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science |
Freshman Year:
Fall Credits Spring Credits
Freshman Writing 4 Physics I or elective 4
Life Science 4 Algorithms and Computing 4
Calculus I 3 Calculus II 4
Social Science 4 Social Science 4
TOTAL 15 TOTAL 16
Sophomore Year:
Fall Credits Spring Credits
Calculus III 4 Calculus IV 3
Physics I or II 4 Physics II or elective 4
Discrete Structures in CPS 3 Humanities 4
Humanities 4 Data Structures &
Programming Concepts 4
TOTAL 15 TOTAL 15
Junior Year:
Fall Credits Spring Credits
Computer Organization &
Assembler Programming 4 Operating Systems 4
Statistics 3 Computer Architecture 4
Automata & Formal Cognate 3
Language Theory 3 Elective 3
Cognate 3 Transcollegiate 3
TOTAL 13 TOTAL 17
Senior Year:
Fall Credits Spring Credits
CPS Capstone prerequisite 4 CPS Capstone 4
CPS Elective 3 CPS Elective 3
Cognate 3 Cognate 3
Cognate 3 Cognate 3
Elective 3
TOTAL 16 TOTAL 13 |
| Cognate. The cognate provides students with background in an application area. Frequently chosen cognates are: general business, electrical engineering, foreign language, telecommunications, the natural sciences, psychology and studio art. The cognate may be in any area in which MSU offers a bachelors degree other than computer science. Nine credits of the 18 credits must be 300 level or above. |
| Computer Engineering Degree Requirements |
| Computer Engineering is concerned with the organization and design of computers and computer systems. The study of computer hardware, software, and their integration and application is emphasized. The program is structured to establish analytical and design skills in areas such as computer architecture, digital logic design, integrated circuit engineering, software engineering, operating systems, data structures and algorithms, computer-aided engineering, and electronic design automation. The program also provides the opportunity for specialization in individually selected areas of interest. |
| The Computer Engineering program requires completion of 128 credits. Computer Engineering majors complete many of the same computer science courses required of CPS majors. Courses in Electrical Engineering replace the cognate courses and CPS elective courses listed in the CPS 4-year program. |
| For more information contact the Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Advising Office at (517) 355-5242. |
| High School Preparation |
| Adequate preparation for collegiate level programs demands comprehensive work in the academic subject matter areas (college prep classes) and substantial training in writing. A recommended distribution of high school units would include four units of English and at least eight units from mathematics, science, foreign languages, and social sciences. More specifically, students in the College of Engineering are urged to include one unit of chemistry, one unit of physics, one and one-half units of algebra, one unit of geometry, one-half unit of trigonometry, and one-half unit of calculus. students are further encouraged to continue a strong academic program through the senior year of high school. |
| Scholarships |
| Scholarship funds are donated by individuals, business and industry, foundations and faculty and staff of the College. Some are designated for specific majors while others are available to all engineering and computer science majors at all class levels. Some scholarships are based solely on academic merit while others are based on academic ability and financial need. For further information, contact the College of Engineering or the MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships. |
- The College of Engineering awards 20 scholarships of $1,000 per year for four years to high achieving freshmen engineering applicants.
- Six Professorial Assistantships are awarded each year to outstanding freshmen to work as part-time assistants to engineering faculty.
- The college administers over $250,000 in scholarships each year based on academic excellence.
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| Student Organizations |
| There are over 500 student organizations on the MSU Campus. Each organization has its own membership criteria and requirements. The following groups within the College of Engineering are open to Computer Science and Computer Engineering students. |
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) The MSU Student Chapter is open to all students interested in computing. The organization sponsors guest lectures, career information seminars, workshops, and social events.
- Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) The group is an international honor society for computer science and computer engineering students who have attained junior standing and exhibited academic excellence. The organization sponsors seminars, tutoring, and works with area elementary and middle school students.
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) The MSU Student Section sponsors education and social events for electrical engineering, computer engineering and computer science students.
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| In addition to these groups, chapters of the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, welcome members from all majors in the College of Engineering. |
| International Programs & Overseas Studies |
| MSU offers a variety of overseas educational programs for undergraduate students. Many programs offer courses that can fulfill University requirements in writing, integrative studies, the sciences, engineering and many areas that are commonly chosen by CPS students as cognates. Participation in an International Studies program is an enriching experience both academically and personally. The lessons learned overseas cannot be duplicated on any campus in the United States. Current offerings include 80 programs scattered over 6 continents. Financial assistance and scholarships are available to qualified students. |
| Computer Science Architecture Computer Vision Graphics Theory Image Processing Multimedia Networking Software Engineering Artificial Intelligence Pattern Recognition Object Oriented Programming Internet Algorithm Database Management System Hardware World Wide Web Unix Parallel Programming Intelligent Systems Operating Systems Automata Vector Processing Smalltalk Data Structures Assembly Language C++ Expert Systems Workstation Windows Compiler Visual BASIC Computer Animation Analysis Genetic Algorithms Coding Requirements Analysis Problem Solving Computer Science |
The Department of Computer Science
Michigan State University
3115 Engineering Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA |
| The Department of Computer Science would like to thank Cargill, Incorporated for support of this publication. |
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