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Program in Computer Science and Informatics

Faculty

Nanette Veilleux, Professor, Program Director

Margaret Menzin, Professor

Lauren Provost, Assistant Professor

Amber Stubbs, Assistant Professor

Overview

The Program in Computer Science and Informatics offers majors and minors in computer science, information technology, web design and development, health informatics, and scientific computation (minor). Our program prepares our students for technology-related careers in the global marketplace, for graduate school, and to be knowledgeable, ethical, and socially conscious adopters of technology. We also serve the Simmons community by offering courses to address both the general and specific technology fluency needs of our students. These courses help the student gain an overview of technology—its use, application, and limitations—and can serve as stand-alone courses or as a starting point for more advanced study in one of our four technology areas. While our courses and majors have a strong technology focus, they also stress teamwork, collaboration, communication, and the development of leadership skills. All courses include a structured laboratory experience with students frequently solving problems in groups. We often find that students have a latent interest in, and talent for, technology that blossoms in these courses.

Students also complete a 4-credit internship where they relate theory learned in class to the actual needs of the workplace. Students have completed internships in industry, government, nonprofits, and academic institutions, such as Fuji Film Microdisk, Staples, Raytheon, IBM/Lotus, Nuance, Hyperactive Multimedia, Meditech, EMC, Tufts University, Screened Images Multimedia, Education First, Highrock Covenant Church, Windsor School, Partners Healthcare Information Systems, Twitter, and CakeWalk. Students are frequently offered permanent jobs upon graduation at the internship site. Our job placement rate upon graduation is high, with alumnae working for companies that create educational software, medical support, gene research, voting machine security, and writing software to support nonprofits.

Students also have the opportunity to complete significant independent study projects under the guidance of a faculty member, and to participate as a member of a research team on NSF-funded research projects.

Computer Science and Informatics students often double major in areas such as communications, art, English, education, mathematics, philosophy, Spanish, and management.

At Simmons College we help young women find their voices. We prepare them to be leaders in the world, and this world needs women in computer science and information technology more than ever.

Learning Outcomes

Computer Science majors will:

  1. Understand the fundamental concepts and theory of computing and their application to solving real world problems
  2. Express themselves and their ideas orally, in writing, and the “languages” of the discipline
  3. Master current and cutting-edge technologies, including programming languages, algorithms, databases, systems analysis, web-based technologies, networks, security, and hardware
  4. Think abstractly, logically, clearly, and critically
  5. Work in groups both as a participant and as a leader
  6. Relate theory to practice
  7. Be life-long learners and able to teach themselves
  8. Understand the ethical, legal, and social implications of technology
  9. Become gainfully employed in technology related jobs and/or prepared for graduate study

Information Technology majors will:

Simmons’s IT program aims to provide its graduates with the skills and knowledge to take on appropriate professional positions in information technology and grow into leadership positions or pursue research or graduate studies in the field. Fundamental to information technology is the integration of different technologies and the integration of technologies into organizations. IT graduates must therefore acquire a skill set that enables them to successfully perform integrative tasks, including:

  1. An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline
  2. An ability to analyze a problem, and identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution
  3. An ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desired needs
  4. An ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal
  5. An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities
  6. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  7. An ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society
  8. Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in continuing professional development
  9. An ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice
  10. An ability to use and apply current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies
  11. An ability to identify and analyze user needs and take them into account in the selection, creation, evaluation, and administration of computer-based systems
  12. An ability to effectively integrate IT-based solutions into the user environment
  13. An understanding of best practices and standards and their application
  14. An ability to assist in the creation of an effective project plan

Data Science & Analytics majors will:

  1. Select from, use, and interpret results of descriptive statistical methods effectively.
  2. Select from, use, and interpret results of the principal methods of data science and analytics
  3. Communicate the results of their analyses accurately and effectively, in writing, orally and visually
  4. Make appropriate use of relevant software, using and modifying standard techniques.
  5. Apply principles of leadership and reproducible research to make responsible decisions involving privacy, data management, and scientific rigor
  6. Demonstrate ability to plan, manage, and document moderately-sized projects.