Welcome to Computer Science at Hood!

It has been more than 35 years since the first Computer Science course, supported by a teletype machine and acoustic coupler modem, was offered at Hood College. As one of the faculty who built this program from that single elective course, I am amazed and pleased to see how the program has grown.

Today we offer a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, minors in web development and computer science, and three graduate degrees. Our graduate programs are the Master of Science in Computer Science (approved in 2004), Master of Science in the Management of Information Technology, and Master of Science in Computer and Information Sciences with IT Concentration. Having both undergraduate and graduate programs is an advantage for a small college of our size; it enables us to offer an evolving curriculum with both breadth and depth. We now have nine faculty members, about 50 undergraduate students, and more than 100 graduate students. Our students are able to work closely with faculty in all courses, especially at the upper-division and graduate levels.

The Department of Computer Science shares the new Hodson Science and Technology Center with Hood's other science and mathematics departments. Facilities for our courses include a Linux lab, a Windows lab, and research space used for special projects in usability engineering and robotics. We manage our own servers, with one dedicated to general programming courses and one to database and web applications. All students in our programs have a continuing account throughout their stay at Hood, including the ability to post a personal web site. The College provides a wireless network that can be accessed from many of the areas in the building.

Computer science study is more than coursework. The department sponsors an active local ACM student chapter and computer science club, open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can also enjoy the camaraderie of training and competition on programming teams, teams that have represented the College very successfully in regional collegiate contests. The campus offers a wide range of academic, study, social, and recreational spaces and activities.

I encourage you to browse the information provided on our web site at http://cs.hood.edu/. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. Computer Science is a rapidly growing field with a wide range of job opportunities. It is an ideal major for someone who enjoys problem solving, and leads to many interesting and challenging careers. I wish you every success in your study with us.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Chang
Chairperson, Department of Computer Science
(301) 696-3564
chang@hood.edu