The Computer Science Department strives for excellence in creating, applying, and imparting knowledge in computer science and engineering through comprehensive educational programs, research in collaboration with industry and government, dissemination through scholarly publications, and service to professional societies, the community, the state, and the nation.

Accreditation of the CS and CS&E Programs

The Department offers bachelor of science degrees in both computer science (CS) and computer science and engineering (CS&E). The key difference between the CS and CS&E programs is that CS&E is designed to accommodate those students who desire a strong foundation in computer science and have a strong interest in computer system hardware.

The CS program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Computer Science programs.

The CS&E program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission and the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under each Commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Computer Science and Engineering programs.

Annual student enrollment and graduation data for the programs are at https://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/enrollment-degree-statistics-new/

Program Educational Objectives

The educational objectives for the programs are as follows:

• For CS—make valuable contributions to design, development, and production in the practice of computer science and related engineering or application areas, particularly in software systems and algorithmic methods.
• For CS&E—make valuable contributions to design, development, and production in the practice of computer science and computer engineering in related engineering areas or application areas, and to the interface of computers and physical systems.
• Demonstrate strong communication skills and the ability to function effectively as part of a team.
• Demonstrate a sense of societal and ethical responsibility in all professional endeavors.
• Engage in professional development or post-graduate education to pursue flexible career paths amid future technological changes.

Student Outcomes

The student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the Educational Objectives for the CS program are an ability to:

• Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
• Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of a program’s discipline.
• Communicate effectively in a variety of professional environments.
• Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
• Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
• Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

The student outcomes that prepare graduates to attain the Educational Objectives for the CS&E program are those for the CS program above plus the following:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.