University of Virginia, BA, Computer Science

Computer Science is the study of information processes. Computer scientists learn how to describe information processes, how to reason about and predict properties of information processes, and how to implement information processes elegantly and efficiently in hardware and software. The Computer Science major concentrates on developing the deep understanding of computing and critical thinking skills that will enable graduates to pursue a wide variety of possible fields and to become academic, cultural, and industrial leaders in areas that integrate the arts and sciences with computing. The Computer Science major is designed to provide students entering the University without previous background in computing with an opportunity to major in Computer Science, while taking courses in arts, humanities, and sciences to develop broad understanding of other areas and their connections to computing. Computing connects closely with a wide range of disciplines including, but not limited to, the visual arts, music, life sciences including biology and cognitive science, the physical sciences, linguistics, mathematics, and the social sciences. The core curriculum focuses on developing methods and tools for describing, implementing, and analyzing information processes and for managing complexity including abstraction, specification, and recursion.