About
Department Objectives
- Continuous review and improvement of our undergraduate programs to ensure that all graduates remain competitive for quality jobs,
- Continuous review and improvement of our service courses to ensure that they meet the needs of students and community members in successful ways,
- Enhancement of our M.S. and Ph.D. programs to ensure that our graduates are nationally competitive,
- Expansion of our research activities,
- Expansion of our service activities to provide more varied and extensive service to the state and region, including leadership and participation in economic development activities, and
- Development of increased cooperation with other departments at North Dakota State University and with departments at other schools in the state.
History
North Dakota State University has offered Computer Science since 1973. The first courses were offered in the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (now the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering). A Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science was first offered in 1977, the Master of Science degree in Computer Science was added in 1979, and the Ph.D. program in Computer Science began in 1986. The Department began the Management Information Systems (MIS) program in 1988. Graduate programs in Software Engineering were launched in 2002, including Certificate, Master of Science, and Ph.D. curricula. A graduate certificate in Electronic Commerce was first offered in 2002. Most recently, in 2009, an online ‘distance education’ professional Master’s degree program was initiated.
The Division of Mathematical Sciences split into three departments: Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science / Operations Research in 1988. Kenneth Magel served as the Department Chair for the first eight years. Then, in 1996, Kendall Nygard took the helm for nine years. In 2005, Kenneth Magel once again accepted the Chair position until the leadership structure changed to a department head system. In 2007, Brian M. Slator became the first Head of the Department. In 2017, the department moved back to the chair system, and Kendall Nygard was Department Chair until replaced in 2020 by Simone Ludwig. In 2019, the Computer Science Department officially became part of the College of Engineering.
As of 2024, the Department has eight full professors, one associate professor, four assistant professors, two professors of practice, two senior lecturers, and two lecturers. There are approximately 140 graduate students in both computer science and software engineering, and about 400 undergraduate students.
Lab and Facilities
Located in the Quentin Burdick Building, alongside Information Technology Services, our computer science department provides students with access to state-of-the-art computing resources. Facilities include Linux workstation clusters, multiple virtual machines, and specialized systems for big data analytics like Hadoop and Spark. Our well-equipped research labs support a variety of computing platforms and come with specialized equipment such as a cyber range, drones, and 3D printers. We take pride in our leadership in network technology, evidenced by our role in a six-state consortium that enhances high-level networking across the Upper Midwest. The department also offers access to the high-performance Center for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology for distributed research projects.