NOTE: Requirements may differ according to date of enrollment.
Current students should check their  college catalog.
The Department of Computer and Information Sciences offers two Bachelor of Science degrees. One degree is in Computer Science with five study options: Computer Theory (CT), Systems Software (SS), Applied Mathematics (AM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or a General Majors. The other degree is in Computer Information Systems (CIS). The CIS degree is geared to commercial computer information processing, management and administrative applications. The CS and CIS degrees together with the tracks prepare students for the future by providing a study of the current state of computers and information sciences embedded within a well-rounded liberal arts education. In the following description, Computer Science and Computer Information Systems are both referred to as Computer and Information Systems. As a Computer and Information Systems major at Fredonia, a student may select a program that suits his/her career objectives and academic goals.
The department participates in the SUNY Learning Network program. Over the past several semesters, a number of courses have been offered on the Internet. For additional information, students should call 1-800-875-6269 or check their website.
Scholarships available to students in Computer and Information Systems include the John Beck Scholarship, the Arthur R. Maytum Scholarships, and the MACS Scholarships sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The scholarships are awarded annually on the recommendation of the computer and information sciences faculty.
Degree Programs in Computer and Information Sciences
The Computer and Information Sciences program offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with five options (tracks):
- Computer Theory (CT)
- Systems Software (SS)
- Applied Mathematics (AM)
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- General Majors (GM)
All five options contain a common core of fundamental courses in the science of computing, with essential emphasis on theory and practice. Further, courses in the Computer Theory (CT) track prepare graduates for post-graduate education in computer science and careers in the scientific computing sectors. The Systems Software (SS) track prepares graduates for systems level programming, design and networking. The Applied Mathematics (AM) track emphasizes computer applications with interdisciplinary opportunities in applied mathematics, while the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) track emphasizes applications in geographic information systems. The General Majors (GM) track is a general track and allows students more latitude to substitute among 400-level courses in meeting CS requirements. Currently, the primary languages of computer science instruction are C and C++ in the MS Windows and Unix environments.
In addition to the above degrees, the department also offers a minor in Computer Science and a minor in Computer Information Systems. The department also participates in the Cooperative Engineering program.
For further details about the programs in computer and information sciences, contact Khalid J. Siddiqui, chairperson of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences.
Internships
Experiential learning is encouraged through internships. Recently, students have successfully completed internships at AL Tech Specialty Steel, Chemical Process Corporation, Ultrapak, Buffalo General Hospital, Cummins Engine, M&T Bank, DFT Communications, and Radio Shack. Several internships pay honoraria or minimum wages. Many other opportunities exist on campus for students to earn money as tutors, laboratory proctors, or computer laboratory assistants.
Computer Laboratories and Equipment
The department manages its own laboratory (CSIT Lab) and has class scheduling rights to another laboratory in Fenton Hall. The CSIT Lab is maintained by a systems administrator and a staff of paid student assistants from the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. The main equipment in the lab consists of several SUN workstations running Unix, together with a cluster of 15 Pentium IV workstations running Windows and Linux. A Linux-based cluster of servers connected to a high-speed network provides Internet access. Popular software development tools such as C++, Java, Open GL and other utilities are available, in addition to standard Microsoft software packages such as Office and Visual Studio. The computers in the laboratory are accessible from various locations across the campus, including the residence halls. The other laboratory that is used by the department is primarily an instructional laboratory and houses a network of Intel-based workstations that run under Windows. Both of these facilities are dedicated to supporting instruction in the computer and information sciences programs. There are also several other microcomputer laboratories on campus.
Faculty and Student Research and Scholarship
The Department of Computer and Information Sciences faculty and majors are actively involved in various research activities such as participating in international, national, and regional conferences, workshops and seminars, and publishing their work in well-known journals and proceedings. With the cooperation of the Computer Science Club, the department frequently runs joint faculty and student colloquia. Several students have won research paper competitions, and our teams have successfully competed in regional programming competitions. Current areas of faculty and student research are computer networking, image processing, pattern recognition, knowledge engineering, data compression, theoretical computer science, remote sensing, natural languages, embedded processor applications, and interdisciplinary applications.
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