Prospective Undergraduates

We are training the next generation of computer scientists. Aggressively sought after by leading industry innovators, our well-rounded graduates are eagerly recruited by industry leaders such as Microsoft, Google, Intel and Apple. And while the value in the job market of a degree in Computer Sciences from Johns Hopkins University is undeniable, it is the exposure to cutting edge research that creates its real value.

Our department offers a BS degree as the primary degree for undergraduates and a BA degree intended for students combining Computer Science with some other focus of study outside of Engineering. We also offer a Computer Engineering (CE) degree in partnership with the ECE department.

We invite you to view our welcome video for an overview of our department by the director of undergraduate studies.

Five Reasons to Study Computer Science at Hopkins

001. Because you will be treated as an individual, with unique goals and needs.

Our department is small enough that you can pursue an academic program that suits your interests and flexible enough that you’ll have the freedom to study across disciplines. And all of this will happen under the guidance of faculty who are among the world's top thinkers in their fields.

After receiving a balanced and broad foundation in computer science you can focus your studies on the specific areas that interest you most. And unlike most engineering programs, we offer both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in computer science to facilitate this customization. Many of our students double major and minor in other areas, combining computer science with entrepreneurship and management, computer integrated surgery, economics, robotics, cognitive science, and music.

010. Because everyone will know your name.

With a faculty to student ratio of 1:8, we will give you the individualized attention you deserve. Beginning your first year, you will work closely with a faculty advisor who knows you well, understands your academic and professional goals, and who will never ask you to “take a number!”

Students work in collaborative teams in many of our courses, creating bonds that sometimes form the basis for start-up ventures. Since students will take courses that interest them at different points in their curriculum, these relationships often span class years as well.

011. Because you'll have excellent research opportunities.

Our undergraduates are active in many interdisciplinary research centers and department labs, where they are mentored by faculty, work side-by-side with graduate students, and contribute to the creation of knowledge.

Often, your classes will not be textbook-based, but custom designed by our faculty to incorporate their latest research findings. You will be introduced to information and techniques before they are released to the outside word and be immersed in the field, from both a theory and application standpoint.

100. Because you will receive a well-rounded education and graduate ready for success.

Succeeding in the ever-evolving field of computer science requires more than a working knowledge of the discipline. Today, industry demands well-rounded students who have fundamental problem solving and communications skills to complement their specialized knowledge.

At Hopkins, we emphasize problem solving and help our students refine their analysis, evaluation, and communications skills‚ teaching them to think on their feet, articulate their ideas, and be persuasive. In short, we teach students how to be professionals.

101. Because you want to work hard and play hard too.

As a freshman, you will take M&Ms‚ a course in which small groups of students discuss a wide range of computing problems with professors while munching on, you guessed it, M&Ms! The class sets the tone for our department: serious intellectual discourse leavened with a big dose of fun.

Additionally, we sponsor three active student groups. If you like playing with Linux, wikis, blogs, devices, or other computer pastimes, you can join the student Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) chapter. Through Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the International Honor Society for Computing and Information Disciplines, you can take part in student outreach and tutoring, and Women in Computer Science (WiCS) holds monthly meetings that include an informal presentation, food, and general socializing, as well as less structured weekly “coding circles.”

Program Concentrations

Here are some of the most popular program concentrations for majors in computer science, reflecting the particular strengths of the department and school:

General Computer Science (the option of no option)
Interactive Systems: Robotics, Graphics, Vision
Natural Language Processing
Computer Systems
Computer Security
Computer Integrated Surgery
Software Engineering
Video Game Design

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