Merging Analysis, Tech & Practicality
UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science (CS) program goes beyond traditional learning. It immerses you in a world where your interests and career goals shape your educational journey. This program combines analytical skill-building, technical mastery, and hands-on experiences. Here, you will be crafting user-friendly, graphically rich software solutions tailored for numerous industries and applications, all through our distinctive polytechnic approach that emphasizes applied learning and real-world problem-solving.
UW-Stout's Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
$68K Average Salary for Graduates
Career-Defining Curriculum
UW-Stout's Computer Science program offers a dynamic blend of theory and practice, equipping students with in-demand skills in areas like cybersecurity, game development, and web programming. Its comprehensive curriculum—emphasizing hands-on learning in programming, algorithm design, and database management—prepares graduates for successful careers in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
Program Overview
Program Concentrations
You'll obtain industry experience applying your computing skills through a co-op or internship during the summer prior to your junior or senior year. This is in addition to hands-on capstone courses in which you work in a team to design, implement, test and deliver a fully-functional software application to a client.
National Ranking
Our game design and development concentration is among the very best in the nation. That’s according to new rankings from Princeton Review, an educational services company that surveyed 150 colleges and universities with game design majors. The 2021 rankings put UW-Stout at No. 6 in the U.S. among public universities, as well as the No. 1 ranking in Wisconsin.
Modern games are among the most demanding of computer programming applications, requiring knowledge of advanced mathematics and physics which form the basis of the 3D graphics, artificial intelligence and game engines that make up the game programs.
Mobile device use is exploding. New data storage, processing and display technologies have allowed tablets and other portable devices to do nearly anything that had previously been done with larger personal computers. To be successful in either industry, you must be skilled in computer science and be able to work in teams.
We are living in the 'Digital Age.' Computer programs continue to permeate every aspect of our lives. Every industry uses computers and requires professionals that have skills in computer science. Individuals depend on computing for everyday activities from social networking to entertainment.
The Computer Science program consists of a full computer science major and a mathematics minor, as well as a concentration area. Courses emphasis the need for user-friendly, graphically-based software.
"At UW-Stout, I acquired top-notch skills that deepened my knowledge in Computer Science. The internships I took taught me how to be efficient. I am grateful to my professors, classmates, advisors, and co-workers for their keen hospitality, ideas, and instructions."
-- Hassen MaamriB.S. Computer Science
STEM OPT Extension Advantage for International Students
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.
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New First-Year Students
- There are no additional requirements for new first-year students.
Transfer Students - Spring 2023
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- earn a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5 or higher from the last institution attended
and - earn a grade of "C" or higher for all math and computer science courses already taken
and - complete the equivalent of UW-Stout's MATH 121 Intro to College Math II (trigonometry or pre-calculus) or a higher level math course with a grade of "C" or better.
If you do not meet all of the academic requirements above, but you do meet the requirements for general admission to the university, you will be admitted as an Undeclared student. You may then apply for a change of major in subsequent semesters.
Transfer Students - Fall 2023+
- There are no additional requirements for new transfer students. Students accepted into the university will be admitted directly into the major.
High school preparation should include four years of English as well as four years of mathematics. A physics course and as many computer science or other science classes as possible are recommended.
During your first semesters at UW-Stout, you'll enroll in a combination of general education and major courses. General education courses, including English composition, speech, science and others, are required of all students at UW-Stout. Your schedule will include introductory major courses in computer science and mathematics. To discuss your academic progress and future course work, you'll meet regularly with your adviser. Together you'll develop an academic plan for graduation to help you achieve your career objectives. Good student-faculty rapport is a UW-Stout tradition, and you'll get to know your teachers during your first year.
After you complete introductory courses in the major, your schedule each semester will include core courses in your concentration along with course work in computer science.
A co-op/internship experience is required as an integral part of your education. It will give you hands-on experience in industry, allowing you to acquire an appreciation of career expectations and an understanding of the relevance of your academic course work. You'll develop communication and interpersonal skills while obtaining valuable work experience in your field. In addition, these are salaried positions so the experience helps to pay your educational costs.
Program Educational Objectives
The Computer Science program’s educational objectives are based on the mission of the university to create career-focused graduates who solve real-world problems, grow the economy and serve a global society. The educational objectives of the program, which the graduates can achieve within a few years of graduation, are:
- To obtain employment in industry, government, small businesses and organizations successfully using the skills they acquired in computer science and related fields.
- To contribute to the advancement of computing through leadership, teamwork, communication, and applying computing expertise to solving problems in a dynamically changing world.
- To continuously learn and adapt to the changing environment created by societal and technical influences through continued career growth and professional development.
Student Outcomes
The Computer Science program develops graduates who have 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 the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- 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 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Guide to Industries states that " Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. Others develop the underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks.” Employment in software development is projected to increase nationally by 22 percent through 2029. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development predicts a 16.4 percent increase in the number of software developers.
The knowledge and skills gained in the Game Design and Development concentration are applicable in any software development position. The game entertainment industry is the most recognized, but game development skills are also used for serious purposes, such as military training, education, personal medical assistance, and business simulations. The video game industry is an emerging industry in Wisconsin. Raven Software, of Middleton, is the largest and most established (1990). Other Wisconsin companies include Human Head Studios (Madison), Guild Software (Milwaukee), Filament Games (Madison), Learning Games Network (Madison), PerBlue (Madison), ZyMo Entertainment (Green Bay), and Digital Iris (Milwaukee).
Mobile applications are developed by many industries for customer convenience and internal use. Creating successful apps requires knowledge in various areas such as programming, human-computer interface, databases, graphics, security, and web/internet programming. Personally, we use apps to interact with our mobile devices, but ultimately with each other. Social media continues to grow and apps allow us to get our daily news and information, talk to our friends, post our photos, watch videos, and more.
Job Titles
- Game Software Engineer
- Game Programmer
- Mobile Software Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Software Developer
- Web Application Developer
- Programmer
- Information Assurance Engineer
Companies
- Big John Games (Nintendo games)
- King Show Games (casino games)
- HB Studios (console games for EA)
- Concrete Software (mobile games)
- Degica (publisher of RPG Maker)
- Acuity
- Boeing Defense Products
- Thomson-Reuters
- Lockheed Martin
- Rockwell Automation
- Target Corporation
- 3KeyLogic
- Magenic Technologies
- Menards/Midwest Manufacturing
Advisory Committee Members
| Seth | Berrier | Professor; Program Director | UW-Stout |
| Matthew | Christian | Associate Game Programmer | Roundhouse Studios |
| Greg | Collins | Lead Software Configuration Management Engineer | Thomson Reuters |
| Adam | Duquaine | Chief Information Officer | Menard Inc. |
| Seth | Dutter | Professor; Program Director, B.S. Applied Mathematics & Computer Science | UW-Stout |
| Ben | Geisler | Chief Executive Officer | Thawed Codebase |
| Petre (Nelu) | Ghenciu | Professor; Chair, Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science Department | UW-Stout |
| Rick | Hallet | Director, Research & Development | The Village Companies |
| Ryan | Ketterer | Director, IT Development Services | Marshfield Clinic |
| Ryan | Konwinski | IT Manager | Leerburg |
| Terrence | Mason | Professor | UW-Stout |
| Jeff | Newquist | Senior Engine Programmer | Epic Games |
| Travis | Phillips | Technical Architect | Terso Solutions |
| Michael | Rooney | Gameplay Programmer | Epic Games |
| Dennis | Schmidt | Lecturer | UW-Stout |
| James | Sexton | Site Manager | Leidos |
| Kayla | Staples | Student | UW-Stout |
| Scott | Turner | Assistant Professor | UW-Stout |
