The Computer Science (CS) program at CBU is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce as successful Software Engineers (SEs), while simultaneously equipping them with the fundamental understanding of computing systems and theory needed to enter graduate school or advance the state of the art in computing design. Students learn the fundamentals of object-oriented programming, data structures and algorithms, through multiple languages, to build a foundation for advanced coursework in computing systems and theory, including graphics, database design, computer architecture, operating systems, networks, compilers and language design.

The strong programming and algorithmic core also serves as the foundation for a state-of-the art Software Engineering core, which includes coursework using modern coding platforms and design paradigms in areas including mobile app design, web app design, cloud platform and app design, internet-of-things/embedded systems, the software development lifecycle and agile development. Platforms, languages and content for courses in the Software Engineering core are informed by current industry standards/practices and are typically either significantly or completely revamped every 2-3 years to stay on top of the fast-changing landscape of Computer Science and Software Engineering.

Students leverage their Software Engineering coursework to identify a problem and create a significant group-based Junior Design “software product (solution),” which is ideated, designed, planned and built in the context of a tech startup company; during their Senior year, students embark on a year-long, group-based Senior Capstone project where they work with a client to gather requirements, plan and build a significant software and/or hardware product to solve a customer problem.

Modern concentrations are available in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) and Cybersecurity. The AI & ML concentration, in combination with the CS Math core (taken by all CS students), is designed to produce the foundation for students to target a career as a ML Engineer or a graduate student pathway interested in designing the fundamental machine learning algorithms used by practitioners and engineers. Coursework in the AI & ML concentration offers students significant learning and practice in the important AI/ML subfields of search-based AI, shallow and deep learning, data mining and natural language processing. The math core offered by the CS program ensures students have the proper theoretical training in probability, statistics and linear algebra to understand and enhance machine learning algorithms with respect to algorithmic and mathematical design or tweak high-level ML applications with purpose.

The Cybersecurity concentration serves two goals: to prepare students to enter the field in a CS/SE position specifically aimed at cybersecurity and/or to inform the “common” (i.e., non-cybersecurity-focused) Software Engineer and Computer Scientist how to write software and/or create computing systems with security in mind. Coursework in this concentration uses modern tools and languages and covers important areas such as information security, data forensics, cryptography, incident threat and response, network traffic analysis and the design of secure systems.

Graduates of the Computer Science program at CBU often earn jobs immediately upon graduation with titles and/or responsibilities such as Software Engineer, Software Developer, Full-Stack Developer, Mobile Developer, Web Developer, Embedded Systems Engineer, Cloud Computing Backend Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, Cybersecurity Engineer/Analyst, and more. Graduates of the CS program are equipped with the skillset to work at and are hired at startups, medium-sized companies and multi-national tech giants, while some earn entry into top graduate schools and choose to earn their M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science.

Through the College of Engineering at California Baptist University the Computer Science degree program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Computer Science and Similarly Named Computing Programs Program Criteria.