CS Program's Objectives & Outcomes

The Computer Science program of William Paterson University evolved from a three-track minor program in 1974 to a Bachelor of Science in 1981. Since then, it has gone through many revisions in order to meet the needs of the community, the students, and the industry. Its last major revision was approved by the University and implemented in fall 1997. Our CS program is based on ACM/IEEE undergraduate curriculum guidelines. Throughout these years, the goal of this program has been and continues to be a high quality curriculum that prepares students for graduate studies and for leadership roles and life-long learning as they undertake professional careers in computing. The followings are the latest (revised on March 2026) program educational objectives and student outcomes as part of our ABET accreditation efforts.

CS Program's Educational Objectives

The Computer Science program is designed to achieve the following objectives:

  1. Provide a supportive and intellectually stimulating learning environment that promotes excellence in teaching, research, and creative scholarly activities.
  2. Foster student success and academic excellence while encouraging community engagement and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.
  3. Prepare students for successful careers and advanced studies in computing by challenging them to achieve high levels of intellectual, professional, and personal development.
  4. Provide a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and computer science principles, enabling graduates to apply this knowledge effectively in professional practice or advanced academic pursuits.
  5. Develop students’ ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in professional and technical contexts.
  6. Promote ethical awareness and professional responsibility by cultivating students’ understanding of ethical, legal, and societal issues related to computing technologies.
  7. Provide a comprehensive curriculum that covers fundamental topics such as algorithms, data structures, software design, programming languages, computer organization, networking, security, and artificial intelligence while offering advanced coursework that develops both breadth and depth of knowledge.
  8. Emphasize analytical thinking, problem analysis, and solution design throughout the program to prepare students for complex computing challenges.

CS Program's Student Outcomes

Graduates of the Computer Science program will be able to:

  1. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional and technical contexts.
  2. Apply mathematical foundations and principles relevant to the discipline of computer science.
  3. Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to design and develop computing-based solutions.
  4. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team, collaborating to accomplish goals in computing-related projects.
  5. Locate, evaluate, and effectively use information relevant to computing problems and solutions.
  6. Design, implement, and evaluate computing-based solutions that meet specified requirements within the context of the discipline.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of major programming paradigms and select appropriate programming languages or technologies for specific applications.
  8. Analyze complex computing problems and apply principles of computing and related disciplines to identify and implement appropriate solutions.
  9. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments based on legal, ethical, and societal considerations in computing practice.