Computer Science Department

Department Faculty

Jeff Humphries
John M. Hunt

Department Goals

This is an exciting time to be involved in computer science and information technology. Recent developments coupled with the promise of future advances provide strong motivation for engaging the discipline at all levels.

The department fully embraces the College purpose of educating with Christ preeminent and bringing all things captive to Him. All disciplines of study are to be engaged including the study of computation in its many forms and computer science more specifically. Every effort is made to have the students in the program relate their computer science content to their Christian worldview.

To ensure a rigorous academic standard in computer science courses, the current joint curricular guidelines of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) are used in the development of those courses and their content. The current standard implemented is that approved in 2008.

The department goals include:

the offering of the major in Computer Science;
the offering of the major in Computer Science with a concentration in cyber security;
the offering of a minor in Computer Science;
the offering of department courses needed by other majors to enhance those programs;

The programs offered provide a balanced consideration of theory and application within the computing sciences. Faculty are genuinely interested in working directly with students to facilitate timely progress in the development of knowledge and skills in the discipline. We invite all who have interest in computer science and related disciplines to inquire.

Department Laptop Policy

All students taking COS courses at the 200, 300, and 400 level (with the exception of COS 260 and COS 492 ) must provide their own laptop computer on which they can install course related software. They will be expected to bring this laptop, with installed software, to class, labs, and use it for assignments. The laptop must run one of the following operating systems:

MS Windows 7 or higher
Mac OS 10.5 or higher
Linux

The laptop should have at least 4 Gb of RAM and 20 Gb of free disk space and a wireless network connection compatible with Covenant’s network. Most courses require the installation of the current version of Eclipse, which in turn uses the current version of Java. In addition some courses require the installation of software specific to the course. In general this course specific software will be available without charge.

Students have a choice between a major in Computer Science with a concentration in software development or a major in Computer Science with a concentration in cyber security. Both require 51 hours in the major. Each concentration has four unique courses. Students must complete all the requirements in at least one concentration to graduate. Students in one concentration may take courses in the other as electives, but they will not satisfy requirements for their concentration unless approved by the department. Students may take both concentrations but must fully complete the concentration to receive credit.

Programs

Major

Minor and Concentrations

Computer Science Minor

Courses

Computer Science