Computer Science

BYU’s computer science program is top-rated and has won numerous awards. CS graduates are actively recruited by major computer corporations with many graduating with a full-time job. Our undergrad research programs is unlike any other. Check out the research tab for more information.

As a BYU undergrad, you will have access to great department full of equipment as well as the expert help of professors and TAs. Student resources also include an online CS documentation project where you can go to find technical information about Linux, Windows, and general programming tools that will help make you more efficient in your class projects and teach you the languages that you will someday use in the work force.

The relationships you build here through mentored teaching and unsurpassed undergrad research are valuable resources that will be helpful throughout your life. At BYU, you’ll approach science in a way that is both spiritually strengthening and intellectually enlarging. You’ll address real scientific questions in the light of the Gospel.

Undergraduate research makes classroom learning come alive and can help propel you into a professional career. You will have the opportunity to put your book knowledge into practice by working on real-life problems that are important to you, while gaining technical and research skills that will prepare you for careers and higher education.

BYU is a pioneer in this area—one of the few universities that allows undergrad students to work side by side with professors on research projects. This means that even though you may be fresh out of high school, you could find yourself assisting professors and grad students in developing technology that may someday be used by millions. Some students are even paid during their mentorships.

Undergraduate students can do research in six areas. Specific projects within these areas include helping computers learn ancient languages, programming a computer program that can create its own art, teaching robots to help autistic children and much more.

• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Students research Bayesian reasoning, neural networks and learning algorithms, robotics, data mining, natural language processing, multi-agent learning, and computational computing.

• Computational Science & Control

Students work on DNA mapping, evolutionary family trees, biological network reconstruction, computational finance, computational economics, computational social science, organizational dynamics, feedback systems, predictive modeling, and control.

• Computer Networks, Systems, & Security

Students research computer security, networking, internet applications, programming language design, software model checking, and distributed algorithms and protocol design.

• Data & Text Analysis

Student research includes information retrieval, database applications, data engineering, data mining, data extraction, and natural language processing.

• Graphics & Computer Vision

Students work on animation, computer generated natural phenomena, advanced 3D graphics, computer vision, image processing, computer-aided design, isogeometric analysis, hyperdimensional graphics, and family history technology.

• Software Engineering & Human-Computer Interaction

Student research includes human-computer interaction, user interface design, interactive television, human-robot interaction, assistive robotics, empirical methods for software engineering, and software development teams.

People come from all over to use BYU’s facilities and equipment. CS resources include tablets, robotics, 3D projectors, hi-def TVs, multiple types of hand-held devices, and enough computer stations to accommodate each student. Specific labs in the Computer Science Department include:

• Computational Science Lab 

Contains equipment used to investigate algorithms for solving problems in computational biology, chemistry, and physics.

• Computer Graphics, Vision, & Image Processing Lab 

Contains equipment for researching anything related to digital graphics and image processing.

• Fulton Supercomputing Lab 

Houses 933 servers comprised of 9,880 processor cores supported by over 100 terabytes of high performance storage. Undergrad students can set up their own account and process a years’ worth of data in only a few days.

• Internet Research Lab

Contains instruments used to explore ways to progress the internet by advancing its reach, improving infrastructure, and extending services.

• Internet Security Research Lab 

Houses equipment used to improve the safety of the internet and establish trust between users.

• Neural Network & Machine Learning Lab 

Includes equipment used in predictive modeling, pattern/audio/facial recognition, and other techniques of artificial intelligence to advance machine learning.

• Object-oriented System Modeling Lab

Includes equipment used in engineering methods for object-oriented software systems.

• Performance Evaluation Lab

Contains tools that specialize in measuring and analyzing computer system performance to make improvements to hardware and software systems.

• Verification & Validation Lab

Contains tools to quickly detect errors in formal models of complex devices.

Computers are everywhere -people who know how to “talk code” will never be hard pressed to find a job. Jobs you could get with an undergraduate degree in computer science include working as a:

With an undergraduate degree in computer science you could earn:

*Industry-wide estimate from: payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp

Many of our students go on to get advanced degrees and additional experience that broaden their career opportunities. BYU alumni have found jobs with companies including: