Departmental Fact Sheet
IntroductionComputing & Information Science (CIS) is a broad term, referring to programming, networking, analysis and design of computer systems, etc. The field is fairly new and rapidly changing. To succeed in it, one needs to have good logical thinking skills, the ability to deal with detail and abstraction, and enthusiasm for producing computer solutions. This is a good field for women, as they often excel at the teamwork and communications skills sought by industry. Abilities in mathematics and the sciences are usually good predictors of success. The department offers a major, leading to a B.S. degree, and a minor. Link-to-Learn GrantThe CIS department was the recipient of a state Link-to-Learn Information Technology Workforce Development grant. The grant project was designed to "attract, retain, and graduate information technology students with the knowledge and skills that match the needs of Pennsylvania employers." The project maked possible new computer hardware and software, mentoring, and new internship possibilities for students, etc. See the Information Technology Workforce Development Grant Project page for further details. NSF-CIS Scholarship ProgramSaint Vincent College was awarded over $360,000 by the National Science Foundation for this scholarship program for CIS majors. This project began in Spring 2002 and is still ongoing for current students already on these scholarships. However, it is now past the deadline for new students to apply for these scholarships. See the NSF Scholarship Program page for more details. The CIS MajorTo complete a major in Computing & Information Science, one takes a standard list of required computing classes and several computing elective classes. The exact courses taken must be chosen to fit a concentration in Computer Science or a concentration in Information Technology. All CIS majors must take at least two mathematics courses (calculus I and II). In the senior year one does a capstone project. See the Saint Vincent College Bulletin (or the above links for the Computer Science and Information Technology concentrations) for complete details on the major in CIS. The CIS MinorThe minor in Computing & Information Science is a flexible one that can be customized in many ways. For example, it can be specialized to fit an interest in computer security, web technologies, etc. It requires that one take six computing classes, subject to a few restrictions. The minor is a useful addition to almost any major, but is particularly helpful for those majoring in mathematics, business, or one of the sciences. See the Saint Vincent College Bulletin for complete details on the minor in CIS. Hardware and SoftwareThe department runs a computer lab of 20 PCs. The lab has a multimedia projector as well. In addition, there is a PC and multimedia projector in the classroom used by the department. The department also runs both a Windows server and a Unix server. These are used to manage the lab PCs, to run web server software, to run the Oracle database, etc. All of these computers are on the campus network and thus have access to the Internet. Available software includes compilers (for languages such as C++, C, Java, Visual Basic, Prolog, FORTRAN), assembler, office suite software, web browsers, graphics and web development software, etc. Faculty
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