Academic Catalog

2024-2025

Department of Computer Science

Department website: https://www.cs.odu.edu/

Engineering & Computational Sciences Bldg.
4700 Elkhorn Ave, Suite 3300
Norfolk, VA 23529-0162

Ravi Mukkamala, Department Chair
Yaohang Li, Graduate Program Director - Admissions
Andrey Chernikov, Graduate Program Director – Master’s
Michele Weigle, Graduate Program Director – PhD

Programs

The Department of Computer Science offers programs leading to the Master of Science with a major in computer science, a linked five-year combined BSCS and MS with a major in computer science, and the Doctor of Philosophy in computer science. The Department of Computer Science also offers a Master of Science in computer science with an information and communications technology concentration (jointly with the Information Technology and Decision Sciences Department in the Strome College of Business). In support of these degree programs, the department has excellent state-of-the-art computing facilities.

Computer science traces its foundation to mathematics, logic, and engineering. Studies in computer science encompass theory, experimental techniques, and engineering methodology. The computer science curriculum exposes students to aspects of each of these disciplines and fosters an appreciation and understanding of them. Students are exposed to the broad theoretical basis of computer science through lecture and laboratory experience. The Department of Computer Science has a unique curricular model that applies computer science education to the real world. In addition, the Department of Computer Science offers a set of courses to professionals who need supplementary experience. A graduate of the computer science program will have a broad fundamental knowledge of the field and in-depth knowledge in a particular subject area. To acquire breadth, graduate students in the department are required to take core courses which together with the undergraduate core courses cover major aspects of computers and computation. 

The department's MS degrees are available both on-campus and online. At the master’s level, the department supports in-depth study in the following areas:

  • data science,
  • machine learning,
  • bioinformatics,
  • web science and digital libraries,
  • high performance computing,
  • cybersecurity,
  • data mining,
  • networking,
  • software engineering, and
  • computational foundations.

At the PhD level, areas of specialization are limited only by the interests of the available faculty.