Computer Science
- Degree Type Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Science
- Department Computer Science
- Academic Division The College
- Offerings Major Minor
Computer science at W&L provides a foundation in computing fundamentals, invariant principles and practices of the discipline including analysis, algorithm design and the selection of theoretical models, software and hardware systems, and historical, social, legal and ethical context of computing.
Computer Science
Computing has transformed life. Advances in computing have enabled breakthroughs in genetics, protein modeling, medicine, weather simulations and all scientific fields. Video games and movie graphics are increasingly realistic. Children acquire various skills using fun, educational software. The Internet has revolutionized commerce, transportation and communication. Policies and laws have been reimagined to account for the new world created in cyberspace.
As a general-purpose discipline, computer science attracts students from all types of backgrounds. The projects they work on are limited only by the human imagination. With a solid foundation in computer science, W&L students have the knowledge and skills to tackle tomorrow’s challenges. Since computing is integral to so many other disciplines, some students pursue computer science along with another major.
Honors Program
The Honors Program in computer science is an enrichment opportunity for students who demonstrate superior achievement in computer science. Honors work consists of research for and preparation of an honors thesis, followed by a presentation of the completed thesis at a departmental seminar to which the public is invited.
Research and Internship Opportunities
Students may pursue individual or team-based research projects under faculty supervision in many specialized areas, during either the summer or the academic year. Such projects have often led to honors theses and placements in highly selective graduate programs. Our students are encouraged to intern during the summer to gain industry experience at government labs and at small and large companies.
W&L’s Austin Molitor ’25 Awarded Goldwater Scholarship
Molitor is one of three W&L students selected for the scholarship this spring.
W&L’s Brandon Bishop ’26 Awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Fellowship
Starting in July, Bishop will participate in a year-long cultural immersion program in Germany.
Record Number of W&L Students Awarded Critical Language Scholarship
The Critical Language Scholarship Program funds a summer of overseas language and cultural immersion.
W&L Hosts 17th National Symposium of Theater in Academe
“Myth, Magic, and Madness” will feature a dynamic lineup of creative workshops, dramatic readings and staged productions March 21-22.
Ford Scott '25 enjoys the intersection of technology and the humanities and has furthered his interests through independent study and internships.
W&L’s Katie Yurechko Among 2024 Class of Marshall Scholars
Yurechko ’24 is the university’s first Marshall Scholar.
Nate Tsang of Riot Games to Deliver Lecture on Artificial Intelligence and Gaming
Tsang’s talk will be held on Dec. 1 at 5 p.m.
W&L’s Summer Research Scholars program gives students hands-on experience in collaborative research with faculty mentors.
W&L Student Co-Authors Paper Published Online by Sage Journals
Katie Yurechko ’24 presented research related to content creators circumventing TikTok’s content moderation algorithms.
W&L Student Attends Association for Computing Machinery Web Conference in Austin, Texas
Katie Yurechko ’24 presented on how algorithm awareness impacts algospeak use on TikTok.
W&L Students Place Second in the HooHacks Hackathon Event
Lakpa Sherpa ’25 and Ignas Volcokas ’25 designed a personal learning assistant that utilizes the power of artificial intelligence.
W&L’s Sarp Sahin ’26 Selected to Present at Sports Medicine Conference
First-year Johnson Scholar to offer preliminary research on foot-limb dominance and neuromuscular asymmetry in pediatric soccer players.
Meet the Faculty
At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Sara Sprenkle
Head, Department of Computer Science; Associate Professor of Computer Science
Sprenkle teaches courses in programming, software development, and upper-level electives in software engineering. Her research focuses on automatically testing web applications to make sure they are behaving properly.
Cody Watson
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
- P: 540-458-4872
- E: cwatson@wlu.edu
Watson teaches applications of deep learning in software engineering and the progression of software 2.0. Has recently been exploring the applications of software methodologies to deep learning-based solutions.
Taha Khan
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Khan teaches Fundamentals of Programming II. His research focuses on computer security, privacy and human-computer interaction, including cybercrime, commercial VPN services privacy, and privacy-centric management of longitudinal data in the personal cloud.
Simon Levy
Professor of Computer Science
- P: 540-458-8417
- E: levys@wlu.edu
Levy teaches courses on artificial intelligence, neural networks, and robotics. His current research involves high-fidelity simulation of autonomous aerial vehicles (drones).
Kefu Lu
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
- P: 540-458-8813
- E: klu@wlu.edu
Lu teaches introductory computer science, courses in computer science theory, and upper-level electives in parallel computing and big data analysis from both a data science and computer science perspective. He researches how to best harness the power of complex systems.
Elizabeth Matthews
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Matthews’ research interests include video game design, measuring enjoyment of digital media, and procedural content generation. She teaches courses in programming, software development and video game design.