Washington & Jefferson College

The Computing and Information Studies Program at Washington & Jefferson College has the dual mission of preparing students to take a leadership role in the area of information technology independent of the career or graduate education paths they pursue and of contributing to the interdisciplinary uses of information technology across the Washington & Jefferson curriculum. Designed to be an interdisciplinary program, the CIS curriculum comprises aspects of history, sociology, psychology, communication, art, design, science, and mathematics. The program stresses problem solving and effective communication skills while addressing issues in computational thinking, visual culture, interaction design, information management and analysis, systems development, and security.

The CIS program offers both a major and a minor, designed to give students a strong background in a breadth of approaches to computing. Students select from a range of electives while ensuring they have a solid grounding in not just effective coding and production, but also user-focused design and interaction, and formal modeling and analysis.

Students with an interest in a particular subfield within computing are encouraged to consider other programs or concentrations associated with the program as well, such as Environmental Studies; Film and Video Studies; Graphic Design; Mind, Brain, and Behavior; or Professional Writing. Students majoring in other fields looking for a computing course to complement their studies are encouraged to consider CIS 100, CIS 112, CIS 246, CIS 271 or CIS 275.

For more information, please contact Professor Amanda Holland-Minkley.