Computer Science (BS) - College of Engineering & Applied Science

You’ll have plenty of opportunities for real-world experience when you earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at UWM.

Computer scientists write the software that bring computers to life, including programs for social networks, computer games and data analytics. They develop websites, create applications for mobile devices, and understand the theoretical aspects of working with computers.

They are sought after for roles including data scientists, web developers, computer programmers, systems analysts, software engineers, network architects and mobile app developers. You don’t need prior Computer Science experience to pursue this major at UWM.

Program Type

Major, Minor

Program Format

On Campus

Career Outlook

Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. *

Those with bachelor’s degrees earn median salaries ranging from $83,510 (network and computer systems administrators) to $112,690 (computer network architects). *

* U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

According to Code.org:

Wisconsin has averaged 9,705 open computing jobs each month.
These jobs have an average salary of $80,546.

Yet there were only 1,261 graduates in computer science in 2018.

Northwestern Mutual employees work with UWM computer science students on capstones. (UWM Photo/Troye Fox)

What to Expect

Increased speed to graduation

Our new and redesigned curriculum makes it easier and faster for you to complete your degree. You’ll also find greater flexibility in the electives available to customize your experience.

What makes our program stand out

This major will provide you with a strong and broad technical background in computer science and related areas.

You can elect to specialize in one of these areas::

Artificial intelligence, data mining & machine learning
Computer architecture & hardware
Computer graphics & human-computer interfaces
Computer networks & operating systems
Computer security & information security systems
Databases & information systems
Medical & bio-informatics
Programming languages & compilers
Theory & algorithms

Honors

You will be eligible for these honors in the major during your studies and upon completing your degree.

Students at UWM have many opportunities to earn honors recognition.

UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science program provides many opportunities to pair classroom learning with hands-on experiences outside the classroom. The college’s location in Wisconsin’s largest city, with a broad network of industry partnerships, gives you easy access to well-paid internships and co-ops, as well as other important opportunities to enhance your resume.

Did you know?

93 percent of UWM engineering and computer science students complete paid, work-related experiences including internships, co-ops and research opportunities
91 percent land a job or commit to graduate school before graduation.

_{SOURCE: UWM First Destination Survey, December 2019}

Our students have had many hands-on opportunities to develop their skills and to determine what type of career experience they would like after graduation, while often earning a significant paycheck over summer breaks and even during the academic year.

Here are some of the businesses where our computer science students have had internships, co-ops or begun their careers:

Amazon
Baird
Blue Yonder
Direct Supply
FIS
GE Healthcare
Johnson Controls
Kohl’s
Northwestern Mutual
Rockwell Automation

In your senior year, you’ll team up with other students to complete a Capstone Project, during which you’ll use what you’ve learned in class to complete an experience similar to a real-world employer project. Past students have created online games, apps, management software and more.

Some students elect to work with Northwestern Mutual, who mentors many of our students in their Capstone Projects. This partnership –between the college and a Fortune 500 company in downtown Milwaukee – was created because computer science technologies are evolving so quickly, industries are having a hard time finding people with the exact skill set they need.

Data Science Club at UWM

A medium for collaborative and interdisciplinary discussions, support, and awareness of best practices in the diverse and rapidly growing field of data science.

Game Design & Development

Members come together and construct projects and ideas from all sides of gaming.

Google Developers Group at UWM

Members explore programming technology and enhance their skills in computer-related categories.

The Computer Society

Encourages education enrichment in computer science and related fields; provides opportunities for social activities with faculty members.

Robotics Association at UWM

Members design, build, test, program and compete in robotic competitions against universities from around the world.

Women in Computing

Dedicated to promoting diversity in computer science and tech through outreach; provides professional, academic and social support to women interested in computer science and technology.

For full descriptions and contact information of all engineering and computer science related student organizations and clubs, click here.

Big Data Analytics and Visualization Lab

This lab is focused on developments of new computational approaches and software tools for various types of massive data processing, data mining and visualization using both knowledge-based and data-driven techniques.

BioRobotics Laboratory

This lab works with previously gathered data in order to create a design whose aim is to assist disabled individuals.

Connected Systems Institute

This lab works with students, faculty and private sector partners to help ensure that industry has the talent it needs to benefit fully from Industrial Internet of Things connectivity.

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

This lab strives to enhance people’s health and well-being by designing software that will help identify health problems early, suggest a plan of action, and provide evidence that justifies that plan.

Resource Rooms

UWM students have a wealth of additional resources available to them within the College of Engineering & Applied Science. From computer labs and tutoring resources to teaching labs and spaces to create or collaborate. Details here.

As a top tier R1 research university, our students have the opportunity to work with faculty engaged in leading-edge research in areas such as:

Object-oriented programming
Cryptography
Computational robotics
Intelligent dialog systems
Artificial intelligence
Extensible languages

Undergraduates in Computer Science also have the opportuntiy to get paid to do research with UWM’s SURF (Support for Undergraduate Research Fellows) Program which has a profound impact on students’ preparation and advancing to graduate programs. The SURF program helps students to improve professional preparation through research by closely working with our faculty to explore, discover, and transform ideas into reality.

Both graduates and undergraduates have the opportunity to participate in the annual Student Research Poster Competition to see who can best represent their research visually on a poster and verbally by describing it to judges.

This optional course is co-taught by an engineering professor and an art professor. Interdisciplinary teams of student engineers, artists and designers present ideas professionally, deliver presentations and take an idea from concept to design to prototype.

Directed by the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, the UWM Student Startup Challenge is an optional, co-curricular program that fosters our students’ innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. You can work alone or as part of a team as you gain the skills that come from entrepreneurial experience.

Where You’ll Work

Computer scientists work for large corporations, small startups, non-profits, academia and the government.

Having an internship provided me with large-scale practical experience that will help me in my future career.

Ben (Internship, then Career Launch at Amazon)Alumnus, BS Computer Science

What You Might Do

Design and build data communication networks.
Oversee the day-to-day operation of computer networks.
Create the applications or systems that run on a computer or another device.
Use specialized software to store and organize data.
Write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly.
Plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.
Find more effective and efficient solutions for an organization’s current computer system.
Create the applications or systems that run on a computer or another device.