Computer Science Breaks Pre-Semester Advisement Record

Fargo, ND, August 04, 2017 --(PR.com)-- In an era where headlines of declining on-campus enrollment are common, the NDSU Computer Science Department is seeking increased interest. The department, yesterday, broke – by two students – its previous record-breaking pre-semester undergraduate advisement numbers from last year. What makes this all the more notable is that one more pre-semester advisement session remains before the start of the 2017-2018 academic year.

In the past year, the department has launched numerous new student involvement opportunities related to cyber security, robotics, virtual reality and other topics. These efforts have borne fruit in terms of increased student enrollment in the department’s programs.

“It continues to be an exciting time in the Computer Science Department,” commented Computer Science Professional Advisor Joan Krush, who met with the incoming students. “We’re excited to have a new cohort of students joining us in the fall. They will have numerous opportunities to get involved within the Computer Science Department and at NDSU to enhance their undergraduate experience.”

The department offers undergraduate programs including a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and a Computer Science minor for students from other departments. Only students aiming to pursue Bachelor’s degrees are included in the advisement count (as students are not scheduled to receive pre-semester advisement related to minors). The department also offers master’s and doctoral degrees in Computer Science and Software Engineering and a graduate certificate in cyber security. New this year, for undergraduates, is the ability to receive a department issued recognition in cyber security, if students take a sequence of relevant courses.

“There is so much going on,” noted Computer Science Asst. Prof. Jeremy Straub. “We have students competing – and winning – at the highest levels in academic competitions. We also have numerous students involved in cutting-edge research within the department.”

A group of students, led by NDSU Computer Science freshman Abdullah Almosalami and advised by Straub recently won a technical design award in the nation’s oldest aerial robotics (commonly called drones) competition. Other students were recently recognized for their work with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on 3D printing.

“It is very exciting to see that the number of new freshmen computer science majors being advised in the summer is up again this year,” said Department Chair Kendall Nygard. “This is strong evidence that our programs and our reputation are excellent – in short, NDSU is the place to be for studying computer science at the university level. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

The NDSU Computer Science Department was founded in 1988 (though computer science courses were offered as part of Mathematical Sciences since 1973). It occupies 7,460 square feet in NDSU’s Quentin Burdick Building and has approximately 600 graduate and undergraduate student majors.