The VCU College of Engineering is etched into the landscape of Richmond, giving students access to a culturally vibrant and diverse city full of potential. We focus on developing close partnerships with public institutions and private businesses in order to give you unique learning and job opportunities.

Bachelor’s program students also have access to benefits like:

• Faculty who are industry experts, finding innovative solutions to sustainability problems as respected leaders in their fields with well-funded labs and industry partnerships
• Design your own path to education with flexible electives and three concentrations to choose from: data science, cybersecurity and software engineering
• Dedicated Career Services department that provides internship and employment opportunities
• Industry connections through college partnerships with public and private industry
• Interdisciplinary education to teach collaboration with engineering practitioners outside your field of study

Reference the VCU Bulletin for a full list of computer science classes. Below are a few interesting courses from the program:

Algorithm Analysis with Advanced Data Structures (CMSC 401): Gain understanding of data structures like multiple linked lists, height-balanced trees, B-trees, hashing and graph representation by incorporating these data structures into object-oriented design. You’ll analyze various searching and sorting algorithms and investigate algorithm design topics like divide-and-conquer, dynamic programming and greedy methods.

Artificial Intelligence (CMSC 436): You’ll learn topics that cover problem spaces, problem-solving methods, game playing, knowledge representatives, expert systems, natural language understanding.

Data Communication and Networking (CMSC 440): Explore computer networking with focus on applications and protocols that run on the Internet. You’ll investigate layered network architecture, studying applications and then proceeding down the network “stack” toward the physical link to computers. Examine the operation of applications such as the web, FTP, e-mail and DNS. At the transport layer, you’ll study both connectionless UDP and connection-oriented TCP, with an in-depth study of TCP operation, specifically flow control and congestion control. Data communications is also covered through various data routing protocols. Additional topics include network security and wireless/mobile networking.

An undergraduate degree in computer science with a concentration in data science can facilitate career advancement in a number of industries like:

• For-profit and nonprofit organizations
• Product and service organizations
• Manufacturers
• Financial companies
• Insurance companies
• Print and electronic media outlets
• Software and technology companies
• Internet companies
• Consulting firms

Consider possibilities like:

• Computer and Information Research Scientists: Computer and information research scientists design innovative uses for new and existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, science, medicine, and other fields.
• Data Scientists: Data scientists develop algorithms (sets of instructions that tell computers what to do) and models to support programs for machine learning. They use machine learning to classify or categorize data or to make predictions related to the models. Scientists also must test the algorithms and models for accuracy, including for updates with newly collected data. Data scientists often use data visualization software to present their findings as charts, maps, and other graphics. Visualization techniques allow data scientists to clearly communicate their analyses to technical and nontechnical audiences, including colleagues, managers, and clients. Ensuring that audiences understand the information helps data scientists make recommendations for business decisions or process changes based on the results of their analysis.
• Operations research analysts: Operations research analysts may be involved in many aspects of an organization. For example, they may help managers decide how to allocate resources, develop production schedules, oversee the supply chain, and set prices.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides valuable insights into the field of data science, including salary trends, projected job growth and industry demand. As you research and consider your educational options, take advantage of these resources to align your academic path with promising career opportunities.

Data scientists

• Summary
• What They Do
• Work Environment
• How to Become One
• Pay
• Job Outlook
• State & Area Data
• Similar Occupations

Related Computer Science Jobs and their outlook insights

With the help of our Career Services team, VCU College of Engineering graduates have many opportunities to network with alumni and industry professionals. Our students work at companies like:

• Black Knight Technology Inc.
• Blue River Technology
• Brightspot
• CACI
• Capital One
• CoStar Group
• Cotiviti
• Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
• Genworth
• HP
• Micron Technology Inc.
• Microsoft
• MITRE Corporation
• NT Concepts
• UST