About Our Department

The general computer science departmental objectives are:

1. Continuous review and improvement of our undergraduate programs to ensure that all graduates remain competitive for quality jobs,
2. Continuous review and improvement of our service courses to ensure that they meet the needs of students and community members in successful ways,
3. Enhancement of our M.S. and Ph.D. programs to ensure that our graduates are nationally competitive,
4. Expansion of our research activities,
5. Expansion of our service activities to provide more varied and extensive service to the state and region, including leadership and participation in economic development activities, and
6. Development of increased cooperation with other departments at North Dakota State University and with departments at other schools in the state.

North Dakota State University has offered Computer Science since 1973. The first courses were offered in the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (now the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering).  A Bachelor of Science degree first was offered in 1977 and an M.S. in Computer Science started in 1979.  The Ph.D. in Computer Science was added in 1986. The Department initiated the B.S. in Management Information Systems (MIS) in 1988. A Graduate Certificate, an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Software Engineering were added in 2002. Another graduate certificate, in Electronic Commerce first was offered in 2002 as well.

The Division of Mathematical Sciences split into three departments: Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science and Operations Research in 1988.  Ken Magel served as the first Department Chair.  In 1996, Ken Nygard became Department Chair.  In 2005, Ken Magel replaced Ken Nygard as Chair while the Department sought a Head at the direction of the University administration.  The main differences between a Chair and a Head are that the Head does not teach, serves an unlimited term, and can be replaced only by the upper administration.  On July 1, 2007, Brian M. Slator became the first Head of the Department.

In 2007, there are fifteen tenure-track faculty and four lecturers in the Department.  The administrative assistant is Carole Huber and the part time secretary is Betty Opheim; Lynn Thorp is the Department's Systems Administrator.

There are approximately 200 majors in the B.S., and about 160 graduate students.  The Department occupies 7,460 square feet of space on the first and second floors of the Industrial Agriculture and Communications Center building which was built in 1992.