Mathematics - Computer Science

Description

Students may opt to pursue an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree in Math-Computer Science, a concentration administered cooperatively between the mathematics and computer science departments. Course requirements include math- and systems-oriented computer science courses, as well as computational courses in applied math. Students must identify a series of electives that cohere around a common theme. As with other concentrations offered by the Computer Science department, students have the option to pursue the professional track of the ScB program in Mathematics-Computer Science.

Student Goals

Students in this concentration will:

• Learn to construct rigorous proofs of mathematical theorems
• Understand foundational mathematical areas such as linear algebra, abstract algebra, and cryptography
• Grasp areas such as theoretical computer science, programming languages, machine architecture, and artificial intelligence
• Complete a capstone project at the intersection of mathematics and computer science

Requirements

Click here for a list of the Mathematics - Computer Science concentration requirements. For more information about this concentration, please visit the department's website.

Honors and Capstones

A one-semester capstone course in Computer Science or Mathematics is required. The capstone project should involve an area in which mathematics and computer science are clearly related, e.g. computer graphics analysis of mathematical phenomena, mathematical models used in artificial intelligence, mathematical analysis of algorithms, or theoretical models of computation. The student is expected to produce a final project relating mathematics and computer science. To be considered as a candidate for Honors, a student must achieve an outstanding record in computer science courses. Furthermore, the student must complete a thesis under the supervision of a committee of two faculty members, and the committee must deem the thesis worthy of Honors.

Tracks

• Professional Track

Liberal Learning

This concentration allows you to address the following Liberal Learning goals:

• Collaborate fully
• Engage with your community
• Develop a facility with symbolic languages
• Experience scientific inquiry

Download the full statement on Liberal Learning at Brown

Affiliated Departments

• Applied Math
• Computer Science
• Mathematics

Advisors

• Maurice Herlihy
• Jeffrey Hoffstein
• John Hughes
• Anna Lysyanskaya
• Eliezer Upfal

Graduating Class

Alumni Pathways

Math-Computer Science concentrators now work as software engineers and chief technology officers in the private sector.