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Home/ Academics/ Mathematical Sciences/Computer Science

Computer Science

Mathematics, statistics, and computer science will provide you with ways to describe the world we live in and our relationship to it. They are structural mechanisms providing context for speculation and discovery, important tools for illuminating theories and implementing techniques from other disciplines, and art forms exhibiting aesthetic values.

Majors

Minors

Why Choose a Degree in Computer Science?

Computer science is an integral part of a liberal arts education. Our program prides itself on fostering a diverse community of students and faculty, where everyone is welcomed. You will graduate with a degree in computer science while being encouraged to engage deeply with the practice, passion, communication, and context of mathematical inquiry. 

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What You’ll Study

We offer two computer science majors (computer science and computer science and mathematics), one minor (computer science), and one optional cybersecurity concentration through the Department of Mathematical Sciences. At the heart of our curriculum are the development of conceptual and computational intuition, sophistication in the analysis of complicated structures, and the interplay of these two with broadly based sets of technical skills and techniques. Many of our students earn course credit toward their computer science degree while on an overseas program.

Outside the classroom, we sponsor an annual math hike on Mount Hood or at the Oregon Coast. The physical layout of our department includes a space where students can gather in close proximity to faculty offices to study, socialize, and share a meal. We host a regular colloquium series featuring presentations by students, faculty, and guest speakers. We regularly participate in the William Lowell Putnam undergraduate mathematics competition, the COMAP Mathematical Contest in Modeling, the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest, and cybersecurity competitions NCL and PRCCDC. Our faculty mentor students in research experiences during the academic year and through the paid Rogers Summer Science Program.

Curriculum

Connect With Lewis & Clark!

  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Operating Systems with Assistant Professor Alain Kägi and Computer Security with Professor Jens Mache</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> Both classes were brand new to the computer science department at the time and were taught by two professors I’ve had before. This was the moment when I discovered that there was so much more to computer science than just coding programs.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/19707-ross-miyabuchi"> <a href="/live/profiles/19707-ross-miyabuchi">Ross Miyabuchi BA ’22</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Screenwriting by Fernley Phillips</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> Fernley has so much insight about breaking into the industry and how to write a spec script. Most of the class is focused on writing and workshopping our own screenplays, which includes reading them aloud and discussing them as a class. It’s so much fun to hear everyone’s ideas and see their screenplays come to fruition.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/14637-william-lew"> <a href="/live/profiles/14637-william-lew">William Lew BA ’23</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer science </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Culture and Power in the Middle East</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> I really enjoyed what I was learning in Culture and Power in the Middle East.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/21550-jermisha-hinton"> <a href="/live/profiles/21550-jermisha-hinton">Jermisha Hinton BA ’25</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science </div> <div class="profile-box_field"> Minor: Rhetoric and Media Studies </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Operating Systems with Computer Science Lecturer Alain Kägi</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This class taught me the building blocks of computers, and showed me the assumptions I had about operating systems. I was able to put theory into practice by working on fundamental programming problems.</span> </p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/14558-carlos-garcia-moran"> <a href="/live/profiles/14558-carlos-garcia-moran">Carlos García Morán BA ’24</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science </div> <div class="profile-box_field"> Minor: Philosophy </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Philosophy: Ethics with Visiting Assistant Professor Eli Lichtenstein</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> I left with a vast array of knowledge and critical-thinking procedures that I was not aware I lacked. What’s more, I got the experience of having a professor who cares about and values his students, and is someone who wants to get involved even outside of class.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/17735-kenan-imamovic"> <a href="/live/profiles/17735-kenan-imamovic">Kenan Imamovic BA ’25</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science and Psychology (double) </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Network Security with Professor of Computer Science Jens Mache</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> This class challenged my problem-solving skills and taught me about the intricacies of our modern network systems. This class was also a lot of fun because, as students, we were able to apply what we learned through real-world scenarios.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/14638-natalie-zoz"> <a href="/live/profiles/14638-natalie-zoz">Natalie Zoz BA ’23</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer science </div> <div class="profile-box_field"> Minor: Chinese, Data Science (double) </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>I always had a smile on my face going into my Japanese courses!</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> I love that, over the many courses I took in the Japanese program included plenty of relevant cultural information along with the vocabulary and grammar we were learning. A little bit of folklore here, a little bit of modern Japanese food culture there—we were always learning on multiple fronts, and each class felt like a long, pleasant conversation.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/19756-terin-trachtenberg"> <a href="/live/profiles/19756-terin-trachtenberg">Terin Trachtenberg BA ’21</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>Digital Media with Assistant Professor Brian House</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> The class simultaneously introduced me to the world of coding and expanded my views on what art can be; I have yet to take a class as fun and impactful as that one has been.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/16681-julian-diaz"> <a href="/live/profiles/16681-julian-diaz">Julian Diaz BA ’24</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science </div> <div class="profile-box_field"> Minor: Japanese </div> </div> </div> </div>
  • <div class="statistics_slide swiper-slide"> <div class="statistics_box" style="text-align:left;"> <div class="statistics_box_inner"> <h4 class="statistics_headline" style="font-size: 3rem;"> Favorite Class </h4> <h6 class="statistics_summary" style="font-size: 2rem;"> <strong>The Undead in Russian Literature and Film with Assistant Professor Maria Hristova</strong> </h6> <!-- quote --> <div class="statistics_summary"> <p> It was a really cool course that blended history and art with a specific focus—pretty different from most of my coursework. We had to submit a creative project that reflected the themes of the class, and I made a video with friends reimagining a short story by Dostoevsky called “Bobok.” We shot it in the graveyard near campus.</p> </div> <div class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/19814-sam-peers-nitzberg"> <a href="/live/profiles/19814-sam-peers-nitzberg">Sam Peers Nitzberg BA ’19</a> </div> <!-- class year --> <div class="profile-box_field"> Major: Computer Science and Psychology (double) </div> </div> </div> </div>

Complement Your Education With One of These Minors

The most popular minors for our computer science majors are data science, entrepreneurial leadership and innovation, and philosophy.

What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark

What Can You Do With a Degree in Computer Science?

Our alumni use their BA in computer science in a variety of careers in research, academia, and at companies such as Nike, Suplari, Downstream, and Mentor Graphics. Many start their own companies, or go on to pursue advanced degrees.

Dedicated Faculty

Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.

Meet the Professors

Invest in Yourself

A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate in four years with their bachelor of arts degree that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.

There are several scholarships and funds specifically for students in the mathematical sciences. The Mathematical Sciences Student Assistance and Enrichment Fund provides assistance to eligible students with financial need and recognizes an outstanding graduating senior in the department. The Isaac Clark Memorial Fund for Physics and Mathematical Sciences provides grants for various educational opportunities for students in physics and mathematical sciences who demonstrate strong academic and leadership skills.

Find Your People

The student-run Math Club and the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery organize social and academic events, including panels and a pumpkin-carving contest held shortly before Halloween.

  • Liam Beveridge BA '20

    L&C laid the groundwork of my acting training, and introduced me to the theatre community in Portland. I used that training o prepare myself for grad school auditions, and I’m now at Yale School of Drama.

    Liam Beveridge BA ’20
    Theatre and Computer Science (double) | Seattle, Washington
    More about Liam
  • Ross posing outside on a bridge over water, wearing a black shirt and black jacket.

    Computer science is the future! Well, more or less. Technology will always be evolving and I want to be there with it.

    Ross Miyabuchi BA ’22
    Computer Science | Maui, Hawai’i
    More about Ross
  • Terin giving a thumbs up while standing next to a person in a Donald Duck costume.

    Lewis & Clark really helped me to learn how to be a team player, and I think that experience will be invaluable in my career. Beyond just learning about how to write code, I also learned how to talk about it to others and how to accept guidance and criticism from peers.

    Terin Trachtenberg BA ’21
    Computer Science | Lincoln City, Oregon
    More about Terin

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Mathematical Sciences is located in BoDine on the Undergraduate Campus.
MSC: 110

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voice 503-768-7727 

Chair Peter Drake

  • Mathematical Sciences
    Lewis & Clark
    615 S. Palatine Hill Road 
    Portland OR 97219