The Department of Computer Science offers students numerous opportunities to develop quantitative reasoning, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills through its curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Professors

Betsy Williams Sanders. 2007. B.S., Millsaps College; M.S. and Ph.D., Vanderbilt University. (Computer graphics and animation.)

Phillip Kirlin. 2012. B.S., University of Maryland; M.S. and Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Artificial intelligence, machine learning, music informatics.)

Associate Professors

D. Brian Larkins. 2015. B.S., M.S., Ph.D., The Ohio State University. (Parallel programming, programming languages, network security.)

Assistant Professors

Sean Kugele. 2023. B.A., University of Montana; B.S., Christian Brothers University; Ph.D., University of Memphis. (Artificial intelligence, neuro-symbolic systems, cognitive modeling, bio-inspired computing.)

Addison Schwamb. 2025. B.S., Oklahoma Christian University; Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis. (Dynamic systems modeling, computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence.)

Matthew Superdock. 2021. B.S., Princeton University; Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University. (Type theory, formal verification, automated reasoning.)

Hong Xu. 2026. B.S., Rhodes College; Ph.D., University of Utah. (Deep learning, computer vision, image processing, optimization algorithms, machine learning.)

Requirements:

1. Fulfillment of the requirements for the major.
2. Honors Tutorial: 495 and 496.
3. Approval by the department is required.

Students should consult with a faculty member about their intentions to pursue an honors project before the end of their Junior year.

Students considering a major in Computer Science should contact the Chair or another member of the department as early as possible to ensure progress is being made toward the major. More information can be found at the department’s web site: https://cs.rhodes.edu/

For reasonable progress toward a major in Computer Science, a student should begin the introductory programming sequence (Computer Science 141, 142, 241) in the first year. Ideally, students should take Computer Science 142 and Computer Science 172 in the same semester. In the second year, a student should complete Computer Science 251 and Computer Science 231. The Mathematics requirements should be completed by the end of the third year.

A total of fifty-six (56) credits as follows:

1. Computer Science 141, 142, 172, 231, 241, 251, 485, and 486.
2. One of Mathematics 112, 115, 116, 122, 211, 214, 223
3. At least one course from each of the three following groups:
   1. Theory:   Computer Science 350, 355
   2. Systems: Computer Science 315, 330, 340, 360, 380, 385
   3. Applications:  Computer Science 320, 325, 342, 345, 360, 370, 372, 375 
4. Two additional four-credit computer science courses numbered above 300, excluding 460, 495, and 496.

A total of twenty-four (24) credits as follows:

1. Computer Science 141, 142, 172, 241, and 251.
2. One additional four-credit computer science course numbered above 300.