UT MARTIN ANNOUNCES NEW COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS
UT MARTIN ANNOUNCES NEW COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin recently approved two new
concentration areas for the Department of Computer Science. These changes will allow students
majoring in computer science to focus on either data science or digital hardware and embedded
systems beginning with the fall 2019 semester. These additions are designed to help fill growing
student demand and industry needs in the field.
“These are areas where we’ve been seeing increased interest in recent years,” said Dr. Joshua
Guerin, associate professor and department chair. “Data science is a rapidly growing field
combining computer science, mathematics and statistics to gain insight from various forms of
information. Likewise, many new computing platforms come in the form of embedded or
‘internet of things’-style devices. Many students who come to our program want to develop
software for platforms that require hardware that interfaces with the world around us.”
The expansion into these new areas of computing marks a transition for the department from
having a singular focus on the field of computer science to one that includes specialized
coursework in mathematics, engineering and other disciplines.
“The computing landscape has been moving forward rapidly in recent decades, and many
emerging fields are materializing to meet the demands of an interdisciplinary world. Computer
science and computer technologies are a part of virtually every modern field and area of
academic study,” said Guerin. “We are seeing an increased need in the field for students who
have a solid background in computer science but have additional knowledge and expertise in
another field in the arts, humanities or sciences.”
Dr. Shadow Robinson, dean of the UT Martin College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, in
which the Department of Computer Science is housed, said these additions will expand career
options for students and better equip them to handle the digital landscape of the future.
“Thanks to the growth in the number of connected, or ‘smart,’ devices, we now double the
amount of information that exists every year or two. The ability to navigate this explosive growth
in both data and devices will be critical in the modern digital workforce. These concentrations
prepare our graduates to be leaders in that space,” he said.
The Department of Computer Science has seen an increase in the number of program applicants
and graduates in recent years and expects these increases to continue with the construction of the
university’s new Latimer Engineering and Science Building, projected for completion in 2021,
and a proposed Innovation and Product Realization Facility for commercial and corporate
workspace.
This announcement comes shortly after Core10, a fintech software development company based
in Nashville, opened a location in downtown Martin to take advantage of graduates from the UT
Martin program.
The UT Martin bachelor’s degree program in computer science is accredited by the Computing
Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in
applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. For more
information about ABET accreditation, visit abet.org.
For more information on the UT Martin Department of Computer Science, contact the
department at 731-881-7391.
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