Accredited computer science degree programs in Tennessee foster the interest that students have in computers and help them turn that interest into a future career. These programs are available at all educational levels, including the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduates of these programs work all across the United States and in some foreign territories. They help companies keep clients and customers safe, show others the importance of new technologies and build and develop the next generation of computer and technology products. To see more accredited computer science degree programs in Tennessee, visit Computer Science Degree Programs in Tennessee (A-S).

Tennessee State University

College of Engineering

Tennessee State University is a large university that can trace its foundation back to 1912. The college first opened as a state normal school that offered training for African Americans who wanted to teach in the state. By the 1920s, the college added enough programs outside of education that it changed its name to reflect the number of options it offered its students. Known as an African American institution of higher learning, it was one of the first schools of its type in the south. The school still has a strong reputation as one of the best schools for minority students.

B.S. in Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science has TSU has strong relationships with some of the top computer and software manufacturers and companies in the world. Students have the chance to meet with some of those companies, sign up for internships and find employers willing to offer them jobs after graduation. Those graduates work in a number of industries, including software engineering, artificial intelligence, application programming and cloud computing. The program consists of 120 credit hours of courses, which include 24 credit hours of social sciences, life sciences and humanities courses and 18 credit hours of mathematics courses. Students must also take 21 credit hours of electives, which must include at least 12 credit hours in computer science courses. Thirty-five credit hours of the courses they take are core CS classes, including data structures, ethics and professionalism in computing, software engineering, operating systems and a final senior project that is worth three credit hours.

Master of Science in Computer & Information Systems Engineering

TSU understands that computers are the wave of the future and that students need to have experience working with various types of programs and software, which is why it offers a Master of Science in Computer & Information Systems Engineering degree program. Designed for those who have a CS degree and previous experience working with computers, this program requires that students complete a minimum of nine credit hours of courses on campus. They can take the remaining classes through its online computer science program or remain on campus. Of the 30 credit hours required for graduation, 18 credit hours come from the required courses and six credit hours come from the thesis or final project into an aspect of computer science that students do during their final year. The graduate level courses that students take include software systems design, systems engineering, computer architecture and operating systems and data structures and algorithms.

Accreditation

•Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Contact

3500 John A Merritt Blvd
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
(615) 963-5712
asekmen@tnstate.edu
http://www.tnstate.edu/engineering/

Tennessee Technological University

College of Engineering

Dixie College was a small private college that opened its doors in 1905 and changed its name to the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute a few years later. The school operated under that name for a number of years before finally becoming Tennessee Technological University. U.S. News & World Report placed the school on its list of the Top 8 Public Schools in the South for six straight years, and according to the Princeton Review, it also ranks as one of the most affordable public schools. Though the university renovated its campus, it still uses some of the first buildings constructed during its early years.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Though most colleges focus heavily on classroom learning, this Bachelor of Science in Computer Science relies on other experiences in addition to classroom learning. The Cyber-Eagles is a cyber security club that looks at new advanced in the world of computer security, and those interested in creating video games will find a game development club located on campus. Students can also complete research projects that they can use in their portfolios, and the faculty working in the department work closely to help students complete their research. TTU also offers a Fast Track program for computer science majors, which lets them take additional classes that count towards their degrees. Some of those courses let them skip the advanced courses required for a graduate degree if they decide to complete that degree at TTU. As a traditional program, it also requires that students take humanities, social sciences and other required general courses as they take math, science and computer classes.

Accreditation

•Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Contact

1 William L Jones Dr
Cookeville, TN 38505
(800) 255-8881
info@csc.tntech.edu
https://www.tntech.edu/engineering/

University of Memphis

College of Arts & Sciences

The University of Memphis ranks as one of the best colleges in the nation for computer science and engineering students. Founded in 1912, it is home to the Advanced Distributed Learning Workforce Co-Lab, which uses funds from the federal government to develop new technologies, and the campus also boasts the FedEx Institute of Technology. With more than 3,000 graduate students enrolled in classes and a total population of more than 20,000 students, it also ranks as one of the largest public colleges in the state. Though most students originally came from Memphis, the school now welcomes students from all around the world.

Computer Science Major (B.S.)

The Computer Science Major (B.S.) is a program designed for students to complete in two years while taking classes full time. As with other programs at the university, all students must finish a minimum of 41 credit hours of required courses, including humanities, social science and life science courses. The university also asks that students take 57 credit hours of computer science and core math courses. At least three of those courses are mathematics classes, and at least three of those classes are health or life sciences classes with a laboratory component. A Computer Science Field Test is mandatory for all students during their senior year. This test asks them a series of questions regarding the topics they covered in previous classes. Students can only graduate after passing that examination. UM also lets students double major in computer science and engineering, mathematics, biology or another science topic.

Master of Science in Computer Science

The Master of Science in Computer Science is one of the best accredited computer science degree programs in Tennessee. This 34 credit hour program requires the completion of at least 28 credit hours from the upper level of courses available in the program. Research methods in computer science is a required course that teaches students more about the research methodologies used by computer scientists and how to apply those methods to their own research. Students may choose between a thesis and a non-thesis track program. Thesis students will meet with an adviser and get approval to write a paper or complete a project on a topic they both agree on, and those students will spend much of their final year completing that project. Those who choose the non-thesis track will need to take additional classes and at least one seminar to compensate for the research they would otherwise do into a thesis.

Computer Science Minor

Majoring in computer science requires that you make some general education courses a large number of classes on math, science and computer science. If you want to study the topic while still majoring in another field, you can choose a computer science minor. Designed for students who need a better understanding of computers for their future careers, the minor consists of 22 credit hours, and the university lets you choose which courses you want to take. All minors must take the same four classes that count towards 13 of the necessary credit hours, but you can fill out your minor with courses that appeal to you. The university recommends that its students talk with their advisers before signing up for certain computer science courses. Problem solving in computers and other introductory courses will not count toward the classes that you need to take to complete the minor requirements.

Accreditation

•Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Contact

101 Wilder Tower
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-5465
sshiva@memphis.edu
http://www.memphis.edu/cas/

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

College of Engineering and Computer Science

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a private university that is part of the University of Tennessee school system. Established in 1886, the college was originally a separate entity that provided educational opportunities for men and women living in the Chattanooga area. Zion College, which opened in the 1940s, was a small religious school that faced financial problems in the 1960s. When the two campuses merged, UT took over its operations and renamed it UT Chattanooga. SimCenter, which is one of the world’s top supercomputers, is located on campus. The university also has a strong engineering and computer science department.

BS CPSC

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is better known as the BS CPSC by students. Like many programs of its type, it asks students to take several core computer science courses that ensure they have a basic understanding of select topics before moving up in the program. The program then divides itself into four separate areas of expertise. While other schools ask students to select a concentration, UT Chattanooga believes that students should have experience in each area before graduating. Those four key areas are software systems, scientific applications, information security and assurance and computer engineering. The faculty working in the CS department believe in taking a hands on approach to teaching. They work closely with their students to ensure that they have a firm grasp of each concept and idea presented in the program, which they believe will make them more well rounded.

Master of Science in Computer Science

Those with an undergraduate degree in computer science, engineering or another technical field can apply for admission to the Master of Science in Computer Science program at UT Chattanooga, which is one of the top accredited computer science degree programs in Tennessee. Though other MS programs require that students take education courses that will assist them in teaching others later, this program gives students the fundamental knowledge that they can use as professors or for working in the computer field. Students will also learn how to focus their interests and gain the skills that they will need at the doctoral level. Though many of its students later enter PhD programs, an equally large number consider the MS a terminal degree and immediately go to work after graduation. The program also strives to help those who have a background in a different field learn the importance of computers and how they can use new technologies at home and at work in the future.

Computer Science Minor

Though computer science is one of the fastest growing technological industries in the world, not everyone wants to spend their undergraduate years focusing solely on that topic. UT Chattanooga offers a Computer Science minor that is open to anyone taking undergraduate courses through the university. Most college majors require that students choose a minor and take several elective courses, and some of the courses that you take as a minor will count towards your minor requirements. All students must take the courses fundamentals of computer science, data structures and program design, software design and development and introduction to operating systems. Those courses count for 12 of the required 22 credit hours needed for your minor. Students must complete elective CS courses to complete the minor requirements, but you’ll find that you need to take at least two courses that are at or above the 300 level.

Accreditation

•Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Contact

615 McCallie Ave
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 425-4111
pamela-lewallen@utc.edu
http://www.utc.edu/college-engineering-computer-science/

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

College of Engineering

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is the first school in the UT school system. Founded in 1794, it is the largest public university in the state. Students attending the college come from locations all across the state, across the country and even from some other countries. According to U.S. News & World Report, UT ranks as the 101st best school in the country, and the QS World University Rankings listed the school as number 390 when ranking the top colleges in the world. Its engineering and computer science programs receive high marks and rankings from other leading publications too.

B.S. in Computer Science

The minimum number of credits needed to graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Tennessee is 120, but some students take as many as 124 credit hours. This lets students take 15 credit hours each semester and finish the program in four years. Students may also take a heavier or lighter course load to graduate in more or less time. Students interested in earning a Master of Science in Computer Science can enroll in a special program that lets them earn both degrees in five years. This is a more intensive version of the program that ends when students complete a thesis project and the minimum number of credits. Those interested in the program must take introductory computer science courses as a freshman and apply for a slot in the program. The program is only open to those with a minimum grade point average of 3.4.

MS in Computer Science

UT offers an MS in Computer Science, but the university is highly selective with its admissions. Students must demonstrate strong proficiency with both math and science, and they must have a 3.0 GPA or higher. New students can choose a thesis path, non-thesis path or a project path. The non-thesis path asks students to take more classes and extra research courses. Those in the thesis program will write one final paper that showcases the main points and skills they learned in the program. The project path allows students to submit a final project in lieu of a thesis. Students might submit a new piece of software they produced, a new video game or another project that demonstrates the coding and other abilities they developed in the program. All students will also need to take graduate courses on coding, programming and ethics that help them work more effectively with other employees and clients later.

PhD in Computer Science

The PhD in Computer Science program at the University of Tennessee is a customizable program that lets students choose a topic to research. Those with an MS in a related field from UT only need to take 15 credit hours of courses, but those who earned a degree from another accredited college or in a different discipline will need to take up to 39 credit hours of courses. In addition to the research that they do into their dissertation topics, students must also attend seminars that are similar to traditional college courses but require more work outside of the classroom. These seminars offer a highly focused look at one area of computer science. Previous courses dealt with the type of jobs open to computer science majors and how the video game industry used computers to create new games and software in the past or how those companies will rely on computers in the future.

Accreditation

•Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Contact

124 Perkins Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865) 974-5321
coe@utk.edu
http://www.engr.utk.edu/

Do you love checking out the latest forms of software? Do you spend more time on your computer than you do hanging out with your friends? Studying computer science is a good choice for you. With multiple accredited computer science degree programs in Tennessee, you can choose a school that you will enjoy now and in the future.