A young, interdisciplinary major at Gonzaga University has attracted strong student interest, say faculty members involved in developing the computer science and computational thinking degree. 

The degree offering has drawn 23 declared majors in less than a year, says computer science professor Robert Bryant. 

“It’s a very promising field, and the job prospects are amazing. By combining computer science with the benefits of liberal arts, the possibilities go through the roof,” Bryant says.

The undergraduate program aims to merge computer science studies with the traditional disciplines of critical thinking and expression that are most commonly associated with the humanities and liberal arts.

The 2016-17 academic year marks the second year that Gonzaga’s College of Arts and Sciences will offer the degree.

Bryant worked with fellow faculty members Shawn Bowers and Kathy Yerion to create the undergraduate degree curriculum. Bryant is the director of the computer science and computational thinking department.

“Tech giants such as Google and Apple have long hired not only computer scientists but poets, writers, and artists to diversify their knowledge base,” he says.

Faculty members think the degree will make students more competitive for some of the fastest-growing occupations in the country, such as software engineering, systems support specialists, Web designers, technical support staff, and database administrators.

Bryant says computational thinking is using a computer to solve major problems that are either too complex or too tedious to solve without a computer. But now higher education is recognizing the increasing importance of bringing multiple disciplines to creating solutions to problems a computer can’t solve.

“Technical skills alone aren’t enough to solve the big problems we face as a society. Today’s problems require better questions,” Bryant says.

The program also has been designed to intentionally merge different schools and disciplines within the university.

“I don’t want to live in a world run by only computer scientists. We need all types of people to help solve the world’s problems,” Bryant says.