You might wonder what the air conditioning unit in your car, the water meter at your house and the checkout line at the local grocery store all have in common. They all require computers to properly function. Not only that, they need computer scientists, programmers and engineers to maintain them and to create even more innovative technologies to aid in our everyday household, automotive and business needs.
At Faulkner, the College of Arts and Sciences’ robust Computer Science and Engineering department is preparing young men and women to enter the field of technology with expert-level skills, ethics, creativity, ingenuity and most importantly, a mission to serve others for God’s glory.
This fall 2024 computer engineering is making its debut on Faulkner’s campus as the university officially adds to its offerings one of the most “in-demand” degrees according to collegeconsensus.com.
Computer engineering will fuse computer science and electrical engineering to equip students with the skills employers are looking for, ensuring they’re ready to bridge the gap between programming and the real world.
It’s no wonder that students who decide to study and major in computer science over the last six years at Faulkner University have 100% job placement after they graduate. Today’s world cannot function without experts who can create and maintain computer technology. That is why at Faulkner, students are not just learning about computer science and engineering but also how to be ethical programmers and creators so they can best represent Christ in the workplace.
“After graduating from our program, students are prepared to write desktop applications, develop software, work in cyber security and control the programs that run planes, cars and rockets,” said Mike Herridge, chair of the computer science and engineering department. “They are ready to create and maintain any consumer-facing and back-end application for industry and business. The reality is every market industry today requires computer scientists. They need our computer science graduates to write their code to make the world run efficiently.”
Faulkner’s computer science degree programs are split into three main areas: computer science (CS), computer information systems (CIS) and computer engineering (CE), which is a brand-new program at Faulkner set to begin classes in fall 2024.
The CIS program is an adult online 2-year associates degree that is geared toward the working professional. Courses help hone the student’s programming skills and makes them more marketable to move beyond their current employment position. This degree is perfectly tailored for those working in IT, networking, computer management and who maintain the technologies to keep a business running properly.
CS consists of two 4-year degree options. The bachelors of arts degree is a less math-centric curriculum where you learn to program and write applications.
The bachelor of science degree is a classic CS degree with all the intensive math and science courses included. Both degrees are the same number of hours, both are in demand and graduates from either degree plan are equally positioned to find work right after graduation.
Finally, the computer engineering degree is our new, top-level 4-year Bachelor of Science degree offered in the fall. It will marry both hardware and software skills and is perfect for those who like problem-solving. It will essentially connect a physical product with the programming that will make it function. Curriculum will include working with robotics, computer design, computer components, controls, automotive computers and so much more. A challenging degree covering the highest levels of math, physics and science, computer engineering is one of the highest-paying jobs for freshmen coming out of college. With a bachelor’s degree, students would have the training to work at NASA, Tesla, Space X, automotive manufactures and other high-tech industries.
The faculty within the computer science department are dedicated to the success of each student. Together, faculty members have decades of experience in large business environments, development operations, cyber security and engineering to hand down to their students.
“We’ve all had very successful careers in the workplace, but we made the choice to come to Faulkner because we are strong believers in the Christian mission at this university,” Herridge said. “Everyone here is passionate about our mission not just to create computer scientists, but to create men and women of character who will also be computer scientists.”
Preparing students to be vocational ministers alongside becoming computer scientists is just another component that makes Faulkner’s program unique. By teaching them how to minister to others in their future workplaces, students are first shown what it means to be ministered to. They are shown this first-hand by their professors.
“We personally know everyone by name, we know what’s going on in our students’ lives, how they might be struggling academically or personally because we talk to them, we ask questions and we care,” Herridge said. “You’re not going to fall through the cracks when you come to Faulkner. You’re not going to find the same sense of purpose and belonging you find here if you go to other universities.”
“We are teaching two things; how to get a degree and how to live a life of quality, of integrity and a life of purpose. We are training professionals who genuinely care about others and their peers, just as Christ did,” Herridge added. “We take the spiritual growth of the students entrusted to us very seriously.”
Under Herridge’s leadership the program has expanded to include both academic offerings and physical classroom and lab space. The computer science department has grown from 17 students just three years ago to nearly 70 students currently enrolled.
The dramatic increase in students demands more room for growth. Over the summer of 2023 the faculty and students of the computer science department rolled up their sleeves, got their hammers in hand and went to work to create their own academic facilities. They renovated one of the storefronts in the Montgomery East Shopping Plaza adjacent to the College of Health Sciences to call their own. A full interior redo of the 5,000 square-foot space created more classrooms, computer labs, offices and space to grow. The front portion of the building was transformed into a fun leisure space for students to congregate before and after classes complete with new window graphics.
“Now we have modern facilities and our own building that was designed from the ground up,” Herridge explained. “Our students and faculty stayed over the summer to put in sweat equity. We gutted everything, put in networking, installed lighting, ran cables, gave a fresh coat of paint and bought updated furniture. The school came together for us and we were going to make it happen. And we did! Now we have a really cool building suited for our needs.”
All computer science classes operate out of the new, secure facility, which officially opened to students in the fall 2023 semester.
Apply now at www.faulkner.edu/apply
Quick Facts About the Computer Science Department
Degrees Available
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Meet the Faculty
- Mike Herridge – Chair of the Department of Computer Science
- Maisha Wester – Faculty Secretary for the Department of Computer Science
- Shirley Yera – Instructor for the Department of Computer Science
- Kasey Oakley – Adjunct instructor for the Department of Computer Science