Why Computer Science at Carolina? Excellent Reputation: For many years, our graduate program has been ranked as outstanding in national surveys. Undergraduates benefit from the same qualities that make our graduate program great: an innovative curriculum, outstanding faculty, ground-breaking research, and great facilities. Modern, Well-Rounded Curriculum: Unlike traditional engineering programs, Carolina's computer science curriculum combines a broad liberal-arts foundation with specialized courses and electives in the field. We offer instruction in all the essential areas of computer science: software development, Web and Internet computing, computer graphics, networking, hardware systems, operating systems, compilers, parallel and distributed computing, and theory of computing. Undergraduate majors can specialize in software systems, programming languages, theoretical computer science, or applications of computing technology to science, applied mathematics, medicine, or business. Outstanding Faculty: Courses are taught by full-time faculty, including many award-winning and distinguished scholars. Many are internationally-recognized experts in their subject areas, actively performing cutting-edge research. Undergraduates also benefit from having a member of this distinguished faculty as an adviser and mentor. Ground-Breaking Research: Undergraduates can participate in nationally recognized research programs or use our facilities to pursue self-directed research with a faculty member. We have built peaks of excellence in several areas, including computer graphics, distributed and collaborative systems, hardware design, medical imaging, networking, and parallel computing. Much of our research is accessible to undergraduates and focuses on solving real world problems. Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration: Our collaborations with researchers in other disciplines at Carolina open up the learning and research opportunities available to students, potentially expanding their career horizons. We collaborate actively with faculty and students in the schools of Information and Library Science, and Medicine, and in the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Marine Sciences, Operations Research, Physics, Psychiatry, and Radiology, among others. Excellent Facilities: We have a state-of-the-art building containing special-purpose labs, well-equipped classrooms (including a two-way video classroom), auditoriums, conference areas, study areas, and offices all under one roof. We continue to add the latest high-tech equipment. We were the first department at Carolina to provide full wireless Internet access throughout our building. Great Fellow Students: Due to the program's standards of excellence, undergraduates majoring in computer science are among the brightest at Carolina. Undergraduates also benefit from contact with our superior graduate students when they take upper-level courses or join research teams. Nearby High-Tech Community: Carolina's proximity to Research Triangle Park (RTP) means that computer science majors have many internship and post-graduation opportunities in their own backyard. RTP is the U.S.'s largest research park, with more than 140 corporate offices and scientific research centers, employing around 45,000 people. Paid, Extracurricular Learning Opportunities: In addition to their classroom experiences, undergraduates may enhance their learning experience as lab assistants or teaching assistants for computer science courses, or research assistants on one of the department's many research projects. They can gain valuable work experience as assistants on our computer services staff. We also encourage students to pursue internships and summer co-op experiences. Other Opportunities: Undergraduates participate in many other department and university activities. Department-organized activities, such as the annual ACM programming contest, give students the chance to test their skills and knowledge against their peers at other universities.