Applied Computer Science

A Career Field in High Demand

Applied computer science and information technology are consistently ranked as career fields in high demand.

The latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates 302,500 more software developer positions will be added to the IT field by 2026, due to a large increase in demand for computer software, especially within the mobile technology and health care industries.

A Diverse Degree

Our applied computer science degree program will prepare you for an industry that changes every minute.

Focusing on entrepreneurship and technological business solutions, we will give you the tool-building skills you'll need to work for a large organization — or start your own company.

You will build skills in:

Creativity (to go from ideas to building programs)
Data analytics
Entrepreneurship and innovation
Programming and problem solving
Software development (including mobile applications)

Available Programs

Pictured is IT alumna Celina DiPietro. Photo by Chris Rolinson — Information technology alumna Celina DiPietro '17 received a job offer before graduating. She is now a managed services representative for Wombat Security Technologies.

Concentration Options

Applied computer science majors can choose to concentrate in one of the following areas:

Big data and analytics
General applied computer science
Networking and security
Software development

Courses & Topics

Our business-based curriculum offers courses with a strong focus on programming and other technical skills that can immediately be used in the current job market.

You will receive a well-rounded education through our core curriculum and classes in our applied computer science major including:

Introduction to Programming
Advanced Programming
Big Data Applications
Business analytics
Data mining
Digital Security
Entrepreneurship for Software Developers
Networking and Security
NoSQL databases
Server Management
Software Development for E-Commerce

Course Descriptions

View course descriptions

Gain a Unique Skill Set in Programming, Software, Big Data and Entrepreneurship

Our program also has a strong emphasis on big data, in which you will learn how to generate and interpret a wide variety of business metrics in order to provide valuable information and insight for organizational leaders to make key business decisions.

Not only will you be prepared to effectively think about problems but you will also be equipped with the knowledge and skill set to implement business solutions and commercialize them.

Faculty bring industry experience and expertise to the classroom

Learn from professors with extensive industry and academic experience in the applied computer science field.

Meet the faculty

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Mark Voortman, Ph.D.

Focused on helping students build applicable knowledge in advanced programming, big data and business entrepreneurship
Conducted postdoctoral computer science research on immunity inspired security at the University of Pittsburgh
Founded the company, Voortman Technologies LLC, which focuses on developing privacy-by-design services

Professional Experience

Internships — Our University's Downtown Pittsburgh location and industry relationship help students obtain internships in the computer science and IT fields, with many locations in walking distance of campus.

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program — Our co-op program offers a chance for students to complete paid, full-time jobs in their field while earning college credit.

In addition, you will frequently gain hands-on experience in our IT labs, allowing you to build your portfolio and gain a competitive edge in the field.

Students in our applied computer science program have interned or completed co-ops at various organizations such as:

Othot
RSM US LLP
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ninja Electronics
EDMC
Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Heinz
CSG Interactive
Mt. Washington Community Development Corporation
The Crons Brand
Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania

Career Options

Our students graduate prepared to work successfully in the field. With a bachelor's degree in applied computer science, you will have the option to pursue various career opportunities including:

Computer software engineer
Data scientist
Systems programmer
Computer systems analyst
Database administrator
Network administrator
Application developer
Interface design expert
IT security manager
IT project manager
Web page designer
IT consultant
Website administrator

Student & Alumni Success

Learn about internships and co-ops our students have completed and where our graduates have gone on to build their careers in the industry.

More news & features

Sabrina Tatalias '22

"Another major factor for me coming to Point Park was the IT program. It is very unique compared to other colleges since it is in the School of Business, allowing you to get background in business while still pursuing a degree focused information technology and data science."

Sergio Flores '18

"Pursuing a bachelor's degree in the information technology field gave me the tools that helped me land my current job with Bombardier during my last semester at Point Park. … Every IT class I took gave me something I have used in my current job."

News & Features

Sammy Abdulkader '21

Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Sammy Abdulkader is gaining real-world experience through a co-op with Philips Respironics as a software engineer intern.

Point Park Multimedia Graduate and Applied Computer Science Major Publish Marketing Articles on Medium.com

Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Bri Farrand '20 and Sabrina Tatalias '21 were recently published on Medium.com for their articles "From Whiteboard to Wilkes Barre to Webinar: A Student’s Marketing Journey" and "Can Direct Mail Be Innovative?"

Point Park Students Awarded $5,000 for First Place Finish in GfK NextGen Data Science Competition

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 A team of undergraduate students from Point Park University won the national 2020 GfK NextGen Data Science Hackathon Competition, earning a cash award of $5,000.