BEMIDJI — Bemidji State University will relaunch a computer science program this fall, months after announcing the program's closure.
The program will be incorporated into BSU’s School of Technology, Art and Design, providing a traditional computer science foundation combined with digital and user experience design.
BSU professor Drew Graham of TAD stated in a news release that many of his design students have double majored in computer science and are among some of the college’s most successful graduates.
“Most companies out there are no longer looking for someone that only knows how to do one thing,” Graham said. "They're looking for employees that can do it all, so having this knowledge of both sides of this coin, for when it comes to computer science and design, I think it's going to make [our students] stand out versus other programs out there.”
Graham noted there are few other undergraduate programs in the country that combine both computer science and design.
The closure announcement in fall 2024, according to the release, was part of a broader initiative to address structural issues within the university’s budget.
BSU’s interim provost Jeff Ueland credits the "layers of people" who reenvisioned the program, like the faculty who designed the program and also the admissions staff providing input from prospective students, for reimagining this program for the future.
“Once the idea was presented, people on campus just rallied to it,” Ueland stated in a news release.
Francois Neville, currently a BSU associate professor of computer science, will continue teaching the computer science courses in the newly designed program.
Graham said in an interview with KAXE that the reboot means calling back one of the previously announced retrenchments, or layoffs, of faculty, with the hope to add new positions as the program grows.
"We're really going to try to market this and get this out there," Graham said. "I think once people see it and they realize it's available, I think it'll be a very popular program."
Current computer science majors will have the option to either complete their course of study using the current program catalog or move into one of the new specialties when fall registration opens in March.
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