Developed in partnership with Grays Harbor College, South Puget Sound Community College’s proposed Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Computer Science is designed to serve both employers and students from within the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Region of Washington. The two colleges hope to open new doors to technology sector employment and stimulate new economic development across their service districts. Spanning northern Lewis, Thurston, southern Mason, Pacific, and Grays Harbor Counties, this economically diverse region includes the state capital, other mid-size cities, and rural areas. To meet the needs of those economies, the Bachelor of Science degree is designed to serve state and local government agencies, healthcare providers, information-computer-security service contractors, nongovernmental organizations, and small and medium-size employers such as architecture, environmental science, and engineering firms. For place-bound students, the degree will provide local access to a broad spectrum of high demand, high-wage job and career opportunities in the field of computer science and information technology. For students who choose to work elsewhere, the program will provide a lower cost/hybrid option to prepare for a high-tech career anywhere.
Career Opportunities
According to the Washington Employment Security Department, for the period of 2019 through 2024, graduates of a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science will find over 1,900 annual computer science and information technology job openings in the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development (PacMtn) region. These jobs will provide annual wages of $43,653/year to as much as $131,819/year as System Administrators, Software Developers, Database Managers, and/or Security Analysts.
South Puget Sound Community College believes that all students need to develop a broad range of abilities that will not only make them more effective in their professional pursuits but will enhance their capacity to relate well to others in their daily lives.
Apply data structures, algorithms, programming languages, and software engineering principles to solve problems.
Develop applications using well-documented, readable, maintainable, and secure code.
Identify and analyze a problem and define the computing requirements to solve it.
Design, implement, evaluate, trouble-shoot and test a computer-based system process, component, or program to meet desired results.
Evaluate the social impact and ethical issues related to use of computers and computer technology.
Apply current and cloud-based techniques, skills, and tools for cybersecurity, network administration, application development.
Demonstrate culturally responsive workplace skills, including teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, personal responsibility, and management skills.
Communicate professionally with clients, peers, and managers from varying and diverse backgrounds, perspectives, specializations, and interests.
The SPSCC college-wide abilities are embedded into each program:
Effective Communication
Information Literacy
Analytical Reasoning
Multicultural Awareness
Social Responsibility
Program Enrollment Requirement
Completion of one of the following:
AS-T Track 2 with CS142 and CS143
CS DTA/MRP (AA)
Associate in Computer Science: Software Development
Associate in Computer Science: Cybersecurity and Network Administration
Similar Associate in Computer Science from Grays Harbor College (GHC)
Computer science-related transfer degree from accredited institution
NOTE1: Winter start students should plan to complete their Quarter 11 courses in Summer Quarter.
NOTE2: 300- or 400-level alternative (5cr) at GHC is an acceptable substitute for PHIL 350 at SPSCC.
NOTE3: BASM 307 (5cr) Quantitative Design, Data, and Analysis at GHC is an acceptable substitute for ENVS 301 at SPSCC.
NOTE4: The mathematics course for Linear Algebra at GHC is an acceptable substitute for MATH 305 Linear Algebra at SPSCC.
NOTE5: BASM 309 (5cr) Project Management at GHC is an acceptable substitute for SOC 350 at SPSCC.
NOTE6: There are a very limited number of 300- and 400-level general education courses offered at GHC and SPSCC. 300- or 400-level General Education courses may transfer in from other institutions in place of PHIL 350, ENVS 301, and/or SOC 350. However, only another Linear Algebra class can substitute for Math 305 Linear Algebra.
South Puget Sound Community College has provided pathways and associated recommended courses for ease of student selection based upon a student’s career interest. Please review the pathway maps for required and recommended courses.
