The University of Georgia established their newest school, the School of Computing, on July 1 according to an article from UGA Today. The new School of Computing will be jointly administered by the university’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering.
Elevated from its previous offering as a branch within the longstanding department of computer science, the broadening of this program to its own school was done to parallel the growing role and importance of computing in a range of fields.
The new school will take an interdisciplinary learning approach, centering instruction around the future of computing, and creation stems from the work of a seven-member task force of UGA faculty and academic leaders.
“The University of Georgia is committed to creating synergies across our campus that foster new opportunities for students and faculty and better serve communities in Georgia and around the world,” said President Jere W. Morehead in an article from UGAToday. “I am excited about the positive impact the School of Computing will have on research and education in the STEM disciplines.”
The School of Computing will administer bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs in computer science as well as a master’s program in cybersecurity and privacy. Faculty working in the School of Computing will also be engaged in aiding the university’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy, Georgia Informatics Institutes and Center for Cyber-Physical Systems.
The establishment of this school matches the rapid rise in enrollment in computer science courses in recent years, as well as the corresponding rise in student demand for this program.
The College of Engineering is UGA’s fastest growing college.
“The department of computer science has grown significantly since its founding in 1984,” said the Dean of Franklin College Alan T. Dorsey in an article from UGAToday. “Its new, elevated status as the School of Computing reflects the vital role of computer science in our university and in our world.”
Employment in STEM-related careers is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow 8% nationally through 2029, with computer science and engineering being among the fields with the highest predicted growth within STEM specifically. This is more than double the 3.4% growth that is projected for non-STEM professions.
According to College of Engineering Dean Donald J. Leo, “The establishment of the School of Computing with the Franklin College marks the beginning of an exciting new era,” and is an era that will help UGA students prepare for an increasingly digital world.
