From this department, we offer three majors: Computer Science, Computer Science and Design, Data Science and Economics. This department also offers a doctoral program in Data Science.
COMPUTER SCIENCE ****
The past couple of decades has witnessed technological development at a pace unmatched in the history of mankind primarily enabled by rapid advances in computational technologies. There is no aspect of modern life which is untouched by computers. From medical procedures to stocking the fridge, computers are ubiquitous in their presence. As artificial intelligence makes rapid inroads and is threatening to govern every aspect of our lives, it becomes imperative that the study of computer science requires not just understanding of the mathematical and physical aspect of computation but also builds a strong foundation in other disciplines to understand the limitations and ramifications of the adoption of newer methods of computation. This requires that the new generation of computer scientists are trained not only in the core area of computer sciences but also are aware of the disciplines that informs it and the areas that it influences while having the design sensibilities and entrepreneurial energy to build truly great products and make an indelible impact on society.
Computer Science at FLAME is situated within the broad context of liberal education. While it provides a strong foundation in the theoretical and practical aspects of the discipline, the approach is inter-disciplinary with a heavy focus on the understanding and solution of computational problems that arise in the social sciences, humanities, business, Design, or the physical and natural sciences.
The computer science curriculum is composed of four broad requirements that includes the core, breadth, depth and a project. While the core lays a strong foundation, the breadth shall survey the areas in which computing plays a role. The depth shall include specialised courses in data mining, artificial intelligence, computer security in addition to other applications.
**** 3-year undergraduate honours program available without minors.
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DESIGN *
Technology, more specifically, computers are an integral part of our lives and are here to stay. This has been fuelled by exponential growth in technological development and innovation which is unmatched in history. There is no aspect of modern life which is untouched by computers. From medical procedures to stocking the fridge, computers are ubiquitous in their presence. The interaction between humans and computers is being recognised as one of the most important areas of technological development. Newer computational methods such as artificial intelligence and machine learning have made rapid inroads in mapping and predicting human behaviour and physical systems. Computer Science today is not only about programming but requires cross-disciplinary tools to make systems and processes more efficient. This requires that the new generation of computer scientists are trained not only in the core areas of computer science but also have practical knowledge of the disciplines that informs it and the areas that it influences.
Design is one such discipline and helps to make the human computer interaction intuitive, welcoming, and easy to use. Design principles and methods are becoming increasingly relevant for programmers. The specialisation in Computer Science and Design is situated within the broad context of liberal education and at the intersection of computation and design. It adopts an inter-disciplinary approach to provide a strong foundation in theoretical and practical aspects of computer science and design approaches including the use of new media technologies. The major intends to train students who not only take up computing challenges that arise in areas such as business, industry, entertainment, but also in the arts and sciences. It also prepares the student to work in digital media industries such as gaming, animation, virtual or augmented reality.
The computer science and design curriculum is composed of four broad requirements that includes the core, breadth, depth, and a project. While the core lays a strong foundation, the breadth shall survey the areas in which computing plays a role. The depth shall include specialised courses in data mining, artificial intelligence, computer security, Cloud infrastructure, database technologies, Game design, Immersive design, Interaction design in addition to other applications. The specialisation culminates in the graduation project which provides a platform for applying the learnings in computer science and design to solve a problem of practical interest.
* Interdisciplinary majors. Not offered as minors. Only offered as majors. No minor combination possible.
DATA SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS *
The internet revolution has brought about radical changes in the way we lead our lives. The digital tsunami has inundated us with information from sources as diverse as biology, sensors, video streams, medical images, consumer behaviour, internet search and has led to unique insights and increased outcomes in the quality of life. The data revolution has been made possible by increasing computing speeds facilitated by advances in efficient computational algorithms for timely processing and analysis. Data continues to be created at an exponential pace and its complexity continues to increase. The traditional methods of data analysis such as Mathematics and Statistics cannot handle this deluge of information which has necessitated the genesis of an interdisciplinary field to tackle the emerging challenges. This field, broadly labelled Data Science, is broadly an amalgamation of Mathematics, Statistics, Applied Sciences, and Computer Science and draws from them an appreciation and practical utility of mathematical, computational, and scientific principles to understand and solve problems of practical interest.
Students specializing in Data Science and Economics will have a sound knowledge of fundamental mathematics, make statistical inferences, be adept with computational processes, data processing, and data management along with critical domain knowledge while looking at data in context. By studying Economics along with Data Science, they will not only be trained in the concepts and methods of Economics but also will be in a position to process and gain insights into socio-economic and business data, and use them effectively to solve practical problems and predict future trends. Students who specialize in this field will have career options in fields as diverse a business, government, medicine, advertising, entertainment, computing technologies among many others.
* Interdisciplinary majors. Not offered as minors. Only offered as majors. No minor combination possible.
DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN DATA SCIENCE
The massive technological disruptions that have taken place in the past few decades have been stimulated by the advances in computational technologies. This has led to an exponential growth in data availability paralleled with rapid advances in computational speed. The combination of the two has prompted the rise of a new methodology: data science which is being increasingly utilised to advance conventional fields of knowledge such as the sciences, business, social sciences, engineering etc. While traditional data analysis methods continue to be relevant, new methodologies have emerged to analyse, understand, and act on the knowledge gleaned from the data. No area of human affairs has been immune from this data revolution. Given its importance, conventional disciplines require a new type of researcher who is proficient in the use of latest methodoslogies of data analysis to advance not only the existing boundaries of current knowledge but also to create new knowledge.