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Computation and Design with tracks in Computer Science, Digital Media, and Social Policy

Computation and Design with tracks in Computer Science, Digital Media, and Social Policy


This major is only available to the Class of 2025 and beyond.


Computer science is an intellectually rich and rapidly growing field that has had a profound effect on our society and everyday lives. Today, this field continues to expand in scope and depth and will remain an exciting place to work and learn in coming years. Computer Science majors are in high demand for well- paying jobs in technology, science, business, healthcare, and other sectors. At the same time, the wide- ranging impact of computer science tools and methods demands careful design of the algorithms and systems by which we deploy them, as well as an ability to critique their assumptions and effects in terms of social policy, media and communications, and the arts.


The structure of the Computation and Design major combines foundational computer science knowledge with a diverse range of potential applications, which are presented within a wider context of scientific, social, and cultural challenges. Students in this major take five courses in common: Computation, Society and Culture; Computation and Problem Solving, Programming and Data Structures, Modeling and Predicting, and Digital Design.


The major offers three distinct disciplinary tracks:

  • The Computer Science track focuses on the fundamentals of program design, software development, computer organization, systems and networks, theories of computation, principles of languages, and advanced algorithms and data.
  • The Digital Media track focuses on the application of computational media methods to cultural production at the intersection of design, technology, and society. It combines core courses on web design and data visualization with a selection of advanced courses such as 3D programming, human-computer interaction, interaction and physical computing, geographic information systems, and speculative and critical design.
  • The Social Policy track focuses on database systems, semantic knowledge production, and structured data to inform policy and shape reflective analysis. The track allows students to pursue three domain concentrations: urban design, environmental sustainability, and global networks.


A focus on design thinking unites these tracks at the outset, and later in the senior seminar course, where students recombine into project groups to pursue collaborative projects.


The deeply interdisciplinary focus of the curriculum allows students from a wide range of backgrounds and interests the opportunity to develop sufficient depth in computational methods to engage in informed realization of their potential. The tripartite structure of the major allows students to specialize within the context of Computation and Design while providing opportunities to come together in creative, problem- based teams. We anticipate that this sustained engagement with computation and design as the over-arching framework for their study will help to ensure that the students acquire breadth, depth, and an ability to collaborate in cross-functional teams.


Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every term, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2023-2024.)

Computation and Design / Computer Science

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the courses below

MATH 205[1]

Probability and Statistics

4

MATH 206

Probability and Statistics

4

And choose one of the following two courses

MATH 101

Introductory Calculus

4

MATH 105

Calculus

4

And choose one of the following three courses

BIOL 110

Integrated Science – Biology

4

CHEM 110

Integrated Science – Chemistry

4

PHYS 121

Integrated Science – Physics

4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the following two courses

COMPSCI 101

Introduction to Computer Science

4

STATS 102

Introduction to Data Science

4

And complete the following courses

INFOSCI 102

Computation and Problem Solving

4

INFOSCI 103

Computation, Society & Culture

4

INFOSCI 104 / MEDIA 104

Digital Design

4

STATS 202

Modeling and Predicting

4

COMPDSGN 490

Senior Seminar

4

Disciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

COMPSCI 201

Introduction to Programming and Data Structures

4

COMPSCI 203

Discrete Math for Computer Science

4

COMPSCI 205

Computer Organization and Programming

4

COMPSCI 308

Design and Analysis of Algorithms

4

And choose one from the following three courses

COMPSCI 306

Introduction to Operating Systems

4

COMPSCI 310

Introduction to Databases

4

COMPSCI 311

Computer Network Architecture

4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year.  (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

COMPSCI 204

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

4

INTGSCI 205

Integrated Science – Research Methods and Science Communication

4

INFOSCI 206

Urban Data Visualization and Communication Methods

2

COMPSCI 210

Everything Data

4

ECON 211

Intelligent Economics: An Explainable AI approach

2

COMPSCI 302

Computer Vision

4

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographical Information Science

4

STATS 302

Principles of Machine Learning

4

COMPSCI 303

Search Engines

4

COMPSCI 304

Speech Recognition

4

COMPSCI 307

Software Design and Implementation

4

COMPSCI 309

Elements of Machine Learning

4

COMPSCI 320

Software Reliability

4

COMPSCI 401

Cloud Computing

4

STATS 401

Data Acquisition and Visualization

4

COMPSCI 402

Artificial Intelligence

4

STATS 402

Interdisciplinary Data Analysis

4

STATS 403

Deep Learning

4

 

 

Computation and Design / Digital Media

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the following two courses

MATH 101

Introductory Calculus

4

MATH 105

Calculus

4

And choose one of the following two courses

ARHU101

The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts

4

ARHU102

The Art of Interpretation: Image and Sound

4

And complete the following course

STATS 101

Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods

4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the following two courses

COMPSCI 101

Introduction to Computer Science

4

STATS 102

Introduction to Data Science

4

And complete the following courses

INFOSCI 102

Computation and Problem Solving

4

INFOSCI 103

Computation, Society & Culture

4

INFOSCI 104 / MEDIA 104

Digital Design

4

STATS 202

Modeling and Predicting

4

COMPDSGN 490

Senior Seminar

4

 

Disciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Complete the following two courses

MEDIART 206

Computer Graphics

4

INFOSCI 301

Data Visualization and Information Aesthetics

4

And choose three of the following seven domain courses

INFOSCI 201

Interaction & Physical Computing

4

INFOSCI 202

3D Modeling and Animation

4

INFOSCI 303

Historical Geographical Information Systems

4

INFOSCI 304

Unity 3D Programming and Interaction Design

4

INFOSCI 306

Machine Reading: APIs for Text and Image Analysis for the Arts and Humanities

4

INFOSCI 309

Speculative and Critical Design

4

MEDIART 306

Foundations of Interactive Game Design

4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year.  (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

INFOSCI 105

Experimental Interface Design

4

COMPSCI 201

Introduction to Programming and Data Structures

4

STATS 201

Introduction to Machine Learning for Social Science

4

GCULS 201/ CULANTH 202/MEDIA 202

Culture and Industry

4

INFOSCI 206

Urban Data Visualization and Communication Methods

2

MEDIART 208[2]

Chinese Mass Media

4

COMPSCI 210

Everything Data

4

MEDIART 211

Media, Arts, and Critical Theory

4

MEDIART 214

Media Theory

4

POLSCI 302

Public Opinion

4

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographical Information Science

4

INFOSCI 305

Virtual Museums and Digital Culture Heritage

4

LIT 307

Digital Storytelling

4

INFOSCI 307

Archives Alive

4

MEDIA 203[3]

Global Media and Communication

4

INFOSCI 308

Data and Visualization

4

INFOSCI 311

Digital Cities: Representing the Past and Building the Future

4

SOSC 314

Computational Social Science: Tools to Collect & Analyze Human Behavior Using Data from the Internet

4

SOSC 315

Urban Sociology

4

MEDIART 320

Hashtag Memes, Digital Tribes

4

INFOSCI 401

How They Got Game:  History and Culture of Interactive Simulations and Video Games

4

MEDIART 213[4]

Web-Based Multimedia Design 

 

Computation and Design / Social Policy

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the following two courses

MATH 101

Introductory Calculus

4

MATH 105

Calculus

4

And complete the following courses

STATS 101

Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods

4

SOSC101

Foundational Questions in Social Science

4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose one of the following two courses

COMPSCI 101

Introduction to Computer Science

4

STATS 102

Introduction to Data Science

4

And complete the following courses

INFOSCI 102

Computation and Problem Solving

4

INFOSCI 103

Computation, Society & Culture

4

INFOSCI 104 / MEDIA 104

Digital Design

4

STATS 202

Modeling and Predicting

4

COMPDSGN 490

Senior Seminar

4

 

Disciplinary Courses

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Choose 2 Methods Courses from the list below

STATS 201

Introduction to Machine Learning for Social Science

4

COMPSCI 206/ ECON 206

Computational Microeconomics

4

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

4

STATS 305

Study Design: Design of Surveys and Causal Studies

4

SOSC 314

Computational Social Science: Tools to Collect & Analyze Human Behavior Using Data from the Internet

4

SOSC 320

Data in the World: Applied Social Statistics

4

And choose 3 Concentration Courses from one of the 3 Concentrations listed below

Urban Design Concentration Courses

PUBPOL 204

Governing Cities

4

ECON 310

Urban Economics

4

SOSC 315

Urban Sociology

4

SOSC 405

The Future of the City

4

Environmental Sustainability Concentration Courses

EHTLDR 204

Environmental Ethics

4

ENVIR 206

Energy and the Environment

4

ENVIR 301

International Environmental Policy

4

ENVIR 302/ ECON 302

Environmental Economics & Policy

4

Global Networks Concentration Courses

CULMOVE 101

Cultures of Globalization

4

POLECON 201

International Political Economy

4

POLSCI 309

Networks in a Globalizing World

4

 

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major. The course list reflects the most recent intellectual organization of major electives. Depending on the academic year in which you matriculated, some of the courses below may be requirements for your major. To verify required courses, always consult the requirements for the relevant class year in the bulletin of the year in which you matriculated unless you have been approved to complete the major requirements of a subsequent year.  (See Ability to Meet Major Requirements Published in Years Subsequent to Year of Matriculation.)

Course Code

Course Name

Course Credit

Urban Design

GCULS 106

Our Cities and Ourselves

2

PUBPOL 106

Urbanizing China: Spatial and Social Dynamics in Chinese Cities

2

HIST 205

Shanghai: From Treaty Port to Global Metropolis

4

INFOSCI 206

Urban Data Visualization and Communication Methods

2

SOCIOL 206

Reshaping Global Urbanization

4

SOCIOL 211

Social Inequality

4

POLSCI 215

The Political History of Modern Architecture: From Revolution through Neoliberalism

4

GCULS 303

Chinatowns: A Cultural History

4

POLSCI 307

Political Economy of Institutions

4

HIST 311

Documenting Durham and the New South

4

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographical Information Science

4

Environmental Sustainability

ENVIR 205

Environment, Health, and Development in China

4

INFOSCI 206

Urban Data Visualization and Communication Methods

2

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographical Information Science

4

ECON 311

Economic Analysis of Current Energy Issues

4

ENVIR 401

Energy and Environment Design

4

ENVIR 404/ ECON 404

Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution

4

Global Networks

HIST 123

All Around Us – Technology, Infrastructure, and History

2

CULMOVE 201

Migration, Inequality, and Culture

4

SOSC 203

The Social, Political, and Economic Implications of Immigration

4

INFOSCI 206

Urban Data Visualization and Communication Methods

2

CULANTH  208

Global Migration and Ethics

4

LIT 209

Critical Inter-Asia: Rethinking Local and Global Connections

4

CULANTH  209

Globalization and Alternative-Globalizations

4

GCULS 302

Gender in Global Perspective

4

INFOSCI 302

Introduction to Geographical Information Science

4

MEDIA 203[5]

Global Media and Communication

4

ECON 307

History of Monetary & International Crises

4

MEDIART 320

Hashtag Memes, Digital Tribes

4

ECON 333/ SOSC 333

Social and Economic Networks

4

ECON 402

International Finance

4

[1] Students who haven’t taken MATH 205 should take MATH 206 instead.

[2] This course was named MEDIART 208 Comparative Media Systems and Chinese Mass Media prior to fall term 2023.

[3] This course was named and numbered MEDIART 307 International Communication prior to the fall 2023 term

[4] This course was named MEDIART 213 Foundations of Web-Based Multimedia Communications prior to fall term 2023.

[5] This course was named and numbered MEDIART 307 International Communication prior to fall 2023 term.