Fun Facts About CIS

1. UAB CIS has a computer which is the equivalent to more than 300 modern home or office computers! We also have a 13-megapixel, 10-foot-wide visualization wall.
   
   
2. CIS undergrads aren't just taking classes, but are also involved in doing graduate-level research in the department. Our undergrads work alongside our PhD students, have their very own Undergrad Honors Lab, and present their work at conferences around the country.
   
   
3. Our students train for and participate in a computer security contest where they are graded by how well they defend their systems against actual professional hackers. We have a whole lab set up just for them to practice.
   
   
4. There is a great myth that there are no more jobs in the US for computer science. Not true! There is such a shortage of computer scientists in the US that the average starting salary for a CS bachelors degree is more than $50,000, one of the three highest paying degrees! More jobs are being created annually than are moving overseas, and those being created are higher paying and higher skilled than those that have left. And all signs point to even faster job growth going forward.
   
   
5. Computer science is important not just for IT workers but for all sorts of scientists. At CIS, we teach future biologists, security and forensics experts (think CSI and 24), engineers and others how computer science can help them in their careers. Most sciences have a critical need for people who understand how to write software specific to their area, so a second major or minor in computer science can be a good choice to separate you from the crowd in your chosen field.
   
   
6. Computers are everywhere! Not just on desks, but in cell phones, video game systems, ipods, cameras, ATMs...you name it! Your car may have a dozen or more. And each one needs software. A degree in CIS will teach you how to write that software.
   
   
7. UAB CIS is one of the oldest computer science departments in the country. We've been here since 1967, longer than UAB itself! We have a long tradition of excellence in teaching, research and service, and our alumni go on to highly successful careers at top companies around the nation.