Computer Science Major

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About the Major

Elon’s computer science students engage in problem solving and software development using state-of-the-art concepts and best practices. Critical thinking pervades the curriculum from introduction to conclusion, theory to application, and software to hardware. Computer science majors cultivate the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively change the way in which the world lives, works, plays and learns.

Jobs in Computer Science

• Software engineer
• Data scientist
• Web developer
• Mobile app developer
• Database administrator

Past Elon Computer Science Internships

• Fidelity Investments
• Big Huge Games
• Red Hat
• NRL—U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
• Apple

Related Majors

• Data Analytics
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Statistics

Computer science major making the most of Elon’s ‘unparalleled’ undergraduate research experiences

When Rony Dahdal entered Elon University in 2022, he knew he wanted to focus his studies on computer science. What he didn’t know was that even in his first years as an undergraduate, he would have the opportunity to conduct meaningful research on the issues that mattered most to him, particularly using machine learning to make a difference in the world.

Just two years into his time at Elon, Dahdal has taken advantage of many research opportunities — so many, he’s considered by his peers and mentors as an accomplished and experienced student researcher.

The work you’re able to do at Elon as an undergraduate is on-par with graduate studies. Some post-doctoral researchers I’ve collaborated with are surprised by the level and depth of research we as undergraduates have the opportunity to conduct.

The Honors Fellow and triple major — in computer science, mathematics and philosophy — was recently awarded Elon’s prestigious undergraduate research grant, the Lumen Prize. And he was one of the rare second-year students to be awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most selective STEM awards in the country.

“I found a love for research early on during my time at Elon and have been set on it as a future career ever since,” Dahdal said. “I enjoy the stimulating, collaborative environment it offers and the focused opportunity to learn fascinating topics within my disciplines that I wouldn’t encounter otherwise.”

The Goldwater Scholarship selects individuals who have a demonstrated passion for research, often exhibited by completing multiple projects at the undergraduate level. And Dahdal certainly fits the bill.

His research journey, which has taken place across departments and disciplines at Elon, began the summer after his first year at Elon when he joined a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research team focused on creating a mathematical model of complex equations that predict how the human immune system responds to COVID-19. Dahdal was instrumental in running the sensitivity analysis that validated the model.

Also in his sophomore year, Dahdal began working with the Engineering Department’s Robotics Lab to train a 3D machine-learning model to understand plant anatomy and construct an autonomous robotic arm that monitors and tends to plants.

And there are even more research experiences to come. He will spend the summer before his junior year participating in an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates in Software Engineering (REUSE) at Carnegie Mellon University. There, as a research intern, Dahdal will be studying the use of machine learning techniques for defense strategies in cybersecurity.

He has also already begun his Honors Fellow/Lumen research, for which he is investigating the fusion of high-level sensors and machine learning to construct a contactless, high-resolution vital sign detection system. Dahdal’s proposed system will monitor precise human movement, process 3D signals to extract vital sign information such as respiratory rate and heart rate, and detect anomalies linked to medical conditions like arrhythmia.

Focusing on issues that can make a difference in the lives of others is important to him, which is why he chose to study computer science. He sees in the discipline limitless ways to impact the lives of others, and he wants to contribute to that process.

“I want to explore how machines can learn to interpret the world around us through different modalities, and how those discoveries can do good humanitarian deeds,” he said. “The inherent nature of computer science encourages collaboration to create innovation, and even though it sounds cliche, that community-driven innovation has changed the world.”

Dahdal recognizes that being able to effectively collaborate with others to build meaningful projects is a crucial skill in computer science. With that in mind, he and two other computer science majors formed Elon’s Computer Science Project Team (CSPT) during his freshman year. They created the team “to inspire community-driven development and engage Elon students to build projects with direct support from peers and the university,” he said.

The first matter of business was creating a platform that would allow students to access previously inaccessible university data from which they could build apps. CSPT works directly with Elon’s IT department to continually introduce new datasets to the platform, called Open Data Service. By bringing Elon-focused data and applications into the hands of Elon students, faculty and staff, Dahdal hopes to enhance campus life and promote open-source, collaborative community projects.

“With new, sought-after data introduced, I envision our products to be used widely in the Elon community for solutions and research, such as analyzing energy usage on campus or pinpointing campus traffic via Wi-Fi connection,” he said.

Dahdal still has two years left at Elon and said he looks forward to applying the extensive technical and conceptual foundation he’s already gained “to build robust, innovative solutions for the Elon and greater scientific community.”

After graduating in 2026, he plans to pursue a doctorate in computer science and ultimately become a research scientist specializing in institutional machine learning. And he’s right on track to make those educational and career aspirations a reality, thanks to the immense research opportunities Elon has provided him.

“My involvement in research has continued to be an unparalleled learning opportunity that has led me to explore high-level concepts and methods and solve intricate, important problems,” he said. “The work you’re able to do at Elon as an undergraduate is on-par with graduate studies. Some post-doctoral researchers I’ve collaborated with are surprised by the level and depth of research we as undergraduates have the opportunity to conduct.”

Curriculum & Degree Requirements

• Computer Science A.B. (opens a new window)
• Computer Science B.S. (opens a new window)