Many universities around the world offer courses dedicated to the subject of computer science. But some institutions excel particularly in teaching the subject.
If you feel like learning a bit more about it, keep reading this article about the best computer science universities in the world!
Computer science and work opportunities
What is computer science? It’s the study of computation, automation and information which focuses on algorithms and data structures. Computer scientists deal mainly with the design and implementation of hardware and software systems.
Getting a degree in computer science will undoubtedly land you a well-paid job in any country, since computer-based problem-solving skills are significantly sought after by lots of companies. In an increasingly digitalized world, the position of computer scientist is absolutely in demand and valuable when it comes to technological innovation.
Among the career paths for computer science graduates we can mention software developer, web developer, information security analyst, UX designer, computer hardware engineer, video game developer, and many others.
The 7 best universities to get a degree in computer science
Now, what are the best universities for getting a computer science degree? Clearly, it is mainly the most prestigious, world-class, exclusive and expensive institutions that will provide superlative education in the field.
North American schools dominate every ranking in regards to the most top-tier computer science programs available worldwide. Their global score, meaning the score referring to the university’s education system and research overall, is also the highest.
But in case you’re interested in enrolling into one of these universities, you’ll need to deal with the astronomical tuition fees first. A high score in admission tests SAT or ACT is also clearly necessary.
For today’s list, I selected the 7 highest ranking universities for graduating in computer science.
1) Stanford University
Founded in 1965, the Department of Computer Science at Stanford University takes the first spot as the best center for research and education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The department offers the following degrees: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy. It also participates in the undergraduate inter-disciplinary programs of Computer Systems Engineering, Symbolic Systems and Mathematical and Computational Sciences. Strong research groups exist in areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, foundations of computer science, scientific computing, and systems.
The department also maintains close ties with researchers with computational interests in other university departments. In addition, both faculty and students commonly work with investigators at nearby research or industrial institutions.
Stanford’s computer science course is therefore the best choice for fulfilling your education goals in the subject.
2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The MIT is among the best universities in the world, and its computer science program is a clear demonstration of that.
With 14 research areas, which include Computer Architecture, AI and Machine Learning, Robotics, Security and Cryptography, Quantum Computing, Communication and Sensing, the MIT’s computer science program is incredibly vast and well-rounded.
The primary areas of the field are theory, systems and human-computer interaction. The products of all three subareas are applied across science, engineering, medicine, and the social sciences.
Central to the program is also the interdisciplinary collaboration both across MIT and beyond, helping users address the critical societal problems of our era, including opportunity access, climate change, disease, inequality and polarization.
3) Carnegie Mellon University
Since its founding more than 25 years ago, the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science has been a world leader in computing research and education, with graduate programs consistently ranking among the top in the nation. The SCS is highly ranked in specialty areas such as programming languages, artificial intelligence, systems and theory.
At the undergraduate level, the university introduced the nation’s first bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence in 2018, while in 2020 a bachelor’s program in human-computer interaction was added.
Most SCS undergraduates work towards a bachelor of science in computer science. The offer in majors and minors is very rich, as is the case for the graduate level, which offers a great variety of Master’s and Doctoral programs.
4) University of Oxford
The Department of Computer Science at Oxford University is one of the longest-established computer science departments in the world.
The home to a community of world-class research and teaching, here research activities span core computer science (algorithms, data, programming languages, and artificial intelligence) to human-centred computing, automated verification, computational biology, cyber physical systems, quantum computing and security.
Its research is focused on methods for solving problems using computers, as well as the design of programming languages and computational systems. The program brings together world-class minds with external partners – combining rigorous theory and practical applications.
5) National University of Singapore
With deep connections at leading companies, NUS offers a truly immersive, well-rounded and high-value computer science education.
Computer science students at NUS are provided the strongest technical foundation available at any institution in Singapore, across all sub-disciplines of computing. The well grounded theoretical program is accompanied by a special emphasis on skills that matter to employers.
The approach is very project-based, meaning focused on instructing and guiding students throughout the development of their applications.
6) ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich has a long and successful history of designing computer systems and developing software tools: it dates back to 1948 to the newly formed Institute for Applied Mathematics.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology has a world-class reputation in academia and industry. Countless brilliant minds who made history graduated from ETH, such as Albert Einstein, John von Neumann and Alfred Werner.
The Department of Computer Science at ETH is among the top-ranked in the world. Dedicated to undertaking basic research, its programs develop reliable, efficient and secure computer and IT solutions for use in society, industry and science.
While maintaining longstanding, traditional ties with electrical engineering and mathematics, department researchers increasingly interact with other disciplines including physics, mechanical engineering and the life sciences.
Collaboration with external centres and labs is also important: the latest joint research programs lead to the development of the ETH AI Center and the Cyber Defence Campus, for instance.
7) University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) offers one of the most comprehensive instructional and research programs available anywhere in the field.
The university’s particular strength resides in large interdisciplinary real-world system projects that bring to bear core technologies seamlessly across electrical engineering and computer science.
Berkeley EECS graduate and undergraduate programs rank first and second in the nation and provide one of the best educational experiences anywhere. The students are immersed in an intellectually rigorous, interdisciplinary, globally aware environment, and have the opportunity to study and do research with faculty world-renowned for their innovation and discovery.