The Department of Computer Science has good standing both nationally and internationally, largely because our body of academic, administrative and technical support staff work together to ensure that we produce students and research of high quality. The Department also has good links with the local IT industry, where many of our graduates are employed, including companies working in telecommunications, scientific and high-performance computing and visual effects and animation.
The Computer Science Department is situated in the Faculty of Science and offers majors for the B.Sc. degree in Computer Science and, from 2025, Artificial Intelligence. It is also possible to major in Computer Science as part of a B.A. or B. Comm. degree. Postgraduate degrees offered by the department are B.Sc (Hons) in Computer Science, Master’s in Computer Science by dissertation, Master’s in Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence by Coursework and Minor dissertation, Master's in Information Technology by Coursework and Minor dissertation, and PhD in Computer Science.
The Computer Science Department produces research across a range of fields in Computer Science, much of which is cross- and inter-disciplinary. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key area, with half the academic staff working in sub-disciplines of AI. Further, Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) constitutes an important unifying theme for several staff members, a synergy which led to the establishment of the Centre for ICT4D, a multidisciplinary centre supported by several international corporations. Members of the department are also involved with the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) Research School at UCT and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR). The department also produces research in the areas of Digital Libraries, Networks, Visual Computing, Computational Science, Visualisation, High-Performance and Parallel Computing and Computer Science Education.
Head of Department: Professor Michelle Kuttel