Joint Major in Computer Science and Climate

Climate change is one of the grand challenges of our time and the field of computer science has enormous potential to shape our collective future. Computer science innovation expands the possibilities for many climate-relevant areas including climate justice, clean energy system infrastructure, earth system data retrieval, and climate prediction. Given the prevalence of large, complex datasets in climate science, computational thinking supports the development of climate literacy, while complementary coursework in climate science, impacts, interventions, and contexts adds breadth and perspective for students who wish to become knowledgeable in this highly interdisciplinary space. Our philosophy supports graduates who are human-factor conscious, ethics aware, and impact literate.

Students pursuing the joint major in computer science and climate will complete foundational coursework in the principles of computer science, data structures, discrete mathematics, and professional computing practices as well as either computer systems or algorithms, and will select computer science electives that support their intended career path. Students will also choose from a menu of climate courses that fulfill requirements across several dimensions of climate change. Foundational coursework in thermodynamics, along with a choice of additional STEM breadth will ensure students are prepared for advanced study in climate or related programs. And, joint majors will complete a course in human-centered thinking, supporting the philosophical goals of this program.

Our program is distinct from a green computing program - like all Hixon Center joint majors in climate, coursework in the joint major is designed to help students develop a holistic understanding of climate change, with emphasis on the interaction of physical and human systems.

Foundation Courses in Computer Science and Mathematics

Two Kernel Courses in Computer Science

3 Credits of Computer Science Electives

The joint major requires three credits of upper-division Computer Science electives (numbered 100 or higher, and other than colloquium and Clinic which are also required for the major). A student taking CSCI144 HM /MATH164 HM must decide whether they would like to count it toward fulfilling their Computer Science elective requirement or their Climate foundational requirement; it cannot be used to satisfy both requirements. Courses cannot be double counted within the major.

The following courses have been approved to be taken as electives toward the Computer Science and Climate joint major. This list is not exhaustive, and students should discuss other possible elective courses with their faculty advisor:

Climate Foundations

Similar to other joint majors, students will complete a total of 9 credits of coursework in climate foundations.
3 credits in thermodynamics. Choose one course from among: CHEM051 HM - Foundations of Physical Chemistry , ENGR082 HM , or PHYS117 HM
The remaining 6 credits can be selected from two of the following four areas: the physics of electricity and magnetism, differential equations, probability and/or statistics, and computational/numerical methods and/or scientific computing. The catalog lists HMC courses which satisfy each requirement. Please visit our Course Descriptions page for a full list of approved courses, including off-campus courses.

-Probability and/or Statistics: BIOL154 HM , MATH056 HM , MATH062 HM , or PHYS117 HM

-Electricity and Magnetism: PHYS051 HM

-Differential Equations: MATH082 HM

-Computational/Numerical Methods/Scientific Computing: CHEM080 HM , CSCI144 HM , MATH164 HM , or PHYS064 HM

Computer Science and Climate Kernel: Students will complete 3 credits of coursework addressing each of the following areas: Climate Dynamics, Climate Impacts, Climate Interventions, Climate Contexts, and Human-Centered Thinking for a total of 15 credits. Each climate joint major has a unique climate kernel tailored to the needs of the discipline.

-CLES101 HM

-3 credits in Climate Impacts. See our Course Descriptions page for a list of approved Impacts courses.

-3 credits in Climate Interventions. See our Course Descriptions page for a list of approved Interventions courses.

-3 credits in Climate Contexts, which double count toward the HMC HSA requirement. See our Course Descriptions page for a list of approved Contexts courses.

-3 credits in Human-Centered Thinking from among: CSCI120 HM , ENGR180 HM , or EA 185 PO

Colloquia & Capstone

Two semesters of Computer Science Colloquium:
CSCI195 HM - Computer Science Colloquium (should be taken in the junior or senior year)
and
Two semesters of Climate and Environmental Science Colloquium:
CLES199 HM - Climate and Environment Colloquium (should be taken in the junior and senior year, fall only)
Students studying abroad during their junior or senior years are excused from one semester of the Colloquium requirement for each semester abroad.
and

Two semesters of computer science clinic, which must be taken during the last full academic year of enrollment (i.e., in consecutive Fall-Spring semesters):
CSCI183 HM - Computer Science Clinic I
CSCI184 HM - Computer Science Clinic II

Note:

New courses are coming online each year that expand the possible courses a student can take to fulfill major requirements. Major advisors have the full list of courses that can fulfill these requirements. Students are encouraged to speak with their major advisor to determine if a course will satisfy a requirement. These courses might include new climate courses developed at Harvey Mudd (primarily with the CLES course code), and appropriate courses offered by other Claremont Colleges.