Computer Science Department

Over the course of three decades, the computer science department at Washington and Lee has built a curriculum that provides outstanding computer science education in a liberal arts setting.  We offer students courses in all of the major areas of computing, as well as opportunities to participate in several ongoing research programs sponsored by our faculty.

Beginning students take a two-semester introductory programming sequence course in the Python language, where they become proficient in problem solving and developing software using the latest and most advanced programming techniques.  They then take courses in software development with Java, computer organization (assembly language and C programming), programming language design, and algorithm analysis.  Electives in many areas are then available.  You can enter the honors program and write a senior thesis if you qualify.

Research areas included robotics, parallel computing, machine learning, security and privacy, human-computer interaction, and software engineering.  The department also has strong interdisciplinary ties to such areas as data science, neuroscience, biology, chemistry, earth and environmental geoscience,  mathematics, and digital humanities.

Faculty sponsor student research with summer internships, and you can also find summer opportunities at other universities, in government, or in the private sector.  Some graduates have been admitted to some of the top graduate schools in the country.  Other graduates use our aggressive career office and strong alumni network to find permanent employment in government or the private sector.

Students have majored in computer science and also majored in almost any other subject here.  Many students have another science major, such as biology or physics; some have a second major in our commerce school, and a few have a second major in a subject like philosophy, classics, or theater.  Students can also have a minor in a subject that offers one, where you take approximately one half of the courses required for  a major.  In all cases, we encourage our majors to pursue a broad sampling of subjects in the liberal arts, which we believe is the best way to get a true education.

We have a collegial and fun-loving group of students in the program at any given time, and our record of attracting women and students of underrepresented groups to the major is unsurpassed.  Our majors, like other students, are involved outside the classroom in many extracurricular clubs, organizations, and athletic teams.

In short, if you want a first-rate computer science education at a first-rate liberal arts college, you should check out the computer science department at Washington and Lee.  Please feel free to contact the department chair, Professor Sara Sprenkle at sprenkles@wlu.edu, if you have any questions.

Department Info

  • Department of Computer Science
    Washington and Lee University
    Lexington, Virginia 24450

Simon Levy

Interim Department Head

Carolyn Wingrove-Moore

Administrative Assistant

Computer Science News


W&L Outcomes: Cat Caples ’25

After making connections through the W&L alumni network, Caples will be working as a mechanical and design engineer at Hardwire LLC.

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Eight W&L Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad

This round of recipients marks a record-setting Gilman Scholar cohort for W&L.

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Meet AJ Thomas ’26

Thomas enjoys the balance between athletics, academics and making lifelong connections with fellow students.

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Computer Science Department Blog


student research, student successes

Micah Tongen ’26 Brings AI to Ancient Texts

Micah Tongen, a bilingual student at Washington and Lee University (Class of 2026), is double majoring in Computer Science (BS) and Mathematics (BA) and minoring in Data Science–Business Analytics. This summer, he tackled a research project combining ancient languages and artificial intelligence. Micah created a special search tool to help researchers find and understand ancient …

The post Micah Tongen ’26 Brings AI to Ancient Texts first appeared on W&L Computer Science Blog.

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Awards and Prizes, CS Student Athletes, Graduates, Honors Thesis, Student Successes, Students, Women in Computer Science

2025 Computer Science Degrees, Scholarships, Prizes and Awards

Congratulations to the Computer Science Class of 2025 — majors and minors alike — for their outstanding achievements!Below are their accomplishments, listed along with those of select CS undergraduates, as they appear in the Commencement Bulletin. 2025 Graduates: Majors: Desire Nkoro Asinya – Bachelor of Arts, cum laude Naka Alounkou Reine Assoumatine- Bachelor of Science, cum …

The post 2025 Computer Science Degrees, Scholarships, Prizes and Awards first appeared on W&L Computer Science Blog.

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student research, student successes

Can AI Speak for Us? W&L Senior CS Major Ignas Volcokas Tests Political Bots in Honors Thesis

What happens when artificial intelligence tries to stand in for your political voice? Can a machine represent your values, your choices, your vote? Washington and Lee senior Ignas Volcokas, Class of 2025 who is majoring in Computer Science and Economics and minoring in Poverty and Human Capability Studies, explored these questions in his honors thesis, …

The post Can AI Speak for Us? W&L Senior CS Major Ignas Volcokas Tests Political Bots in Honors Thesis first appeared on W&L Computer Science Blog.

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