With the rising demand for workers within computational science and programming fields, Grand Valley State University’s Computing and Information Systems (CIS) department is committed to providing students the skills needed to succeed in their given field.

To verify that GVSU students are then gaining a quality education, the CIS program has been re-accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineers and Technology Inc. (ABET). Basing itself as a peer-review system, the global organization evaluates post-secondary systems within applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology programs to determine if they are providing technical and professional skills that graduates need when they join the work force.

Paul Leidig, who helped form and is currently directing the CIS department, indicated that the review, which occurs every six years, helps promote the best practices for a student’s education.

“One of the first things I did when I created the department was to build our accreditation by ABET,” he said. “We are accredited by what is called the computing accreditation society, which I used to be a commissioner on, and that commission basically gives the distinction for that program and shows that we are meeting the criteria that is expected for all of the best programs.”

The CIS department offers undergraduate degrees in computer science and information systems, as well as seven undergraduate minors – which are intended for other majors, Leidig said – that include data science, computer science and a health care information systems minor. The graduate degrees include a master’s of science in computer information systems and a master’s of science in medical and bioinformatics.

Leidig said the rise of students within the CIS department – 700 undergraduates and 800 graduate students – helps establish that overall need for talented and knowledgeable students within computer science.

“If you look at the Bureau of Statistics, in all the ads of where the jobs are, we’re routinely when you take the top 10 have computing jobs be six, seven, eight of those top 10 jobs,” he said. “It is extremely in high demand and it is good that we have an increasing number of students, as there are a shortage of students with talent within IT.”

Carson Schaefer, a senior and computer science major, said he has enjoyed taking all the computer science courses at GVSU, even when the curriculum is tough. Schaefer said being part of an ABET accredited university gives employers a standard for the knowledge he has attained at GVSU.

“I transferred in from a school that wasn’t ABET-accredited and from talking to someone from Auto Owner’s Insurance, that this is something that you want to have. If you don’t have that stamp of approval you really can’t show what you know or do unless they talk to you a little bit more,” he said. “Having that stamp from Grand Valley just shows that they are teaching us the right stuff and providing us the resources and skills that most companies are looking for.”

For more information about the CIS department and its programs and courses, visit www.cis.gvsu.edu.