Undergraduates searching for a degree that will quickly result in a well-paying job after graduation know that a B.S. in Computer Science ranks at, or near, the top of any career site on the web.
A degree in high demand
Dana Vrajitoru, associate professor of computer and information sciences at IU South Bend and faculty director for a cluster of IU online collaborative programs in technology and computing, can vouch for the popularity of a bachelor’s in computer science. At a time when enrollments in other programs at South Bend were dropping, enrollments in its online B.S. in Computer Science remained steady or grew. In addition, a 2023 survey of 147 on-campus computer science and informatics alumni—conducted as part of South Bend’s Academic Master Plan initiative—showed that more than 95 percent of these graduates had gotten jobs. The evidence all pointed to computer science as an in-demand degree program. Meeting this demand with an online option seemed like a "no brainer."
Faculty and administrators at several campuses were eager to pool resources and offer an online B.S. in Computer Science. Faculty representatives from IU Indianapolis, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast formed a committee and began working toward an online collaborative degree.
Collaboration shapes curriculum
Over the next year, the faculty committee, with input from the campus departments and coordination from IU Online, worked together to design the program curriculum. They landed on a 120 credit hour program that would require students to complete:
- 40 credit hours of computer science core courses
- 16 credit hours of mathematics courses
- 6 credit hours of discipline-specific elective courses
- 8 to 10 credit hours of general science courses (with a laboratory component)
- As many general education and elective courses needed to reach 120 credit hours
In addition to this coursework, many students are able to complete internships as part of their program.
“Everyone had a common goal,” says Vrajitoru, “making it simpler to make decisions about such issues as the total number of credits and how they would be distributed across core, general education, and elective courses. The major challenge involved paring down the number of courses we had so they would fit into the number of credits we decided on.”
eLearning Design and Services (eDS), which supports faculty in collaborative programs, played a crucial role in streamlining course design and improving efficiency. By providing structured Canvas course templates, eDS helped faculty simplify course development while ensuring consistency and quality across courses. These templates help faculty organize their materials clearly and intuitively, ensuring that students can easily navigate their coursework, regardless of the course or instructor.
Beyond templates, eDS worked closely with faculty to implement best practices in online course design, with a strong emphasis on accessibility, engagement, and instructional effectiveness. Through direct consultation and design support, eDS significantly reduced the time required to develop high-quality courses while ensuring a seamless learning experience for students.
“I lead a team of instructional designers who collaborate with faculty to create engaging and effective online courses,” says Kim Seeber, eDS manager of online instructional design. “Our goal is to simplify the design process so faculty can focus on teaching rather than the technical challenges of course design. By leveraging templates, structured course planning, and instructional design expertise, we create efficiencies that enable rapid course development without sacrificing quality.”
Suranga Hettiarachchi, associate professor of computer science at IU Southeast, was one of the faculty representatives on the computer science development committee. He notes that eDS’s role did not end once the program was launched. “This is an ongoing effort.”
Broadening student options
Vrajitoru says development of the B.S. in Computer Science built on the successes of other degree programs in the technology and computing cluster. “We already had the B.S. in Data Science and the B.S. in Informatics. By the time we created the B.S. in Computer Science, we had faculty and staff who already had experience in the process, so they were able to avoid pitfalls. In addition, some courses for all three programs overlap. They have different numbers and are offered through different departments, but all three programs can use them.”
This sharing of courses is one of the reasons for designating program clusters, says Kim Nikolovski, senior program manager for IU Online. “Clustering programs makes program development more efficient. Moreover, with three programs that share similar classes, students have the flexibility to explore other areas of interest after declaring a major in the first year. It fosters interaction among students from different disciplines and allows students to know faculty beyond their chosen degree.”
Effect on enrollments
Not all growth is equal, however. In spring 2024, for example, there were 172 enrollments in the online B.S. in Informatics. In spring 2025, enrollments stood at 140.
That said, the aggregate result is positive. Enrollments in the three degree programs have grown from 229 enrollments in spring 2023 to 399 in spring 2025—a 74% increase. “We’re seeing enrollment growth in the overall cluster of programs,” says Nikolovski. “We’re catering to a wider range of student interests and preferences.” So while the online B.S. in Informatics lost students, the online B.S. in Data Science gained students. The program had 113 enrollments in spring 2024 and 140 in spring 2025.
Computer science is one of IU’s fastest growing programs. Enrollments have risen from 32 students in spring 2024 to 139 students in spring 2025. Obviously, the addition of the degree is a positive. While existing degrees may have seen slight declines or slowing growth, this should be seen as a "reset" rather than internal competition.
Role of faculty director
A key factor in this success is the faculty director—a role that was added to the cluster in fall 2024. As Vrajitoru describes it, “the faculty director has experience in teaching in the cluster, knows how courses relate to each other, and is able to relate to other faculty. The director coordinates communications and helps to visualize where the program can go. In addition, the faculty director helps advisors understand how to accept and distribute transfer credits. Most importantly, the faculty director always looks for ways to benefit students.”
The ultimate benefit
The student experience and career placement are of course deciding factors in determining the success of a collaborative program. IU Kokomo student Melanie Priestly is unequivocal about the advantages of a collaborative curriculum. “A benefit of taking courses through different campuses is the opportunity to be introduced to diverse college cultures and interact with individuals from different backgrounds,” she says.
Priestly likes having the opportunity to learn from instructors with different perspectives and teaching styles and to learn with classmates with various backgrounds, interests, and approaches to learning. “The collaborative nature of the B.S. in Computer Science program mirrors the real-world work environment, where professionals often collaborate with individuals from different teams and departments, each bringing their own expertise and preferences to the table.”
The program has provided Priestly with other options. “Despite being physically distant as an online student,” she says, “I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer as an IU mentor and collaborate with a faculty member on a research project. These opportunities have helped me to feel more connected to the IU community.”
About the B.S. in Computer Science
The B.S. in Computer Science provides students with the technical proficiency, project management skills, communication expertise, and experience sought by employers. Specific areas of focus include programming, data structures, computer security, artificial intelligence, and software engineering.