About
The Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech has been an incubator for innovative teaching and leading-edge research for more than 50 years. We pursue our mission and vision in the spirit of Virginia Tech's motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
Research strengths and impact
Productive faculty and students with strong tradition of transdisciplinary research.
Download our May 2026 fact sheet.
- 97 instructional faculty members, including 67 tenured or tenure-track faculty, and 33 National Science Foundation CAREER award winners
- Research strengths in a broad set of strategic areas, including:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Computational biology and bioinformatics
- Computer science education
- Cybersecurity
- High-performance computing
- Human-computer interaction
- Software engineering
- Systems
- Quantum computing
- $15.2 million in externally-funded research expenditures in FY2025
- Department-affiliated research centers include:
- Extensive involvement with major university research institutes and initiatives, including:
- Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute
- Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology
- Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science
- Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment
- National Security Institute
- Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor's degree in computer science
- 1,741 students (Sophomore, Junior, Senior)
- 503 Bachelor of Science degrees awarded in 2024-25
- Ranked 25th by U.S. News & World Report
Graduate programs
Programs in Blacksburg and the greater Washington, D.C. metro area offer research-focused Ph.D. and Master of Science degrees, as well as a practitioner-focused Master of Engineering degree.
- 285 doctoral and 409 master's-level students
- 73 doctoral and 605 master's-level degrees awarded in 2025-26
- Ranked 34th by U.S. News & World Report
Additional degree programs
Our department contributes to several additional degree programs, including:
- Minors in artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity, and human-computer interaction
- Bachelor of Science in computational modeling and data analytics
- Ph.D. in genetics, bioinformatics and computational biology
- Online Master of Information Technology.
College of Engineering
We are part of Virginia Tech's comprehensive and highly-ranked College of Engineering.
- The college is led by Dean Warren Dixon.
- Computer science has extensive collaborations across departments in the College of Engineering and with numerous departments in other colleges.
Blacksburg campus
Virginia Tech's campus in scenic Southwest Virginia.
- Research, teaching, and administration operations housed in 89,000 square feet across campus, primarily in three buildings: Torgersen Hall, Data and Decision Sciences, and Gilbert Place.
- Scenic, walkable campus with arts and cultural experiences and nearby cultural and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Greater Washington, D.C. metro area
Strategic locations in Arlington and Alexandria offer exciting opportunities for research and partnerships.
- Computer science graduate degrees offered for more than 40 years, with facilities in Arlington and Academic Building One in Alexandria.
Administrative leadership and support
Committed team leads a broad set of academic, research, and outreach activities.
- Leadership group includes four associate department heads and multiple area directors and coordinators;
- six-person IT staff supports extensive computing resources;
- six-person fiscal staff includes support for proposal preparation and management;
- on-site human resources support;
- and dedicated managers lead efforts in communications, corporate partnerships, and alumni relations.