Project Overview

The Mission Aligned Programs for Computer Science (MAP‑CS) project (NSF Award #2517967) investigates how computer science is taught and embedded within liberal arts colleges, with particular attention to curricular structures, institutional context, and student experience.

Using a combination of institutional surveys, program documents, and qualitative input from faculty, the project maps existing approaches and identifies patterns that can inform both local decision‑making and broader community practice.

What are Mission Aligned Programs for Computer Science?

Mission Aligned Programs for Computer Science (MAP‑CS) are CS programs whose goals, structures, and practices are explicitly grounded in the mission and educational philosophy of their home institutions.

These programs do more than “fit” CS into a liberal arts setting; they use institutional mission to shape decisions about curriculum design, integration with other disciplines, student pathways, and the kinds of questions and problems students are invited to engage.

Goals

The project’s work is guided by several key goals:

  • Document current practice: Characterize how CS programs are organized in liberal arts contexts (majors, minors, concentrations, and interdisciplinary pathways).
  • Surface successful models: Highlight structures, courses, and practices that support CS education consistent with liberal arts missions.
  • Support institutional reflection: Provide tools and processes that help departments and institutions analyze their own programs and consider alternative configurations.
  • Contribute to the broader community: Share findings and artifacts with the SIGCSE and ACM communities to inform ongoing conversations about computing in liberal arts settings.

(Adjust the bullets to more closely echo the specific aims from the NSF abstract, in your own words.)

Methods and Activities

The project combines several activities to achieve these goals:

  • Collecting and analyzing data from participating liberal arts institutions.
  • Developing a process workbook and associated interactive tools to guide local mapping and planning.
  • Creating exemplars and case studies that illustrate different institutional approaches.
  • Disseminating results through publications, conference presentations, and collaborations with relevant SIGCSE/ACM committees.

You can find more detail in the Supporting Material and Process Workbook sections of this site.