Assessing and Responding to the Growth of Computer Science Undergraduate Enrollments

The field of computer science (CS) is currently experiencing a surge in undergraduate degree production and course enrollments, which is straining program resources at many institutions and causing concern among faculty and administrators about how best to respond to the rapidly growing demand. There is also significant interest about what this growth will mean for the future of CS programs, the role of computer science in academic institutions, the field as a whole, and U.S. society more broadly. Assessing and Responding to the Growth of Computer Science Undergraduate Enrollments seeks to provide a better understanding of the current trends in computing enrollments in the context of past trends. It examines drivers of the current enrollment surge, relationships between the surge and current and potential gains in diversity in the field, and the potential impacts of responses to the increased demand for computing in higher education, and it considers the likely effects of those responses on students, faculty, and institutions. This report provides recommendations for what institutions of higher education, government agencies, and the private sector can do to respond to the surge and plan for a strong and sustainable future for the field of CS in general, the health of the institutions of higher education, and the prosperity of the nation. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Historical Degree Production in Computing 3 The Current Landscape of Computer Science Enrollments 4 Drivers of the Recent Increase in Enrollments in Computing 5 Impacts of Enrollment Growth on Diversity in Computing 6 Institutional Strategies 7 Recommendations References Appendixes Appendix A: Statement of Task Appendix B: Workshop Agenda Appendix C: Commissioned Paper: Workforce Trends in Computer Science Appendix D: White Paper: Does the Recent Increase in Computer Science Degrees Reflect Increased Demand? Appendix E: Summary of Data from the Consortium for Undergraduate STEM Success Appendix F: List of WebCASPAR/IPEDS Database Query Parameters Used to Obtain Data in Report Plots Appendix G: Biographical Information Appendix H: Acronyms and Abbreviations