CS@SC Summer Coding Camp & Academic Year Programs
“The CS@SC Summer Camps and ongoing Academic year programs are designed to provide students with an early education into computer science, engineering, and applied physical science, which are not typically covered in formal K12 curricula. The camps are primarily targeting girls, underrepresented ethnicities and low income families. To encourage a sense of diversity, which is the reality of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, the camps are open to all ethnicities, income backgrounds, and genders.”
~Professor Jeffrey Miller, Camp Founder & Instructor
Our Goal
The camps and programs were founded as a joint effort of the Institute for Education and The USC Department of Computer Science to provide students with an early education into computer science, engineering, and applied physical science. The camps are not designed to convince students to major in these fields when they reach college, but rather to allow them to make an informed decision about different fields that may not receive as much exposure as ones they see on a daily basis. Studies have shown that students who are exposed to computer science and engineering fields at a young age are more likely to excel in academic fields such as science and mathematics.
Girls Who Code
Although the camps and courses are open to boys and girls, we have a particular interest in encouraging the education of girls in the computing field. The national average for girls receiving Bachelor’s degrees in computing fields is 19%. USC’s Computer Science program has over 30% girls in the undergraduate program. Research has shown that if girls are exposed to computer science or engineering fields before entering high school, they are more likely to pursue more difficult science and mathematics classes.
Course Objectives
By the end of the summer camp and online courses, new students will be able to:
- Explain what computer science is and how it relates to real-world problems
- Describe how a computer program is written and executed
- Develop a sequence of steps used to solve a given problem
- Write a computer program to solve a given problem
- Use basic programming constructs such as variables, conditions, and loops
- Identify the need for math and science knowledge in a variety of fields
- Experience college life from the perspective of a USC student
