Carlow University's computer science program takes a liberal arts approach to its curriculum, emphasizing the relationship of computer science concepts to other disciplines. Most courses focus on programming from an architectural and problem-solving perspective, allowing students to develop broad skills in the structure and design of individual computer programs, large libraries of programs, and complex software systems.

The program is tailored to students with no previous programming experience; only basic computer familiarity is required, including word processing, using e-mail, and Web browsing. The mathematics requirements for a degree are very modest. Carlow's courses combine traditional classroom instruction with facult-supervised laboratories of no more than 10 students, providing students with individualized experience in current technology and the problem-solving skills necessary to apply that konwledge. The university's labs are equipped with state-of-the-art software and integrated development environments, which may be installed on student's personal computers.

The computer science curriculum includes three semesters of object-oriented Java programming, finishing with algorithms and data structures. Programming skills are then used in an interactive 3D computer graphics course, and a programming languages course gives students hands-on experience with languages such as C++ and Visual Basic. The database course covers basic concepts and the Standard Query Language, which are then used in the construction of three-tier Web applications. The software engineering course is a capstone on programming, focusing on the design of large Web-based systems using the Unified Modeling Language. On the systems side, Introduction to Computer Systems provides a broad background to computers and networks. The Operating Systems course goes into more low-level programming, including assembly language, and the Linux course provides a practical introduction to the use and administration of that operating system.

Computer science students are encouraged to earn a minor concentration in another field, because most computer professionals work in applied fields, including business, biological sciences, law enforcement, education, and the public sector. The computer science minor is perfect for students whose primary interest is in another field but who want to have strong computer skills.