The Department of Computer Science came into existence in 1984 with an M.Tech. course in Computer and Information Science, which was the first in the state of Kerala. In 1986, the Department was identified by the Defence Research and Development Organisation for conducting an M.Sc. programme in Computer Software, as a feeder course to the DRDO Laboratories. The department served as a seeding agent for the establishment of Computer Centre, which was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister in 1990,. The department was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the MCA programme in June 1994, which helped to streamline the course and setting it into the right track. The B.Tech. course started in 1996, was given co-ordinating support by the department in the branch of Computer Science & Engineering. A new M.Tech. programme in Software Engineering sponsored by UGC was also started in the academic year 2000-2001.

Ph.D. programme in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Networking, Information Systems Engineering etc. are being pursued.

The department has so far received grants to the tune of Rs. 10 crore from various national agencies. The INFOCUS project with support from the Netherlands Government and collaboration of the Delft University of Technology was co-ordinated by the department jointly.

The campus intranet, the CUSAT website, the campus intercom system are all managed by the department.

The department provides technical expertise and support to various Government/Quasi-government bodies.