The department's research is directed at computers, computing, software and computer systems. The research approach encompasses the formally logical, the experimentally constructive, and the empirically descriptive.

Programming and programming languages constitute vital links between computers and human activity, and the study hereof is fundamental. Computer science is concerned with how to carry out an efficient and quality-based software development with design and implementation of formalized languages and with development and application of software development tools. Computer science is also in a broader sense concerned with development and utilization of information technology.

Computer science is engaged in, on the one hand, exploitation, and development of the technical possibilities, e.g., utilization of parallelism in computer networks, and, on the other hand, development and adaptation of concrete systems and technologies to specific applications.

Computer science is related to mathematics, engineering, and to humanistic and social science disciplines.

The department is divided into four sections and twelve research units: 

Sections

• Section for Copenhagen
• Section for DATA
• Section for Distributed, Embedded and Intelligent Systems
• Section for Human Centered Computing

Research units:

• Automated System Verification and Validation
• Data Engineering, Science, and Systems
• Distributed Sustainable Software and Systems
• Formal Methods for Security and Privacy
• Foundations for Interacting and Computing Systems
• Human Augmentation and Collaboration
• Natural Language Processing
• Physical and Embodied Interaction
• Probabilistic and Symbolic AI
• Quantum Systems Analysis and Synthesis
• Systems Design & Development Practices
• Web Science and Engineering