Cellular automata are one of the things you study in automata theory, which is the study of different models of computation. Although cellular automata are of

Cellular automata are one of the things you study in automata theory, which is the study of different models of computation. Although cellular automata are of some interest (Game of Life is Turing-complete, etc.), I wouldn't say they're nearly as important as the other models of computation you'd study in a normal undergraduate class (DFA's/NFA's, PDA's, Turing Machines).