Computer science degrees come with a common misconception, which often discourages students from pursuing a degree: They’ll turn you into an isolated code cruncher. That’s not really the case.
Computer science graduates qualify for a wide range of positions and careers. However, to ensure you have the right mix of skills and hands-on experience to get one, do your homework and decide on a career path before selecting a technical specialty or program.
What tips for success can you give to those seeking a degree in computer science? Let us know in the comments below.
“The gap between the classroom and the workplace has been a problem,” acknowledges Dr. H.E. Dunsmore, associate professor of Computer Science and chair of the College of Science Undergraduate Education Policy and Curriculum Committee at Purdue University.
Purdue’s Computer Science department has taken steps to make more students aware of the versatility of CS degrees. His undergraduates have the opportunity to explore various careers and select an educational track that suits their preferences.
“Computer science majors take a course during their freshman year that explains the various career options and what they’ll actually do all day,” explains Dunsmore. “They also have the opportunity to mix with our corporate partners, hear about different job opportunities and then select from a broad array of educational tracks in everything from graphics to security, which may require less math or programming.”
If you’re interested in CS, consider these five things:
- Know Yourself: Do you like working solo or on a team? Do you want to work with cutting-edge technology or support a business unit in a private sector company? The reality is you can be a DBA, business analyst, software engineer, researcher or computer systems analyst. However, you need to choose a career and curriculum that leverages your academic strengths. Currently, less than 40 percent of U.S. undergradscomplete science, technology, engineering and math programs and graduate with a degree.“If you want to pursue a career in software engineering, then you’ll have to complete rigorous coursework in math and programming,” says Dr. Larry Davis, professor at the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies and chair of the Computer Science Department at the University of Maryland.
- Select a Sustainable Career: Employment in all computer occupations is expected to increase by 22 percent through 2020, but some IT fields will fare better than others, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics biennial update of employment projections. Tech support and programming are still being sent offshore, so select carefully. “Don’t wait until you’re a junior or senior to attend campus job fairs,” suggests Davis. “Go when you’re a freshman so you can meet employers and hear about their future openings.
- Acquire Marketable Skills: It might be better to major in Business Administration and minor in Computer Science if you want to work in the private sector because the cloud is transforming IT and creating hybrid roles across the enterprise, according to Gartner. Most computer science students spend time building their own applications and systems but businesses don’t necessarily need that type of expertise. Hot skills include systems integration, business intelligence, cloud computing SQL, .Net, C, mobile languages and Java.
- Get Hands-On Experience: You can’t learn teamwork or business fundamentals by reading a text book. Participate in student projects, volunteer work, campus committees and internships so you can acquire hands-on technical experience, business acumen, leadership and communication skills.
- Persevere: It takes most CS students six years to earn a degree since many initially drop out of math and programming classes, yet manage to succeed the second time around.
This article seems to discourage people from getting a computer science degree. It sounds like youth should get a Business degree and minor in computer science. I’m personally looking into going back to school and getting a second masters in Computational Finance or perhaps Medical School. Either way I do not recommend to anyone major in Computer Science it is a dead end profession.
James
so you would suggest that a major in something more business oriented and a minor in computer science would hold a stronger presence?
Both actually, business and technical. For young college graduates who ultimately want a rewarding career in IT, start with technical and minor in some business classes..double major if you want to. But make sure you at least get something technical. From IT Systems to Comp. Eng. Doesn’t matter…because you’ll have to learn code and business logic either way.
Once you get a chance, learn the business world from your organization. Because only then will you become valuable. If you just want to code all your life or be an integrator, that’s fine too..but don’t cry about not making a lot of money like the other guys (unless you make your own hot killer app and go solo)
It’s all about what you want out of life, really. If you just want to make an ungodly amount of money..sales. From Sales to Sales Engineers to even IT Strategists (in a sales role), you make a crap load of money.
One more thing, do not get a Master(s) degree in Computer Science unless you are going to get a Phd to do research at a University and be a professor.
James
I agree that universities need to teach far less theory and far more hard skills. That’s my biggest beef with my Math/CIS degree. I learned a bunch of obscure trivia that would have served me well only if I intended to make my money by competing on “Jeopardy!” The focus should have been on hard, practical skills, the things that employers list in job ads.
But if there are no entry-level positions–meaning jobs that require little or no experience–it won’t matter. Not everyone can afford to work unpaid internships for years on end. In fact, I’ll hedge a guess that the overwhelming majority of graduates cannot, not even the kids. Parents will agree to support an adult child for only so long before they tell them they need to get a paying job.
Of course, this is a problem in every industry right now, not just tech. Entry-level positions have vanished, partly because baby boomers cannot afford to retire and are probably going to hold onto their jobs until they die. The only reason I’ve got the marketing-related gig I do is because I was an adult student who’d worked for years as a copywriter. Kids whose only work experience involves fast-food or a mall are SOL (unless, I guess, they decide to become restaurant or retail managers).
teaching applied hands-on skills are not the job of the university, that is what technical/applied schools and certifications are for. university are built on research and theory.
Do not major in Computer Science unless you plan on going to get a Phd so you can do research and teach at a University. The best advise this article gives is to Major in and any other field and minor in Computer Science.
James
I agree.
At first, I regretted going to college. Now, I’ve come to realize it was not attending college that was my mistake, but attending college for Math/CIS. I should have just gotten a nice business degree…ONLINE, so I could continue working full-time. (I’m doing my MBA program totally online for that reason — since I’m not chained to a class schedule, I’m able to work two jobs.)
I disagree with the last comments. As a Senior Software Engineer (with a CS degree 01′) for the last 10 years in the .NET realm, I can say that business is booming. Every day millions of lines of code are written all around the world, and guess what? That code needs to be maintained, enhanced, and supported. Of course some of it will become obsolete naturally, but for the most part almost everything we interact with today technology speaking has a software component.
And for offshoring? Yes it still occurs, but I believe we are going through a rubber band phase. While that was wildly popular in the 2000′s, many companies have seen how inadequate the delivered software was and how much time it still took many developers here in the US to make ‘right’, so I don’t think the threat is as present as it was to say textile workers from 50 years ago.
Many people now are just becoming consumers of technology rather than lending a hand to create it so there is a real need for software engineers. Need proof? Search this site!! As a junior developer begins to become more seasoned, the job market and compensation increases greatly. My advice? Be a team player and try to hone your skills on a language/technology (i.e. .NET/Java) and then stick with it to grow your skills. It is a fantastic career to pursue and from my vantage point the outlook is tremendous.
The problem is there are very little junior developer positions, for career transitioned or entry level developers.
I disagree. Universities are NOT job training centers. They are institutions of higher learning with a concentration on research. They should teach as much theory in computer science programs as possible, because it is a theoretical foundation that allows you to learn practical applications easily. I’m not saying that every computer science student should be forced to read the Principia Mathematica, but a solid foundation in the ACM curriculum is really the best thing for a computer scientist.
Now, you guys doubt the relevance of computer science degrees to the job market. That’s a different claim. I agree that there are few jobs out there for computer scientists, and even for software engineers these days. A combination of business or management skills with computer science is probably a better bet in the current economic climate.
I have found my computer science degree (from a well known and high ranking school) to be quite useful, but in combination with other disciplines. (Law, in my case). Much software development is moving offshore.
My advise is to tell people that a master’s degree in Computer Science is useless.Please consider other major instead of Computer Science
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RE: Not everyone can afford to work unpaid internships for years on end.
No tech company I’ve worked for in the last 15 years had unpaid internships. Back in the ’95 I interned for Tandem and was paid roughly 2k/month. It’s bound to have gone up since then.
My current company post openings mostly for interns, recent college graduates, and senior developers. The reason is interns and recent college grads are relatively “low cost” and in investment in in the future. Senior developers that are really good are always in demand.
My observation is that the mid-career positions are SOL in this job market.
When studying CS, learn both the application (the how) and the theory (the why). If you learn just one, you’re far less marketable and your career will likely stall. For example, if someone can technically code but doesn’t understand the theory behind what they are doing, they will reach the limit of their ability very quickly. These people eventually get replaced and have difficulty finding a new job because their ability does not match the perceived price tag that comes with someone of their experience level. Those jobs are filled by new college grads locally or overseas. Either way it’s at a lower price.
If you don’t stall, you are slowly given senior level work at the mid-career pay level. Eventually, your pay will catch up to your work level, but slowly. Is this fair? Of course not. It’s just what I’ve seen.
When studying, whether it be CS or any other subject, learn to learn how to learn. I mean figure out the best way for you to learn. For some it’s by example, for others it’s reading a book. This will allow you to learn faster and put your self in a position to succeed. This will give you an advantage as most people have not figured this out.
Also, learn to think. Not just one way, but every way you can. See things from different points of view. Another thing that most have not figured out but can give you an edge.
Lastly, when you get your first job, be serious about your work. Goofing off is easy in the tech industry, but it’s noticed.
This comes from a horrible movie I saw recently, but it’s a great theme to live by:
Adapt, Innovate, Overcome
After a diploma in Computer Science, what is the specialisation that a student can major and minor that have good job prospect in our modern world today?
this instructions are more useful for preparing myself.thanks
Well that answers my question. Thanks for the comments people. Your input helped more than the article itself.
Reading through these comments made it clear to that the majority of people who made comments either tried to major in computer science and failed; or completed their computer science degrees and also failed to make a good living with it. I think that those who make a good life in computer science are those that got the degree because they love building software and technology. They DID NOT do it for the money; but because they are passionate , the money came as a bonus. Schools DO NOT make you become good software engineers, YOU make yourself become great by passionately using the tools and resources that the University provides. A degree or a combination of degrees are nothing if your primary motivation in getting one is money! Computer Science IS NOT for anyone who majors in it for the money. If you do, then you’ll find yourself pulling your hair out in advanced math, data structures and algorithms, and assembler (if your school teach assembler). Its not for anyone who does it for the money. Those who posted here telling people not to major in it probably didn’t make it in computer science or failed to make anything out of it because they didn’t have the heart for it. It’s like the saying “Not everyone is FIT to be a United States Marine”; you can try, but you’ll eventually run out of steam and collapse if you don’t have the HEART for it.
I admit it. I took Math/CIS because I was told that tech was where the jobs and money were. I have no passion for anything except for making money. That’s the result of having to struggle to make it my entire life. I couldn’t just run to my parents for a check when I was in trouble. I was homeless for a period of time when I was 18 years old. I had to take whatever jobs I could get, whether I liked them or whether I hated them so much they consumed me. The notion of “loving” one’s work is as alien to me as the Internet would be to someone who lived in 1839.
So yeah, I was looking for a way out of La Vida Loca. If you were in my situation, you would have been looking to get out of it, too.
I actually enjoyed my advanced math classes. The advanced CIS classes, not so much. I looked at them the same way I looked at all those godawful jobs, as something I needed to endure to make money. My graduating GPA was 3.1, not fantastic, but not in the cellar, either.
Maybe I would have never been the World’s Greatest Programmer, but as I have said before, if this country weren’t in a Depression, I could have found SOME sort of job with my Math/CIS degree. Even if it was technical writing (I do enjoy writing, and have experience as a copywriter), or even if it was something really far-flung like high-level paralegal work. And that would have been okay with me.
I do not know if it’s a realistic goal, but I’m still hoping I can find a way out of La Vida Loca II, Electric Boogaloo. Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
I largely agree.
I have a PhD in CIS, but I’ve never been an academic; I’ve been a developer for 40 years now; involved exclusively with Linux and open source since Linux began (21 years ago).
I didn’t get a PhD for money or prestige – thank goodness, since I have neither. Not even a job, currently (I keep getting replaced by interns I train on the job). I thought I might learn how to do the more challenging things; OSes, development tools like compilers; device drivers, etc. And I did learn, and I’ve done all those things. But there aren’t many jobs for those more complex skills, especially where I am. Truthfully, few employers believe they need someone like me long term, and it’s hard to argue with that perception.
I’ve never taken a programming language class, though I’ve taught programming languages informally, even to past professors. And I estimate that by now, I’ve written about 500,000 lines of code in my life. And indeed, I don’t think programming languages need to be taught to computer science grad students, but I do think undergrads need to be taught computer science. Anyone who will be developing software, in my opinion, needs a strong background in computer science, and for that, a strong background in mathematics, especially number theory and formal logic.
There’s a result from psychology known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. It speaks to the rule in IT these days: people who are in over their heads but believe otherwise. And I’m thinking not just of programmers – or even programmers first and foremost.
If I’m ever again told by a non-technical HR person not to ask technical questions or give technical answers in an interview, when all they seem to care about is dates on my resume’, I’m gonna scream at them.
Yes, the job market for well-educated CS professionals is terrible, but it’s not because they wouldn’t be useful. It’s because so few understand that they would be useful.
What I see instead is like the TV commercial where a guy in an undershirt is sitting at his kitchen table with a butter knife, ready to do surgery on himself, with a doctor on the phone, asking the doctor what to do next. (Put down the knife… should be the doctor’s response.)
The market has learned to hire good developers only short term if at all, and less capable maintenance programmers longer term: good people are seen as more expensive, when in fact the economics suggests the opposite. In the worst cases, people barely even capable of doing maintenance work – fixing code they didn’t write themselves – are called upon to do development work, and that usually ends in failure, although because so few in software understand sunk costs, those failures take way too long to work themselves out.
There’s also a general perception that particular programming languages augment the skills of programmers in some magical fashion that makes using less skilled people who have happened to use them for a long time a good idea, and more generally that long-term experience with specific tools and products are desirable, as if a more generally and diversely experienced person wouldn’t be a better choice. Few understand how much the law of the instrument speaks to this kind of perception. In my younger days, I was told “there’s a difference between 15 years of experience, and 1 year of experience 15 times.” Those who are tasked to do tech hiring would do well to task that saying to heart.
Even if the way tech hiring is done were perfect, there would still be the effect that information technology devalues labor, for the labor market in general to deal with. But it’s not perfect – not even close. The way tech hiring is done, does far more harm than good. A death spiral, in all effect.
Time for the industry to wake up and smell the coffee. But I, for one, am not holding my breath.
John I to a comp sci grad and to tell you the truth your comments hit the nail on the head. I to am also looking at going back but something totally unrelated to computers and even further removed technology all together. something you said in your post though did raise an eye brow and I would love to discuss further with you you have the time. email is wizgod@cia.com Drop me a line if you could.
Not so good.
If you want to work go for a software engineering degree. Learn the latest development methodologies and how software is written for industry. Combine some process with the abiltiy to write code and you should do OK.
As an older student that returned to get a BSCS in ’03 I can tell you now it was a very bad idea. Yes I do love to code and like the math too. The problem is the only place an older person is welcome is in support, a truly dead-end job. I’ve been through several positions that hired me in with the lure of move to development only to find it is a career black hole. To add insult to injury now my previous profession looks at the degree as a sign I’ll move on at the first chance. To finish the degree as a full time student required student loans to the tune of 20k; cheap compared to those without a selfless spouse to help.
Before you write off my obvious bitterness to someone that had a second rate degree and a substandard GPA, the program has an ABET certification and with a GPA 3.35 I my not have been at the top of the class but not bad. In my graduating class several of the students with 4.0 and 3.9 GPAs did not receive one job offer and were forced as I was to take support jobs that really don’t even require a GED.
Companies are completely unwilling to invest or even risk anything in development any more. I taught myself java (C++ is my native) but try to get past the recruiter without the experience on your resume. To the people that say “we don’t have anyone to write our code here” and “we need more educated people in the sciences” I say go to hell! There have been no entry level jobs in the 21rst century, only jerks selling “training” disguised as placement. Until the profession gets organized I would not recommend anyone get into it.
Computer field is a like train, anyone can get in. No strict Computer Science degree required. If you are from any bachelor degree, like Math, Civil Eng, Mechanical, Doctors, MBA, Finance, Construction Management, those folks learn from the books, learn any tools like, Business Intelligence, SQL, any ETL tool, C,C++, Java,Ajax,etc and join IT within 1 year after learning any above tool. Ask your any IT co-workers in your firm, not all IT workers has core Computer Science graduate. In the past in saw a IT guy who work as scheduler but handling SQL server stuff.
Just understanding business, some logic, skills, little bit expertise in any language is required.
Now i am asking question to Core Computer Science graduate, having 4 yr Computer Science degree,2 yr MS in Computer Science , investing thousands of dollars to get a CS degree and training, and certifications, and books and time. Now after layoff or fired, with your CS degree, did you get job as Civil, Mechanical, Electrical,Environmental,Traffic,Electronics engineering department??????? Ans is no.You can’t apply, Cause you don’t have that degree.
I don’t know what people are talking about. I have a BS in Computer Science. I have been working for the same company for almost 5 years since my graduation. Money is good and I love my job. If you are considering another major then I’m pretty sure you don’t have the heart or intelligence to be a software developer.
I agree with ANGELIZER, I have masters in CS and never had problems finding a job.
Number 3 has a very good point. However, not everyone can be in this field. And that’s not just solely because of incompetence. For me, the CS opened doors quickly, but it also opened up a dose of reality that college didn’t give me a heads up on.
The people. It’s the type of culture and employees that you need to consider. Me and another co-worker (who had about 3 years into the job) were finding ourselves a bit unhappy because we didn’t seem to fit in. I wasn’t sure about his case, but I have to be honest: I’m terribly outgoing and ‘normal’. What that means is I didn’t find pleasure in talking about code all day or dressing up like McLovin. I found myself talking more to the business units than the IT department. Don’t get me wrong, not everyone was like that, but the majority were just too nerdy for me.
Sure I can code and lead projects, but what was driving me nuts were how these guys just didn’t have any similarities. Sorry, but they were just too weird for me. I did the CS plan because I just wanted to prove to everyone (at my location) I could do it after all the taunts and bashes. But towards the middle, I was liking the major. It was pretty cool to learn something I was always curious about. But I didn’t give it much thought that I saw some strange people in class, never realizing I would have to work with them. It just didn’t hit me.
Anyway, now I’m working in the business side. The majority of the people have business degrees, but all have one thing in common: They only did IT for a while. And here’s the real eye opener: They actually make a ton more money that your programmers and engineers. Sales makes an incredible amount of money with all that commission. Average salaries for a programmer is like 98K/year. Business managers: 135K/year. Sales: 200K/year. And some of the sales guys don’t have a degree..zip nada..and they go on to become product managers making about the same as business managers. Programmers pretty much stay at the same level. But I’ve also learned is that: They don’t really care about getting a lot of money. They care more about making cool stuff. Maybe this is what separates me from them. But I’m just assuming. I’m sure not ALL programmers are like this. Oh well.
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you people sure know how to crush other peoples dreams… getting a good job shouldn’t be all about the money. People should choose career paths that they’re passionate about and if you’re not passionate about you’re career then you obviously choose the wrong path.
quite a few programmers commented saying they have no problem finding jobs. so i’ll ignore the negative comments, continue to seek what my heart desires and be great in what i do.
*Chuckes*..it’s ALL about money, my friend. Life is short.