A Computer Science Degree: What It Is & What It Isn't
Thanks to society’s love of computers, mobile devices and all things related to technology, the career openings in this industry are plentiful and only set to continue to grow in demand. That’s good news for students with goals of securing one of the many IT job opportunities that will be waiting for them after graduation.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of confusion out there when it comes to the various degree programs and majors that involve technology. Computer Science is a prime example. Going off the name of the degree alone, most people assume this field of study deals with learning how computers work. But that isn’t quite accurate and barely scratches the surface of what students can expect from their courses.
Essentially, Computer Science is all about developing software, applications solutions and other related services that allow people to take full advantage of things like email, social media platforms, mobile applications, Internet usage and other related tasks that take place on a computer.
What students in this discipline are introduced to involve a number of topics, including but not limited to: methodologies, software engineering, MPLS network techniques, bioinformatics, intelligence systems, system networking, etc. In a nutshell, it isn’t about fixing broken computers. Because of this, it is easy to see why so many people have misconceptions when it comes to earning a degree and seeking employment in the IT industry.
It is very important that students understand exactly what they are majoring in, so as to avoid choosing the wrong degree program after the fact. This also plays a factor when choosing which college or university to apply to. However, even if a school does carry a Computer Science degree, it is essential to check out the details of what that major entails, as well as the concentrations that make up the program. Stanford University’s Computer Science comes with a concentration that includes Artificial Intelligence, Biocomputation, Human-Computer Interactions, Systems and Theory. The concentration that is offered at Stanford could be completely different from another school. Students have to realize how important such details are when planning out their academic pursuit of a Computer Science degree.
Another common misconception that comes with this field of study, aside from not fully understanding what the program offers, is the wide range of career choices available. All too many believe that majoring in a field like Computer Science means the only occupations a post grad would be eligible for are those related to technology. Other completely viable options also include working in a management level position, operating as part of a team at a consulting firm, obtaining an administrator role or working at a start-up company. Many post graduates actually go the entrepreneurial route by starting their own consulting businesses.
Computer Science plays a crucial role in the everyday tasks we perform on the Internet and each time we use our favorite devices. As long as this obsession with technology continues, Computer Science majors have as much job security as any other field out there.