They are the modern cannon fudder of software production. Getting a good job without one is. That might have been true maybe 5 or 10 years ago, not sure about today. I wouldn't say computer science is necessarily future proof - that remains to be seen (ever heard of the dot-com bust?) While there’s not an easy, universal way to determine whether computer science is the right field for you, considering the following questions will certainly give you a great start. Before I took these classes, I had barely even programmed at all. Honestly I know nothing about it. 1. Common degree types include an associate’s , bachelor’s , master’s , Ph.D , and certification in computer science. Someone without a degree has to prove all that on their own. I wrote this in about two days, recycling most of the sentences from a 1200-word essay written for another university. Given the pervasiveness of computer technology in today's society, there are many different job options open to the computer science major. I've been considering doing a second bachelor's in CS even though I suck, reeeeaaaally suck at math. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I can't switch companies easily, because most companies don't want to take the risk of hiring someone without a degree. Should I just switch to something like Psychology. I looked up a list of “top 10 highest paying majors,” decided against petroleum engineering and then picked computer science. For you to develop a mobile app, you need to have skills and experience in mobile app development which is a p… The scope for progression is … In addition to being an exciting field, computer science is also quite profitable. Actually a dual Biology/Computer Science major is a good idea. It also seems impossible to get a job at a Big G/MS/FB due to the competition. You should choose Computer Science if you like math, logic, or if you want to get into a specialized field in CS such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, security, or graphics. It seems like everyone wants to get into the “hot” tech market. Software Engineering is the study of how software systems are built, including topics such as project management, quality assurance, and software testing. This isn't going to change. One can be able to access the internet regardless of the location, they are portable and can be used in many other ways. Do you think I should struggle through another degree or learn programming on my own? Computer science involves more of the happenings behind the hardware, like software and software development. All about studying and students of computer science. But it seems like computer science is... pretty depressing. Your value is not very high as you may be exchanged at any time at their will. Is a Computer Science Degree worth it anymore? I would suggest Computational Biology or Biology with a Bioinformatics focus. I'll probably get down voted but the people you see saturation this sub with posts about not being able to get a job after 9 months and 700 applications are doing SOMETHING wrong. I kinda wanted to eat today, but since I don't work at any of those I think I"ll starve myself as punishment. Students are encouraged to meet often with our advisors to discuss their academic progress and any questions or concerns they may have. Whereas a computer science degree is considered universally accepted and scalable in applying for jobs representing many types of roles in I.T. Because if you hate this stuff, you’ll be miserable and won’t be the guy making $100K anyway. program computers, in English. However, my SO doesn't work and is chronically ill and I'd love to be able to take care of him so we can live better than just paycheck to paycheck. I also don't get promoted as easily as some of my colleagues, because I don't have the degree to back up my skills, which makes it harder for my boss to justify promoting me instead of a colleague that does have that degree. They're either incompetent, inexperienced (GET AN INTERNSHIP) or socially awkward enough that in person interviews are as far as they get (like it or not, your perspective employer has to actually like you as a person...). The major benefit of a Computer Science degree is -not- that it makes you more marketable to companies when it comes to getting a job. If it’s being a PA, is being a PA (i know a few and that program can be brutal btw, but the pay is really good). Computer science students can often land a job in their profession while still moving through their degrees. For one thing, this is silly. Those earning their master's degree in computer science often already work in high-tech positions. Beware of programs that are only repackaging material from other courses. And groups of controllers never acknowledging nor trusting your work. And we worked ourselves all the way up to creating our own text-based battle game. The curriculum at the time was built w/ prerequisites in such a way that you pretty much had to follow a 4 year plan from day one to graduate on time, which was important. This essay was submitted as part of an undergraduate application to two top-10 U.S. universities in Computer Science (one accepts, one rejects). This class started with creating an empty file and making it compile in an IDE (I used Code::Blocks). Now this sub convinced me that entry level positions are oversaturated with new grads and a lot of people are getting underpaid. If you currently have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, you might […] Nevertheless, you can earn money quickly. We have to learn everything in C++ and it's a great language but the field I'm interested in has nothing to do with C++. Highly successful software engineers progress through three consecutive phases.I’d like to point out that some software engineers never progress beyond the first phase, and others don’t move beyond the second. Computer science majors must also be curious about the world around them, since programs and systems apply to every possible area of life and commerce. I chose Computer Science after originally wanting to change my major to Software Engineering, but realizing that the school I'll be transferring too only has Computer Science or Computer Engineering. It would also be appreciated if anybody can give me advice on when I should apply for the minor/major. “I don’t have a Computer Science degree, but my roles have been increasingly more tech-focused. Your degree is what you make of it. Bootcamps enable this. While individuals who select a major at the undergraduate level complete about 120 credit hours in order to earn a degree, declaring and completing a minor generally requires that the student select about five classes. Your ceiling will also be much higher, as will the number of companies who are willing to look at your resume in the first place. new grads and a lot of people are getting underpaid. Is Computer Science even worth it as a major anymore? Computer science covers a great many job roles, from pure programming positions such as .NET developers, to the opportunity to be engaged with technical change management or to project manage development cycles. This is somewhat unrelated but whenever I have any doubt about CS, I remind myself of one "tiny" subject: security. This is applicable to both Android and IOS operating systems. If you're getting a comp sci degree to get good at programming or to learn certain technologies, you're wasting your time and money. Computer science no longer stands alone; it is an ever-increasing part of countless business departments and processes, and in this digital age, even journalists are being encouraged to learn JavaScript and HTML. Their work tends to be more individual in nature. - but it's still a good major. I applied for graduate school for social work recently and am really not sure about pursuing it. People from Bootcamps are just OK for hammering assembly line coding. A Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Southern New Hampshire University will help prepare you to enter a wide variety of fields. Computer science is a major for problem solvers who want to learn how to use computers and computational processes to build websites, program robots, mine data and more. Even if they aren’t great programmers, there’s a fair bet that they have the aptitude to be one. Hopefully I’ll be employed soon after. Comparing computer degrees . I had tried to learn how to code before, but was so unsuccessful that I couldn't even set up the development environment. You gotta study what you enjoy; don't follow the trend. Basically I'm graduating with a Computer Science degree but I don't feel like I've learned how to program. And for you self-taught developers, take time to learn the computer science fundamentals. This essay was submitted as part of an undergraduate application to two top-10 U.S. universities in Computer Science (one accepts, one rejects). The Department of Computer Science and Engineering has full-time undergraduate academic advisors dedicated to assisting students. It will pay off in so many ways. If it’s CS, it’s CS. Those in the field work with application creation, database systems, programming languages and computing theory. A subreddit for all questions related to programming in any language. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. … That applies to any degree though, not just cs. I'm a sophomore Computer Science student and I'm starting to wonder if spending 4 years in college learning technology that may not even be relevant is worth it when there are opportunities for people who haven't even been coding for a few years. Employers want a graduate because they have something fairly guaranteed. Bootcamps get you up and running in coding quickly. One can be able to access the internet regardless of the location, they are portable and can be used in many other ways. You'll be ten steps ahead of other people that did so on a bootcamp or self-taught. Classes in public privacy and ethical issues will cover contemporary topics involving legal issues, security threats, public relations and professional standards. Your choice is: Making quick money, which fades anyway; or striving for the long-term future proof career. A master's degree in computer science is a great way to start or advance a career, and it can also provide an educational foundation for future studies. Even worse with SCRUM in one noisy room under enormous team server pressure controls, counting your lines of code per minute, with pale people all around. And that negates some of the big benefits of why you should major in Computer Science in the first place! I was in college studying computer science and I wanted to have some real-world experience and so I sought out and eventually decided to work with a group who would train me in my field and then after 6 months, if I did well enough, I would have an internship in my field of interest. CSCI-UA.0101 Introduction to Computer Science (Fall / Spring) prerequisite: CSCI-UA.0002 or CSCI-UA.0003 or placement exam 2. What do people with a computer science degree earn? I've always wanted to push myself to have a degree that will leave me feeling like a decently well-off and well-educated woman. If you are a programmer, companies are only interested on how quickly, error free and cheaply you produce marketable output. You can support this financially by working part-time freelancing as making some projects front- or back-end web, data analysis and else. I know many developers with all sorts of degrees other than Computer Science - Philosophy, English, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology - but they all have something in common. I wrote this in about two days, recycling most of the sentences from a 1200-word essay written for another university. I've managed to get a job off of a bootcamp, but I'm currently going back to school to get my CS degree, because I am still quite limited in my career options. Wtf, the difficulty in getting a job in Big 4/FB/MS shouldn’t factor into whether you do or don’t switch majors, That's like not becoming a teacher because you probably won't get a job at Yale. (more on this coming up). I … Press J to jump to the feed. While you’ll still need to build a strong math background, if you study computer engineering, you’ll spend more time working with actual computer hardware and focusing on practical, hands-on skills for working with technology and solving real-world technical problems. 5 Questions every potential computer science major should ask. 21 September 2015; Comments; Data scientist is one of the fastest-growing and highest paid jobs in tech. Psychology is only a 30 credit major at my school while Comp … I'm not at one of the big 4 and I just hit six figures and don't live in CA/NY. Mobile apps make smartphones effective because they offer additional features and uses. Degrees show employers that you can learn something (anything) to a high level and focus for three years or more on a narrow subject. Students will learn about computing privacy, security, surveillance and accountability. You don't have to work at one of the big 4 to have a good time and make great $. and it will continue to be relevant so long as our society continues to embrace tech and embed it into their daily lives ("smart" tech, IoT, self-driving whatever, etc.). It is absolutely worth it if you will enjoy one of the career paths it supports. I don't feel comfortable with a major that wouldn't be giving me a back up plan but Computer Science also seems kind of useless at times considering the fact that I wouldn't mind going overseas for med school either. As a computer science student, you don’t have to fully depend on the knowledge that you get from the classroom. So recently I've met a lot of people who are self taught programmers or have done boot camps and got jobs. This will require 4–6 years of your lifetime. It is one of the books that any computer science student should consider reading. These were the classes where you learned to program. The colossal growth of computing in the past few decades offers evidence of just how unpredictable an area it is. You must carry a diploma or Masters degree combined with internships at big companies with high brand recognition. More or less you are not more than a former assembly line worker putting parts on a car platform. Trends go to machine learning, artificial intelligence. But if you’re looking at computer science vs. computer engineering when it comes to landing a job as a programmer, a degree in computer science is probably your best bet. CSCI-UA.0102 Data Structures (Fall / Spring) prerequisite: CSCI-UA.0101 3. When I was younger I was really interested in tech and robots and stuff but I've always just been arts oriented and I didn't nurture it. The original took 1.5 months to write and revise. Core Requirements (7) 1. But the time, money, and effort can definitely be worth it. Software Engineering is the study of how software systems are built, including topics such as project management, quality assurance, and software testing. Twitter LinkedIn reddit Facebook Subscribe. I thought that joining a company and programming full-time would give me a chance to develop my skills and learn from those more experienced than myself, but I'm struggling to find work and am starting to get really frustrated. The right job for you will depend on your personal skills, values, and interests. Bioinformatics and Data Science are pretty hot fields and your job prospects are good should medical school not be in your future plans. By the end of the curriculum, you will gain significant knowledge of a Computer Science Engineer with expertise in Artificial Intelligence (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, Data Science, Computer Vision). Starting salaries typically run between $50,000-$70,000, depending on location and experience. They will not need Bootcamp people and code workers. English degree here. Personally, I would never do Bootcamps. It is better you set up Bootcamps and sell them versus absolving this. UPDATE: Click here for updated CSE/CIS Major Info Sessions. Before I took these classes, I had barely even programmed at all. And we worked ourselves all the way up to creating our own text-based battle game. I am currently a sophomore in college. There's a lot of incompetent people trying to jump into the "hot" tech market that probably won't get much out of their degree (I'd know, I'm currently one of them). *edit* I also want to add the advice my dad gave me: A degree doesn't just say that you know your shit in your field, it also says "this person knows how to learn and worked for 4 years at bettering themselves". I’m not a computer science major — yet. Mobile apps make smartphones effective because they offer additional features and uses. Would employers even look at me, even though I do have a degree It's not tech related. Now take that train of thought and apply it to any of the other non sexy, or even the sexy topics for that matter, and ask yourself if you see CS stagnating any time soon. - Quiz & Self-Assessment Test found the links, articles, and information on this page helpful. Software … . One of the most popular question among people interested in an artificial intelligence career is: ‘is there a degree in Artificial intelligence?’Yes, there is a degree in Artificial intelligence, even though it’s currently being offered by few universities. You should focus beyond that. For you to develop a mobile app, you need to have skills and experience in mobile app development which is a … Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) ... With the recent advent of artificial intelligence and companies like iOlite.io, there is another reason why English majors should study computer science – it will soon be possible to write smart contracts, i.e. Electives in IT security are quite popular because this topic is so important to consumers and organizations. Data from PayScale shows that computer science professionals with a master’s degree, specifically, see an average salary of $101,000, compared to $86,000 for those with a bachelor’s degree. Bootcamp people will lose in the long-term. I am really starting to question if it is even worth it to major in CS anymore. When I considered changing majors to computer science at one point, when I inquired I found out that I would be unable to transfer credits from my science classes it was a no-go. They all have degrees. I'm serious here - getting a job without a degree is far more difficult than with one. It also seems impossible to get a job at a Big G/MS/FB due to the competition. If you know what you're doing I think you'll end up just fine. Michael Solomon, founder of 10X Management, which represents about 80 coders, notes that many of them don't have degrees or didn't major in computer science… A bachelor’s degree will serve you well in both the computer science and IT sectors. Experienced professionals also benefit from possessing a great number of transferable skills. Assembly Programing 4. I think so because the degree forces you to learn related things like linear algebra + vector manipulation (essential for 3D game development) or discreet math (super useful for reasoning about integers/ programming in general) and low level details of how the computer actually works, even physics just to satisfy a science credit has been useful for me. This includes those who did not have internships and the average was probably 60k starting. But this article isn’t to offer career advice. C/S degrees from Technical Universities of reputation give to you the right direction under a strategic consideration. So if you need a degree to stand a good chance of getting a job and you know you want a programming job, you may as well do a CS degree. The majority of recruiters won't even look at people without degrees. You Don’t Have to Major in Computer Science to Do It as a Career Majoring in math, nuclear engineering, or even geology can lead to a well-paying software job. Your IT degree and IT certifications are all wrapped into one low, flat-rate tuition of $3,240–$3,540 per six-month term. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the learnprogramming community. If you're somewhat decent at social interaction and can show some experience in the field before graduation you'll be fine. Either way, there is no reason to worry. I had tried getting a head start but didn’t get much further than loops. A CS degree opens doors everywhere. I do enjoy the subject a lot, but I have been thinking about become a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. You can still major (or minor or have a concentration) in Computer Science, particularly if you bolster your degree with supplemental learning … Is this field becoming like accounting, law, etc.? So don’t do it just because your dad told you to, or you heard you can make $100K a few years after school (you can). By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. To prepare for the field you’ll want to get the right training, and regardless of your ultimate objective in computer science, a degree can help you get certified and demonstrate your proficiency. . 10 reasons to ignore computer science degrees Many organizations are looking beyond the CS degree to hire programmers who can deliver real results. Lotta guys coming overseas to fill those spots. 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