Computers have become as much a part of daily life as the electric light bulb, for better or worse. As with any advancement in technology, the number of people required to work on or with computers has increased. Higher-education students are increasingly gravitating toward fields that involve computers or technology in some way. Many students have chosen computer science as a major because it is always on the cutting edge of new discoveries and ideas. It is a fantastic career path for anyone interested in working in the technological field.
People who are thinking about majoring in computer science might be surprised to learn that it isn’t always about computers. Computer science degrees teach students how to solve problems using the technology available to them, as well as the ins and outs of that technology. Most students take courses on algorithms, data analysis, and mathematical computing in their first year of study, which makes computer science a very math-oriented degree. Computer science majors devote a significant amount of time to analyzing various types of computer programming and applying that programming to solve problems or develop new technology.
Computer science majors frequently spend the majority of their days researching, and this is true not only in the classroom, but also in the workplace. Computer scientists may use artificial intelligence research to improve the stock market, or they may create programs to help us understand the world around us better. The mapping of the Human Genome Project is an excellent example of a scientific breakthrough made possible computer science. The calculations required to obtain a complete picture of the human genome were so complex that humans would have had to work on them for years, but computer scientists were able to assist in the discovery creating a new program using familiar technology.
Computer science majors are becoming more widely available at colleges and universities across the country. Associate’s degrees to post-graduate degrees are available in computer science, with the majority of programs requiring four years of study to earn a bachelor’s of science degree. Computer science majors that are combined with other majors, such as computer science and engineering (CSE) or computer science and information science (CIS), are available at some institutions. Most programs of this nature have similar required courses, but their students have different career paths in mind.