Computer Science Degree

Whether a computer science degree is worth it in today's economy has probably been answered in 2011.  Student enrollment in these degree programs has increased by up to 60% nationwide depending on who you believe according to the latest info and trends.  Some universities are reporting over 80% job placement after graduation.  However, computer science degree programs, graduation, and placement are often a product of local trends and national trends may not reflect the same data.

It often depends upon your contacts and when you graduate and what you actually graduate in.  There is a double edged sword to the computer science degree because many other students in scientific disciplines are now going for two degrees or enough credits to do both such as computational biology or computational medicine.  This means that the departments that use to hire an IT Specialist can probably get away with only hiring a few people who have both scientific and computer skills.

Computer science degree graduates usually went to places like Wall Street, investment banking houses, and related areas are now seeing that may not be the best place to look for work and that there may be more jobs without so much competition in other disciplines.

Some universities and schools are offering accelerated programs where the students does the work of 4 years in 2.  These programs are expensive and require exceptional abilities in the mathematical and theoretical programming areas. These schools stress a more mathematical approach and usually require extensive training in:  linear algebra, calculus, probability, statistics, differential equations, discrete mathematics as well as the normal education in programming principles and paradigms, algorithms, data structures,  logic and computation and computer architecture.

There are also IT schools for game programming that require the above and more. Many of these schools also use accelerated programs and structure. In recent years online computer degree programs and degrees have sprung up.  However, the potential student should do their home work on what these programs have to offer and how they will be viewed in the market place versus conventionally awarded degrees. Also, some of these on line degree programs are more expensive per credit hour than traditional credits.