1. What are your Career Options?
Computing Majors
What are your Career Options?

2. What is Computing?
Any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating computers
Designing and building hardware and software
Processing, structuring, and managing various kinds of information
Doing scientific studies using computers
Making computer systems behave intelligently
Creating and using communications and entertainment media
Finding and gathering information relevant to a particular purpose
The list is virtually endless and the possibilities vast

3. College Degrees
A student typically earns a bachelors degree in one of the computing disciplines
There are currently five major degrees:
Computer Science
Information Systems
Software Engineering
Computer Engineering
Information Technology

5. Computer Science
Spans the range from theory through programming to cutting-edge development of computing solutions
Offers a foundation that permits graduates to adapt to new technologies and new ideas
Work falls into three categories:
Designing and building software
Developing effective ways to solve computing problems
Devising new and better ways of using computers
Most computer science programs require some mathematical background.

6. Computer Science Career Path 1
Designing and implementing software
Includes aspects of web development, interface design, security issues, and mobile computing
The career path of the majority of computer science graduates
A bachelor’s degree is generally sufficient
Many software professionals return to school to obtain a Master’s
Career opportunities occur in a wide variety of settings including large or small software companies, large or small computer services companies, and large organizations of all kinds

7. Computer Science Career Path 2
Devising new ways to use computers
Refers to innovation in the application of computer technology
Career path can involve advanced graduate work, followed by research
Can involve entrepreneurial activity such as was evident during the dot-com boom of the 1990s

8. Computer Science Career Path 3
Developing effective ways to solve computing problems
Refers to the application or development of computer science theory and knowledge of algorithms to ensure the best possible solutions
Career path in the development of new computer science theory typically requires graduate work to the Ph.D. level, followed by a position in research

9. Computer Science Career Path 4
Planning and managing an organization’s technology infrastructure
Type of work for which the new information technology (IT) programs explicitly aim to educate students

10. Information Systems
Concerned with the information that computer systems can provide to aid a company or organization
Concerned with the processes that an enterprise can implement and improve using information technology
Must understand both technical and organizational factors
Must be able to help an organization determine how technology processes can provide superior performance
Serves as a bridge between the technical and management communities within an organization

11. Information Systems
Issues that businesses rely on IS people to address:
What information does the enterprise need?
How is that information generated?
Is it delivered to the people who need it?
Is it presented to them in ways that permit them to use it readily?
Is the organization structured to be able to use technology effectively?
Are the business processes of the organization well designed?
Do they use the opportunities created by information technology fully?
Does the organization use the communication and collaboration capabilities of information technologies appropriately?
Is the organization capable of adapting quickly enough to changing external circumstances?
More?

12. Software Engineering Develops and maintains software systems
Important because of the impact of large software systems and the role of software in safety-critical applications
Integrates significant mathematics
Most existing degrees in computer science, not in software engineering
Graduates of computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering programs are good candidates for those positions, with the amount of software engineering study in the programs determining the suitability of that graduate for such a position.

13. Computer Engineering
The design of digital hardware and software systems including communications, computers and devices
Programming is focused on digital devices and their interfaces with users and other devices
An important area is development of embedded systems
Cell phones, digital audio players, digital video recorders, alarm systems, x-ray machines, and laser surgical tools are all the result of computer engineering
Majors are offered by a large number of universities
Major requires significant study of mathematics

14. Information Technology
Two meanings:
Common usage – refers to all of computing
As an undergraduate degree program – refers to preparation of students to meet computer technology needs of businesses and organizations

15. Information Technology
Possess a combination of knowledge and expertise to care for an organization’s information technology infrastructure and the people who use it
Assume responsibility for selecting hardware and software products
Integrate those products with organizational needs and infrastructure
Install, customize and maintain those applications
Provide a secure and effective environment that supports the activities of the organization’s computer users
Programming involves writing short scripting programs

16. Mixed Disciplinary Majors
Computer Science and Mathematics combines computer science with mathematics
Computational Science blends computer science with physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, earth sciences, and business
Bioinformatics combines computer science with biology and biochemistry
Medical Informatics is drawn from computer science in combination with biology and chemistry
Gaming and Animation combines computer science with art and media studies

17. Summary
A CS degree from a respected program is the most flexible of degrees and can open doors into the professional worlds of CS, SE, IT, and sometimes CE
A degree from a respected IS program allows entry to both IS and IT careers

18. Source