Frequently Asked Questions

What is computer science and should I major in it?

The pursuit of a college degree at any level and in any field at any university will involve a substantial commitment. This commitment will undoubtedly include time, money, and effort. Therefore it is certainly a good idea to choose a disciline and degree program with great care.

Students often find great success during both their academic and lifelong careers if they choose an area of study they find interesting and truly enjoy. After all, who wants to go to work each day dreading every moent that lies in front of them? Students find they are more motivated and more prone to success when they find the topics of study both practical and appealing. Prospective employers also easily pick up on the enthusiasm exhibited by students durng the job search and interview process.

While many individuals find that computer science is a stimulating, challenging, and gratifying field of study, many others find themselves asking "What is computer science?" This is a good question especially if it is being considered as a degree and career choice. So, what is computer science? There are many definitions of computer science with one of the simplest being:

computer science (n): the study of the technology of computers and their applications.

While this provides for a very broad definition of computer science, it is fairly accurate since computer science is the study of just about anything that has to do with computer technology. It spans the range from theory thrugh programming to the latest developments in computing solutions.

The work of a computer scientist falls into three categories:

• Designing and implementing software
• Developing effective was to solve computing problems
• Devising new ways of using computers and computing technology

Not only has computer science becmoe a core discipline, it is one that continues to grow. This broad nature of the discipline has led to an execptionally broad application to virtually every other discipline conceivable. Fortunately for the computer scientist, this opens many doorways for potential career paths.

Who hires computer science graduates?

As companies and organizations grow and become more and more global, the need for information technology professionals here in the United States grows also. Problems throughout today's societies are reaching out to computing technology to help provide solutions. Prominent areas of demand include education, business, medicine, environmental issues, and many, many others. According to the US government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs requiring at least a Bachelor's degree in computer science will increase by over 800,000 positions through the year 2016.

It is commonplace for nationally recognized companies to actively recruit seniors of the program. The list of recruiting organziations often includes Acxiom, Dillard's, and Windstream Communications, among others. Comments from the recruiters indicate that our graduates are competing very well against graduates from other universities.

Like employers, students are also aware of what the degree program has to offer. A recent computer science graduate had the following to say about the program:

"The Henderson State University computer science department has been instrumental in preparing me for a career in computer programming. On my first interview, which was approximately six months before graduation, I was able to attain employment in one of the most highly sought after companies in Arkansas. I owe a great deal of this success to the computer science department, who perpared me, not only with technical knowledge, but also with the self confidence necessary to achieve my career goals."

What type of job does a computer scientist have?

A common misconception regarding computer scientists is that we spend our time sitting in front of a computer staring intently at the display all day long. While it is true that computer programmers do spend a great deal of time in front of their machines, there are many types of jobs available that do not require this at all.

Traditional computer science jobs include computer programming, software engineering, systems analysts and database management, to name just a few. These jobs are commonly fuon in business, financial, government and education sectors. However, with today's society and the widespread use of computing technology, many other career paths are also available to computer scientists. In fact, as technology continues to evolve, new IT related positions emerge. Consider the video gaming industry, mobile devices, online music and video distribution, search engines, imaging systems, homeland security applications, embedded systems, and many others.

If these types of jobs sound interesting and you would like to be part of them, then a degree in computer science can go a long way in making it happen. Prior knowledge of computing systems is not needed to start work toward a computer science degree. Contact a guidance counselor at your local schol or an academic advisor at Henderson to discover more opportunities that are available.