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College Major? CS...or?

X

xprow

Member
I am looking to go to school but I cant decide what I want to major in? CS seems interesting but is there any other aspects of school that I could aim for and what would they be? Such as Quantum Computing or anything that might have great possibilities in the future? I just dont want to pick something that might be obsolete, I want something that will have definate future potential..Obviously when I ask this im asking about things geared toward computers..Figured most of you are probably already in the business so you sorta have insight as to what might be a better route to take?


Thanks

Kyle
 
The problem with specializing in "anything that might have great possibilities in the future" is that the future changes every day. However, if you're interested in CS, go to a school with a solid program and you will learn the principles that will help you shape and adapt to any upcoming technology.
 
Computer Engineering might a major that interests you. At RIT its like a double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
 
Originally posted by: Stealth1024
Computer Engineering might a major that interests you. At RIT its like a double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Click to expand...

I took a program called Computer Networking and Systems. It was a combniation of CS, Electrical Engineering, and Network Tech. Seemed like a good mix to me. I'm now a network admin.

 
Yeah, computer engineering is a good choice if you want to get into development and design of computers and computer technology. Like someone said, its basically a combination of computer science and electrical engineering. As for specialization, you really wont get into anything as specialized as quantum computing (for example) unless you continue on to get your masters or other higher level of education. I mean you might take a course while an undergraduate about a future computing technology, but you wont really research it until you are on a graduate level.
 
not trying to be pessimistic or anything but CS graduates these days are really having a tough time looking for jobs.

if you want to do something computer related, i suggest to specialize in something, anything, to distinguish yourself from others. CS is too general, too easy to find. I was a CS/CE major and (luckily) I graduated 2 years earlier than I'm supposed to (after dropping the CE curriculum) to and I landed a permanent job at the company which I had my internship with. Now I'm doing IT work but many CS people my year are having a tough time now that they are graduating and looking.

But who knows, in 3-4 years there might be another dot com boom or a need for computer majors like yourself.
 
Quantum computing is an area dominated primarily by physicists and EEs who know their theory. So you might want to at least think of minoring in physics (maybe major in it) if you want the quantum background. There are a few CS people in it...but I don't think you'll see more in on it until the details of quantum computing are hammered out.



Give programming a shot and see how you like it...
 
I don't think computer science majors are necessarily having a hard time finding jobs. I think there are still many people who go through a computer science program or even computer engineering and think they won't end up writing code. I know there are tons of MIS (management info systems) majors at school who think they are going to go out and be network/systems admins, when htey know next to nothing about Unix, and our school doesn't use windows for much. I'd say about half the cs majors at school LIKE to code, if that, and there are a lot of CE guys who think they will actually get a job designing some type of hardware without a masters/phd. The smart ones get a CS minor just so they get more software engineering experience/instruction.


edit: If I wasn't almost done with CS and 23 years old, I'd go back and finish up my electronics engineering degree. I only got a couple classes into it when I dropped that part to burn through CS. It's closer to EE than CE and gears more towards telecommunications. That really is a good combination for anyone who wants to put the effort into it.
 
Originally posted by: reicherb
Originally posted by: Stealth1024
Computer Engineering might a major that interests you. At RIT its like a double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Click to expand...

I took a program called Computer Networking and Systems. It was a combniation of CS, Electrical Engineering, and Network Tech. Seemed like a good mix to me. I'm now a network admin.
Click to expand...

My school offers a "computer technology" degree which is a mix of practical computer classes and some electrical engineering. I left my CS degree to pursue this one. It's much more real world. I found CS to be a little abstract and academic. As I already have a job in the computer field (server/network admin) I can definately say a computer technology degree is much more useful than computer science.
 
I was tempted to start up with the IT major jokes 🙂


You know Computer Engineers build the network router and the IT major takes it out of the box and plugs it in, lol...

 
CS? Tell me you dont mean counterstrike?
Anyway,
Im studying at the moment,
BTEC National Diploma in Engineering/Electronic/Computer Maintenence.
It sucks. Ive done naff all to do with computer up to now.
 
i am so glad i switched out of CS, there are diddly squat for jobs. all my friends who graduated CS are out on the streets.

the jobs that do exist require senior experience and pay very little. you can outsource programming to india ... its hard to do that with IT
 
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