Computer Science

What Can I Do With a Major in Computer Science?

Computer Science can be a rewarding career for those who possess the following skills:

Logical thinking
Analytical thinking
Ingenuity
Attention to detail
Persistence and dedication
Oral & written communication skills
Well developed study habits for the constant learning involved in this field

Before you begin to look at the different types of opportunities available to Computer Science majors, you must look at yourself and ask yourself a few basic questions:

What am I good at?

Understand your major strengths, skills and accomplishments.

What do I like to do?

Examine your interests. What kind of life style do I want to lead? Examine your values...is money what you're after, job security, challenging work?

If you are having trouble answering these questions, you are not alone. Make an appointment with an advisor in the Career Center. We want to help you!

POSITIONS

Once you know yourself, you are ready to decide where and how you want to apply this knowledge.

A bachelor's degree in Computer Science and the appropriate skills and/or experience can lead to positions in:

Research and development
Web page design
Network administration
Consulting
Data processing
Information systems analysis
Marketing software and hardware products
Sales of hardware and software programs
System development
Operations
Computer graphics
Software engineering
Technical writing
Computer programming etc...

Experience in the field or an advanced degree could lead to certain certain higher level positions.

For information on graduate schools, consult Peterson's.

EMPLOYMENT

Typical places of employment are:

Industry
Colleges and universities
Accounting and business services
Hospitals and health care facilities
Computer manufacturers
Banks
Insurance companies
Wholesale/Retail
Supermarkets
Department stores
Public utilities
Federal, state and local government
Non-profit organizations
Military, etc...

LEARN MORE

To help you decide which area to pursue you must do in-depth research into each area of specialization and/or industry you have an interest in.

St. John's University Computer Science Department
Computer Science Career and Job Resources on the Internet

Places to begin:

Join the Career Centers COACH Program

The Occupational Outlook Handbook

Talk to people in the field, talk to your professors, write to and/or join one of the following associations:

American Association for Artificial Intelligence, 445 Burgess Drive Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 328 - 3123 www.aaai.org

Association for Computing Machinery One Astor Place, 1515 Broadway New York, NY 10036 (212) 869 - 7440 www.acm.org

American Computer Science League PO Box 40118, Providence, RI 02940 (401) 822 - 4312 www.acsl.org

Association for Women in Computing 41 Sutter Street, Suite 1006 San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 905 - 4663 www.awc-hq.org

Computing Research Association 1100 Seventeenth St., NW, Suite 507 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 234 - 2111 http://cra.org

For additional lists of Associations consult the Encyclopedia of Associations.