Careers and Degrees in Computing

Stuart Hansen

Department of Computer Science

UW - Parkside

Careers and Degrees

Goals

1. What is the “real” computing world about?

2. How can you prepare to be part of it?

3. What does UW-Parkside have to offer?

Careers

Most Important Point:You have to have a job that you

love.

Careers

Most Important Point:You have to have a job that you

like.

Careers

Most Important Point:You have to have a job that you

don’t dislike.

Careers

• Software Engineer• Computer Engineer• Systems Analyst• Project Analyst• Computer

Programmer• Database

Administrator• System Administrator

• Help Desk Technician • Game Designer• Bio-Informaticist• Bio-Technician• Graphic Designer• Animator• Trainer/Teacher

Computer Programmer

• Programming is cool

• Many entry level positions

• Differs from AP CS– Almost always on a team– Projects are much larger– Standards are much stricter

Computer Programmer

• Computer Science majors fit this job very nicely

• Management Information Systems majors often lack the technical background

Software Engineer

Software Engineer

• Possesses skills for large projects

– Millions of lines of code

– Teams of dozens or hundreds of programmers

– Analysis, design, coding, testing, installation, maintenance

Software Engineer

• Most CS majors now are required to take one or two semesters of software engineering

• Many major universities offer Masters Degrees in SE

Game Designer/Developer

• Only as good as your last game

• Combines programming and animation

• Jobs are few and far between

Digipen Institute at UW - Parkside

• Digipen is a college specializing in games

• Offers 3 separate courses each summer at UW-Parkside

• Doesn’t count towards the CS major

Computer Engineer

• Hardware and interface gurus

• Designing the Itanium chip

• Developing interfaces to other devices

• Real time programming– Robotics– Cruise control system on your car– Landing the Space Shuttle

Computer Engineer

• Find a good program at a major university– UW-Madison– MSOE

System Administrator

• Takes care of the computers– Hardware and software installations– Networking– Backups– Account administration

• Rule #1 Don’t get your Sys. Admin. angry

Database Administrator• Computers do 2 things

– Calculations– Handle large amounts of data

• Database administrators take care of the data– School records, health records, IRS records,

etc.– Keep it accurate– Fast access

Related Careers

• Bioinformatics• Graphic Arts• Web Developer• Online Journalism

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics Examples

• The Human Genome Project

• Designing new drugs to treat chronic diseases– Diabetes– Arthritis

• Abbott Labs hires many of UW-Parkside’s Bioinformatics graduates

Education of Bioinformatics

• UW-Parkside has a major in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

• Very rigorous program– 4 year course plan laid out

• Last spring’s Chancellor’s Award Winner was Bioinformatics major with a CS minor

Graphic Design & Digital Arts

• Use Computers to create art

• Examples– Most ads– Animations– Scoreboard during

Packer games

Graphic Design

• No Computer Science

• No programming

• Use computers a lot, anyway

Degrees

Most Important Point:

In high school take 4 years of math and 4 years of English.

The 3Rs are still the basis for all advanced education.

Degree Choices

Computer Science– Science of computing (duh!)– Lots of programming– Many topics courses

Operating Systems

Data Communications and Networks

Files and Databases

Computer Architecture

Artificial Intelligence

CS Degrees Prepare you for

Almost any job in computing

Note that courses in a Bachelor’s Degree are almost never technology specific

e.g., tech schools teach ASP.Net,

CS programs teach web programming

Management Information Systems

• Generally located in the Business Dept

• Much less technically oriented that CS

• Much more emphasis on dealing with clients and the entire business process

• CS and MIS students sometimes compete for the same jobs.

Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

• Growing number of schools offer degrees

• Madison is very well known internationally

• Lots of biology and lots of CS

• More and more jobs for pharmaceutical companies

Graphic Design

• Located in the Art Department

• Emphasis on using computers to create art

• No programming

• Job prospects depends more on artistic ability and less on skills with computer

UW – Parkside Degree Programs

Degree Programs• Computer Science

or CS with a concentration in Computer Engineering

• Management Information Systems

• Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

• Graphic Design

CS at UW - Parkside

• Great teachers• Solid program• Small class sizes• Far enough from

home, but not too far.

Internships

Questions?