COMPUTER SCIENCE

Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary track for the major - www.uwgb.edu/compsci
Disciplinary minor

OVERVIEW OF COMPUTER SCIENCE:

The goal of the Computer Science major is to provide students with a strong educational foundation upon which they can build, in order to keep pace with evolving technology. A Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science is the first step in a continuing education that will last as long as a student chooses to stay in the field.

The field of Computer Science is undergoing great changes as technology advances and the need for computer software increases. Students receive instruction in areas such as software design, object-oriented programming, Internet applications, design of algorithms, operating systems, database design and applications, interface design, and computer networks.

WHO SHOULD BE A COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR:

A Computer Science major has to be both an organizer and a detailed person--traits not often shared by a single individual. Patience is essential as the process of debugging programs can be extremely time consuming and wear down anyone's energy levels. They also have to be open to the notion that Computer Science is much more than learning some programming languages. There is a theoretical component involved, which involves some math ematical skills and analytical abilities. Finally, students need to be able to work in groups. Many Computer Science courses have group work as part of the requirement.

The computer science major has two tracks. The first is a disciplinary track w hic h requires a minor. The most common minors to accompany computer science are Business Administration and Information Sciences. They probably account for over 95% of Computer Science majors that take minors . The second track is an interdisciplinary minor combining computer science and mathematics. Students choosing this track are not required to take a minor.

WHO SHOULD BE A COMPUTER SCIENCE MINOR:

A fair number of Business majors minor in Computer Science. This would also be a good minor for a Mathematics major, unfortunately both are discipline majors and, together, are not sufficient to meet university requirements. However, a student interested in this combination should investigate the individual major option.

WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS MAJOR AT UWGB :

EXCELLENCE. UW-Green Bay students in Computer Science are highly skilled and not just in technology-Our graduates have a great deal of problem solving skills, skills in organization and sequencing operations, group work, communication skills, as well as analyzing problems.
EDUCATION. Computer Science students learn the theoretical background by understanding the principles of theory. Therefore the graduate is better suited to deal with a changing environment.
GUIDANCE. Students are strongly encouraged to talk to an adviser very early in their college career. Computer science courses have a strict prerequisite structure. It is imperative that students learn what courses are prerequisites for others and when they are offered.
FUTURE FOCUSED. Graduates of the computer science program are prepared to continue their education at the graduate level or to apply for entry-level positions in industry. Typical entry-level jobs are programmer or programmer/analyst positions.
SUCCESS. Graduates of this program have close to a 100% placement rate. Although the economy has been weak lately the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics [http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos267.htm] forecasts Computer Software Engineers as one of the fastest growing areas over the next decade. Past graduates have earned salaries as much as $50,000 directly after graduating. This is a career that is fun (for the most part) and great for someone who seeks a lot of variety.
TOOLS YOU NEED. All registered students have access to the University's computing facilities. Student accounts allow students to access the University's network, Windows XP machines, Macintosh computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. Students in selected courses have access to a Linux server. Labs are open seven days per week and are staffed by consultants who provide assistance in using the facilities. Classrooms also have network connections which allow demonstrations of software and Internet applications to be integrated with classroom lectures. Also the computer science program has a lab dedicated to the teaching of computer science courses.

SKILLS & ABILITIES GAINED WITH THIS MAJOR :

SOFTWARE DESIGN. Skills developed are ability to define a problem, analyze various components, and project and evaluate potential solutions, all of which are subject to limitations and constraints inherent in a given computer. Students will understand that in industry there must be more than just a working program; good software must also be fully documented, clearly written, and easily modifiable. Creating software requires much more than understanding language constructs and how to use them. There is a great deal of planning and organization that occurs before any code is even written.
SCIENCE + ART. There is a science to writing programs and there is also an art to writing them. The science involves understanding the language constructs and how to use them. The art of writing programs involves putting program segments together and providing documentation to meet the specified constraints.
THEORY. Students develop skills they can use upon graduation, but they must also be prepared to adapt to a rapidly changing field. This requires a solid theoretical foundation with knowledge of how computers work and how they carry out tasks specified in applications software. This knowledge is an important ingredient to software design as it gives students the tools they need to analyze efficiency and evaluate various programming and data design options.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS MAJOR :

Use the following as an idea list, and remember that they represent some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider in Computer Science.

The following list represents a few of the kinds of career titles for Computer Science majors:

Systems Analyst, Creative Director on a multimedia team, Hardware Engineer, Information Processing Specialist, Software Engineer, Product Marketing Manager, Quality Assurance Engineer, Reliability Engineer, Test Engineer, Computer Animator, Local Area Network (LAN) Administrator, Network Manager, Web Designer, Word Processor, Data Entry Processor, Computer Repair Technician, Professor, Teacher...

The following list represents a few of the kinds of businesses and institutions that employ Computer Scientists:

Banks, Colleges and Universities, Computer Manufacturers, Transportation Agencies, Research Laboratories, Accounting Firms, Legal Firms, Consulting Agencies, Aerospace Industry, Insurance Companies, Software Developers, Local/State/Federal Government, Manufacturing Plants, Retail Stores...

Want to know more about the nature of the work, working conditions, earnings, training, and job outlook? Then check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook @ http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos267.htm

TIPS ON HOW TO PREPARE A RESUME :

Tailor the resume for the specific opportunity by highlighting technical qualifications that match specific job requirements.
Summarize the technologies with which you are familiar and how long you have used each one.
Emphasize all certification and advanced training in specific software or hardware.
Highlight your achievements. Demonstrate your impact on the bottom line, showing ways you improved productivity, reduced cost or increased efficiency.
Show areas where you have been given increased responsibility for a job well done.
Include special recognition, awards or participation in relevant trade or professional organizations.
Proofread for errors. You can be screened out for not being detail-oriented.
Review your resume with your references so that they are up to date on your current accomplishments.
Update after every position or assignment.

LINKS TO GRAD PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE :

The Techno MBA. Computerworld's listing of the Top 25 programs for technology-oriented MBA programs. It includes articles on salaries, long-range opportunities, types of jobs available, statistics on graduates and other relevant topics. Homepage @ http://www.mbaplaza.com/?dl=1
Graduate School Guide. The comprehensive on-line guide to doctoral, masters, and professional programs. http://www.schoolguides.com
Gradschools.com. The most comprehensive online source of Graduate School Information. http://www.gradschools.com/
Peterson’s.com. The most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resource on the web. http://www.petersons.com/
Or you can try any of the following search engine sites for information on the graduate school program of your choice! http://www.yahoo.com, http://www.infoseek.com, or http://www.snap.com

LINKS TO WEB SITES FOR MORE INFORMATION :

Association for Computing Machines. ACM is the world's oldest and largest educational and scientific computing society. Homepage @ http://www.acm.org
Association for Women in Computing. Promoting the advancement of women in the computing professions. Homepage @ http://www.awc-hq.org/
indeed.com . Great jobs & career information for software developers. Also has over 30,000 jobs in a searchable database on this site! http://www.indeed.com/
ComputerWorld Careers. http://www.computerworld.com/
Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals. "The way to the top of the computing profession." Homepage @ http://www.iccp.org

LINKS FOR MORE HELP :

Be sure to check out the Computer Science department home page @ http://www.uwgb.edu/compsci
For course listings and descriptions for Computer Science and other disciplines, check out UW-Green Bay’s Programs of Study page @ http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/programs.htm
More help is available on-campus at the Career Services Office at SS 1600, 465-2163. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/careers
Contact Academic Advising at SS 1600, 465-2362. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/advising/
Another service for UW System students on the Web is UW HELP On-Line. This service provides in-depth information on the programs of the UW System. You can find them at @ http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu

Revised 9/08