Computer Programming:
College & Careers

Computer Programming
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Computer Programming
 Software is just a list of instructions: First do this, then this, then this, and so on. . .
 Modern progams have a very large list of instructions: Windows XP has over 50 million !
Programmers spend about twice as much time fixing problems (bugs) as they do writing the instructions

Computer Programmers
 Enjoy building things
 Think Abstractly
 Work in teams or as individuals
 Work in many different fields
The NYPD has a team of computer programmers

Computer Programming: #1 Job http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/

A quick search for "Computer
Science" in occupations
Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
1. Mathematicians
2. Computer software engineers
3. Operations research analysts
4. Computer systems analysts, database administrators, and computer scientists
5. Medical records and health information technicians
6. Market and survey researchers
7. Statisticians
8. Atmospheric scientists
9. Computer programmers
10. Medical scientists
11. Economists
12. Software Publishers
13. Conservation scientists and foresters
14. Sales engineers
15. Travel agents
16. Urban and regional planners
17. Announcers
18. Dietitians and nutritionists
19. Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
20. Teachers-postsecondary

Outlook for the next decade
 "Despite the recent economic downturn among firms involved in information technology,
Wage and salary employment is expected to increase by 68 percent between 2002 and 2012, more than four times the 16 percent growth projected for all industries combined. Even in difficult economic times, organizations continue to make investments in software. Software boosts productivity, increases efficiency, and, in some cases, reduces the need for workers. Growth will not be as rapid as it was during the previous decade, however, as the software industry begins to mature and as routine work is increasingly outsourced overseas."
-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook http://bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs051.htm

 Accounting -- $43,050 (up 2.4 percent)
 Business Administration -- $38,357 (up 2.6 percent)
 Marketing -- $37,519 (up 4 percent)
 Economics/Finance -- $40,719 (up 0.3 percent),
 Computer Science -- $51,042 (up 4.9 percent)
 Information Science -- $43,741 (up 3.9 percent)
 Civil Engineering -- 43,159 (up 4.1 percent)
 Chemical Engineering -- $53,659 (up 2.1 percent)
 Electrical Engineering -- $51,113 (up 2.4 percent)
 Liberal Arts -- $29,060 (down 3.6 percent)
 Education -- $30,207 (SF Teacher -- $39,520) http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/04/20/class.2005/index.html

 In a separate part of its survey, NACE asked employers which jobs they have offered the most so far this year and what their starting salaries were.
 Accounting (private): $44,564
 Management trainee: $35,811
 Teaching: $29,733
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Consulting: $49,781
 Sales: $37,130
 Accounting (public): $41,039
 Financial/Treasury analysis: $45,596
 Software design/development: $53,729
 Design/construction engineering: $47,058
 Registered nurse: $38,775 http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/15/pf/college/starting_salaries/?cnn=yes

Computer animation and gaming
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http://bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs051.htm

 Computer Science
 Liberal Arts--more variety in classes and more electives
 Study more than just programming--create own computer language and compiler
 Not as much Calculus
 Computer Engineering
 More emphasis on Hardware and Electronics
 Lots of Calculus and Engineering classes
 Not as many opportunities for electives
 Both majors prepare for careers in programming and software design

The MIS Degree: Management Information Systems
 Usually offered as a Business degree
 Studies in using and managing computer information systems in a business organization
 Strong emphasis on networking and the the skills needed to design, implement, and evaluate computer-based systems
 Not much emphasis on programming, engineering or calculus

Computer animation and gaming
 Specialized trade schools often offer specialized training specifically in animation and gaming
 Academy of Art (SF) offers a bachelors of fine arts in "Game Design", "Motion Graphics",
"Special Effects" and "2D and 3d animation"
 Digipen (Redmond Washington) offers degrees in
"Real-Time Interactive Simulation", " Computer
Engineering ", "Applied Arts in 3D Computer
Animation", "Production Animation"

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1.
Smaller Colleges and Universities
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN)
2.
3.
Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo
Cooper Union (NY)
4.
5.
2.
Harvey Mudd (CA)
Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI)
1.
Larger Universities
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
University of California–Berkeley
3.
4.
5.
Stanford University (CA)
University of Illinois (Champagne-Urbana)
Carnegie Mellon (PA)

Other well regarded Computer Sci/Eng schools
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1.
Local
UC Davis
2.
3.
San Jose State
University of Santa Clara
Further away
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Cornell (NY)
Georgia Institute of Technology
CalTech
Purdue (IN)
Princeton (NJ)
6.
7.
8.
9.
UCLA, UCSD, UCSB
Brown (RI)
Dartmouth (NH)
Swarthmore (PA) and many, many others

Computer Programming in different majors
 There are many majors that require or benefit from programming. For example:
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Engineering
Economics
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Information & Library Science
Business & Accounting
Music and Visual Arts
Meteorology & Atmospheric Science
Biology
Mathematics and Physics
Urban Planning

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Engineering
 Many Engineering majors (including UC Berkeley and
Davis) now require coursework in programming
 "Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in mathematics, and science, and courses in English, social studies, humanities, and computer and information technology ." -Occupational Outlook
Handbook 2004-2005

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Economics
 "Because of the importance of quantitative skills to economists, courses in mathematics, statistics, econometrics, sampling theory and survey design, and computer science are extremely helpful ."
 "Many businesses, research and consulting firms, and government agencies seek individuals who have strong computer and quantitative skills and can perform complex research."
 - from the 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Mathematics & Physics
 Many schools, like Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo, now require Math and Physics majors to study computer programming
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"Mathematicians should have substantial knowledge of computer programming , because most complex mathematical computation and much mathematical modeling are done on a computer."
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- from the 2004-2005 Occupational
Outlook Handbook

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Many Universities have centers for Computer
Music Research
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UC Berkeley CNMAT : "is an interdisciplinary research center, drawing participants from many university departments including physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, psychology, computer science, cognitive science and music."
Stanford CCRMA "The Stanford University Center for
Computer Research in Music and Acoustics is a multidisciplinary facility where composers and researchers work together using computer-based technology both as an artistic medium and as a research tool. "
UC San Diego CRCA "Center for research in computing and the arts. Since 2000, the University of California San Diego's
Music department offers both Masters and Ph.D. degrees in computer music."

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Business & Accounting
 In Business, writing Macros is very useful, and is seen as the mark of a computer "power user"
 A Macro is a small program inside of a
Microsoft office document
 Each of the components of Microsoft Office
(Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access etc.) has built into it a powerful version of the Visual
Basic (VBA) programming language.
 Programming Macros allows Office to be customized to meet the particular needs

Computer Programming in different college majors
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 " Weather forecasting has transformed over the last half-century, thanks to innovations ranging from highspeed computers and space satellites to "chaos theory" and gadgets with acronyms like AXBT. " - SF
Chronicle 10/25/04
 " Computer science courses , meteorology courses, a strong background in mathematics and physics, and good communication skills are important to prospective employers."

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Biology
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Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing and most complex industries in the world
"undergraduate biological science majors usually study allied disciplines such as mathematics, physics, and computer science . Computer courses are essential , as employers prefer job applicants who are able to apply computer skills to modeling and simulation tasks and to operate computerized laboratory equipment." - Occupation Outlook handbook 2004-2005

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Information and Library Science
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Berkeley SIMS : "The School of Information Management and
Systems (SIMS) prepares leaders to understand, organize, and manage information. Through research and teaching we seek to discover better ways to collect, describe, evaluate, classify, store, retrieve, manipulate, present, and distribute information. We work with information as text, statistics, graphics, video, and audio, both stored and real-time sensor data. "
Companies see potential profits in Information:
"Google's efforts to widen its search capabilities beyond basic Web page results" include "a feature that lets surfers see excerpts from some books", "satellite imagery" and a "Desktop Search" - Cnet,
October 27 2004

Computer Programming in different college majors
 Urban Planning
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Planners use computers to record and
 analyze information and to prepare reports and recommendations for government executives and others.
Computer databases, spreadsheets, and analytical techniques are widely utilized to project program costs and forecast future trends in employment, housing, transportation, or population.
Computerized geographic information systems enable planners to map land areas, to overlay maps with geographic variables such as population density, and to combine or manipulate geographic information to produce alternative plans for land use or development."
"Because familiarity with computer models and statistical techniques is important, courses in statistics and computer science are recommended."