According to Forrester Research, information technology occupations are down 1.2% this year, with 4,100 jobs slashed just this month. Enrollment of computer science courses, though, has increased nationwide by 6.2 percent since 2007, according to an annual survey conducted by the Computing Research Association. John Barr, associate professor and chair of computer scien
ce at Ithaca College, said the economy was not an issue in enrollment. He said when he spoke with colleagues at other institutions with computer science programs, they told him students wanted safe jobs. “It’s not the economy that’s affecting us so much, but the whole change in technology,” he said. “As computers become more important, it’s more important for students to understand computer science.” According to Barr, the college had 94 students majoring in computer science during the 2002-03 academic year, but over the past few years the number decreased to 40. This year, there are 45 students enrolled in the major.
Patricia Woodworth, associate professor of computer science, said the college’s computer science enrollment, like that of other schools, was affected by national cycles.
“Computer science is similar to engineering,” she said. “It runs in cycles, and this is not Ithaca College-unique, it’s nationwide.” She said the increase in student enrollment at the college and nationally was partly because people with computer science skills are once again in demand after the industry recovered from the dot-com collapse in 2001. Woodworth said most of her students who graduated last year were able to get jobs. “The job market is still good, and the concern is that there’s not going to be enough technically trained people. And nationally, enrollment seems to be increasing slightly,” she said. Woodworth said not all students were drawn to computer science for well-paying jobs that were at low risk of downsizing.
“Jobs [aren’t] enough,” she said. “You have to really be interested in it. Some people come out of high school being interested in computing, liking it and feeling they’re good at it, which is a good reason for choosing a major.” Andrada Voinitchi, a senior computer science major, said she considered computer science the only thing she saw herself doing as her career.
“There’s always a financial issue, but with computer science ... I was lucky because jobs are well paid,” she said. Barr said the department will continue to participate in college initiatives to increase enrollment and hopes to create new computer science-related majors to connect the discipline with other fields of work. “Computer science is naturally cross-disciplinary, because we basically exist to solve other people’s problems,” Barr said. “We’re looking at different ways, programs, minors, whatever we can get that might play on that interdisciplinary feature of computer science.” Woodworth said courses on subjects like artificial intelligence and advanced networking had recently been taught experimentally but not officially added as courses.
“We’re always looking at the curriculum to make sure it’s current, because computing fields change exceedingly rapidly,” she said. “It’s difficult to change the same course exactly the same way twice in a row.” Jared Vinci, a sophomore computer science major, said he was not certain whether he would pursue a career in computer science, but said he knew the skills he learned would help him in any job. “Even if I can’t get a job programming, the fact that I can program will be an asset wherever I go,” he said. Voinitchi said computer skills are important for everyday life. Barr said computer skills are important for everyone, and suggested that high school students take courses in computer science. “You can’t escape computers,” he said. “Regardless of where you go or what you do, they’re going to follow you. You have to understand, and you might as well be prepared for it.”
Source :theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200904_Computer_science_enrollment_increases.shtml
ce at Ithaca College, said the economy was not an issue in enrollment. He said when he spoke with colleagues at other institutions with computer science programs, they told him students wanted safe jobs. “It’s not the economy that’s affecting us so much, but the whole change in technology,” he said. “As computers become more important, it’s more important for students to understand computer science.” According to Barr, the college had 94 students majoring in computer science during the 2002-03 academic year, but over the past few years the number decreased to 40. This year, there are 45 students enrolled in the major.Patricia Woodworth, associate professor of computer science, said the college’s computer science enrollment, like that of other schools, was affected by national cycles.
“Computer science is similar to engineering,” she said. “It runs in cycles, and this is not Ithaca College-unique, it’s nationwide.” She said the increase in student enrollment at the college and nationally was partly because people with computer science skills are once again in demand after the industry recovered from the dot-com collapse in 2001. Woodworth said most of her students who graduated last year were able to get jobs. “The job market is still good, and the concern is that there’s not going to be enough technically trained people. And nationally, enrollment seems to be increasing slightly,” she said. Woodworth said not all students were drawn to computer science for well-paying jobs that were at low risk of downsizing.
“Jobs [aren’t] enough,” she said. “You have to really be interested in it. Some people come out of high school being interested in computing, liking it and feeling they’re good at it, which is a good reason for choosing a major.” Andrada Voinitchi, a senior computer science major, said she considered computer science the only thing she saw herself doing as her career.
“There’s always a financial issue, but with computer science ... I was lucky because jobs are well paid,” she said. Barr said the department will continue to participate in college initiatives to increase enrollment and hopes to create new computer science-related majors to connect the discipline with other fields of work. “Computer science is naturally cross-disciplinary, because we basically exist to solve other people’s problems,” Barr said. “We’re looking at different ways, programs, minors, whatever we can get that might play on that interdisciplinary feature of computer science.” Woodworth said courses on subjects like artificial intelligence and advanced networking had recently been taught experimentally but not officially added as courses.
“We’re always looking at the curriculum to make sure it’s current, because computing fields change exceedingly rapidly,” she said. “It’s difficult to change the same course exactly the same way twice in a row.” Jared Vinci, a sophomore computer science major, said he was not certain whether he would pursue a career in computer science, but said he knew the skills he learned would help him in any job. “Even if I can’t get a job programming, the fact that I can program will be an asset wherever I go,” he said. Voinitchi said computer skills are important for everyday life. Barr said computer skills are important for everyone, and suggested that high school students take courses in computer science. “You can’t escape computers,” he said. “Regardless of where you go or what you do, they’re going to follow you. You have to understand, and you might as well be prepared for it.”
Source :theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200904_Computer_science_enrollment_increases.shtml
