Computer science is a highly sought after degree and a popular study choice among international students. An impressive degree, computer science has a reputation for being pretty difficult. It can be a very rewarding degree that can teach you life skills beyond academia as well. For this article, we interviewed some students and recent graduates in the computer science field.
What is a computer science degree and what can I do with it?
Computer science is the study of computers and computational systems. It studies complex systems of which computers operate. The time put into studying and understanding the course-work can be rigorous, but incredibly rewarding. It’s truly dependent on the student as a certain level of dedication to understanding the concepts has to be involved.
The computer science community at universities creates excellent networking opportunities. There are several options in terms of career paths; differing from options such as research, finance, and the gaming industry.
Claire Bennet*, Computer Science graduate of Brock University, Banking Field
What value have you found in pursuing this degree?
I would look at the degree as an opportunity to explore different fields within CS. The industry is broad and some parts are more saturated than others. Like most things, it’s what you make of it.
What was the educational experience like for you and has that served you for your current work position?
You can slip by not understanding most things and get 60s and just pass, but technical application versus theoretical application is another thing. Your degree will help to get a solid foundation on computational theory and programming concepts, but it won’t pave a perfect path into what you want in a career. Personal projects are key with most employers favouring an applicant with personal projects on top of their degree.
Justine Gehring, Computer Science - McGill, Research Field
Beyond academia, what life skills have you taken away from your computer science degree?
I think there are two things aside from my academic courses. To start, we have the Computer Science Undergrad Society which does events where they invite companies to come and give you talks about internships, and they help you learn what you need to prepare for when you’re going to apply for jobs. There’s a tech fair that happens with industries always looking for new talent, so they put a lot of budget into coming in and seeing you at school.
The other thing I took away from it is that I met a lot of people that will be my future colleagues; it’s a tight knit community. They’ll be connections later in your life and career.
What excites you in pursuing your degree and putting it into action?
I’m more interested in research, so I’ve started connecting with professors and seeing what kind of research they’ve been doing. I’m doing a summer undergrad research project. Basically this is a project where you dedicate yourself to your own personal project. It’s 160 hours, it’s a 4 credit class, and over the whole summer I’m going to build it from start to end. I’m really excited to get my toes dipped into research and hopefully pursue my Master’s and PhD.
What was the most difficult aspect of your studies?
I didn’t expect how difficult math was on an undergrad level. I did plenty of math in CEGEP; which is like a freshman year in Quebec, but I did not expect the math to be so rigorous because we stepped away from math just being calculations and learning formulas to now doing proofs. It takes a much greater understanding of than what you’re accustomed to, but it makes it so much more gratifying when you’re able to do a proof.
Bottom Line
Even if you don’t pursue a full degree in computer science, there is a lot of value in learning basic coding. It looks great on a resume, and it’s a useful skill. The theoretical aspects also allow you to dissect problems in new and fascinating perspectives. Beyond that, the dedication and resilience that comes with taking up such a degree are also life skills that will follow you throughout your life and work. Finally, the networking and job opportunities presented to you at university are key career boosters, but at the end of the day it’s what you decide to do with it.
*Note: some names have been changed upon request of the subjects