Future Students
Prospective Students
A LETTER TO PROSPECTIVE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
(Prospective Graduate Students, Please Click HERE)
We want to thank youfor your interest in Kent State and the Computer Science Department.
We would like to urge to consider pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science at Kent State University. You're probably aware that this is a great time to enter the computing field, but you might not be aware just how bright the future is for computing at the moment.
WHAT DO COMPUTER SCIENTISTS DO?
When many people think of a computer science career they often think of an isolated programmer working alone all day. In reality, many computer science jobs involve much more than simply writing computer programs, and many jobs involve working as part of a team.
There are a wide range of interesting careers for graduates with a B.S in Computer Science. A Computer Scientist may start a career in medical informatics, information security, game design, multimedia systems, or web development.
For a great overview of computing degrees and careers, see:
http://computingcareers.acm.org/?page_id=6
Look at this 3-page brochure on degrees and careers:
http://www.acm.org/careernews/extras/careercolor.pdf
WHAT ARE THE JOB PROSPECTS FOR COMPUTER SCIENTISTS?
Unfortunately, there is a common MISCONCEPTION that there are few jobs in computing, a misconception rooted in the crash of the dot-com companies 6 years ago and fears over outsourcing. The REALITY is that there are more jobs in computing now than at the height of the dot-com boom, and while some jobs have been outsourced to India and China, other jobs have emerged to fill the vacuum.
This bright outlook for computing has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the 10-year period from 2004-2014, a staggering 71% of the new jobs in science and engineering will be in computing. Even considering new jobs plus net replacements (e.g., filling retirements), 59% of the new jobs are in computing. This isn't a misconception, this is the reality nationwide!
An article in CNNMoney in 2006 even listed "Software Engineer" as the single "best job" in America: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2006/
WHAT ARE THE JOB PROSPECTS IN OHIO?
The hiring outlook in Ohio mirrors that nationally -- it is very good, with "Computer Software Engineers" among the fastest growing occupations in the state.
The importance of computing professionals was also confirmed in a study commissioned in late 2007 by the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition (NorTech). Here are some highlights from their report on the job situation for computing professionals in Northeast Ohio report:
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There are an estimated 96,000 IT professionals employed in Northeast Ohio.
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More than 8,600 IT workers were hired in Northeast Ohio in 2006, and more than 10,600 were hired in 2007
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Approximately 31% of firms surveyed hired at least one IT professional in 2006, and at any given time, half of all employers with more than 25 employees are seeking to fill at least one IT position
Our recent graduates have easily found jobs, with around 75% staying in Ohio to work at local companies, such as Progressive Insurance, NASA Lewis, Goodyear, Cisco Systems, Hitachi Medical, Davey Tree, Fed Ex, Ernst & Young, Philips Medical, Sherwin Williams, National Bank, Key Corp, Procter and Gamble, Lexis-Nexis, Bell and Howell. These graduates typically have had a starting salary in the $50,000's.
WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER COMPUTER SCIENCE AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY?
We are proud of our modern CS curriculum that aligns with current national guidelines from the two major computing professional associations (the Computing Curriculum from the ACM and IEEE-CS).
We prepare students by focusing on concepts, together with application of those concepts. Other types of computing programs (such as Information Technology programs) tend to focus on using and managing computers, and on specific computer applications. Computer technology will change but the underlying concepts remain the same, which allows Computer Science students to adapt to new technologies as they appear.
With a large research faculty, we offer a broad array of courses, with a rich set of electives. For example, a student in our program might specialize in the area of game programmingor information security.
We also have an internship program to help interested students get real-world work experience.
Moreover, our undergraduate students benefit from the department's thriving graduate program. Students take classes from professors who are researchers and have up-to-date knowledge in their fields. Interested students have the opportunity to do research with faculty members. Qualified students with good GPAs may take graduate classes, and a combined B.S./M.S. programallows up to 12 credit hours of graduate classes to count for both undergraduate and graduate credit.
WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Just ask! While any of our faculty and staff would be happy to help answer your questions, one great starting point is our two very dedicated Undergraduate Advisors:
Michael RothsteinMSB 268
330-672-9065
rothstei@cs.kent.edu
Arden Ruttan
MSB 270
330-672-9066
ruttan@cs.kent.edu
Gwenn Volkert
MSB 216
330-672-9037
volkert@cs.kent.edu
In closing, the Computer Science faculty hope you will consider pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science at Kent State University.
Best regards,
Computer Science Faculty
