Career Paths
Computing has links to almost every profession and academic field; studying it – as a major, as a minor, or as a graduate student – is a plus when in the job market. It provides the opportunity to work across a vast array disciplines. Graduates have the chance to deliver service and solutions for others – while leading efforts that deploy new ideas and technology.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts faster-than-average growth for nearly every computing and information technology job for the next decade. The analytical and problem-solving skills central to computing and the information sciences are valued by employers in all sectors. Computational problem solving skills can greatly enhance any degree in any field – including those in the sciences, business, engineering, or healthcare professions.
The jobs in fields most closely related to the discipline include:
- Network architects
- Programmers and Software developers
- Systems analysts
- Database administrators
- Information security analysts
- Network and computer systems administrators
- Web developers
However, those with a background in the computing and information sciences have a competitive advantage in many occupations. Computing and Information Sciences majors work in a wide range of fields – recent Valpo students and graduates have gone into employment in the :
- health care/health insurance sector,
- the petroleum services industries,
- specialist software production firms – including video game creation,
- Internet service providers, and
- primary metals manufacturing.
As the field of computer science continues to grow, so do the career options for graduates. Computerscience.org provides information on the top 12 most prevalent CS careers today, including data on salaries, knowledge requirements, and recommended education. Additional information on the broader categories and scope of computing is available at the Association for Computing Machinery website. Specifics are available at the association’s “Degrees and Careers” page for Computer Science.
The University’s Career Center offers advising to students on Internship sites, jobs and career plans. The highly skilled staff assists students in building resumes, cover letters, and portfolios towards professional advancement post graduation.