Advanced Computer Science Career part 1
Not all Computer Science (CS) students will go to work in the Information Technology (IT) industry. Some may want to continue their education because they want to learn more to build a profound knowledge on the field that they love. These are people who want to continue learning and contribute to the knowledge of humanity: They are the Specialists and the Scientists.
Students who want to be a “Specialist” will go deeply into a special area to learn as much as they can so when graduate, they will be an “expert” in that particular area. Specialization often takes two years of additional education after the having a Bachelor degree and they receive a Master of Science (MS) degree. For example, students want to learn more about computing security will continue their education in this area and become a security expert.
It is very important for students to understand that a Master degree is a “Degree of Specialization” which focus on a particular area of computer science. Today it is often referring to as “Professional master degree” to distinct them with the Bachelor degree or “General education degree”. Graduates with a bachelor degree can be trained to do many things depending on the company that they work for. Graduates with a master degree are already a professional, an expert so their choice is limited to a few companies that need their expertise.
Graduates with a Bachelor degree in CS can easily find jobs. Graduates with a Master in CS may have difficult depending on whether their specialty is needed or not. Today a Master in Computing Security is “Hot” but a Master in Computing Theories is “Not”. On the average, a MS degree graduates can make about $8,000 to $15,000 more than a Bachelor degree graduates. MS graduates in CS can make $110,000 to $130,000 a year. However due to the high demand of the industry, a MS graduates in Computing Security can make $140,000 to $160,000 because there are not enough them but there are so many “Hackers” and “Malicious software” so the industry's need is very high.
Students who want to be the “Scientists” will continue their education and go more deeply into a special area by doing research to explore that area. There is a difference between “Specialist” and “Scientist” that students need to understand. The “Specialist” is trained to apply a technology when the “Scientist” is trained to discover a technology. Scientists invent new technology or improving existing technology by conducting research. Therefore, it requires at least six to eight more years of continue education to become a Scientist and they receive a Doctoral degree of Philosophy (Ph.D).
The increasing use of computers and information technology in every business has generated a need for highly trained CS scientists with extensive research expertise. These computer scientists are the designers, the creators, and the inventors of new technology. By creating new technology they solve complex business and scientific problems which impact many things or change many things. For example, the discovery of steam engine and machinery created the industrial age; the discovery of semiconductor circuits and computing technology created the information age.
In the past most scientists work within their own domain area but today most scientists work together on multidisciplinary areas. For example, computer scientists are collaborating with electrical scientists, mechanical scientists, and other scientists in their researches. Computer scientists conduct research on many topics from computer hardware architecture, virtual reality, to robotics and automated machinery. Scientists who research hardware architecture discover new ways for computers to process and transmit information. They design computer chips and processors, using new materials and techniques to make them work faster and give them more computing power. When working with virtual reality, scientists use technology to create life-like situations such as video games that make users feel like they are actually in the real world. When working in robotics, they try to create machines that can perform tasks on their own, without people controlling them. Robots perform many tasks, from sweeping floors, assembling cars on factory production lines, and even drive cars and airplanes.
In the past, a majority of CS scientists are employed by universities. They conduct researches and teach classes but today, many are employed by private companies and have specific job functions in the research and development facilities. In general, researchers in academic universities have more flexibility to focus on pure theory, while those working in business or scientific companies usually focus on researches that have the possibility of producing patents and profits. The scientists working in industry make much more money than in university but they have less control in the direction of their research. A computer scientist with a Ph.D can make $180,000 to $450,000 depend on where they work.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
