What exactly is Computer Science? Computer Science is the science of using computers to solve problems. Mostly, this involves designing software (computer programs) and addressing fundamental scientific questions about the nature of computation but also involves many aspects of hardware and architecting the large computer systems that form the infrastructure of commercial and government enterprises.
What Computer Science is not ... Computer Science is not about using software, such as spreadsheets (like Excel), word processors (like Word) or image tools (like Photoshop). Many software packages are complicated to master (such as Photoshop or Excel) and it is true that many jobs depend on expertise in using such tools, but computer science is not about using the tools. It is not about expertise in computer games, it is not about about writing content in websites, and it is not about not about assembling computers or knowing which computers are best buys. Edsger Dijkstra, a famous award- winning computer scientist once said, "Computer Science is no more about computers than Astronomy is about telescopes". Computer Science is about the principles behind building the above software packages, about the algorithms used in computer games, about the technology behind the internet and about the architecture of computing devices.
What is programming? Programming is the intellectual endeavor of creating individual software programs. Part of it involves thinking (design, analysis), part of it involves coding (translating a design into instructions via a programming languages such as Java or C++) and part of it involves testing (subjecting software to a battery of tests to make sure it works). Programming has been likened to mathematics (analytic thinking) to writing (artfully telling a story), to engineering (building larger software out of smaller software units) and to art (exercising creativity). The part of programming that is most easily identified in Hollywood depictions is coding, the process of typing instructions in a programming language (such as Java or C++); this involves the stereotypical hunching over a monitor, pounding at the keyboard and watching the software execute.
Is Computer Science mostly programming? Initially, it may seem that it is all about programming because it is the skill whose teaching we start with (because it's fun, it's challenging and it's a prerequisite to further computer science). However, most undergraduate curricula devote 3 to 4 courses exclusively to programming, leaving 10-15 other computer science courses. Some of these use a student's programming skills acquired earlier, but most concentrate on some aspect of computer science central to the discipline. So, what are these areas of computer science? You can: learn about how computers are built (architecture), the principles behind important "infrastructure" software systems (operating systems, databases), study classic algorithms and learn to design your own, learn how compilers and language translation is done, study specialized computer science areas such as artificial intelligence, parallel computing, networks, graphics, bioinformatics, robotics, education or multimedia.
What kinds of careers are open to me with a degree in Computer Science? Many people incorrectly believe that a computer science career is all about programming. While it is true that most entry- level jobs after a Bachelor's degree involve programming, most practioners eventually graduate to other responsibilities such as design, coordination, testing, planning and management. List of popular jobs in Computer science are ; Application Developer Business Analyst Computer / Network Support Technician Computer Networking/IT Systems Engineer Database administrator Information Technology Consultant Information Technology Director Information Technology Project Manager Information Technology Specialist Network Administrator Network Engineer Programmer Analyst Senior Software Engineer Software Architect Software Developer Software Development Engineer Software Development Manager Systems Administrator Systems Analyst Web Developer etc.
At the same time, some of the most exciting new work in computer science is occurring at the intersection between computer science and other fields. For example, computer science is changing the way biological research is conducted in fundamental ways, leading to a new field called bioinformatics at the intersection of biology and computer science. Similarly, computer simulations are making it possible to study problems in physics, chemistry, economics and geology that were difficult without computers. Consider Computer science interesting? stick around for our tutorials
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