For years, universities have seen a nationwide plunge in computer science majors. But some scholars think the numbers will pick up again.
Since the advent of companies centering their business around computers in the 1990s, information technology startups emerged, creating many jobs. Stu Zweben, Computing Research Association surveys committee chairman, described this period as a “gold rush for computing people.” A crash ensued after several large startup companies folded in the early 2000s because of financial instability.
“So we had a double whammy,” said Zweben, who is also the College of Engineering Academic Affairs and Administration associate dean at Ohio State University. “We had all of these experienced people plus all of these new talented people coming out from our undergraduate programs in record numbers, and the market could not deal with the situation at that point.”
Zweben said reports of instability and downsizing alarmed many high school graduates entering colleges nationwide.
“What happens in situations like this is there’s an initial shock in the market place, and it has to sort itself out,” he said. “And a big shock like that takes a couple of years to sort out, but once it does, the market goes back into a state of equilibrium. And then jobs will start becoming available.”
Zweben said the job market has already turned around, but most people interested in computer science have not figured it out yet, causing many to steer clear of pursuing a career in that field.
“By 2005, we actually saw signs that people who were graduating were having a reasonably easy time finding work again, but the numbers of people going into the field were still going down because the word had not gotten out to the students and parents of the next generation,” he said.
LSU’s Computer Science Department followed this national trend.
“We also have experienced that dip in enrollment four or five years back, but now it’s increasing,” said S.S. Iyengar, Computer Science Department chairman at LSU.
Since spring 2004, the number of computer science majors at LSU peaked at 177, dropped in spring 2005 and gradually declined until this semester. There are 93 computer science majors at LSU this semester, according the Office of Budget and Planning’s 14th Day Enrollment reports.
Iyengar said the opportunities for computer science majors are growing every day. He said computer science can be applied to several markets including entertainment, coastal science and cyber security.
“The applications have been enormous in many multifaceted areas,” he said. “And that’s why you see that people are going in every direction in computer science.
“The other interesting thing is the opportunities are also more here because we have never had a student who didn’t have a job. In fact, most of our students have multiple offers, and we are very proud of the fact that there is a continuous stream of jobs for computer science students.”
Sri Srinivas, computer science graduate student, said he has heard the job market is bleak right now but is not worried about his prospects because he has a few years until he graduates. Srinivas said he wants to research and work with computer networks after he graduates because he is interested in the logistical, mathematical and engineering aspects of the field.
“If you talk to 10 different people, they will give you 10 different answers because nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen tomorrow or in the near future,” he said. The economy is slowing down, and not many people are hiring. But on the other hand, there is intense potential for computer science graduates because every company and every industry uses computers today.”
—-Contact Angelle Barbazon at [email protected]