A recent survey shows a national increase in computer science majors, the first enrollment increase since the “dot com boom.”According to the 2007-2008 Computing Research Association Taulbee Survey, the national enrollment for computer science majors increased 8.1 percent last year, marking the first increase in computer science enrollment in six years. The average number of new students majoring in the field is up 9.5 percent from last year.”The upward surge of student interest is real and bigger than anyone expected,” Peter Lee, incoming CRA chairman, said in a news release. “The fact that computer science graduates usually find themselves in high-paying jobs accounts for part of the reversal. Increasingly, students are also attracted to the intellectual depth and societal benefits of computing technology.”Sitharama Iyengar, Computer Science department chairman at the University, said he sees a clear increase in enrollment.”I’m very optimistic there will be an increase in computer science majors in years to come,” Iyengar said. “There seems to be a slight enrollment increase, and many students are coming to talk to us about majoring.”Iyengar said students are  gradually understanding the application of computer science to real-world problems and job opportunities, like computer models used to understand weather patterns and intricate programs used in research by drug companies.”People are starting to realize the potential of computer science,” he said. “They’re not just designing Web pages or doing Mickey Mouse work. This is the next generation of computer architectures, language programmers, cyber security workers and so forth.”Iyengar said many of the University’s computer science graduates achieved high-quality jobs with Google, Microsoft, Firefox and other prominent companies — jobs usually offered only to graduates from schools like Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Iyengar said after the shortage of job opportunities following the dot com boom, most students opted for other fields, not wanting to put forth the effort required for the computer science curriculum. But undergraduate research, translated into actual products, have enticed many students back to the field, he said.Tyler Robinson, computer science freshman, said he plans to use his computer background to assist with his ultimate goal — editing and designing media in the film industry.”I’ve always liked computers and learning what I can about them,” he said. “I recently found out Baton Rouge might have a film business, so I’d like to try to find a job there.”Iyengar said the computer science curriculum is different from other majors because it requires statistics, logical thinking and a solid mathematical background — it’s not just about reading and comprehending.”The courses are fairly tough, and it’s a rough curriculum,” he said. “But the quality of our students is excellent, and they are dedicated and passionate about their major.”Jessica Green, biology sophomore, started out as a computer science major but switched to biology because of lack of interest. She said her initial plan was to become a software engineer.”I found it to be boring,” she said. “It’s just not the major for me. I’m a very energetic person, and sitting at a computer all day just doesn’t fit me.”Green said she only took a few computer science classes but found the curriculum difficult.”A few people in my class and I found some of the classes to be tough,” she said. “It’s a hard subject.”Robinson said the curriculum is too difficult and time consuming, having to take 3 semesters of calculus and putting in five to 10 hours into each computer program.”The curriculum is a little more difficult because there’s a lot of detailed information, and you have to retain the concepts as it builds,” he said. “You can’t just ‘get by.'”Peter Harsha, CRA director of government affairs, said the Computing Research Association surveys departments from 200 academic institutions, taking only a slice of the data available.”Despite taking only a subset of data and using only 200 institutions, our numbers have       historically correlated with the National Science Foundation’s survey of all available academic institutions,” he said.According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, computer and mathematical science occupations, which include computer programmers, computer software engineers and operations research analysis, earn an average yearly salary of $72,190.”There are many opportunities for computer science graduates,” Iyengar said. “We are training the next generation of the global workforce.”—-Contact Steven Powell [email protected]