What Can I Do with My Computer Science Major?

Majoring in computer science connects students with the ideas, skills, and opportunities to shape the digital world we live in. As technology continues to advance, information technology experts are needed to develop, test, and maintain computer systems. Computer science students become expert problem solvers, mapping the best and most practical solutions to the problems of processing, storing, and accessing information. Computer science students have the opportunity to study current core research areas of algorithms and theory; security, privacy, and cryptography; and data-centric computing.

A computer science degree offers more than just technical knowledge—many theoretical and mathematical concepts are used in developing software and hardware solutions to diverse problems. Additionally, there are computer science courses in which a computer is never used, such as investigating the theoretical nature of artificial intelligence. In a field that evolves as rapidly as computer science, the Department of Computer Science focuses on preparing students for long term learning that enables them to not only understand today’s technologies, but also understand how to tackle challenges of the future. Many graduates enter the job market after graduation, while some choose to continue their education in law, medicine, engineering or other graduate programs.

The study of computer science facilitates the development of a core set of skills sought after by employers in a wide range of occupational settings. Throughout your experience in the program, you will obtain the following skills:
Critical Thinking Skills

  • Understanding patterns and algorithms
  • Assessing needs
  • Defining problems
  • Integrating theory and practice
  • Considering alternatives
  • Generating solutions
  • Making projections

Technical Skills

  • Computer architecture
  • High-level programming and algorithm design
  • Database design and data mining
  • Software engineering
  • Networking
  • Information assurance
  • Internet computing

Communication Skills

  • Work in groups on projects
  • Present projects and information logically
  • Train others
  • Explain technical and theoretical concepts to others

You can use the examples above, and experiences from classes or research projects to enhance your resume. Try plugging in some of your experiences or skills gained into this formula: Accomplished (X) as measured by (Y) by doing (Z).

Sample Resume Class 1, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Member of Class, taught by Prof. ______

  • Developed mastery of object-oriented programming using Java in topics such as event-driven programming, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), human computer interaction, 2/3D Graphics, and security by (insert course projects/assignments) 
  • Explored various techniques used in design and analysis of computer algorithms, such as the divide-and-conquer technique, and other general approaches, such as the greedy method and dynamic programming, by (insert course projects/assignments) in Algorithms course 
  • Explored technical privacy threats and countermeasures in modern computing and communications systems by (insert course projects/assignments) in Privacy and Surveillance Technology course 

Georgetown Alumni have taken their computer science degree across multiple different industries and have applied the skills they learned in computer science across multiple disciplines. 

Additional information about these outcomes can be found in Cawley’s Post Graduation Outcome Report

“Majoring in computer science prepared me phenomenally well for life after Georgetown. I gained a deep understanding of how computers work that I use every day as a software engineer. Also, the professors are great, specifically Mark Maloof, Micah Sherr, Richard Squier, and Calvin Newport.” – 2019 Georgetown College Graduate, Computer Science

Helpful Keywords to Improve Searches
There are lots of ways to find good keywords to help your job or internship search process, or even just to learn more about the types of jobs you can do within a specific major. One way to explore this is by checking out the job search tool on Google. 

Once you are in, type in something generic like your major and the world internship afterward. Once you hit enter, it will give you lots of options to explore, but if you want to explore titles, possible career paths, or keywords, hover your mouse over the ‘Title’ tab on the top of the page. This will give you a ton of ideas and options to explore possible keywords. 

Sample Internship Opportunities

  • Computer/Software Trainers (e.g., PeopleSoft, Oracle, Blackboard)
  • Computer Support Centers (e.g., Consumer Electronics Association)
  • Consulting (e.g., Bearing Point, IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, Accenture, The MITRE Corporation))
  • Government (e.g., Department of Defense, United States Congress, French Embassy, Department of Justice Cybercrime Lab)
  • Information technology/Operating Systems and Networks (e.g., Vantage Technologies Systems Integration, NIH, KPMG)
  • Programming and Web Design (e.g., Roblox Corporation, LLC, OpenPad, QuakeFinder, Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), Hello Design, World
  • NetMedia, Mediafly, Inc.)
  • Publications and Media (e.g., U.S. News and World Report, CNN, The News Hour, The Washington Post)

The Georgetown Computer Science Department Website is rich with additional information on studying Computer Science.

GU Computer Science Department 

Professional Associations are a great place to go to dive deeper into the field of computer science and learn more about what post grad life might look like. 

Vault is a fantastic resource to learn more about specific career fields in computer science. Vault has information such as salary information, work environment, education and training requirements, outlooks, and specific tips for entering into the field. 

Professors & Academic Deans
Georgetown professors and faculty members can be a wonderful resource for Georgetown students. If you are still curious to learn more about the disciplines of a specific major, we’d encourage you to connect with your professors! Outside of office hours, Georgetown has an online interface called GU360 where students can explore and connect with faculty members that are eager to mentor and support students. You can use this interface to learn more about specific department research, specialties, and areas of study within a major.  

You can also connect with your academic dean or counselor to further discuss opportunities within a given major. 

Lastly, each department has a dedicated Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). This is the individual in charge of coordinating the major program or department as a whole. You can find the Director of Undergraduate Studies by exploring the faculty and staff pages of individual departments websites.

Alumni 
Connecting with alumni is a fantastic way to explore a day in the life of any given major student. There are several different ways to connect with Georgetown Alums. Hoya Gateway is Georgetown’s premier networking platform which connects alumni and students to have meaningful conversations and build a strong network of support. This is a platform alumni opt into with the sole purpose of supporting current students, which means there is an extremely high response rate. 

You can also utilize LinkedIn to connect with Georgetown Alum. A simple alumni search on Georgetown’s LinkedIn profile will help you get connected to approximately 130 thousand alumni, which you can then filter to meet the location, major, industry, or skills that you are interested in exploring.

You can also check out our Post Graduation Outcomes to learn more about what Georgetown alumni in specific majors are up to after graduation. We survey our seniors at the end of each year and into the following year to learn about jobs they secured, service opportunities they committed to, or graduate schools they decided to attend. You can filter by first major to get an idea of what life after Georgetown looks like. You’ll see in many cases that alums are using majors in a wide variety of ways, and your major doesn’t always equal your career path. 

Career Center Staff
You can also connect with career center staff to talk through the possible outcomes of one major over another. In short, there are endless opportunities no matter what major you choose. However, connecting with someone might help you navigate your decision making process a little bit easier. 

At the career center, you have the opportunity to meet with either a Career Exploration Counselor or an Industry Advisor. Career Exploration Counselors can help you talk through concerns, goals, the big picture, and strategies to move forward. You can think of them as generalists and a great place to get started. Industry Advisors can help you think through specific questions about a given career path and provide specific industry information and trends. You can think of them as specialists for once you start to narrow down your possible path. If you think an appointment with one of these individuals would benefit you, you can make an appointment on Handshake.

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