AMU APU Cyber & AI Online Learning Original

3 Compelling Reasons to Obtain a Computer Science Degree

By Allison Philips
Senior Copywriter and Edge Contributor

Information systems serve as the lifeblood of the global economy. To remain current, learners must stay up to date with the latest developments in computer science and their technical skills.

Are you considering a degree in computer science? Here are three compelling reasons for why a computer science degree is useful in our rapidly changing world.

#1: Transferable Skills Are a Necessity in the Business World  

Today’s information technology experts must not only understand how computers function, but it’s also essential to develop transferable skills. Those skills can be used for a variety of jobs in computer science, such as providing systems support, working in big data, building new business computer systems and maintaining legacy enterprise systems. These jobs require a range of knowledge and critical thinking skills, because computer networks maintain business continuity and must be changed to adapt to different business requirements.  

“In recognition of the complex and transformational world of technology, there is a need for differentiated learning experiences to support industry growth and evolution in the computer science field,” states Dr. Zona Kostic, the University’s department chair for Computational and Mathematical Sciences.

The University recently updated its computer science programs to reflect leading trends based on industry advisory feedback. “In addition, we wanted to create courses at the School of STEM that will actually teach students about societal problems and offer them a path to tackle some of those challenges,” says Dr. Kostic.

#2: The Digital Age Requires Adaptability 

The Digital Revolution of the late 20th century sparked the fast-changing Digital Age we live in today. Our daily lives are connected to the internet, global information systems, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), social media and the metaverse.

There are incredible possibilities that lie ahead, but there are also challenges. As a result, people in computer science fields must continue to adapt to and solve those challenges through lifelong learning as technology continues to change our society. 

Most of us use the World Wide Web almost every day to discover and share information in both our personal and professional lives. The metaverse is also emerging in our society. The metaverse is the virtual reality space where our humanlike avatars will interact while we work and play. While global adoption of the metaverse remains to be seen, its fundamental technology is all around us, including virtual reality headsets, robust computational systems and the lifelike graphics of the gaming universe. 

Big data refers to large amounts of customer data that businesses collect and use to extrapolate insights that influence decision making and fulfill organizational goals. Artificial intelligence simulates human intelligence using computers and machines.

The role of AI is to solve problems and make decisions through computer science, big data, machine learning, and deep learning. Self-driving cars are a primary example of how AI functions.

Related link: The Future of the Metaverse: Separating Fact from Fiction

#3: Maintaining Cybersecurity Is More Critical Than Ever

Every day, hackers are gaining more and more access to our business networks and devices. According to Dr. Kostic, “Cybersecurity has always been one of the primary focuses – if not the primary focus – in computer science because the security of our data is the most important thing.

“Right now, the security of our algorithms is also important. Everything is using machine learning these days and that involves every single aspect of our lives, including our banking, medical records, personal data, and student data, so we need to make sure all these special segments are secure. There’s also the possibility of machines talking to each other so it’s easier to take over and misuse them.”

Related link: LiFi: A Better Way to Ensure Cybersecurity on Computers

Two Online Bachelor’s Programs in Computer Science Are Now Available at the University

Whether you’re interested in software development, computer programming or other areas of the computer science industry, our two new bachelor’s degrees in computer science are designed to teach you the foundational and critical skills common to this field.

Image created by Allison Philips.

Our University’s course designers consult with industry advisory councils to continually assess and optimize our curriculum to reflect emerging trends in the computer science field. Our University is part of American Public University System, which is designated as a Center of Academic Excellence – Cybersecurity (CAE-C) by the U.S. National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Courses at our University are taught by scholar-practitioners. These instructors apply academic fundamentals to current, interdisciplinary functions such as systems support software development, database administration, hardware engineering, web development, architecture, project management, and cybersecurity systems.

Of these two new programs, Dr. Kostic says, “Our online bachelor of arts in computer science focuses on arts and humanities in combination with math and computer science. It is definitely going to examine the application of existing computer science algorithms so we want students to understand how that software works and develop the ability to apply it into more creative areas.

“The concentrations of this computer science degree will include communications and artificial intelligence. Our students will garner the knowledge to analyze activity on social media and disinformation campaigns and develop a psychological understanding of how to construct AI systems for people-centric applications.

“One of the most challenging topics in AI is algorithmic bias. Some algorithms are making serious mistakes, which are a result of bad data colored by human bias. Students will explore how the algorithm works, how to apply it, and how to detect any problems and report those to data science engineers.

For the online bachelor of science in computer science, Dr. Kostic says that this computer science degree is designed to “guide students through the creation of algorithms with an emphasis on cybersecurity, which is a critical component of the program. The concentrations of this computer science degree also include communications and AI.

“However, the focus will be more on how to actually create the algorithms from scratch and on how to deploy different types of massive algorithms, including Edge algorithms which run without servers outside of major networks such as Amazon Cloud and Google Cloud.”

For more information on a computer science degree and our other academic programs, please contact the University.

Allison Philips has over a decade of experience covering education, financial services, technology, travel and healthcare industries. Her work has appeared in campaigns for clients such as AARP, Audi, Bloomberg BNA, Blue Shield, Burger King, Citibank, Marriott, Oracle, American Military University and American Public University.

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