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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Computer Science at uni. Is it worth it?

93 replies

Blurryeyed123 · 27/06/2024 00:14

DC will be in Y12 in Sept and wants to do computer science at uni. With the advent of how quickly AI is developing and taking off in all sectors plus how competitive a course it is, I am wondering if it is the right decision.
Any thoughts from parents with recent graduates or those of you already in the sector would be most welcome.

OP posts:

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the2andahalfmillion · 27/06/2024 00:25

I have a close friend who works in this field, and have an adjacent job myself. AI is only as good as the trainers, and the material AI scrapes to learn from and rationally deduce from.

AI is amazing but within 3 weeks of starting learning to code it rapidly became apparent to me that AI makes shit up. Also, AI is really bad at being human, and the genius of computer scientists is that they find solutions to uniquely human problems and issues. You have to be a creative problem solver and innovative to make good computer stuff, and I’m not sure AI will ever be able to think outside the box like humans can.

TizerorFizz · 27/06/2024 09:21

There’s another thread where posters are noting that CS grads struggle to get jobs. Far too many of them, MN parents seem to breed CS students!!! I would check where the jobs are. Also posters strongly suggested maths or engineering were better bets as they were more versatile degrees. Food for thought I think.

poetryandwine · 27/06/2024 09:52

These are both good, thoughtful posts OP. I am a STEM academic.

@TizerorFizz knows her data and I’ve seen it elsewhere. Our CS graduates continue to get excellent jobs, but the admissions standards are very high and entry is very competitive. I suspect there are at minimum half a dozen other CS programmes around the country where employment difficulties are not being felt. Probably many more.

@the2andahalfmillion is completely correct! AI is a human tool and will never be more intelligent than the people who programme it. Just much, much faster

poetryandwine · 27/06/2024 09:54

PS On a related thread someone in the industry was saying that the so called shortage is really about a reluctance to pay proper wages, about jobs being advertised wanting five years of experience with two year old concepts, etc. Sadly this has a ring of truth

Aaron95 · 27/06/2024 10:35

The advancement of AI is only going to increase the demand for IT jobs.

poetryandwine · 27/06/2024 11:38

You can check the Graduate Prospects column in the Complete University Guide for a rough idea, OP

Ozanj · 27/06/2024 11:40

I work in AI. I think Computer Science is going to be essential in all jobs and provided the course has a lot of coding and mathematics it will be good.

TizerorFizz · 27/06/2024 16:36

@poetryandwine I have no doubt top university courses are still a good bet. However if we have 70 courses, it becomes more difficult to judge where you might get employed if you are at a uni with lower A level requirements and then cannot get work to get the experience. I don’t wish to put anyone off but considering other options is always worthwhile.

poetryandwine · 27/06/2024 16:39

Agreed, @TizerorFizz . Always worth considering your options. We don’t have a sense of where the DS is aiming so it is hard to know what to say

RampantIvy · 27/06/2024 16:39

MN parents seem to breed CS students!!!

And law students.

PencilP0int · 27/06/2024 18:52

TizerorFizz · 27/06/2024 16:36

@poetryandwine I have no doubt top university courses are still a good bet. However if we have 70 courses, it becomes more difficult to judge where you might get employed if you are at a uni with lower A level requirements and then cannot get work to get the experience. I don’t wish to put anyone off but considering other options is always worthwhile.

Why would you not get work if your degree is from a non russel group uni? Some students may have lots of experience gained before uni and during it, not all graduates will want to go for the same type of jobs or areas and companies often do their own assessment. Being able to work as part of a team will be important too. Also to get experience graduates will need to go for the shitty entry level jobs, companies won’t be that fussed re where your relevant degree is from, just that you can do the job competently and have a bit of experience.

PermanentTemporary · 27/06/2024 19:01

It's certainly not necessary to do a compsci degree to get a job in IT - msths, engineering as good or better i believe. But speaking as an apparently very typical MN mum of a compsci student, he enjoys the course in a way he wouldn't have enjoyed maths or engineering. Hes also off this summer to do a lucrative 8 week internship that sounds really interesting. In general, as long as he understands the options, a degree he wants to do is a good one.

lastdayatschool · 27/06/2024 21:42

A couple of comments, based on my 25+ years experience in IT, Software Engineering etc.

Most SW companies do technical tests/coding tests - IME the people who are best at these aren't necessarily those who did CS at the better universities.

There's been a downturn in hiring in the SW/IT world for the last 12 months (google IT layoffs and you'll see), which is one of the reasons grads have found it harder to gain employment recently.

Yes, AI is useful - however, it's going to need humans with the relevant IT/CS skills to allow companies to leverage it successfully - I wouldn't dissuade someone wishing to pursue CS at university not to, due to AI

Summertimer · 27/06/2024 21:45

Interesting thread, DC just done A Levels. Classmates report that Computer Science is hard to get offers for uni. Many going for gap year and then trying again

TizerorFizz · 27/06/2024 22:29

I didn’t say RG and I didn’t actually think that. However 117 unis offer CS so you would expect to see varying levels of employment.

CraftyNavySeal · 27/06/2024 22:35

I’m a software engineer and I say it’s not worth it.

You don’t need a computer science degree to work in the industry anyway and it’s future is very uncertain. AI won’t replace all humans but it will mean that one person can do the job of 10.

Much better to do a different STEM degree and then you can easily more into programming/tech if you want to and it still exists and if not you can still go and be an electrical engineer or chemist or whatever.

PencilP0int · 28/06/2024 05:47

lastdayatschool · 27/06/2024 21:42

A couple of comments, based on my 25+ years experience in IT, Software Engineering etc.

Most SW companies do technical tests/coding tests - IME the people who are best at these aren't necessarily those who did CS at the better universities.

There's been a downturn in hiring in the SW/IT world for the last 12 months (google IT layoffs and you'll see), which is one of the reasons grads have found it harder to gain employment recently.

Yes, AI is useful - however, it's going to need humans with the relevant IT/CS skills to allow companies to leverage it successfully - I wouldn't dissuade someone wishing to pursue CS at university not to, due to AI

Aren’t layoffs due to the economic downturn though and companies putting off investment. Doesn’t it always go in cycles?

sendsummer · 28/06/2024 07:13

became apparent to me that AI makes shit up aka AI hallucinations.To be fair some humans do the same.
Programming is an essential tool to progress ideas and systems in most sectors but AI certainly speeds up coding. Of course programming is only an element of CS degrees.
I think somebody with ambitions for a well renumerated career in such a rapidly moving area as CS has arguably to be more of a natural autodidact than in other professions to be successful.

piisnot3 · 28/06/2024 07:22

It helps to have a niche, rather than just a generic CS degree
E.g. joint honours in maths + CS is very good for data science
joint honours in CS + biology is ideal for bioinformatics
Another niche area where both the public and private sectors are crying out for people with first rate skills is cybersecurity.

RK800 · 28/06/2024 07:24

Lots of good comments here. To be competitive in the job market, your DS will need to make sure he has a decent personal portfolio / website to showcase his skill set to future employers, if he’s coding, have a decent repo. The degree on its own, isn’t enough anymore.

I would suggest for all students to work in the holidays, especially during the summer. If he can afford it, take an internship (as much as I disagree with unpaid work) but it is so much easier to get that graduate job if you already have some decent work experience.

Hope that helps 😊

CormorantStrikesBack · 28/06/2024 07:30

DD’s ex boyfriend started a CS degree, didn’t even finish Year 1. He could already code well as had taught himself via YouTube videos. He was bored on the degree and started applying for jobs. He walked into a 40k job which at 20yo was pretty good. So I would agree you don’t need a degree.

acquarius · 28/06/2024 07:32

the2andahalfmillion · 27/06/2024 00:25

I have a close friend who works in this field, and have an adjacent job myself. AI is only as good as the trainers, and the material AI scrapes to learn from and rationally deduce from.

AI is amazing but within 3 weeks of starting learning to code it rapidly became apparent to me that AI makes shit up. Also, AI is really bad at being human, and the genius of computer scientists is that they find solutions to uniquely human problems and issues. You have to be a creative problem solver and innovative to make good computer stuff, and I’m not sure AI will ever be able to think outside the box like humans can.

Sometimes AI doesn't answer the question you asked.

SweetLittlePixie · 28/06/2024 07:37

Who do you think program AI? There is so much potential and opportunity in the IT field. DH studied computer science later in life and he changes roles quite often now, but been in the same company for ages. He just evolves with the field. Had a very well paid job straight out of uni and its only going up still now 10 years later.

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PencilP0int · 28/06/2024 08:13

Can I just ask how transferable is a CS degree? What other areas aside from coding can a computer science degree transfer to?

lastdayatschool · 28/06/2024 09:34

@PencilP0int Aren’t layoffs due to the economic downturn though and companies putting off investment. Doesn’t it always go in cycles?

Yes - layoffs were primarily due to companies cost cutting because of economic downturn. I was just justifying to a PP one of the reasons why CS grads had found it harder to get jibs recently

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