A Brief History of the Computer Programming Major
The field of computer technology is constantly growing and evolving. As one of the newest and most dynamic fields in academia, computer programming has become one of the leading majors at many notable institutions. While the history of computer programming begins with the computer, the concept of programming itself goes much farther back.
The origins of programming began with the advent of punch cards for railroad conductors. While this was one of the first steps towards encoding information on computers, modern computer programming came decades later. The first programming languages, FORTRAN, LISP, and COBOL, were developed in the mid twentieth century, according to the College of New Jersey. Computer programmers use these languages to communicate complex operations to computers.
As technology increasingly plays an even larger role in our lives, computer programming has become an invaluable skill. With the advent of new programming languages and new technologies, computer programming within academia has seen many changes. The computer programming major began as a very math-oriented subject. Through the use and study of new languages, the major has evolved into a far more creative and individualized endeavor.
While mathematics and quantitative reasoning are still essential to computer programming, the field has also become very much about efficiency and speed. As technology continues to play a more central role in our lives, computer programmers will continue to play a vital role within academia and society.
Delving Into the Computer Programming Major
Computer programming majors should expect to take classes within both the mathematics and computer science departments. Students will likely be expected to complete linear algebra, calculus I and II, differential equations, combinatorics, discrete mathematics, and probability and statistics courses throughout their time as a computer programming major. The mathematical reasoning and theory obtained in these classes acts as the foundation for most all computer programming concepts.
Within the computer science department, programming majors should expect to complete courses in programming principles, programming paradigms, logic and computation, algorithms, and data structures. As a part of most algorithms courses, students are required to design and program some kind of simple game. This game serves as an introduction to programming where students can write code that has some sort of objective. Students will choose a simple game, such as chess or Tetris, and write step-by-step process in English and then convert that into a programming language to be executed by a computer. This project allows students to use a lot of creativity and problem solving at an early stage in their programming development.
Beyond the basic computer science courses, students will typically choose from a large variety of advanced programming classes depending on their area of focus. Students may choose from courses such as operating systems, software engineering, databases, computer networking, compilers, numerical computation, real-time computing, among many others.
One of the primary texts that most introductory computer programming students will read is “Introduction to Algorithms”. This textbook covers over 2000 pages of the basics of computer algorithms, covering every topic addressed in any computer programming course in great detail.
Degree Levels:
Associate
A computer programming associate degree prepares students for entry-level positions as computer programmers and computer support specialists. Within an associate degree program students will learn how to write the computer programs that enable computers to run. With an associate degree in computer programming, individuals will learn the necessary skills to create, test, and maintain computer programs and functions.
At the associate level, students should expect to cover all of the basic programming classes, including introduction to computer programming, data structures and algorithms, information systems, database systems, and business and information technology systems.
Within these classes, students learn valuable critical thinking skills as well as thorough quantitative reasoning skills. Students will learn basic business technology skills, software design, several computer programming languages, and the basics of computer software maintenance. Associate degree programs primarily focus on teaching students the basics the main programming languages used in the industry.
Bachelor’s
Most professional careers in computer programming require a bachelor’s degree. In a bachelor’s degree program for computer programming, students will obtain advanced skills in quantitative reasoning and problem solving. Students should expect to fully explore both the mathematical and theoretical foundations of computing. The study of the theory behind computing is what differentiates an associate degree program in computer programming from a bachelor’s degree program for computer programming.
Student’s obtaining a bachelor’s degree in programming should expect to take theory of computation, logic and computation, information theory, databases, compilers, as well as many other more advance computing classes. Alongside these computer programming specific classes, students should expect to complete linear algebra, combinatorics, discrete mathematics, and differential equations within the mathematics department.
Students will gain a thorough knowledge of the theory behind specific programming languages. In a bachelor’s degree program, students will learn what it means to program. With this degree, students will have enough knowledge on programming that they can develop a new programming language themselves.
Supplementing Your Computer Programming Major
A computer programming degree is typically obtained within the computer science department. This department offers several majors concentrating on computer technology and information technology. While computer programming is just one concentration within this department, computer programming offers a lot of flexibility.
Many students obtaining a degree in computer programming also seek minors or double majors in mathematics. Because several math classes are required for the computer programming major, it can be advantageous for students to pursue a second degree or a minor in mathematics. Students pursuing a degree in computer programming alongside a minor in mathematics open up several career opportunities. These students are desirable to employers seeking individuals who are comfortable with quantitative data and theoretical analysis.
Computer programming majors may also pursue a minor in linguistics. The study of linguistics lends itself well to computer programming because both evaluate the mechanics of language. The study of linguistics can help to illuminate things about computer languages as well as natural languages. This is desirable within the professional world because it displays a level of flexibility and diversity.
Often, employers may assume that a computer programming major is only proficient with scientific language. However, with a minor in linguistics, a computer programming degree holder displays a level of comfort with natural language as well. Computational linguistics has in recent years become very active in the field of artificial intelligence. One of the most difficult problems to tackle with artificial intelligence is the barrier between natural language and computer languages. Computer programmers with knowledge in linguistics are better able to address this problem.
Computer programming majors will also commonly pursue a second major in engineering. While this combination can be particularly demanding, the two studies relate closely to one another and share several of the same course requirements.
Learn More About the Computer Programming Major
- Computer Operator/Programmer- The Princeton Review
- MIT Open Courseware- Computer Science
- Association for Computing Machinery
- International Journal of Computer Science and Applications
- IEEE Computer Society
The Computer Programming Major in the Job Market
As a computer programming degree holder, you will have numerous career options within the professional world. The skills obtained in a computer programming degree program translate well to professional careers on the market today. With computer technology becoming ever more necessary in today’s society more and more professions are in need of tech savvy individuals. For this reason, it is common for Computer Programming degree holder to pursue careers in information technology and tech support in various different professional industries.
Also, computer programming majors seek jobs within the areas of website design, computer animation, game design, software design, research positions in computer development, freelance computer programming, and teaching. All of these professions relate directly to the material that a computer programming major would study. It is also very common for successful computer programming majors to become entrepreneurs with internet start-up companies.
Because computer programming is a fairly specialized degree, many students continue into higher education, pursuing a master’s degree or doctorate. These students will often remain in academia as researchers and professors.
While many of the skills you learn within the computer programming degree relate directly to computer technology positions, many of the skills obtained within these programs translate well to careers in any area of the professional world. Students holding a degree in computer programming have solid mathematical skills as well as strong logic and reasoning.
According to Payscale.com, some of the most popular employers for computer programmers are Microsoft Corp., International Business Machines (IBM) Corp., The Boeing Company, Zensar, and Laser Shot Inc.. The most popular industries that computer programmers enter are software development, software applications, computer hardware/software, insurance, and healthcare. These areas are tech heavy industries and, thus, popular choices for computer programming majors. The computer programming major has continued to grow over the past several years and is quickly becoming one of the most popular and profitable degrees to pursue.
