Employment in the field is projected to grow at a rate of 15 percent through 2022, double the average rate of all occupations. Students, who choose from thesis and non-thesis options, are able to concentrate in specific areas or begin preparation for Ph.D. work. Master’s students also gain experience working with systems administration and helping create apps for the university. There are additional opportunities through professional organizations. Well-equipped computer labs are available extensive hours and also provide 24/7 remote software access. Video-conference attendance is possible in some classes. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available.

Computer science graduates with an advanced degree should enjoy excellent job prospects, with businesses reporting difficulty in finding highly skilled employees in the field. Computer scientists are problem-solvers who teach themselves new technologies and are able to work individually and in teams. They write programs ranging from mobile apps to complex databases to websites to high-performance scientific computing and more. Possible positions with this degree include:

• Computer programmer
• Applications or systems software developer
• Database administrator
• Web developer
• Computer systems analyst
• Information security analyst
• Computer systems administrator
• Computer and information research scientist