Computer Science Doctorate

Computer science is perhaps the fastest growing career field available in the marketplace today. As technology advances by leaps and bounds, computers are becoming more and more a part of everyday life. This growing prevalence of computers in the lives of humans means that more and more people are needed to create, install, maintain, and repair computer systems. Although many areas of study related to computers are often thrown under the umbrella of computer science, the field is actually its own area of study with specialized degrees. The highest level of education an individual can achieve in computer science is a computer science doctorate.

Not every career that deals with computers is a computer science field, meaning a computer science doctorate will open the door to only certain career fields involving computers and computing. The specific field of computer science is devoted to studying the theoretical foundations of information and computation, as well as the practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. The simplest explanation of computer science is that it is a field of study devoted to understanding the algorithmic processes used to create, describe, transform, and transmit information in computer systems.

Those interested in pursuing a computer science doctorate will need to have completed a Master’s level degree in computer science or a related field before gaining acceptance to a doctorate program. While a Bachelor’s Degree is sufficient to gain entry level employment in many computer science fields, advancing to the doctorate level in one’s education is the best way to gain access to jobs of greater importance with higher pay. A computer science doctorate is viewed as essential for many in higher level computer science positions because it prepares individuals to work either within the university system or in professional administration settings. Individuals holding a computer science doctorate are seen in the workplace as being much more marketable and more up to date on their knowledge.

The typical doctorate program in computer science rewards an individual with a Doctorate of Computer Science upon graduation, although it is worth noting there is also a PhD in Computer Science available that is considered to be very similar to the Doctorate of Computer Science. A Doctorate of Computer Science is a research doctorate that requires a student to complete coursework in addition to a dissertation and internship. Doctorate programs can take anywhere from two to five additional years of study to complete.

Requirements can vary from school to school, but most students pursuing a computer science doctorate can expect to take some of the following classes while in pursuit of their degree:

• Analysis of Algorithms
• Computer Architecture
• Computer Graphics
• Computer Networks
• Computer Organization
• Database Systems
• Advanced Programming Languages
• Software Engineering