CSC 100 Orientation to Computer Science(at UNCW)

Dr. Karl Ricanek (ricanekk@uncw.edu)

Welcome!

• Why are you here?– Required for CSC Majors and Minors– Other courses you should take now (or really,

really soon): CSC 121, CSC 133, MAT 161

• What will we do?

• How will you be graded?

Am I Making the Right Decision?

• Is Computer Science a good major from– An economic standpoint?– A quality of life standpoint?

• Am I going to find anything interesting in Computer Science?

Here are the top starting salaries for June 2006 college graduates by major.

$56,269 Chemical Engineering$53,096 Computer Engineering$53,500 Electrical Engineering$51,808 Mechanical Engineering$50,744 Computer Science$47,182 Information Science$45,391 Management Information Systems$44,928 Accounting$41,115 Business Administration$37,191 Marketing$32,870 Liberal Arts$30,369 Psychology

Source: naceweb.org

Computer Science Majors’ Starting Salaries Are Among the Top 5 of All Majors (2006)

Computer Science Majors’ Starting Salaries is Number Two of All Majors

(2008)Here are the top starting salaries for Summer 2008 college graduates by major.

Major OfferChemical Engineering $63,165Computer Science $60,416 13.1% growth Mechanical Engineering $57,009 Electrical Engineering $56,910Management of Info. Systems $52,418 Civil Engineering $51,632 Economics $50,507Finance $48,547Accounting $48,085Business Admin/Mgmt $45,915Marketing $42,053English $34,327Sociology $34,796Psychology $33,564

Jobs in a RECESSION

• The 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs Overall (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1858773,00.html ) Thursday, Nov. 13 2008

1. Computer Systems Analysts

2. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts

3. Network and Computer Systems Administrators

4. Registered Nurses

5. Teachers, Postsecondary

Money Isn’t Everything -- Computer Science Jobs Rated

As Some of the Best Jobs

How did Money magazine rate jobs?– Compensation– Stress levels– Flexibility in hours and working

environment– Creativity– How easy it is to enter and advance

and the field– Percentage growth in number of jobs

Off-shoring?

Bill Gates Testifies Before Congress During Spring Break

• Why?– The U.S. has a cap of 65,000 on the number of work visas issued

for foreign workers with high-tech skills

Bill Gates Testifies Before Congress During Spring Break

• Some in the tech industry want the cap to be raised to 195,000.

• What does Bill Gates say?– “ … I don't think there should be any limit."

What is Computer Science?

Artificial IntelligenceComputer Architecture

Graphics Human-Computer

Interaction

Scientific Computing

Programming Languages CompilersOperating Systems

Networks

Software Engineering

Theory/Algorithms

CS Education

Databases

Discrete Math

Logic

Calculus

Computer Ethics

Problem Solving

Operating Systems

Scientific Method

Statistics

Comp. Organization Hardware

Object-Oriented Design

Programming

Data Structures

THE TREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Social and Prof. Issues

Computational BiologyComputational Chemistry

Bioinformatics

http://www.uncw.edu/cas/documents/2470_2_000.pdf

Digital ArtsComputer AnimationComputer Graphics

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Mobile Computing

Face Recognition and Biometrics

• http://faceaginggroup.com/home.php

Robots in Education

• http://www.uncw.edu/www/media/faculty/tompkinsj/sumoXwings.html

Ongoing Research Projects

• Virtual Reality• Parallel Algorithms• Biometrics & Photorealistic Aging• Computer-Brain Interfaces• Podcasting, Blogs, and Education• Robotics• Mobile Computing & iPhone Development• Computer Education with ALICE• Natural language processing

The Computer Science Major at UNCW.

• One track: Option 1 (Systems)Computer Science Generalist (analogous to a GP in medicine)

• Another track: Option 2 (Applied)– Study core computer science foundations

• Business Concentration • Biology Concentration• Chemistry Concentration• Digital Art Concentration• Statistics Concentration

• Future options?– Geographic information systems (GIS)

Why Do We Make You Take 1 Year of the Calculus?

• MAT 161-162: Calculus with Analytical Geometry

Artificial IntelligenceComputer Architecture

Graphics Human-Computer

Interaction

Scientific Computing

Programming Languages CompilersOperating Systems

Networks

Software Engineering

Theory/Algorithms

CS Education

Databases

Discrete Math

Logic

Calculus

Computer Ethics

Problem Solving

Operating Systems

Scientific Method

Statistics

Comp. Organization Hardware

Object-Oriented Design

Programming

Data Structures

THE TREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Social and Prof. Issues

But that’s not the only math you’ll take ….

• CSC 133: Discrete Math– Logic– Proofs– Set theory– Trees– Combinatorics

Artificial IntelligenceComputer Architecture

Graphics Human-Computer

Interaction

Scientific Computing

Programming Languages CompilersOperating Systems

Networks

Software Engineering

Theory/Algorithms

CS Education

Databases

Discrete Math

Logic

Calculus

Computer Ethics

Problem Solving

Operating Systems

Scientific Method

Statistics

Comp. Organization Hardware

Object-Oriented Design

Programming

Data Structures

THE TREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Social and Prof. Issues

Artificial IntelligenceComputer Architecture

Graphics Human-Computer

Interaction

Scientific Computing

Programming Languages CompilersOperating Systems

Networks

Software Engineering

Theory/Algorithms

CS Education

Databases

Discrete Math

Logic

Calculus

Computer Ethics

Problem Solving

Operating Systems

Scientific Method

Statistics

Comp. Organization Hardware

Object-Oriented Design

Programming

Data Structures

THE TREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Social and Prof. Issues

… and Statistics

• STT 215 (or QMM 280)

– You can’t read about science without statistics

– You can’t do science without statistics

The Programming Sequence

• CSC 121 – CSC 221 – CSC 332

– Why Java?

– Why Object-Oriented?

– What about other languages?

CSC 242: Digital Logic, Computer Organization and

Assembly Language

• What is the computer doing when you give it a command?

• Why is this important to know?

The Previous Courses Are All Shared by Option 1 and Option 2

• CSC 100

• CSC 121

• CSC 133

• CSC 221

• CSC 242

• CSC 332

Artificial IntelligenceComputer Architecture

Graphics Human-Computer

Interaction

Scientific Computing

Programming Languages CompilersOperating Systems

Networks

Software Engineering

Theory/Algorithms

CS Education

Databases

Discrete Math

Logic

Calculus

Computer Ethics

Problem Solving

Operating Systems

Scientific Method

Statistics

Comp. Organization Hardware

Object-Oriented Design

Programming

Data Structures

THE TREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Social and Prof. Issues

Data Structures

• CSC 332

• This is a gateway course into (almost) all 300 and 400-level courses

• Why?

• What are data structures?

Other Common Required Courses Shared by Option 1

and Option 2

• CSC 360: Formal Languages and Computability

• CSC 434: Programming Languages

• CSC 450: Software Engineering

• CSC 455: Database Management

The Divergence

• What does Option 1 prepare you for?

• What does Option 2 prepare you for?

Option 1 Required

• CSC 340: Scientific Computing• CSC 342: Operating Systems• CSC 385: Professional and Ethical Issues in

Computer Science• 9 additional CSC hours at 300, 400 level

• Plus 1 Year of Laboratory Science (Physics, Biology, or Chemistry)

• Plus an additional course in another science

Option 2

• CSC 344: Computer Networks

• 6 additional hours of CSC at 300, 400 level– Business: ACG 201, ACG 203, ECN 221, ECN 222,

FIN 335, MGT 350, MKT 340– Biology: Complete minor requirements– Chemistry: Complete minor requirements– Digital Arts: Complete minor requirements– Statistics: Complete minor requirements

The Minors

• IT Minor

• Digital Arts Minor

• Computer Science Minor

Information Technology Minor

• Core (12 hours)– CSC 110 – One of 112, 121, MIS 216– LIB 103– Any 3 credit 200+ level course in CSC or MIS

• Electives (6 hours, at least 3 hours at 300+ level)– Any 200+ level course in CSC or MIS– ART/FST 220; ART/FST 320; CHM 425; COM 260;

CRW 319; EDN 303, 416; ENG 204, 314, 319; FST 201, 395, 497; GGY 224, 422, 424; MUS 110; PAR 110, 218; SOC 303

Digital Arts Minor

• Core (18 hours): – Art 101– Art 260– One of CSC 112 or 121;– CSC 204– CSC/ART/FST 220– COM 280

• Electives (6 hours, 3 of which at 300+)– CSC 255, 320, 370, 421, 475, 491; ART 280, 311, 312, 320,

339, 341, 343, 360, 411, 412, 475, 491, 495; COM 160, 211, 260, 365, 380, 385, 460, 480, 489, 491; CRW 210; MUS 110, 210, 310, 491; THR 211, 305, 411

CSC Minor

• Core:– CSC 100– CSC 121– CSC 133– CSC 221– CSC 332

• Electives – 3 hours at 200+ level in CSC– 3 hours at 300+ level in CSC

For Next Week

• Dr. Ron Vetter will discuss mobile computing and entrepreneurship

• You should– Read the 2008-2009 Undergraduate

Catalog entry pertaining to Computer Science (including course descriptions)

– Visit the ACM website. In particular the Computing Careers portion of their website.

• Then– Read up on Dr. Vetter’s work with mobile

computing

– Homework will be given via Blackboard

Your turn

• Ask me questions

– Graduate School– Jobs– Majors, minors– Difference between MIS and CSC

My name is Dr. Karl Ricanek

• Feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions.– CIS 2042– ricanekk@uncw.eduThe best way to way– 962-4261

• Our web page: http://people.uncw.edu/ricanekk/teaching/spring09/csc100.htm

• Thank you!