How to get into Computer Science from Mathematics background for opening job opportunities?

Question

The title uses the phrase “get into”, though it have broad connotations yet all I meant by that was simply entering into the field of CS for formal job opportunities.

I have a decent knowledge of Bachelors level of Mathematics, but I lack any B.S. or B.Sc. degree in Mathematics. After completing my school, I enrolled in a college for Bachelor of Arts and I shall be completing it this academic year. During these 2 and a half years I was studying Mathematics by self. My subjects in B.A. are: Political Science, Economics, Sociology. Mathematics, Political Science and Sociology offers very little job opportunities, as far as I have found. By seeing this world, I got this belief that due to globalisation and ubiquitous nature of Computers, no one can find himself jobless if he has any degree in CS (I’m not sure if knowledge alone is helpful, because it is not in my country).

I would like to make transition from Mathematics to Computer Science, but I don’t know the way. I have tried looking up the various fields of CS and found that we can broadly classify them as under:

1. Developers
2. Security
3. Data Analysis
4. Theoretical Computer Science

Most of the courses in CS make people a developer or a data analyst, and a relatively less number of people go in security field (these are my findings, and they maybe not completely right). Theoretical Computer Science seems more like “the one less travelled by”.

I’m no longer 15 or 16 years old that I can simply pick up any of thousands of resources available teaching Python or C++. I have already given my 2.5 years to B.A., and 6 months more to give. I cannot afford to do any course in college for more than two years after this.

I was thinking as I have Economics as one of the subjects in my B.A., I should augment (if something like that is possible) it with Computer Science. Maths might take me into Computer Science and then I shall use it in the field of Economics. As per my knowledge, only financial institutions (like stock markets) seem to be using CS.

The users in their replies can assume that the OP is not restricted to national boundaries and may opt for international colleges/jobs too.

Answer 1

The one thing you don't mention is programming. You need to be a competent programmer to go very far in CS. You probably need more than one language, say an OO language (java, python) and another, either more procedural (C) or functional (Scheme, ML). Different languages require a different mind-set so start with one and get competent in it.

The best way, after some initial study is to do some project that is large and defined by someone else. Perhaps you can find descriptions of "term projects" in books or online.

Once you have programming skills you want to gain competence in data structures and algorithms. There are a lot of good books on this. This is a fairly mathematical study.

A good fusion book, combining the above, but useful after you've studied both is The Science of Programming by David Gries, which is old, but still relevant. It is more in the procedural family, but combines ideas of programming and data structures.

For the rest, find a good department of CS somewhere and look at what they have online about their curriculum. The required undergraduate courses give a good basis as an outline of further study even if you do it on your own. Some will list required text books.

The hardest part of self study is getting feedback on your efforts. It is one thing to do a lot of exercises from textbooks, but it is another to assure that you have gathered the right insights and don't have misconceptions.

As for your list of areas for a career, note that Theoretical CS is mostly an academic area requiring a doctorate for entry. The others are practiced in some large companies (Google, IBM, Oracle, ...), but theoreticians are a bit rare there.

Note also, that with a bachelor's degree, even in a different field, you can possibly get in to a funded doctoral program that will pay all fees and provide a living stipend if you have a frugal lifestyle.

Note that Software Engineering is related to CS, not quite the same, and more amenable to a non-academic career. You can find curricula for SE online, just as for CS. Software Engineering includes things like Human Factors.

Higher level math is a bit harder to follow on your own, as insight is much more subtle there with feedback likely more important for most people.

Answer 2

You can complete your current degree and go into the online post-bacc program at Boulder for 1-1/2 years for another BS. Or you could transfer to Oregon State's online BS program in CS. Its course choice is broader. Many people go a cheaper route and apply to Georgia Tech's online MS program, but the workload is steep, so if you're still slow at debugging, completion would be difficult. It's difficult enough for those with comp sci degrees.

Online programs in Europe would be cheaper than OSU/Boulder. I haven't looked into them and so can't comment beyond the difference in expense. Avoid SNHU. Cheap but the instruction is erratic. Not a respected degree (ranks outside of top 200).

Graduating from your current program and then earning an online graduate certificate might be an option too.