Beyond the general idea of studying computers, how they operate and how we use them, computer science is a degree that is all about solving problems.
It is a challenging course that requires strong mathematical skills, critical thinking and an appetite for programming. That is not to say you must enter a computer science course with all of these capabilities to hand, but students can end up being surprised by the intensity and the central focus on maths, leading to a relatively high dropout rate.
At secondary school level, the Irish curriculum is often accused of being rigid and slow to adapt to new ideas. Computer science, on the other hand, is subject to almost constant change. While courses with high minimum points requirements generally demand application and strong academic skills, this is a field that also relies on particularly curious minds.
Last year, Trinity College Dublin required 521 points for its primary computer science course – University of Galway required 498 points and University College Cork required 500 points. Maynooth University offered computer science through arts (380 points) and science (401 points), as well as a computational thinking course that required 577 points.
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“A lot of people would say it’s a branch of maths,” says Dr Aidan Mooney, head of the computer science department at Maynooth. “There is definitely a real tight connection between the two. You need a certain level of maths ability to get through computer science. A lot of people might struggle with that concept. It’s so much more than that as well.
“Problem solving is one of the big things that computer science graduates have an ability to do. You decompose a problem, break it down into its constituent parts and then look at building solutions. If you go into something like software development, that’s what you’re doing. You’re going out to customers who have a problem that they need sorted, and you’re building a solution for them.
“It’s that ability to break things down using key techniques and computational thinking to analyse and solve problems that are crucial to other people.”
Computer science was introduced as a Leaving Cert subject on a trial basis in 40 schools in 2018, and the number of students taking it at second level is growing. Those who studied it at second level have the advantage of knowing it is something they enjoy, but the majority of students taking computer science in universities do not have that background.
Ireland’s status as an international tech hub has given rise to a wave of job opportunities in computer science, and although graduates may want to seek employment away from Big Tech, they will have every chance to pursue roles with the likes of Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple should they choose.
Students usually get a chance to go on placement or complete an internship, often at one of those big companies, and can sign contracts in advance of completing their studies. As Mooney points out, they are not tied to that path if they want to apply themselves to a different area.
“One of the big things with a degree in computer science is the interdisciplinary opportunities where you can go to work in so many different fields,” he says. “You’re not strictly in the technology place. You can go into things like finance, healthcare, government, agriculture. I think it gives that diversity that offers opportunities for people to experience lots of different kinds of fields. Let’s face it – everybody needs computer science in every form of industry.
“With generative AI and stuff like that, there’s a lot of focus. Even new, emerging things like green computing and sustainability. There’s definitely a lot more talk among students around that and how the next generation of workers are going to solve things like that. The majority of people still want to become software developers or data-based engineers but there’s definitely a bigger picture forming among students as to how they can impact the world.”
It is, as Mooney points out, an ever-evolving field, “and what we’re teaching now might not be relevant in a couple of years”.
“It’s a fast-moving, evolving landscape within the subject. That’s really something that motivates some people, that sense of continuous learning and development. The curiosity and the ability to problem solve – you need to be open to trying new things.”
