Are you a “Computer Genius” looking to parlay your skills from online gaming or open source seeking into a college major of which your parents will approve and can take you on to a lucrative career? Of course, a degree in Computer Science is one way to go, but now that technology is such a prevalent part of our everyday lives, there’s a lot more geek-love when it comes to finding a college major that “teems” with technology:
Cybersecurity: Maybe you’ve watched “Hackers” one too many times, but at one point or another you did consider yourself to be among this group of inspiring individuals. Well, why not take it to the other side and go for a degree in “Cybersecurity?” There are only a handful of universities that offer this major, but securing data for companies is big business. Industries from banking to government (think Homeland Security) are looking for people who can protect their online interests.
Art and Technology: This is a major for the multitasking geek. Also offered at some schools as an “Integrated Media” or an “Intermedia” degree. Art and technology pulls the “Digital Creative” across multiple disciplines including 3-D design, installation, animation and video. Cross-discipline collaboration is often encouraged of geeks who take this major, with fields including Bioinformatics and Information Systems Engineering, all in the name of contextualizing the 21st century. What kind of job can you get with this major? A job in just about any industry that uses a Web site, in-store or on-campus installations, or digital walls to communicate information. Look first at marketing agencies that focus on digital marketing.
Information Systems Engineering: Got systems? This major is all about the analysis, design and management of complex systems. Anything from robotics and control to networking, supply chain management and signal and image processing. In this cross-disciplinary field of study, students don’t build tangible products like bridges or hydroelectric contraptions, they work on abstract systems (i.e. helping engineers in specialized fields collaborate together to create something). This is a major that focuses on business and technology. It’s about getting the customer what he needs. Look for a job in aerospace or with government agencies, including the CIA. Also, look at these engineering majors: Electrical, Mechanical, Environmental and Naval.
Science and Law: You and your geek friends might have written some code that will change the world or developed a new operating system that is sure to make Windows obsolete. Could happen, right? But how do you make sure that nobody steals your idea? You hire an intellectual property and patent lawyer. Or, you decide to major in Science and Law so you can register the documents to protect yourself. Nowadays, people need lawyers to protect their ideas, and when those ideas have to deal with technology, they need a lawyer who gets where those ideas come from. In today’s marketplace, a loophole in an intellectual property patent could cost you billions of dollars.
Bioinformatics: We’ve seen all the pretty pictures of the human genome and heard all the possibilities that its mapping holds. But did you know that pretty picture was made possible through Bioinformatics, or computational biology? Scientists use technology to find and map out life that cannot be seen by the naked eye. But this is a major for a serious risk taker. You’ll be using math, stats and computer science to “figure things out” on the molecular level. If you choose to go this route you probably won’t end up working at the local Dairy Queen, but will most likely go on to pursue graduate work, university research or a job for one of the big pharmaceutical companies. Other science majors that use technology: Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.
Music and Technology: So, you’re not just a computer geek, you’re a band geek too. No worries, because a major in music and technology can lead to a job in major motion pictures. By learning to push beyond traditional theory and synthesizing (no pun intended) that knowledge with nontraditional media to produce music and sound, you will be on the fast track to creating movie scores or designing sound for television commercials.
Rhetoric and Technical Communication: We’ve all heard of the “Power of Persuasion.” Well, when you study rhetoric you’re studying that power—how people use speech to persuade others to take action for or against a specific cause or how the written word is used to push a social agenda. Now, “Technical Communication” is the type of rhetoric used in the workplace. Think about technical description documents, instruction manuals and research reports. If you are a computer geek, you might already know the lingo, but this major will help you communicate it to the masses. From the world of business to the world of politics, technology nowadays is used to communicate, sell and persuade people to take action in one form or another.
Multimedia Systems: RU a gamer? Into Wow? Think it would be cool to design and develop games? Well, several universities now offer this as a stand-alone major, but many offer it as a focus under the broader term of the Multimedia Systems major. It might not hurt to take a creative writing class or two as well, because, as we all know, the best games also have the best story lines. What could be more fun than role-playing at work?
Software Engineering: You already know how to program, Java is not a problem and C++ is a breeze. Then think about a major in software engineering. Get your code on and get ready for a career that can take you anywhere. If you have the know-how, and really “get” the difference between developing large software systems and writing small scripts, then with a degree in Software Engineering, the sky’s the limit.
Industrial Design: Often the words “design” and “technology” seem to pop up simultaneously. That’s because technology is such a useful tool when creating meaningful and complex design solutions. Think about it: If it wasn’t for technology, Frank Gehry might not have been able to realize some of his architectural dreams. In any case, if architecture isn’t for you, but you want to design three-dimensional objects, try a major in Industrial Design. In many of these programs geeks get to use their technological know-how but learn how to relate it to new aesthetic and ecological perspectives. Maybe you’ll design the next iPod self-scrubbing kitchen sink or world’s fastest electric car.
Think about it, being a geek has its benefits. Campuses have gone wireless and lectures are being delivered via podcast. There are a wide variety of technology-related majors and interdisciplinary degrees, where being wired into the latest advances in technology gives geeks an edge.