Professionals looking to advance their careers in the high tech industry may need to add a specialized degree on their resume that focuses on computer science. Now, Dixie State College (DSC) in Utah has launched a new 4-year program aimed at expanding employment opportunities for students in the emerging field. The school said its new computer science degree, which was recently approved by the Utah Board of Regents, will complement the existing computer and information technology (CIT) degree being offered by the institute. Donna Dillingham-Evans, DSC vice president of academic services, told the Spectrum that the program will prepare students for careers in computer programming, software engineering and other high tech-related fields. "We pursued this computer science degree program in response to comments we received from a number of economic development advisers," Dillingham-Evans noted. "This degree is a positive indicator for potential employers and corporations looking to relocate to Washington County." School officials said local demand for students coming out of the computer science program by companies is "off the charts." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for computer scientists are expected to grow much faster than the average of other occupations, by 24% through 2018. |