Learn more about Oregon State’s online bachelor’s degrees in computer science, and how they can position you for success in a competitive job market.
Building a career doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. When you’re following a passion or interest, it can even be fun.
Take Tamarsh Abeysekera, for example. Before coming to Oregon State, Abeysekera earned an undergraduate law degree after years of working as a paralegal. Originally, he wanted to become a partner at a law firm, but the path just didn’t feel right.
“I realized I didn’t want to become a corporate lawyer,” Abeysekera admits.
On a trip to San Francisco, he caught up with a friend, who was learning Swift, the iOS programming language. Abeysekera decided to sign up for a tutorial as well.
“I fell in love with it,” he says, “I was always addicted to computers growing up, and learning how to code felt like I was a kid again.”
“I was always addicted to computers growing up, and learning how to code felt like I was a kid again.”
Abeysekera decided to follow those feelings of inspiration and found Oregon State’s online postbaccalaureate degree in computer science. The program meant he could add a B.S. in Computer Science to his résumé by taking only 60 credits.
OSU’s postbacc is one of two computer science bachelor’s programs you can pursue online with Oregon State. If you have no prior degree, OSU offers an online B.S. in Computer Science, which is also designed to support your particular interests and goals.
Here are 5 reasons to choose Oregon State’s online undergraduate computer science programs.
1. You don’t have to put your life on pause.
Both the online B.S in Computer Science and the postbaccalaureate program are rigorous while remaining uniquely flexible. With no scheduled lectures, you can digest course materials at the time of day that works best for you.
Oregon State’s online postbaccalaureate computer science degree is especially useful to those who are mid-career and need to continue working while going to school. If, like Abeysekera, you already earned a bachelor’s degree in a field unrelated to computer science, the postbaccalaureate can significantly shorten your path to graduation.
”The fact that the program was asynchronous was nice because I could continue working while I was doing school,” says Abeysekera. “All of the classes that I took had really good videos that the instructor made, along with explorations.”
Tamarsh Abeysekera earned his B.S. in Computer Science through Oregon State’s online postbaccalaureate program.
2. You’ll gain the technical skills you need.
OSU’s online computer science degrees are designed to prepare you for careers in today’s growing technology sectors. You’ll learn essential programming skills, software engineering, database structures, cybersecurity, operating systems and more.
You’ll also be able to dive deeper into the mathematical and algorithmic thinking that drives innovation in disciplines like AI, machine learning and data science. Oregon State’s computer science faculty are respected leaders in these fields.
“Pretty much every professor that I had was available and always willing to help. It felt like they were invested in my success,” says Abeysekera, “And they were all passionate about what they were teaching. It made me more excited to learn.”
3. You’ll be able to create new opportunities in your career.
Technology is changing, disrupting and streamlining all kinds of industries — from science and health care to alternative energy and the arts. Many students in OSU’s online postbaccalaureate computer science program come with a wealth of previous skills and expertise. They aren’t necessarily looking to abandon a past career, but rather seeking to reinvent and fortify their current one.
For example, if you previously studied biology, you might explore career opportunities in bioinformatics or medical information systems. If you have a degree in psychology, you can build a career in user interface design. So many inspiring opportunities are out there. You can view more examples on our careers page.
4. You’ll gain important interpersonal and project management skills.
No matter what area you choose to specialize in, knowing how to work well with others and make positive contributions in a team environment is critical for building any career in technology. Both of Oregon State’s online undergraduate computer science degrees give you extensive group project experience and teach strong project planning and management skills, which are invaluable to hiring managers and employers everywhere.
“I learned a lot about myself as well as leadership and management skills, especially working in a group,” says Abeysekera
“I learned a lot about myself as well as leadership and management skills, especially working in a group,” says Abeysekera. “Real World Project Management in CS is only a two-credit class, but it ended up being so valuable. It taught me how to develop plans and materials for industry best practices and incremental development.”
5. You’ll build a strong portfolio to help market your skills.
Helping you find a great job is a top priority for Oregon State and the entire computer science department. That’s why so many of our online computer science courses focus on project explorations that will demonstrate your knowledge and skills to employers.
“My favorite part about the program was how every class had a portfolio project to do. Every class we have like five to six projects to demonstrate what you’ve learned,” says Abeysekera. “It added a lot to my GitHub and résumé.”
The College of Engineering also supports students through biannual career fairs. These events feature small group sessions, panel discussions with instructors, and networking activities with recruiters from companies like Garmin, HP, IBM, Intel, Xerox and more.
Want to know more about Oregon State’s online computer science programs?
Oregon State Ecampus and the College of Engineering collaborate closely together to offer:
- An online B.S. in Computer Science
- An online postbaccalaureate degree in computer science
- An online M.S. or MEng in computer science
If you’d like to better understand the differences between these options, check our guide to OSU’s online undergraduate and master’s programs. You’ll learn who each is designed for, the skills covered in each program and typical career outcomes for students.
Oregon State Ecampus offers virtual events to answer your questions about online learning and allow you to tour an online classroom. Register to join an upcoming session.
